THE SPIRIT OF SONSHIP
Romans 8:15 tells us that we “have received a spirit of sonship in which we cry, Abba, Father.” The sonship includes the life of the Son, the nature of the Son, the title right of the Son, the position of the Son, the reality of the Son, the potential of the Son, the image of the Son, and the heritage of the Son. Today we are sons of God but not the sons in fullness. The Spirit of sonship will make us real sons in fullness. You may say that you have the life of the Son of God, but this life has not been developed in you to its fullness. You may have the nature of the Son of God, but it is still so hidden. You may have the potential to be rich in Christ, but you may still be poor in the experience and riches of Christ. However, the Spirit of sonship will bring forth in us all the things related to the sonship.
THE FIRSTFRUIT OF THE SPIRIT
Romans 8:23 says that we have the firstfruit of the Spirit. Any fruit comes out of the life seed. The fruit is the outcome of the life within the seed. Thus, the Spirit is not only the life but also the fruit of life. The firstfruit is the foretaste. We have the foretaste, the firstfruit, of the Spirit, and we are waiting for the harvest. According to Romans 8:23 the harvest is the redemption of our body. We have been redeemed in our spirit yet not in our body. Regardless of how much we are in the spirit, sometimes our body really bothers us. My spirit may be strong, yet my body may be weak. Because our body has not yet been redeemed, it is a restriction and limitation to us. If our body is weak or sick, we have to pay attention to its demands. Paul said that we who have the firstfruit of the Spirit are “eagerly expecting sonship, the redemption of our body” (v. 23). Through the regeneration of our spirit, we have the Spirit as a foretaste. The Spirit is the firstfruit in our spirit. Then we need the harvest of the Spirit, which is the full sonship, the redemption of our body.
DRINKING OF THE SPIRIT
First Corinthians 12:13 says, “For also in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body, whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free, and were all given to drink one Spirit.” In this verse the Spirit is not only the baptizing water but also the drinking water. We all have been made to drink of the Spirit, and to drink of the Spirit is a life matter. To be baptized is to be put into water, but to drink is to take water into us. After being baptized in the Spirit, we are now drinking of the Spirit. To be baptized in the Spirit is to get into the Spirit and be lost in Him; to drink the Spirit is to take the Spirit in and have our being saturated with Him.
THE BOUNTIFUL SUPPLY OF THE SPIRIT
Philippians 1:19 refers to “the bountiful supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ.” The Spirit supplies us with whatever we need. If we need life, He supplies life. If we need strength, He supplies strength. If we need patience, He supplies patience. If we need the power to endure suffering, the suffering strength, He supplies it. Whatever we need is in the bountiful supply of the Spirit. W. J. Conybeare tells us that the word for “bountiful supply” in Greek literally means the supplying of all the needs of the chorus by the choragus. The choragus was the leader of the chorus, and he met all the needs of everyone in the chorus, such as the needs for food, clothing, lodging, and musical instruments. Whatever the members of the chorus needed, the leader of the chorus supplied. The supply of the choragus truly was bountiful, even all-inclusive. Thank the Lord that whatever we need, the all-inclusive, bountiful Spirit supplies.
(The Crucial Revelation of Life in the Scriptures, Chapter 12, by Witness Lee)
