A. They Are Holy and Pure and Righteous
the word of truth" (James 1:17-18) in order that we might "become partakers of the divine nature" (2 Pet. 1:4). Only those who have the life of God and the nature of God are the children of God. The children of God are born of God. As such, they possess the nature of their heavenly Father. Whoever cannot reach this standard cannot be the child of God. The life from the throne flows only through His children who are living on earth. 4. The Conduct of the Children of God A. They Are Holy and Pure and Righteous "Everyone who practices righteousness also has been begotten of Him" (1 John 2:29). "Everyone who has been begotten of God does not practice sin" (3:9). In the original, the phrase "does not practice sin" can be rendered "does not live in sin habitually." "In this the children of God and the children of the devil are manifest" (v. 10). Those who live in sin habitually and do not have the power of deliverance are not born of God but belong to the devil. A holy, pure, and righteous conduct demonstrates a heavenly relationship. The life that overcomes sin and the world is a life that is born of God (5:4). On the negative side, the children of God sometimes fail and continue to sin. Yet, on the positive side, they practice righteousness and overcome the world. B. Their Hearts Have a Deep and Intimate Love toward the Lord Jesus "If God were your Father you would love Me" (John 8:42). Since they were born of God, they love the only begotten Son of God. Love is in the heart. The likes, dislikes, love, and hatred within one's heart reveal whether one belongs to God or to the devil. You can sometimes deceive man with your outward conduct, but you cannot deceive God or yourself with the inward condition of your heart. Those who know that they do not love God also know that God is not their Father. If you have already received the life of God, you will constantly long to love the Lord more than anything else. This is a very good test. You must also take the Lord Jesus as Lord; you must crown Him and acknowledge Him as the Master. "Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ has been begotten of God" (1 John 5:1). Only those who are born of God can believe that Jesus is the Christ. He is the Christ, so He is Lord. This verse does not say to believe Him in a vain way, but to acknowledge that Jesus is the Christ and to offer to Him what He deserves as the suffering and glorified Messiah. Because of the substitutionary death of the Lord Jesus, the children of God are brought to a realization of the preciousness of the Lord. As a result, before the Savior they willingly pour the oil upon His head and on His feet, acknowledging Him as Lord.
C. They Are Full of Love toward Others "Everyone who loves has been begotten of God" (1 John 4:7). God is love. They who are born of God, like God, have a heart of love. A loving heart is a characteristic of a child of God. The world knows that we are the Lord's disciples because it sees that we love one another. We are those who always make peace with others: "Blessed are the peace-makers, for they shall be called the sons of God" (Matt. 5:9). A harmonious atmosphere indicates that one's origin is from the heavens. We are commanded to love even our enemies. "Love your enemies, and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may become sons of your Father who is in the heavens, because He causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good and sends rain on the just and the unjust" (vv. 44-45). Such magnanimity and lovingkindness can only come from the heavenly regeneration which causes men to have a change in life and which makes men like God. The children of God must manifest that they are different from the world in this respect. A heart that loves one's enemies and prays for the persecutors simply does not exist in the world. But since the heavenly Father shows no partiality and since the believers are the children of God, they must be as the Father is. This is not something manufactured but something spontaneous. The believers can be like this because God's life is within them. The removal of hatred is the very first manifestation of the regenerated life. From these four testimonies, we can see how holy, pure, and loving are the children of God! The argument that all the people in the world are the sons of God cannot stand under this examination. Nevertheless, the pitiful thing is that many regenerated children of God are still weak; they frequently stumble to the extent that they cannot uphold the standard of the children of God before the world. Therefore, the worldly people cannot see the difference between themselves and the children of God. This is why some venture to think that all the people in the whole world are the children of God! If the children of God would constantly manifest their position, spirit, nature, and conduct, how could the world come to such a conclusion? Now let us consider another question.
HOW TO BECOME THE CHILDREN OF GOD Since not all who are in the world are the children of God, and since the children of God are as described above, the most important question is how can one become a child of God? In other words, what is the way to change the children of Satan into the children of God?
