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Christ as the Word in History VS Christ as the Spirit in History

John 1:1 "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God."

John 7:37-39 "On the last day of the feast, the great day, Jesus stood up and proclaimed, 'If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink. He who believes in me, as the scripture has said, "Out of his heart shall flow rivers of living water."' Now this he said about the Spirit, which those who believed in him were to receive; for as yet the Spirit had not been given, because Jesus was not yet glorified."

Integrated Explanation:

1. 1. Nature and Role: As the Word of God, Christ demonstrates His eternal nature and role as God's self-revelation. John 1:1-14 clearly states that the Word (logos) was not only with God but was God Himself, later becoming flesh and dwelling among us. This embodies the external and objective characteristics of Christ as the Word. As the Spirit, Christ manifests His internal work and power in believers' lives. This role is realized through a historical process including incarnation, human living, crucifixion, resurrection, and glorification. As 1 Corinthians 15:45b states, "The last Adam became a life-giving spirit," indicating that Christ became the life-giving Spirit through this process.
2. 2. Temporality: As the Word of God, Christ is eternal, without beginning or end. Exodus 3:14 and John 8:58 emphasize His self-existence. However, as the Spirit, Christ fully realizes this role at a specific historical moment - after His resurrection and glorification. John 7:39 explicitly states that the Spirit had not been given before Jesus was glorified.
3. 3. Function and Application: As the Word, Christ's primary function is to reveal, explain, and manifest God. This is embodied in events such as creation, incarnation, and redemption. As the Spirit, Christ's function is more reflected in believers' inner life experiences, such as regeneration, indwelling, transformation, and renewal. 2 Corinthians 3:17 says "the Lord is the Spirit," indicating the close relationship between Christ as the Spirit and believers.
4. 4. Process and Consummation: Christ's role as the Word of God exists from eternity, going through the process of creation and incarnation. As the Spirit, Christ underwent a more complex process: incarnation, human living, crucifixion, resurrection, and glorification. This process made Him "the ultimate consummation of the processed and consummated Triune God."
5. 5. Holistic Perspective: These two aspects are not mutually exclusive but complementary. Christ as the Word provides the foundation for knowing God, while as the Spirit, He enables believers to experience God internally. Together, they reveal the richness and multifaceted nature of God's redemptive plan. For example, Ephesians 6:17 describes the word of God as "the sword of the Spirit," indicating the close association between God's word and the Spirit's work. Similarly, John 6:63 says, "The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life." This further emphasizes the intrinsic connection between Christ's roles as the Word and as the Spirit.

This integrated perspective helps us understand more comprehensively Christ's role in God's economy, from His eternal divine nature to His practical work in believers' lives. It demonstrates how Christ is both the complete revelation of God and the means by which believers experience God's presence and power.

*Please refer to the 2024 Summer Live Training - Experiencing, Enjoying, and Expressing Christ (1) Message 8: Christ as the Feast of Tabernacles, and as the Spirit Flowing Out of the Believers as Rivers of Living Water