PAUL AND JOHN

^[p. 85] PAUL AND JOHN

The readings at ———— will I trust bear fruit. We had the parallels between Paul and John. Paul leads the sinner to know that he is not in the flesh, but in the Spirit. John starts with “the Son of man must be lifted up”. The first man must go in judgment. The man out of heaven can only go to heaven. Once we learn this by the Spirit even that we have changed our man, that it is no longer Adam, but Christ, our path shineth more and more to the perfect day. It came out clearly the difference between the Holy Ghost in us individually, and His acting in us collectively as builded together, or as members of the body of Christ.

Romans 8 is individual — you could not properly make it collective. 1 Corinthians 12 is collective. This is of much importance because so many cannot think of the Lord but in relation to themselves; they cannot be so free and happy as to themselves that they can give themselves to Him for His pleasure and service.

If asked to describe John’s gospel in one sentence, I should say that it presents a Man who comes altogether from God, who derives nothing from man, save that He was born of a woman and for this purpose — that He might bring to an end judicially the first man, in order that every one who believeth on Him should be of His order — the second Man — the last Adam.