Before we can become sons, we must first be born. You cannot be a son without being born. The first step to become a son is by birth. Before we become the sons of God, we must be born of God. Although not all the people in the world are the sons of God, yet all the people in the world can become the sons of God. It all depends on their desire and willingness. The birth in the flesh is beyond man's own control. One's parents, relatives, and the place, time, and circumstance of birth are not up to one's choice. Yet the marvelous grace of God is that if a man decides to choose to become a son of God, he can attain it. Although he cannot regenerate himself, yet he can believe. Because of his believing, God regenerates him, and he becomes a son of God. "For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus" (Gal. 3:26). God's way is very simple. Whoever sees the danger of being a child of Satan and the calamities that are to come, and desires to become a son of God, does not need to do anything; all he needs to do is believe in the testimony of God concerning His Son, Jesus Christ, to trust in Him wholeheartedly, to obey Him, to accept Him as Savior by faith, to believe in the effectiveness of the salvation which He accomplished on the cross, and by faith to offer Jesus Christ up as the sinner's sin offering. God will instantly forgive his sins, justify him, put a new life in him, and cause him to become a new creature in Christ Jesus. He will immediately become a son of God. To believe in Christ Jesus is nothing more than to accept the Lord Jesus as Savior. "But as many as received Him, to them He gave the authority to become children of God, to those who believe into His name, who were begotten not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God" (John 1:12-13). Now the door of grace is open wide. To be a child of God is not a matter of self-mortification, of trusting in one's own righteous deeds, nor of gradual evolution into a child of God. Rather, it is in that split second of time when one receives the Lord Jesus as Savior and trusts in His accomplished salvation that one has the authority to become the child of God. Those who are to be the children of God must have the authority; they cannot freely proclaim themselves His sons, as others who think that all those in the world are the sons of God. This is not a self-given authority, but something given by Christ at the time man receives Him as Savior. The reason Christ can give man such authority is that He died on the cross for man and has already solved all the problems of sin. Because Christ has taken away the sins of the world, those who believe in Him are forgiven of their sins and are delivered from the punishment of sin. Once the problem of sin is solved, nothing can hinder those who believe in Him from
receiving grace and truth. Once the past sins have been dealt with, the Holy Spirit of God will put God's life and nature into the hearts of those who believe in Him. Once they have the life of God within, they will instantly become the sons of God. Regeneration happens at the moment when the life of God enters into their hearts. The work of regeneration is altogether the work of God: "Who were begotten not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God" (v 13). In John 3, our Lord spoke clearly to Nicodemus concerning the truth of regeneration. He used the cross as the foundation of regeneration, the Holy Spirit as the Mediator of regeneration, and faith as the way of regeneration. When man receives regeneration, there may not be a particular feeling, but in his daily life spontaneously there will be a change in his conduct and a renewing of his mind. This is the work of God, not the ability of man. Those who do not have the birth of God from above will continue to be earthly as the children of the devil. The word in John 20:17 puts our relationship with God as the Father in the Lord Jesus Christ: "My Father and your Father." God becomes our Father in the Lord Jesus; those who are not in the Lord Jesus by faith can never be the children of God. "He who has the Son has the life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have the life" (1 John 5:12). If you do not accept the only begotten Son of God, you cannot become the child of God. All the children are accepted by God in His only begotten Son. Whoever believes in the Lord Jesus Christ will become a child of God in Him. We have received the sonship through Him (Eph. 1:5). Outside of Christ, God is not man's Father, but man's Judge. In Christ, God is man's Father, because on the cross Christ has already been judged by God on behalf of those who are in Him. This is the gospel of grace, the way by which all men are saved. The salvation of the Lord Jesus is now accomplished. Whoever is willing to believe in His name, that is, whoever is willing to accept Him, will become a child of God; those who are not willing are "the tares [which] are the sons of the evil one;...[which at] the consummation of the age...are collected and burned up with fire" (Matt. 13:38-40). Eternal life or eternal death fully depends on whether or not man will accept God's salvation! There is only one condition for becoming the sons of God, and that is to believe, to receive the Lord Jesus as Savior. Only by trusting in the Lord Jesus on the cross can one become a son of God. It is not of works, not of conduct, not of oneself, but of faith.
After becoming a son of God, the regenerated life of God within a believer will cause him to grow in grace daily. In this way, his manner of life will become more like God's. He will bear more of the likeness of God's children. He will manifest the standard of God's children in all things. Physically, a child cannot become full-grown overnight; likewise, the children of God cannot arrive at the full stature of Christ immediately after their regeneration. Instead, growth comes gradually. We who have received grace and have become the children of God should be "perfect as [our] heavenly Father is perfect" (Matt. 5:48). God requires that His children be perfect even as He is perfect. It will be difficult for people to believe us if we say that we are the children of God the Father and yet are not like Him. We will lose our testimony. Since God the Father treats good and evil men alike, how can we who are His children hate our enemies and not forgive others their sins? If we are born of Him and partake of His nature, we will surely have His compassion. If we are God's children, yet do not love the Lord Jesus whom He loves, we are wayward sons, and do not sympathize with the Father's heart. And how can we be His children, if we do not receive the guidance of the Holy Spirit step by step every day? If we claim to have this heavenly relationship, we must bear the heavenly taste in all things. If we are the children of God and are born from above, everything about us must differ greatly from those who have not been born again. If we claim that we are heavenly, yet we are not much different from the worldly people, we are indeed degrading the Bible's teachings. No matter what kind of life or environment they are in, the children of God must bear the taste of the heavenly family. This is because a heavenly life cannot be without a heavenly manifestation. It is most pitiful that the children of God have now largely lost their characteristics and have compromised with the world in all things. The reason for a lack in power is that the boundary between the saints and the world has become unclear. Therefore, "as children of obedience, do not be fashioned according to the former lusts in your ignorance; but according to the Holy One who called you, you yourselves also be holy in all your manner of life....And if you call as Father the One who without respect of persons judges according to each one's work, pass the time of your sojourning in fear" (1 Pet. 1:14-15, 17). Since we have such a Father, we must not only manifest the nature of our heavenly Father in our living, but we must also live in this world as those who have a Father, not anxious as orphans. Concerning our clothing, food, and other
necessities, we must fully trust in the Lord, because the Father has a tender loving care toward us. The Lord Jesus comforts us with the words, "your Father knows" (Matt. 6:8). How wonderful it is to be the children of God!
