Christ Through the Bible- Christ the Quickening Spirit

Text: And so, it is written, the first man Adam was made a living soul; the last Adam was made a quickening spirit. I Cor. 15:45

From all indications, Paul wrote three letters to the church at Corinth.  First Corinthians is the second letter. We have no record of the first letter.  In chapter 5 verse 9 implies he had addressed the immorality that was in the church at Corinth and told them not associate with those who were sexually immoral.

In First Corinthians, he again is addressing the sexual immorality that is taking place in the church along with the various divisions.  The household of Chloe informed Paul of many other evils: such as contentions, divisions, and lawsuits brought against brethren in heathen law courts by professing Christians; the abuse of their spiritual gifts by displaying fanaticism; the interruption of public worship by disorderly people, and the lack of modesty by women speaking unveiled (contrary to Oriental customs), and the desecration of the LORD’s  table by greediness and drunkenness on the part of those in attendance. Other messengers, also, came from Corinth, consulting him on the subject of (1) the controversy about meats offered to idols; (2) the disputes about celibacy and marriage; (3) the due exercise of spiritual gifts in public worship; (4) the best mode of making the collection which he had requested for the saints at Jerusalem.

The area I will be talking about this morning is how Paul portrays Christ to the church at Corinth as “the quickening spirit.”  “The quickening spirit” is primarily a phrase found in the King James translation of the Bible and translations based on it. Most translations translate it as “life-giving spirit.” The King James elsewhere uses the phrase “he will quicken the dead” which seems to mean to give life to the dead. So “quickening spirit” seems to mean “life-giving spirit.”

The passage 1st Corinthians 15 is about the resurrection from the dead that as Christians we believe, and Paul is making an argument that the resurrection will happen. In this verse, he uses “the last Adam” as a reference to Jesus to draw a parallel between Adam and Jesus.

All of this is to say that “quicken” in King James English should be understood as reanimating the dead or resurrecting the dead.

Quickening Is the Initial Operation of the Holy Spirit

There are two operations of the “quickening spirit” that are essential to the Christian faith.  Paul is writing about the quickening power for the resurrection of the body in our text.  John and Peter write about the quickening power of salvation—from death to life.

Some have failed to see the distinction which is pointed by John 6:63

It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are the spirit, and they are life.

And 1 Peter 1:23:

Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth forever.

The John is referring to the initial act of the Spirit in "quickening" the spiritually-dead soul. While Peter is writing about the consequent "birth" of the same. While it may be difficult to understand the "new creature", yet of this, we may be certain, that life precedes birth. There is a strict analogy between the natural birth, and the spiritual, and God is the Author of them both.  Jesus used this analogy when talking with Nicodemus.

 Birth is neither the cause nor the beginning of life itself: instead is it the manifestation of life already existent: there had been a Divine "quickening" before the child could issue from the womb. In the same way the Holy Spirit "quickens" the soul, or imparts spiritual life to it, before its possessor is "brought forth" and "born again" by the Word of God (1 Pet. 1:23).

James 1:18,

Of his own will begat he us with the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures.

1 Peter 1:23,

Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth forever.

And parallel passages, refer not to the original communication of spiritual life to the soul, but rather to our being enabled to act from that life and induced to love and obey God through the Word of Truth which assumes a principle of grace already planted in the heart.

 That was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world. John 1:9

In His work of illumination, conviction, conversion, and sanctification, the Spirit uses the Word as the means to it, but in His initial work of "quickening," He employs no means, operating immediately or directly upon the soul.

First, there is a "new creation."

Therefore, if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. 3 Cor. 5:17

and then the "new creature" is stirred into life.

Ephesians 2:10 - For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.

Faith and all other graces are fashioned in us by the Spirit through the knowledge of the Word, but not so with the principle of life and grace from which these graces proceed.

Quickening Imparts Life

His work of "quickening," by which we mean the imparting of spiritual life to the soul, the Spirit acts immediately from within, and not by applying something from without. It is not something that happens from our surrounding environment. Quickening is a direct operation of the Spirit without the use of any outside influence or action: the Word is used by Him afterward to call into exercise the life then communicated.

And just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glorious power of the Father, now we also may live new lives. We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life. Romans 6:4

Christ has freed us from the law of the sin and the death.

