NEEDING TO SEE AND ENJOY THE UNSEARCHABLE RICHES OF CHRIST
After this, Ephesians 3 tells us that Paul was sent to announce to us the unsearchable riches of Christ (v. 8). The unsearchable riches of Christ are contained in His eternal life, a life that has passed through death and resurrection. All His riches are in this eternal life. We need someone to help us that our eyes may be opened to see this. We need someone to unveil the contents of this life and to show us the vision of the riches of Christ, scene after scene. The elements of the new man within us are exceedingly rich! The unsearchable riches are right within us today!
How can we enjoy these riches? In the latter part of chapter three Paul prayed for us, asking the Father to grant us, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with power through His Spirit into the inner man (v. 16). God has glory, and His glory is rich. The riches of His glory are the unsearchable riches of Christ. Notice that Ephesians 3 refers to riches twice. First it speaks of the unsearchable riches of Christ, and then it speaks of the riches of God’s glory. The riches spoken of in these two places are one. Paul prayed that the Father would grant us, according to such riches, to be strengthened into the inner man with power through His Spirit, the all-inclusive Spirit. This means that within us there is something living, vital, and organic that continuously stirs us within, not in our mind but in our regenerated new man. As a result, Christ is able to make His home in our hearts (v. 17a).
CHRIST MAKING HIS HOME IN OUR HEARTS
This matter of Christ making His home in our hearts is not a small matter. It is not merely a parable or an illustration; it is a reality. Christ makes His home in our hearts—not just in our spirit but in our heart, which surrounds our spirit. By reading the Scriptures we can see that our spirit is surrounded by our heart. First Peter 3 says that there is a hidden man of our heart (v. 4). That hidden man is our spirit. Our spirit is in the inner part of our heart, and our heart surrounds our spirit. If our spirit is strengthened, then Christ can make His home not only in our spirit but also in our heart. In other words, every part of our being may be occupied by Christ. This is not an ethical teaching, a religious teaching, or a philosophical teaching. This is a heavenly vision.
I am concerned that although many brothers and sisters have read Ephesians again and again, they may not have seen such a vision until now. They may not have seen that Christ is waiting in our spirit for an opportunity to saturate every part of our being with Himself so that He can make His home in our heart. Ephesians 3:19b says, “That you may be filled unto all the fullness of God.” What kind of philosophy or doctrine is this? This is higher than any philosophy or doctrine! The Chinese Confucianists say that the principle of the highest level of learning is to develop the bright virtue. This principle at the most helps to develop our bright virtue, which is our innate knowledge and ability. Today we have not only the bright virtue, the innate knowledge and ability; we have the all-inclusive Christ, the all-inclusive Spirit, and the Triune God in our spirit as the unsearchable riches in us. Wang Yang-ming, a Chinese philosopher, said that if a person only makes outward improvements but neglects to develop his innate knowledge and ability, he is like a tree without roots and a stream without a source. If the philosophers pay so much attention to the matter of our inner source, how much more should we! What they pay attention to is only the innate knowledge and ability—the bright virtue within man. We, however, should focus on the great Triune God, the all-inclusive Christ, and the all-inclusive Spirit who dwells in our spirit and is mingled with us as one spirit.
If you truly see this vision, you will be beside yourself for at least three days because this is a tremendously great matter! The Triune God is right within us. The all-inclusive Spirit is right within us and has become one spirit with us. He has become me that I also may become Him. He and I, I and He, have one life, one living, one walk, and one move! Anyone who has seen this will jump up and down. Eventually we will be filled unto all the fullness of God. We will not be filled with only a little love or with a little humility; we will be filled unto all the fullness of God. This is the living of the new man, and this is the church life.
(Living in the Spirit, Chapter 4, by Witness Lee)