THE FUTURE OF THE CHILDREN OF GOD "Beloved, now we are children of God, and it has not yet been manifested what we will be. We know that if He is manifested, we will be like Him because we will see Him even as He is" (1 John 3:2). Oh how great is this revelation! Although the future has not yet been manifested, nevertheless, do not the two words "like Him" include everything? Should this not cause our hearts to rejoice? Although there is a great deal of opposition in the world today, yet all will be well when the Lord comes back. Although we were very lowly and mean, the Lord wants us to be like Him. What a glory! This is the original intention of the Lord Jesus. He came down to the world to die so that He could lead "many sons into glory" (Heb. 2:10). "For the anxious watching of the creation eagerly awaits the revelation of the sons of God....into the freedom of the glory of the children of God" (Rom. 8:19, 21). Because the creation was subjected to vanity and put under the bondage of corruption, it now groans and travails in pain. But once the children of God receive the glory and the millennium appears, the time of "the restoration of all things" (Acts 3:21) will be here. This glory, however, is in the future. At the present time, the children of God, along with God's only begotten Son, still suffer the rejection of man. The cross is our portion for today; the crown is for tomorrow. Although the present way is narrow, when the millennium begins, "then the righteous will shine forth like the sun in the kingdom of their Father" (Matt. 13:43). Reigning with the Lord in the millennium depends on suffering with Him today. Nevertheless, when we think of the future of those who are not the children of God, we have to take warning from them. Ours is the glory; theirs is eternal perdition in the lake of fire, the everlasting fire of hell, which is "prepared for the devil and his angels" (25:41). Eternal punishment is what the "children of wrath" deserve. Because of the substitutionary death of the Lord Jesus, we have been saved fully. Hallelujah! A CONCLUDING WORD Now we have seen the Bible's opinion regarding the concept that all in the world are the sons of God. The Bible altogether denies this untrue concept. Dear reader, do not be deceived. Do not think that because all men are the sons of
God, there is no need for regeneration, that it is enough just to improve oneself. You need to know: if God demands man to improve, what will happen to those who have so deeply fallen into sin that they are beyond any hope of improvement? To those people, this kind of "gospel" is indeed not much of a gospel! At the present time, God's door of grace is open wide. Whosoever is willing to enter will be saved. God will accept all sinners because of the Lord Jesus. Whosoever believes and trusts in the Lord Jesus can become a child of God. Take heed! Which side are you actually on—on God's side or on the devil's side? Are you God's children or the devil's children? Is it salvation or perdition, eternal life or eternal death for you? There is no neutral ground between them. Which side are you on? If you have not yet accepted the Lord Jesus as your Savior and have not become a child of God through Him, you are still of Adam and of the devil. Adam sinned, begetting children in his own sinful image (Gen. 5:1-3). You are the direct descendant of Adam; apart from regeneration, there is no other way for you to become a child of God. Do not think that because you are better than others that you are not a child of the devil. You must know that God has only one kind of children: those who have been redeemed by the Lord Jesus through believing in Him. Only they are the children of God. God does not care for anyone else. Please do not wait until it is too late to believe in Him.
CHAPTER SEVEN A PREFACE TO MODERN SCIENCE AND THE LONG DAY IN JOSHUA In this age of modern science, it seems that everything must be questioned before it can be believed. Of course, this is very meaningless because the condition for obtaining truth is not skepticism, but impartiality and the lack of prejudice. Skepticism is a form of prejudice. Hence, skepticism does not lead men to the way of truth. Today, modernistic Christians think that one should not accept the biblical record blindly, but should first question it. This theory falls into the same trap. Before a person becomes a Christian, he has, of course, the right to choose. But after he
has believed in Christ, his position is such that it no longer allows him to doubt the Bible which Christ has uplifted. Dr. Rimmer is a modern-day renowned American scientist. His position as the president of Research Science Bureau speaks for his knowledge in science. He is also a Christian. To him the so-called "outmoded" Christian beliefs are not contradictory to science. He often lectures in universities and has opened the eyes of countless young people. He has shed much new light on the problems of the Bible. This message on the long day of Joshua is one of his lectures. Realizing that this message will render help to those who are uncertain and who have been shaken by the words of the modernists, I have asked Mr. Chow to translate it into Chinese. Our belief does not need scientific proof. But this may serve to remind those who believe blindly in their own version of science.
CHAPTER EIGHT IS THE HIGHER CRITICISM OF MODERN THEOLOGY BELIEVABLE? The higher criticism is formulated by those who do not believe in the revelation of God. Since its founders hold this view, can a Christian follow these teachings? Christianity has only one book that reveals the Christian concept concerning God. This book is the Bible. The Bible is God's revelation. Saying that the Bible is fabricated and not the Word of God is equivalent to saying that God has never revealed Himself. If God has not revealed Himself, how can we know that there is a God and know the way to approach Him? When we were sinners, how did we know that believing in the Lord Jesus' vicarious death on the cross for us would result in our salvation? The Bible is God's revelation. When the higher critics say that the Bible is unreliable and deny the authenticity of its record, they deny the fact that God has revealed Himself to man. But if God has not revealed Himself, how can the higher critics know God and serve Him? The higher critics try to determine how much of the Bible is divinely inspired and how much is not. But they cannot come to a conclusive determination on the proportion of divine inspiration in the Bible. There are almost as many different conclusions about the Bible as there are critics! If the critics themselves cannot arrive at a common belief and judgment, how can they ask others to believe what they believe? They do not believe that the Bible is inerrant. They set up their own standard of measurement and consider that standard to be inerrant! The inerrancy of the
