[Paul Miletus]

Originally Posted by Thankful Jane;1254[FONT=Verdana

Here are Witness Lee's words: “In His resurrection a life-giving Spirit was produced (1 [/FONT]Cor. 15:45). Before Christ’s resurrection, there was not such a life-giving Spirit in the universe. John 7:39 says that ‘the Spirit was not yet, because Jesus had not yet been glorified’; that is, Jesus had not yet entered into resurrection (Luke 24:26). On the day that He entered into resurrection, the life-giving Spirit was produced.” Witness Lee, The Organic Union in God’s Relationship with Man (Anaheim, CA: Living Stream Ministry, 1993), p. 40.

This is a false teaching. The Holy Spirit existed in completeness before the resurrection of Christ and it could "give life" before the resurrection of Christ:

Rom 8:11 But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you.

Look closely at this verse. This Spirit -- the Spirit that raised Christ from the dead -- is the one Paul says is in us today! And it clearly was already in existence before Christ was raised from the dead. So, what spirit then is “the Life Giving Spirit” that Lee is referring to when he says “before Christ’s resurrection, there was not such a life-giving Spirit in the universe?” Lee says “the life giving Spirit” was "produced" on the day Christ entered into resurrection.” Re-read what Lee said. He plainly said this. I am not twisting his words in any way but calling them out for what they actually say.

Lee’s teaching is a false teaching. According to his very own words the Spirit he is talking about in I Corinthians 15:45b cannot be the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit was not produced on that day.

You have quoted Romans 8:11, but please allow me to include verses 9 and 10 --

Romans 8
9You, however, are controlled not by the sinful nature but by the Spirit, if the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Christ. 10But if Christ is in you, your body is dead because of sin, yet your spirit is alive because of righteousness. 11And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit, who lives in you.

Again, Brother Witness Lee explained --

"In Romans 8:9-11 the Spirit of God, the Spirit of Christ, Christ Himself, and the indwelling Spirit are interchangeably used. These are not four persons but one person. The Spirit of God is the Spirit of Christ, the Spirit of Christ is Christ Himself, and Christ Himself is the life-giving Spirit dwelling in us to impart the Triune God into our being."

Again, the Old Testament scriptures (Exodus 30:23-25) will be very helpful in our understanding regarding the Spirit that "was not yet" in John 7:37-39.

This life-giving Spirit is the all-inclusive, compound Spirit typified by the compound anointing ointment in Exodus 30:23-25. Now the Spirit is no longer just the Spirit of God typified by the olive oil but is the compound Spirit typified by the ointment formed by compounding a hin of olive oil with four spices—myrrh and cinnamon (signifying Christ's death with its effectiveness) and calamus and cassia (signifying Christ's resurrection with its power). As the compounded, all-inclusive, life-giving Spirit, He is now an ointment compounded with the four factors of God, man, Christ's death, and Christ's resurrection.

Thankful Jane, I totally agree with you that the Spirit "was already in existence before Christ was raised from the dead as typified by the olive oil as shown in Exodus 30:23-25. However, with Christ's death and resurrection (as implied in John 7:39 - Jesus was not yet glorified), the Spirit became a life-giving Spirit (all-inclusive, compound Spirit).

Shawn's post explains it more clearer...

Originally Posted by Shawn

Hi TJ,

I hope you caught the distinction between the use of life giving Spirit vs. the Holy Spirit you mentioned in refuting the other posters position.

Yes, the Holy Spirit has always existed, but the Holy Spirit could not enter into man as the giver of Gods life, until the death and ressurrection of our Lord Jesus; it was at this point that the Holy Spirit could become the life giving Spirit.This is the main point as I understood it from brother Lee's ministry. Not two Spirits but one Spirit that became the life giver to man after the Lords ressurrection.

Brother Witness Lee's teaching on this subject is very clear based on the Word of God. He was able to interpret the Word of God (John 7:37-39) using the Word of God (Exodus 30-23-25).