The words here "buried with" are from the Greek word sunthapto. This is a rare word used only here and in:

having been buried with Him in baptism, in which you were also raised up with Him through faith in the working of God, who raised Him from the dead. Colossians 2:12 NASB

The words "buried with" mean: "to bury together, join in burying or to be buried with". The word "with" indicates a "co" relationship with Jesus Christ. This is a co-burial. It is saying, "When Jesus was buried, we were buried". God buried us along with Jesus Christ! This obviously does not mean that God put us into the same tomb as Jesus and laid down beside Him! This is our union with Christ.

"The glory of God" is another way of saying "God's power and might." In the First Testament the power of God was displayed supremely on two occasions--when He saved Israel from Egypt, and when He saved her from Babylon (Exod 14:31; Deut 9:29; Isa 40:5). In the New Testament, the power and the glory of God were supremely displayed in the death and resurrection of Jesus.

The astounding statement that Paul makes is that "as" that is true of Christ, "even so" it is true of us. "So, we too might walk in newness of life"--Christ walks in newness of life as the result of the resurrection, and so do we. The "newness of life" here does not refer to a new quality of experience or conduct, but to a new quality of life imparted to the individual. Verses 1-11 of Romans 6 do not deal with the Christian's experience or behavior, but with his position before God. "Newness of life" is the newness which consists of life. The literal Greek here reads: "So also we in newness of life might walk."

Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come. 2 Corinthians 5:17 NASB

This is not dealing with my walk, but with my position before God. In other words, what Paul says then is that when Jesus Christ died on Golgotha, we died on Golgotha. When Jesus Christ was placed in Joseph of Arimathea's tomb, we were placed in Joseph of Arimathea's tomb. When on the first day of the week the Lord Jesus rose again from the dead from that tomb in bodily resurrection, we also arose with Him. When Christ ascended to heaven, we ascended with Him and are now seated with Him in the heavenlies. Our identification with Christ includes the crucifixion with Him, burial with Him; and our resurrection, ascension, and glorification with Christ. Our identification with Christ is so complete that God reckons us as having experienced co-crucifixion, co-burial, co-resurrection, co-ascension, and co-glorification. This is the way God sees us. Shouldn't we see ourselves in the same manner?

Regeneration is a direct operation of the Holy Spirit upon the human spirit. It is the action of the Holy Spirit upon the human spirit.  Ephesians 2:10 - For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in the spirit, of a Divine Person upon a human person, whereby spiritual life is imparted. Nothing by the actions of man can come between the Holy Spirit and the soul that is made alive. God did not employ an outside action or means when He infused physical life into the body of Adam. There were only two factors: the dust of the ground and the creative power of God which animated that dust. The Divine omnipotence and dead matter were brought into direct contact, with nothing interjected outside the quickening power of the spirit of God.  The dust was not a means or instrument by which God originated life. So, in regeneration, there are only two factors: the human soul destitute of spiritual life, and the Holy Spirit who quickens it.

The Word and Truth of God-the Bible, the most important of all the means of grace, is not a means of regeneration, as distinct from conviction, conversion, and sanctification. This is evident when we remember that it is the office of a means or instrument to excite or stimulate an already existing principle of life. Physical food is a means of physical growth, but it supposes physical vitality. If the body is dead, bread cannot bring life. Intellectual truth is a means of intellectual growth, but it supposes intellectual vitality. If the mind is dead, secular knowledge cannot be a means of intellect. Spiritual truth is a means of spiritual growth, but there must be spiritual life. But if the mind is dead to righteousness, the spiritual reality does not affect the spirit of man.

But the natural man receiveth, not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. 1 Cor. 2:14

The unenlightened understanding is unable to comprehend, and the unregenerate will is unable to believe. Vital force is lacking in these two principal factors. What is needed at this point in life and force itself? Consequently, the Author of spiritual life Himself must operate directly, without the outside influences; and outright give spiritual life and power from the dead. The new life is not imparted because man perceives the truth, but he perceives the truth because the new life is imparted. A man is not regenerated because he has first believed in Christ, but he believes in Christ because he has been regenerated.

First the Work of the Spirit, Then the Word

Under the guise of honoring the written word, many have dishonored the Holy Spirit. The idea which seems to prevail in "orthodox" circles today is that all which is needed for the salvation of souls is to give out the Word in its purity, God being pledged to bless the same. How often we have heard it said, "The Word will do its work." Many suppose that the Scriptures are quite enough of themselves to communicate light to those in darkness and life to those who are dead in sins. But the record which we have of Christ’s life ought at once to correct such a view. Who preached the Word as faithfully as He, yet how very few were saved during His three and a half years of ministry?