Bible is changed to the inerrancy of their own standard. They say that certain passages are not authentic based on their own philosophy and standard of measurement. This clearly puts their philosophy and standard of measurement as the unique and inerrant guide. Are their philosophies reliable? Are their standards of measurement inerrant? Are Christ and the testimony of the Bible more reliable, or are human philosophies more reliable? The critics think that because they live in the twentieth century they know more than the Jewish historians who lived a few thousand years ago! The critics belong to the twentieth century, yet they think that they know the thoughts of men who lived a few thousand years ago and that they know the way God revealed Himself to these ancient men! They also think that the ancient writers have the same mentality as the critics, and that language itself has never changed! Is it true that ancient men were the same in their mentality? Is it true that there has never been a change in language? A professor at Trinity College in Foochow once said, "Someone conducted an examination of Napoleon according to the method of the higher critics, and they arrived at the conclusion that Napoleon never existed!" The minds of these critics are diametrically opposed to the declarations of the Lord Jesus. In order to build up their philosophy, these critics must first attack the Lord Jesus. There really are no facts to substantiate their theories; there are only suppositions! All the evidences in archeology stand as a testimony against their philosophy. Many of their suppositions have been proven to be false. For example, they say that written language was not widely used in Moses' time, but this has been proven to be false. Modern theologians try to remove the "obstacles" in the Bible that prevent men from believing according to their intellect. In so doing, they leave men without a Bible to believe in! If one portion of the Bible can be removed, all portions of the Bible can be removed. They reject the record of creation as recorded by Moses because the story of creation contradicts the theory of evolution. They reject the record of Jonah in the belly of the fish because it is too supernatural. They reject the record of the birth of the Lord Jesus through a virgin because it is too mysterious and hard to believe. As a result they conclude that He was merely the son of Joseph. Since resurrection is impossible, according to man, they have no other recourse but to keep Christ buried in the grave forever! If these "obstacles" are removed, will the Bible still be the Bible? But when the "obstacles" are removed this way, they create more obstacles. The obstacles which they create,
that is, the problems they cannot solve, are often more numerous than the things they have tried to remove! Strictly speaking, modern theology is an offspring of evolution. It has never been proven and never can be proven. Darwinism is its father. The higher critics cannot help men to be saved, and they cannot help men to advance spiritually. "By their fruits you will recognize them" (Matt. 7:20). Other than being an enemy of God and blaspheming the God who authored the Bible, what achievements have the higher critics made in the world and the church? They do not lead people to Christ. On the contrary, they corrupt men's faith. This is the result of the work of the higher critics.
Some men with equal or higher intelligence than these critics have pointed out the unreliability of their arguments. Modern scholarship has gradually overturned the authority of higher criticism. Many of the higher critics are unable to answer the challenges of books written by their opponents. A recently published book Is Higher Criticism Reasonable? was written by Dr. Wilson who came to China two years ago (1923). The higher critics have not been able to answer the challenges made in his book. The knowledge of one critic or the knowledge of all the critics combined are not enough to overturn the authenticity of the Bible! Dr. Wilson said, "We now acknowledge that the authenticity of the Old Testament cannot be overturned by any human knowledge that has been thus far acquired." The higher critics are only a disguised form of the devil who said, "Yea, hath God said?" (Gen. 3:1) All the facts of archeology disprove the theories of these critics. Dr. A. H. Sayce, a famous archaeologist once said,
Archaeological finds based on scientific methods have removed the suppositions and judgments of the dogmatic critics. Without exaggeration, the discoveries of the archaeologists during the last thirty years have, with no exception, overturned the most trusted judgments of the literary critics, and they have also confirmed the reliability of our record, the Bible. The early use of the written language in the Near East for literature, the high standard of education at the time of Abraham and Moses, and the fine and detailed record of the Bible, have all been proven. If the Bible is a book fabricated by men, all the mistakes made by the copiers of the manuscripts should have been eliminated. There is no need to wait for the critics to find them out. If the Bible is not inspired by God, on what can we base
our faith? Without the Bible as the basis of our faith, there is no ground to believe in the divine teaching as revealed in the Bible. The higher critics are purely materialistic because they have assigned all supernatural things to the category of the unbelievable. The history of the higher critics proves that they are the very ones that the Lord Jesus referred to in one of His stories: "If they do not hear Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded if someone rises from the dead" (Luke 16:31). The critics try to prove their own theories by quoting the Pentateuch. Then they begin to question the word of the prophets, suspecting that Isaiah was not written by one man, that Daniel was not written by Daniel, and that the story of Jonah is just an allegory. Finally, they doubt the words of the Gospels. They have not heard the words of Moses and the prophets, and they are not persuaded by Christ who rose from the dead! The critics say that they consider the writers of the Bible to be great human philosophers. Actually, they consider the writers to be the greatest liars and hypocrites! All the writers of the Bible have claimed that they were divinely inspired. If they were not inspired, as the critics claim, would not their lofty moral and spiritual standards condemn them to the deepest hell? Therefore, the Bible must either be God's Word or the devil's word. Does the devil disguise himself as an angel of light and teach others to worship God, hate the devil, know about regeneration, justification, and sanctification? Does the devil preach these words? The critics think that they are Christians and God's servants. Yet according to their philosophy, there is no revelation and no gospel. Does this not make the Bible a strange fairy tale? Is this what a Christian and a servant of God preaches? Since this is a present condition, we should "contend for the faith once for all delivered to the saints" (Jude 3). Concerning those who are in doubt, we should "have mercy" on them (Jude 23), and should correct them in meekness, "if perhaps God may give them repentance unto the full knowledge of the truth" (2 Tim. 2:25). Concerning unbelieving preachers, the Scripture has a clear teaching concerning how to deal with them: "If anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching, do not receive him into your house, and do not say to him, Rejoice!" (2 John 10). The danger facing the church today is that the truth is sacrificed in the effort to unite the different denominations. We believe in the fundamental truths and have no fellowship with those who believe in modern
theology and higher criticism. The time has come for the Levites to be separated from the other twelve tribes. The time has come for preachers in China and Christians to rise up for God and declare their faith. It hurts my heart the most to see that so many leaders in the church are unclear about their faith. They think that modern theology and traditional theology are the same. They do not realize that they either belong to the modern camp or the traditional camp and that there is no middle ground between the two camps. It is, of course, bad to divide the church into denominations, but it is better for the denominations to remain than to sacrifice the truth for ecumenicity! The Lord Jesus is now being rejected by the ones who call themselves Christians and servants of God. Who is willing to stand with the Lord Jesus and be rejected? We would rather write books that no one reads than to oppose God's truth in an attempt to please the religious, social mentality. We would rather publish magazines that no one reads than to publish magazines that are an offense in God's eyes, which have thousands of subscribers. We would rather speak sermons that no one hears than to whitewash sinners, only to see them becoming sons of hell! "Whoever...does not doubt in his heart, but believes" (Mark 11:23). "Blessed are those who have not seen and have believed" (John 20:29).
