II. THE NEGATIVE NEED CAUSED BY MAN’S FALL THROUGH THE TEMPTATION
OF GOD’S ADVERSARY SATAN
God’s positive intention in His economy consists of the aforementioned three positive items. But man’s fall through the temptation of God’s adversary caused a negative need. This need consists of four items.
A. To Destroy Satan
in Christ’s Humanity through Death
The first item of the negative need caused by man’s fall is to destroy Satan, the origin of sin and the possessor of the might of death, in Christ’s humanity through death (Heb. 2:14). Satan is not only God’s enemy but also God’s adversary. An enemy is one who is on the outside, but an adversary is one who is on the inside. God’s intention is to deal with man’s negative need by destroying Satan, God’s enemy and God’s adversary.
B. To Take Away Sin
through Christ’s Death in His Flesh
The second item of man’s negative need is to take away sin through Christ’s death in His flesh (John 1:29; Rom. 8:3). Christ as the Lamb of God took away the sin of the world.
C. To Nullify Death
through Christ’s Resurrection in His Humanity
The third item of man’s negative need is to nullify death through Christ’s resurrection in His humanity (2 Tim. 1:10b; 1 Pet. 1:3b). In His humanity, Christ nullified death through His resurrection.
D. To Terminate the Old Man
Corrupted by Satan with Sin unto Death
The fourth item of the negative need caused by man’s fall is to terminate the old man corrupted by Satan with sin unto death (Rom. 6:6a; 1 Tim. 2:14; Rom. 5:12). God did not create man in an old condition; He created man in a very fresh condition. Man became old when Satan came into him with sin, which is unto death. These three factors—Satan, sin, and death—entered into us to corrupt us and make us old. Being old is not a matter of age but a matter of condition. We were dirty, sinful, and destined to die because we have Satan, sin, and death within us. Our entire old being, our old man, was and still is wrapped up with these three things. However, through Christ’s death on the cross in His humanity, the old man corrupted by Satan with sin unto death was terminated.
(The Central Line of the Divine Revelation, Chapter 9, by Witness Lee)