The parable of the Sower exposes the fallacy of the theory now so widely prevailing. The "seed" sown is the Word. It was scattered upon various kinds of ground, yet notwithstanding the purity and vitality of the seed, where the soil was unfavorable, no increase issued from that place. Until the ground was made good, the seed yielded no increase. Plentiful showers might water that seed and warmed by a warm sun, but while the soil was bad, there could be no harvest. The ground must be changed before it could be fertile. Nor is it the seed which improves the soil: what farmer would ever think of saying, the seed will change the soil! Make no mistake upon this point: the Holy Spirit must first quicken the dead soul into newness of life before the Word obtains any entrance.

Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. John 14:6

Therefore said I unto you, that no man can come unto me, except it were given unto him of my Father. John 6:65

To say that spiritual life is communicated to the soul by the Spirit’s application of the Word, and then to say that the Holy Spirit is the principle of life which gives worth to the Word, is but to reason in a circle.

The Word cannot profit any soul spiritually until it is "mixed with faith" (Heb. 4:2), and faith cannot be put forth unless it proceeds from a principle of life and grace; and so, that principle of life is not produced by it.

It is like showing a blind man a picture will enable him to see.  So often Christians assume the present the Word will produce a spiritual awakening that results in embracing the LORD.

The Word is secondary to the quickening power of the Holy Spirit.

It is by the Holy Spirit that the WORD of God gives an accurate account of the doctrines of Jesus Christ.  However, they are only a declaration of those teachings, and they are not the primary rule of faith by themselves.  They are a true and faithful testimony of the principle teachings but are secondary and subordinate to the Holy Spirit.  The scriptures have no life apart from the quickening power of the Spirit of Christ.  The Spirit is the principal rule.

Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation. 21 For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost. 2 Pet 1:20-21

There will be some that will continue to believe the quickening power is found in the Word itself.  The deadly enmity of the sinner must be removed by the immediate operation of the Spirit, communicating life, before the Word enters and affects him.

"The light of the body is the eye: if therefore thine eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of light. But if thine eye be evil, thy whole body shall be full of darkness" (Matthew 7:22, 23).

By the "eye" is not here meant the mind only, but the disposition of the heart (cf. Mark 7:22). Here Christ tells us in what man’s blindness consists, namely, the evil disposition of his heart, and that the only way to remove the darkness, and let in the light, is to change the heart. An "evil eye" is not cured or its darkness removed merely by casting light upon it, any more than the rays of the sun communicate sight unto one whose spirit is dead. The eye must be cured, made "single," and then it can receive the light.

The soul is quickened into newness of life by the direct and supernatural operation of the Spirit, without any medium or means whatever. It is not accomplished by the light of the Word, for it is His very imparting of life which fits the heart to receive the light. This initial work of the Spirit is indispensable to have spiritual illumination. It is evil or corruption of heart which holds the mind in darkness. It is just as absurd to speak of illumination being conveyed by the Word to have a change of heart, or the giving of relish for spiritual things, as it would be to speak of giving the capacity to a man to taste the sweetness of honey while he was devoid of a palate.

No, men are not "quickened" by the Word, they must be quickened to receive and understand the Word.

 "And I will give them a heart to know me, that I am the LORD; and they shall be My people, and I will be their God" (Jer. 24:7):

that statement would be quite meaningless if a saving knowledge of or experimental acquaintance with God were obtained through the Word previous to the "new heart" or spiritual life being given and was the means of our being quickened. "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge" (Prov. 1:7); the "fear of the Lord" or Divine grace communicated to the heart (spiritual life imparted) alone lays the foundation for spiritual knowledge and activities.

Characteristics of Quickening

"For as the Father raiseth up the dead, and quickeneth, even so, the Son quickeneth whom He will" (John 5:21);

"It is the Spirit that quickeneth: the flesh profiteth nothing" (John 6:63).

 All the Divine operations in the economy of salvation proceed from the Father, are through the Son, and are executed by the Spirit. Quickening is His initial work in the elect. It is that supernatural act by which He brings them out of the grave of spiritual death on to resurrection ground. By it He imparts a principle of grace and habit of holiness; it is the communication of the life of God to the soul. It is an act of creation (2 Cor. 5:17). It is a Divine "workmanship" (Eph. 2:10). All of these terms denote an act of Omnipotence. The origination of life is utterly impossible for the creature. He can receive life; he can nourish life; he can use and exert it, but he cannot create life.