CHAPTER NINE BIBLE STUDIES FOR BEGINNERS (TWENTY-SIX LESSONS)
CONTENTS
Lesson 1 Excuses for Not Receiving Christ Lesson 2 The Truth of Christ's Salvation Lesson 3 God's Messages Lesson 4 A Great Comparison Lesson 5 What to Say to Lost Ones Lesson 6 What Shall I Do to Be Saved? Lesson 7 The Precious Blood of Christ Lesson 8 The Problem of Sin Lesson 9 Freedom Lesson 10 The Love of God Lesson 11 The Assurance of Salvation Lesson 12 The Two Natures
Lesson 13 The Difference between Law and Grace Lesson 14 Faith and Work Lesson 15 Salvation and Reward Lesson 16 Justification Lesson 17 Sanctification Lesson 18 The Church Lesson 19 Judgment Lesson 20 The Second Coming of Christ Lesson 21 Preparing for the Work Lesson 22 Offering Lesson 23 The Power of the Holy Spirit Lesson 24 The Devil Lesson 25 Why Prayers Are Not Answered by God Lesson 26 Salvation
PREFACE This book is edited for believers who love the holy Word. It is suitable for individual or group Bible study. Any brother or sister who loves the Lord, wants to know the crucial and basic truths in the Bible, and wants to receive spiritual help can understand this book's teachings by looking up the verses in the order listed in each lesson. If this book is used for Bible study meetings, one person with the gift of the Holy Spirit and who understands the teachings in this book should be in charge, according to the Lord's leading. He must spend time striving in prayer so that the Holy Spirit would open the minds of the readers to understand the teachings. The purpose of this book is not to receive man's opinion but to receive God's teaching. Therefore, other than the titles and outlines, very few words of man are added. When there are some words, they are only conclusions which issue from the reading of the related Bible verses. Every title is followed by many verses which prove or explain the title and outline. Most importantly, the readers must look up and read each verse and pray to the Lord to reveal the true meaning of the verses. Only then will they be able to understand them. The teachings in this book progress from simple to profound. At the beginning, verses are used to answer the excuses for not receiving Christ as one's Savior. Then gradually, the lessons go deeper until Lesson 26, which explains the
beginning and end of full salvation. The first few lessons deal with the general way to be saved. Being saved is the starting point of the Christian life. Therefore, if one is not clear about this foundation, it is hard to expect him to go much further. This book emphasizes both spiritual life and spiritual knowledge because a perfected Christian should not lack either of these. Even a study for knowledge should be related very much to spiritual life. Therefore, we hope the readers will pay close attention to this emphasis on both. The first part of this book, as mentioned previously, mainly concerns the preaching of salvation. Therefore, it is quite suitable to read this part with unbelievers. It is not necessary to argue with them about difficult questions in the Bible. Simply follow the lesson outline and read each verse listed in the lesson to them, or let them find and read the verses for themselves. Let the Word of God do its own work. God has already delighted in using this method to save many sinners on various occasions. God may do this again on many other occasions. Therefore, you need to be faithful. This book is also very suitable for group Bible study. If a joint Bible study is held once a week, twenty-six lessons can extend for half a year. For a one month conference, excluding the Lord's Days, there are enough lessons for each day. If the conference lasts only two weeks, then two lessons each day may be studied. This book is flexible and can be divided according to the length of time available. The original writing of this book (except Lessons 11 and 18 which the Lord was pleased to have me write) came from famous books written by servants who were greatly used by the Lord in Europe and America. Some were translated directly from original texts, and some were edited by me, containing one-third to one-half of the original text. My helpers in translation include: Faithful Luk, WaiSan Wang, Peter Chang, and Wu-Chou Hsu. May the Lord bless their work that it may not be in vain. I hope and desire that many brothers and sisters, who love the Lord, will set up group Bible studies and, for the sake of the Lord, use this book as lesson notes to bring many sinners to the Lord and build up the saints to grow in life. My work on editing this book is finished. I do not know how much more work I can do for the Lord on this earth. But I long for that glorious day to come quickly so that the world may see the King of Peace reign. I know I am useless, but I commit this little book into the hand of the loving Lord. If He will bless and cause people to be
