Christ as Our Life vs. Christ as Our Person

 

Christ as Our Life vs. Christ as Our Person

Based on biblical revelation (especially Colossians 3:4, Galatians 2:20, Philippians 1:21, Ephesians 3:17, 2 Corinthians 13:5) and fellowship in the ministry of the brothers, "Christ as our life" and "Christ as our person" are two extremely important and intrinsically linked revelations in God's economy. Life emphasizes inner provision and vitality; the person emphasizes inner sovereignty and governance. Life is the content, the person is the master; life is the source of what is lived out, the person is the subject of what is lived out. 

Item	Christ as Our Life	Christ as Our Person
Meaning	Christ becomes our inward life, supply, and living energy.	Christ becomes the One who lives, decides, leads, and rules within us.
Reason	God's salvation imparts His divine life into man.	God's purpose is that Christ would gain the ground and lordship in man.
Biblical Basis	"Christ our life"  (Col. 3:4)	"It is no longer I who live, but Christ"  (Gal. 2:20)
Focus	The power of living.	The Person who lives.
Key Question	By what life do I live?	Who is living in me?
Spiritual Experience	Enjoying Christ as supply, strength, peace, and joy.	Allowing Christ to make decisions and direct our living.
Aspect	Life supply.	Person and authority.
Illustration 1	Sap flowing through a vine.	The root determining the growth direction.
Illustration 2	Blood supplying the body.	The brain directing the body.
Illustration 3	Electricity energizing a lamp.	The switch controlling the flow.
Explanation	Christ enables us to live by His life.	Christ becomes the subject of our living.
Effect	Spiritual vitality and growth.	Spiritual direction and transformation.
Possible Deficiency	One may still act according to self despite enjoying life.	Receiving Christ as Person corrects and governs the use of life.
Purpose	To express God's life and nature.	To express God's will and authority.
Highest Result	Christ formed in us.	Christ making His home in our hearts.
Maturity	Rich in life supply.	Fully under Christ's headship.
Relationship	Life is the content.	Person is the center.
Relationship	Life is the power.	Person is the direction.
Relationship	Life supplies.	Person governs.
Relationship	Life causes growth.	Person produces transformation.
Relationship	Life enables us to live.	Person determines how we live.
Biblical Example	The branches abiding in the vine  (John 15:5).	Paul living Christ (Phil. 1:21).
Practical Application	Contact the Lord daily through prayer and the Word.	Let Christ make decisions in every matter.
Ministry Burden	Help believers know and experience Christ as life.	Help believers take Christ as their unique Person.
Church Life	Mutual life supply and shepherding.	One new man under one Head.
Reality of the New Man	All share one life.	All live by one Person.
Ultimate Consummation	The tree and river of life in New Jerusalem.	The throne of God and the Lamb governing eternally.
Related Scriptures Overview	Christ Our Life          Col. 3:4  Life in the Son   1 John 5:11-12 Abundant Life          John 10:10  Vine and Branches             John 15:4-5 No Longer I   Gal. 2:20  To Live is Christ           Phil. 1:21 Christ Making Home in Our Hearts         Eph. 3:17  Christ in You   Col. 1:27 The New Man           Col. 3:10-11  One New Man       Eph. 2:15 Throne of God and the Lamb       Rev. 22:1  Tree of Life      Rev. 22:2

 

Spiritual Sequence Between the Two

Order	Spiritual Experience	Scripture
1	Receive Christ as life	John 1:12; John 20:22
2	Grow by the divine life	1 Pet. 2:2
3	Realize the limitation of the self	Rom. 7:18
4	Deny the self	Matt. 16:24
5	Take Christ as the Person	Gal. 2:20
6	Christ makes His home in the heart	Eph. 3:17
7	Live Christ	Phil. 1:21
8	Manifest the one new man	Col. 3:10-11
9	Build up the Body of Christ	Eph. 4:15-16
10	Consummate in the New Jerusalem	Rev. 21:2; 22:1-2

 

Guidelines for Prophesying Meetings

Aspect	Guideline
Concerning Life	Testify that Christ is the life supply within us.
Concerning the Person	Declare that Christ desires not only to supply us but also to govern us.
Concerning Experience	Share how turning to the spirit allows Christ to replace the self.
Concerning the Church	Emphasize that the one new man exists when all believers take Christ as their unique Person.
Concerning God's Economy	Proclaim that God's goal is not merely that we possess Christ's life but that we live by Christ as our Person.

 

One-Sentence Prophesying Summary

Christ as our Life gives us the divine life to live; Christ as our Person replaces the self as the One who lives; when Christ becomes both our content and our center, we live Christ, express the one new man, and fulfill God's eternal economy.

Conclusion

Item	Summary
Life	Christ as life answers the question of how we can live Christ.
Person	Christ as person answers the question of who is living in us.
Relationship	Life is for the Person; the Person expresses the life.
Spiritual Goal	Not merely to receive Christ's life, but to let Christ become our Person.
Corporate Result	Believers share one life and live by one Person, becoming the one new man.
Ultimate Consummation	The New Jerusalem as the full expression of Christ as life and person in God's redeemed people.

 

*Please refer to the 2026 Memorial Day Special Conference theme: The Urgent Need for a New Revival, Part One: Cooperating with the Lord to Bring a New Revival to End This Generation.