John Pester: Jesus Christ: Last Adam, Life-giving Spirit

John Pester, “Jesus Christ: Last Adam, Life-giving Spirit,” Affirmation and Critique, Vol. 3, No. 4 (Oct. 1998).

Affirmation and Critique is a quarterly which addresses theological subjects in a continuum. Through a variety of articles by numerous authors, the last seven issues have focused on the person and work of Christ in a weighty manner that is likely unattractive to the average pastor (or reader for that matter). However, distilling the core truths expressed into practical and palatable servings for sermon material should make wading into A&C a fruitful venture. Others, whom may routine such manner of publications will find it well researched, intellectually engaging, and spiritually energizing.

John Pester, in his article “Jesus Christ: Last Adam, Life-giving Spirit,” challenges the reader with this question: Do we as believers establish our faith upon a confession of Christ only, or upon a deeper understanding of the believer’s changed relation or position in Christ? If a believer’s foundation of faith rests, perhaps even somewhat superficially, on the context of Peter’s confession of Christ, as found in Matt. 16, is this the best foundation? Pester says that we must come to a deeper understanding of Christ as found in the Christology and Pneumatology of Paul. He presents I Cor. 15:45b as a fuller recognition of the “now” Christ, namely as the last Adam and life giving Spirit. In this article, Pester then takes at how the necessity of this deeper understanding is both expressed and implied in the Pauline letters.

Recognition of the last Adam is essential to the believer’s broader experience of Christ-crucified because, Pester says, we all have participation in Adam’s lineage and legacy of sin and death. Only by becoming partakers of the Last Adam are the extended effects of sin and death terminated. This is realized through the life-giving Spirit of Christ-resurrected. Herein lies the power for victorious living and effective work and witness. Or as I myself would express this—positional truth becoming experienced truth.

Pester also notes that the process of experience is reverse of the doctrinal sequence. One must first experience the life giving Spirit before there is a practical severing of our soulish connection to the fallen Adam. This, he observes, is the operation of the “law of the Spirit.”

Experience with his own life and with assisting others to live victoriously has convinced the reviewer, with some reservations, that the author makes a valid and compelling case. I believe this helps explain why so many believers live in the shadow of a historical conversion, being experientially bogged down at the cross, ignorant of the Spirit’s contemporary resurrection power as the catalyst for a vibrant and successful Christian walk.

At the same time however, there must be some critical thought on what appears to be, in this and other A&C articles, a blurring of the person of the Holy Spirit. Pester’s statement that Paul’s Christology and Pnuematology are synonymous limits tremendously the person and work of the Holy Spirit. This limitation is particularly apparent as concerns the Spirit’s presence upon and in the midst of God’s people as well as contemporary supernatural manifestations. While the reviewer finds difficulty with these and other points that appear in various articles of A&C, the overall message is solid and trumpets Paul’s heartbeat, “Christ in you the hope of glory.”

Reviewed by Ronald M. Messelink

Read the article online: www.affcrit.com/pdfs/1998/04/98_04_a3.pdf [available March 17, 2014]

Editor’s Note:

Some of teachings of Living Stream Ministries, publishers of Affirmation and Critique, have been the subject of some on-going controversy (For example, see the March 1999 issue of Charisma, pp. 26-27). Various cult watching groups have leveled accusations of heresy and heavy handedness at Living Stream’s parent ministry, the Local Church Movement. The Local Church Movement was founded by the late Witness Lee, a long time disciple of Watchman Nee.

At the time of press, the editors of  the Pneuma Review were unable to reach any conclusions on these matters.

While it is true that A & C appears to reflect “unconventional” expressions of Trinitarianism and other cardinal doctrines, some cult watchers have the unfortunate habit of reducing profound truths to the place that they lose their Biblical mystery. There is a divine mystery resonating from teachings such as the hypostatic union (the union of divine and human in the Person of Jesus), the Trinity (how can one logically explain how God is tri-une?), to say nothing of theological concepts such as theosis (theosis is an ancient teaching that in Jesus believers become or are becoming like God. This was taught by several respected church fathers including the famous Trinitarian Athanasius) that are foreign to a Western worldview.

Unless further research demonstrates otherwise, A &C should be given the benefit of the doubt. Because of the influence of Watchman Nee and Witness Lee, there is an expected departure from Western theological perspective. If there is error, it must be dealt with properly. If, however, this represents a new or fresh perspective of the true teaching of Scripture, we had best be gracious and attentive to such insights.

As in all matters surrounding controversy, caution is necessary. Should you look into these matters, remain prayerfully and lovingly alert.