saved and built up, then all the glory goes to Him. I now humbly pray before the Lord that He may work in the heart of every reader. Watchman Nee January 11, 1927 At night in Nanking, China
LESSON ONE EXCUSES FOR NOT RECEIVING CHRIST
I. Not being able to understand:
A. "But a soulish man does not receive" (1 Cor. 2:14) B. "Perishing...blinded the thoughts" (2 Cor. 4:3-4) C. "To do His will" (John 7:17) D. First believe then understand (Rom. 3:11; Prov. 3:5; Hosea 6:3; Psa. 25:14) II. Fear of not being able to stand firm unto the end:
A. "I will help you" (Isa. 41:10, 13) B. "Able to guard you" (Jude 24) C. "By no means perish" (John 10:28) D. "Guarded by the power of God" (1 Pet. 1:5) E. See also Heb. 13:5; 2 Tim. 1:12; 2 Cor. 12:9; Phil. 1:6 III. The conduct of many believers is very corrupt:
A. "Will give an account concerning himself to God" (Rom. 14:10, 12) B. "Do not judge" (Matt. 7:1-2) C. "Who are you"? (James 4:12) D. "For you who judge practice the same things" (Rom. 2:1) IV. Hindered by business affairs:
A. "They are requiring your soul from you" (Luke 12:20-21) B. "The love of money" (1 Tim. 6:9-10) C. "Forfeit his soul-life" (Mark 8:36) D. "Treasures on the earth" (Matt. 6:19; Eccl. 5:10; Prov. 22:1; 16:8) V. Hindered by pleasures:
A. "Reap corruption" (Gal. 6:7-8) B. "Render an account" (Matt. 12:36) C. "Passing away" (1 John 2:15-17) D. "Enmity with God" (James 4:4) VI. The foolishness of the unbeliever:
A. "The fool" (Psa. 53:1) B. "All Scripture is God-breathed" (2 Tim. 3:16) C. "Men spoke from God while being borne by the Holy Spirit" (2 Pet. 1:20-21) D. "In Him we live" (Acts 17:28) VII. The end of the man who rejects God:
A. "But the wrath of God abides upon him" (John 3:36) B. "We are to give our account" (Heb. 4:13) C. "Be destroyed...without remedy" (Prov. 29:1) D. "How much...worse punishment" (Heb. 10:28-29)
LESSON TWO THE TRUTH OF CHRIST'S SALVATION
I. The state of man without Christ:
A. "Lost" (Luke 19:10) B. "Perish" (John 3:16) C. "Condemned already" (John 3:18) D. "Their works were evil" (John 3:19) E. "Hates the light" (John 3:20) F. "The wrath of God" (John 3:36) G. "Your father the devil" (John 8:44) H. "From within...proceed evil" (Mark 7:21-23) II. The death of Christ is needed to save man:
A. "My blood...poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins" (Matt. 26:27-28) B. "To give His life as a ransom" (Matt. 20:28) C. "I lay down My life for the sheep" (John 10:11, 15) D. "Lifted up" (John 3:14-15). Please read John 12:24, 32, 33. III. The perfect redemption of Christ:
A. "It is finished!" (John 19:30) B. "One sacrifice for sins" (Heb. 10:12) C. "Bore up our sins in His body" (1 Pet. 2:24) IV. The condition to be saved by Christ:
A. "Your faith" (Luke 7:50) B. "Your faith" (Luke 8:48) C. "Believes" (Mark 9:23)
D. "Every one who believes" (John 3:16) E. "Believes...disobeys" (John 3:36) F. "Believes" (John 5:24) V. The perfectness of the promises of Christ:
A. "By no means perish forever" (John 10:28) B. "Able to guard" (2 Tim. 1:12) C. "Complete it" (Phil. 1:6) VI. The perfect work of Christ's intercession:
A. "Holy Father, keep" (John 17:11) B. "To save to the uttermost" (Heb. 7:25) C. "If anyone sins, we have an Advocate" (1 John 2:1) VII. Man receives the nature of God through regeneration:
A. "Begotten of God" (John 1:12-13) B. "Christ our life" (Col. 3:4) C. "Christ who lives in me" (Gal. 2:20) D. "I live, you also shall live" (John 14:19)
LESSON THREE GOD'S MESSAGES
I. You are a sinner:
A. "There is no man that sinneth not" (1 Kings 8:46) B. "There is none who does good" (Psa. 14:1) C. "All have sinned" (Rom. 3:23) II. Your nature is corrupt:
A. "In sin...conceive" (Psa. 51:5) B. "The heart is deceitful" (Jer. 17:9) C. "In me...nothing good dwells" (Rom. 7:18) D. "Enmity against God" (Rom. 8:7) III. God loves you:
A. "God so loved the world that..." (John 3:16) B. "While we were yet sinners" (Rom. 5:8) C. "The love of God was manifested among us" (1 John 4:9) D. "He loved us..." (1 John 4:10) IV. Christ died for your sins:
A. "Takes away the sin of the world" (John 1:29) B. "Christ died for our sins" (1 Cor. 15:3)
C. "Bore up our sins" (1 Pet. 2:24) V. You who believe in Christ shall be saved:
A. "Has eternal life" (John 3:36) B. "Has eternal life" (John 6:47) C. "Everyone who believes is justified" (Acts 13:39) D. "Shall be saved" (Acts 16:31) VI. Christ gives you great promises:
A. "Receive you to Myself" (John 14:3) B. "He may be with you forever" (John 14:16) C. "Ask and you shall receive" (John 16:24) D. "Neither by any means shall I abandon you" (Heb. 13:5) E. "Confess his name" (Rev. 3:5) VII. Unbelievers shall be condemned:
A. "Shall be condemned" (Mark 16:16) B. "Condemned already" (John 3:18) C. "Die in your sins" (John 8:24) D. "Wrath and fury. Tribulation and anguish" (Rom. 2:8-9) E. "Their part will be in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone" (Rev. 21:8)
LESSON FOUR A GREAT COMPARISON (Acts 28:24)
