The four fold work of Christ in His cross:
- The blood of Christ to deal with sins and guilt.
- The cross of Christ to deal with sin, the flesh and the natural man.
- The Life of Christ made available to indwell, re-create and empower man.
- The working of death in the natural man that the indwelling Life may be pregressively manifest.
The first two undo the works of satan and the undoing of the sin of man (redemption), while the last two secures the eternal purpose of God for man.
Apart from the aspect of the death of Jesus that has to deal with sinners and his redemption for man, there is a positive aspect to it that is hinged on His love for His Church, where th question of sin and sinners does not appear.
After the fall of man from Genesis chapter 3, there were types and shadows that communicates the death of Jesus Christ as atonement for man’s sin. But there is a type of death in the old tesatament before the sin of man that has nothing to do with man’s sin. It was when Adam was put to sleep by God.
In Genesis 2, the purpose to which Adam was put to sleep by God was for the something to be taken out of him to be made into someone else and presented to him, which is for the sole purpose of her (Eve) existence.
Adam was not created to be redeemed — redemption is a restoration plan to bring man back to the state where he was before the fall.
The purpose to which Adam was created was for sonship, which he would have attained to if choosed to eat of the tree of Life, which is the life of God (Christ in its receivable form). That purpose however was interrupted by satan and man’s wrong choice. But because God’s purpose should come to fruition, He sent His Son in the likeness of man to first redeem man and receive the life of His Son through his death, burial, and resurrection.
The very purpose of God is brought within reach of fulfillment by our receiving Christ as our life. — Watchman Nee
In Genesis 2, Notice that Adam was put to sleep and not put to death. Death is as a result of sin.
Adam slept, and Eve was created out of Adam. That is God’s method with the Church. God’s second Man’ has awakened from His `sleep’ and His Church is created in Him and of Him, to draw her life from Him and to display that resurrection life. — Watchman Nee.
Romans 8 — Justification that leads to glory in many that manifest the image of one (The church)
Romans 12:1 — Is a call for a collective concecration as brethren, which is the entire body of Christ linking to the thought to many brethren in chapter 8:29
The vessel through which the Lord Jesus can reveal Himself in this generation is not the individual but the Body. “God hath dealt to each man a measure of faith” (12:3), but alone in isolation man can never fulfill God’s purpose. It requires a complete Body to attain to the stature of Christ and to display His glory. — Watchman Nee