In this work, the Spirit acts as a sovereign. "The wind bloweth where it listeth (or "pleaseth") ... so is everyone that is born of the Spirit" (John 3:8

 This does not mean that He acts impulsively, or without reason and motive, but that He is above any obligation to the creature and is entirely uninfluenced by us in what He does. The Spirit might justly have left every one of us in the hardness of our hearts to perish forever. In quickening one and not another, in bringing a few from death unto life and leaving the mass still dead in trespasses and sins, the Spirit has mercy "on whom He will have mercy." He is free to work in whom He pleases, no one has the slightest claim upon Him.

The quickening of the spiritually dead into newness of life is, therefore, an act of amazing grace: it is the unsought and unmerited favor. The sinner, who is the chosen subject of this Divine operation and object of this inestimable blessing, is infinitely ill-deserving in himself, being thoroughly disposed to go on in wickedness till this change is wrought in him. He is rebellious and will not listen to the Divine command; he is obstinate and refuses to repent and embrace the Gospel. However, terrified he may be with the fears of threatened doom, however, earnest may be his desire to escape misery and be happy forever, no matter how many prayers he may make and things he may do, he has not the least inclination to repent and submit to God. His heart is defiant, full of enmity against God, and daily does he add iniquity unto iniquity. For the Spirit to give a new heart unto such a one is indeed an act of amazing and sovereign grace.

This quickening by the Spirit is instantaneous: it is a Divine act, and not a process; it is wrought at once, and not gradually. In a moment of time, the soul passes from death unto life. The soul which before was dead toward God is now alive to Him. The soul which was entirely under the domination of sin is now set free. The Spirit of God finds the heart wholly corrupt and desperately wicked, but by a miracle of grace, He changes its direction, and this by implanting within it the imperishable seed of holiness. There is no middle between a carnal and a spiritual state: the one is what we were by nature, the other is what we become by grace, by the instantaneous and invincible operation of the Almighty Spirit.

This initial work of quickening is entirely unperceived by us, for it lies outside the realm and the range of human consciousness. Those who are dead possess no perception, and through the work of bringing them on to resurrection, the ground is indeed a great and powerful one, in the very nature of the case its subjects can know nothing whatever about it until after it has been accomplished. When Adam was created, he was conscious of nothing but that he now existed and was free to act: the Divine operation which was the cause of his existence was over and finished before he began to be conscious of anything. This initial operation of the Spirit by which the elect become new creatures can only be known by its effects and consequences. "The wind bloweth where it listeth," that is first; then "thou hearest the sound thereof" (John 3:8): it is now made known, in a variety of ways, to the conscience and understanding.

Under this work of quickening, we are entirely passive there is no co-operation whatever between the will of the sinner and the act of the Holy Spirit. As we have said, this initial work of the Spirit is affected by free and sovereign grace, consisting of the infusion of a principle of spiritual life into the soul, by which all its abilities are supernaturally repaired.

Take the case of Lazarus.  Lazarus had nothing to do with his resurrection: he didn’t know it was Jesus standing outside his tomb. He was unaware Jesus came to deliver him from death. Such is the case with each of us when the Spirit begins to deal with our soul. We must first be quickened into newness of life before we can have the smallest desire or motion of the will toward spiritual things.  For our will to contribute the smallest iota unto its quickening is utterly impossible.

The life which the Spirit imparts when He quickens is uniform in all its chosen subjects. As seed virtually contains in it all that is formed afterward: the blade, stalk, ear, and full corn in the ear. So, the first principle of grace implanted in the heart contains all the grace which afterward appears in all the fruits, effects, acts and exercises of it. Each quickened person experiences the same radical change, by which the image of God is stamped upon the soul: "that which is born of the Spirit is the spirit" (John 3:6), never anything less, and never anything more. Each quickened person is made a new creature in Christ and possesses all the essential parts of "the new man." Later, some may be livelier and more vigorous, as God gives stronger faith unto one than to another; yet there is no difference in their original: all partake of the same life.

While there is an excellent diversity in our perception and understanding of the work of the Spirit within us, there is no difference in the initial work itself. While there is much difference in the carrying on of this work unto perfection in the growth of the "new creature," some making rapid progress, others grow slowly and bringing forth little fruit, yet the new creation itself is the same in all. Each alike enters the kingdom of God, becomes a vital member of Christ’s mystical body, is given a place in the living family of God. There has never been but one kind of spiritual quickening in this world, being in its essential nature specifically the same in all.

Now there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit.I Cor.12:4

Only the Beginning

In conclusion the Spirit’s quickening is just the beginning of God’s work of grace in the soul. "Being confident of this very thing, that He which hath begun a good work within you will finish it until the day of Jesus Christ" (Phil. 1:6).