I. Some were persuaded (Acts 28:24a)
A. Those who believe are born again:
1. "Regenerated" (1 Pet. 1:23) 2. "Begotten...of God" (John 1:13) B. Those who believe have redemption:
1. "Redeemed us out" (Gal. 3:13) 2. "We have redemption" (Eph. 1:7) C. Those who believe have become near to God:
1. "Become near" (Eph. 2:13) 2. "Before Him" (Eph. 1:4) D. Those who believe are made sons of God:
1. "Sons of God" (Gal. 3:26) 2. "Children of God" (1 John 3:2)
E. Those who believe have the love of God:
1. "God commends His own love to us" (Rom. 5:8) 2. "He loved us" (1 John 4:10) F. Those who believe wait for Christ and glory:
1. "Christ...will appear...to those who eagerly await Him" (Heb. 9:28) 2. "You will receive the unfading crown of glory" (1 Pet. 5:4) G. Those who believe are guaranteed to go to heaven:
1. "An inheritance...kept in the heavens" (1 Pet. 1:4) 2. "Into His heavenly kingdom" (2 Tim. 4:18) H. Those who believe have passed out of death into life:
1. "Has passed out of death into life" (John 5:24) II. Some did not believe (Acts 28:24b)
A. Those who do not believe are born in sin:
1. "Shapen in iniquity" (Psa. 51:5) 2. "Born of the flesh" (John 3:6) B. Those who do not believe are cursed:
1. "Under a curse" (Gal. 3:10) 2. "Fall under the judgment of God" (Rom. 3:19) C. Those who do not believe are far from God:
1. "Far off" (Eph. 2:12-13) 2. "Separation between you and your God" (Isa. 59:2) D. Those who do not believe are the children of Satan:
1. "Of your father the devil" (John 8:44) 2. "Children of the devil" (1 John 3:10) E. Those who do not believe have the wrath of God:
1. "Wrath of God abides upon him" (John 3:36) 2. "The coming wrath" (Matt. 3:7) F. Those who do not believe wait for death and judgment:
1. "Die once, and after this comes judgment" (Heb. 9:27) 2. "In the day of judgment" (Matt. 12:36) G. Those who do not believe are guaranteed to go to the lake of fire:
1. "Their part will be in the lake which burns with fire" (Rev. 21:8) 2. "Cast them into the furnace of fire" (Matt. 13:41-42)
H. Those who do not believe have "been condemned already" (John 3:18).
LESSON FIVE WHAT TO SAY TO LOST ONES
I. All have sinned:
A. "There is none righteous" (Rom. 3:10, 23) B. "Stumbles in one point" (James 2:10) C. "Like sheep have gone astray" (Isa. 53:6) D. "Incurable" (Jer. 17:9) E. See also Gal. 3:10; Ezek. 7:23; Rom. 3:9-20; Isa. 1:6; John 15:22 II. The punishment for sin:
A. "Death" (Rom. 6:23) B. "It shall die" (Ezek. 18:4) C. "Eternal fire" and "eternal punishment" (Matt. 25:41, 46) D. "Being in torment" (Luke 16:23) E. See also Psa. 9:17; 11:6; Rev. 20:15; 21:8; 14:11 III. Christ died for our sins:
A. "Bore up our sins" (1 Pet. 2:24) B. "Suffered once for sins" (1 Pet. 3:18) C. "Died for the ungodly" (Rom. 5:6) D. "Propitiation" (1 John 4:10; Rom. 5:8; Isa. 53:5; Gal. 3:13; 1 Cor. 15:3; Heb. 1:3) IV. Salvation is prepared for all men:
A. "Every one" (John 3:16) B. "That which is lost" (Luke 19:10) C. "Not intending that any perish" (2 Pet. 3:9) D. "Him who comes to Me" (John 6:37; 1 Tim. 1:15; 2:4; Rev. 22:17; Isa. 1:18; Mark 2:17) V. Saved through faith:
A. "Believes" (John 3:16) B. "Received...believe" (John 1:12) C. "Believes" (John 3:18) D. "Believes" (Acts 13:39) E. See also John 3:36; 5:24; 6:47; 20:31; Acts 10:43 VI. There is only one way to be saved—by grace:
A. "For neither is there another name under heaven given" (Acts 4:12) B. "Not out of works in righteousness" (Titus 3:5) C. "For the grace of God, bringing salvation to all men, has appeared" (Titus 2:11) D. "The gift of God" (Eph. 2:5, 8) E. See also Rom. 4:4-5; 11:6; Gal. 2:21; 2 Tim. 1:9 VII. Confessing Christ before men is joyous:
A. "Saved" (Rom. 10:9-10) B. "I also will confess in him before My Father" (Matt. 10:32) C. "Sing unto the Lord" (Psa. 96:2)
LESSON SIX WHAT SHALL I DO TO BE SAVED? The position of man and his end before God depends upon whether he receives or rejects the works which His Son, Jesus Christ, accomplished on the cross. If he lives in unbelief until his death, he is hopeless and eternal condemnation is guaranteed. There is no need to ask if he will perish when he dies. He will certainly perish. If a man has not received the blood shed by God's Son, Jesus Christ, for the covering of his sins, he is "condemned already" (John 3:18).
I. An unbeliever is under the wrath of God:
A. "The wrath of God abides upon him" (John 3:36) B. "Having no hope" (Eph. 2:12) C. "Blinded the thoughts of the unbelievers" (2 Cor. 4:3-4) D. "Will die in your sins" (John 8:24) E. "Shall be condemned" (Mark 16:16) F. "In flaming fire...vengeance" (2 Thes. 1:7-8) G. "Lake which burns with fire and brimstone" (Rev. 21:8) II. Saved by believing in the heart: Believing merely in a historical Christ is neither having the faith which saves by believing in the heart, nor the receiving of Christ, the believing of the testimony that God gave concerning His Son.
A. "Believed...the testimony which God has testified" (1 John 5:10-12) B. "Believe in your heart" (Rom. 10:9-11) C. "Believed God" according to His Word (Rom. 4:3, 20-21) III. What to believe:
A. "Christ died for our sins" (1 Cor. 15:3)
B. "Buried" (1 Cor. 15:4) C. "Raised" (1 Cor. 15:4) D. "Was delivered for our offenses" (Rom. 4:25) E. "Was raised for our justification" (Rom. 4:25) F. "Bore up our sins" (1 Pet. 2:24) G. "The iniquity of us all...on Him" (Isa. 53:6) H. "Made sin on our behalf" (2 Cor. 5:21) I. "Having become a curse" (Gal. 3:13) J. "Believes...has eternal life" (John 3:36) K. "Believes...has" (John 5:24) L. "Believes...justified" (Acts 13:39) IV. Salvation is absolutely free: Salvation is not by man's ways, nor by self-discipline, self-effort, or selfstrength.
A. "Without money and without price" (Isa. 55:1) B. "I give to them eternal life" (John 10:28) C. "The gift of God" (Rom. 6:23) D. "Believe" (1 John 5:13)
LESSON SEVEN THE PRECIOUS BLOOD OF CHRIST "Without shedding of blood there is no forgiveness" (Heb. 9:22). The only passport to salvation is the blood of the Lamb of God. Only this blood can protect man from the wrath which is to come. In God's Word, the "blood" is mentioned over four hundred times. From this we can see that the blood is important. Whosoever receives the blood of Jesus Christ for the covering of sins is undoubtedly saved already. This salvation is absolutely complete and eternal. The true knowledge of the value of the blood of the Lord is most effective in keeping man away from sin.
I. The blood of Christ is the price of the believer's redemption:
A. "Obtained through His own blood" (Acts 20:28) B. "Have redemption through His blood" (Eph. 1:7; Col. 1:14) C. "With precious blood...the blood of Christ" (1 Pet. 1:18-19) D. "Have purchased...by Your blood" (Rev. 5:9) II. The blood of Christ is the foundation of the believer's forgiveness of sins. Forgiveness is instantaneous and complete:
A. "Through His blood" (Eph. 1:7) B. "Redemption through His blood" (Col. 1:14 [KJV]) C. "Without shedding of blood there is no forgiveness" (Heb. 9:22) D. "All our offenses" (Col. 2:13) III. The blood of Christ is the foundation of the believer's justification (Rom. 5:8-9): A. The blood is the base (Rom. 5:9) B. To believe is the way (Rom. 3:28) C. The resurrection of Christ is the proof (Rom. 4:25) Justification, redemption, forgiveness are all gifts in this age. IV. The blood of Christ is the foundation of the believer's peace: We cannot reconcile ourselves to God. Peace has been made; we only need to receive it.
A. "Having made peace through the blood" (Col. 1:20) B. "Have peace" (Rom. 5:1) V. The blood of Christ is the foundation of the believer's cleansing:
A. "Cleanses us from every sin" (1 John 1:7) B. "Released" (Rev. 1:5) VI. The blood of Christ is the way for believers to come to God:
A. "Become near" (Eph. 2:13) B. "Entering the Holy of Holies" (Heb. 10:19) VII. The blood of Christ is the means for the fellowship of the believers: (1 Cor. 10:16-17)
LESSON EIGHT THE PROBLEM OF SIN
I. What is sin? Sin is—A transgression, an offense against God, a serious shortcoming, a violation—Webster's Dictionary.
A. "Sin is lawlessness" (1 John 3:4) B. "Not out of faith is sin" (Rom. 14:23) II. Who is the originator of sin?
A. "The anointed cherub" (Ezek. 28:14-16) III. When was sin committed? "From the beginning" (1 John 3:8) IV. Are all men sinners?
A. "All under sin" (Rom. 3:9) B. "All have turned aside" (Rom. 3:12) C. "All...fall under the judgment of God" (Rom. 3:19) D. "All have sinned" (Rom. 3:23) V. What are the results of sin?
A. "Sinneth, it shall die" (Ezek. 18:4) B. "Destroyeth much good" (Eccl. 9:18) C. "Sin, when it is fully grown, brings forth death" (James 1:15) D. "The wages of sin is death" (Rom. 6:23) VI. The sin of the unbelievers:
A. "Will render an account...in the day of judgment" (Matt. 12:36) B. "Thou...canst not look on iniquity" (Hab. 1:13) C. "After this comes judgment" (Heb. 9:27) D. "Die in your sins" (John 8:24) E. "Sins...follow after" (1 Tim. 5:24) F. "Him to whom we are to give our account" (Heb. 4:13) VII. The sins of the believers:
A. Where were they?
1. "The iniquity of us all...on Him" (Isa. 53:6) 2. "He made sin" (2 Cor. 5:21) 3. "Bore up our sins in His body" (1 Pet. 2:24) 4. "Having made purification of sins" (Heb. 1:3) B. Where are they now?
1. "Wipes away...will not remember" (Isa. 43:25) 2. "I have wiped away...your transgressions" (Isa. 44:22) 3. "As far as the east is from the west...removed" (Psa. 103:12) 4. "Cast behind Your back all my sins" (Isa. 38:17) 5. "Cast...into the depths of the sea" (Micah 7:19) 6. "He...having forgiven us all our offenses" (Col. 2:13) 7. "By no means remember anymore" (Heb. 10:17)
LESSON NINE FREEDOM Unbelievers have two errors: They think that (1) Christians are bound, and (2) unbelievers are free. But God says that unbelievers are under bondage and that believers are free!