12.A Living Faith (Chapter Seventy-Four)
《 Conferences, Messages, and Fellowship(Vol.3) 》
CONTENTS：
CONFERENCES, MESSAGES, AND FELLOWSHIP (3)
1. Preface SECTION SIX: MESSAGES IN CANTON, APRIL 1937 2. The Revelation of Jesus Christ (Chapter Sixty-Four) 3. God Interrupting Man's Speaking (Chapter Sixty-Five) 4. Man, Sinner, Sin, and Sins (Chapter Sixty-Six) 5. God's Love, Mercy, Grace, and Righteousness (Chapter Sixty-Seven) SECTION SEVEN: FELLOWSHIP WITH CO-WORKERS IN SHANGHAI, JUNE 1937 6. The Expression and Practice of the Testimony of the Local Church (Chapter Sixty-Eight) 7. A Talk with Brother Nee at His Farewell Dinner Prior to His Trip Overseas (Chapter Sixty-Nine) SECTION EIGHT: CONFERENCE IN SINGAPORE, AUGUST 1937 8. Forgiveness and Justification (Chapter Seventy) 9. The Death and Resurrection of Christ (1) (Chapter Seventy-One) 10.The Death and Resurrection of Christ (2) (Chapter Seventy-Two) 11. Reckoning (Chapter Seventy-Three) 12.A Living Faith (Chapter Seventy-Four) 13.The Revelation on the Mountain (Chapter Seventy-Five) 14.God's Way of Accomplishing His Purpose (1) (Chapter Seventy-Six) 15.God's Way of Accomplishing His Purpose (2) (Chapter Seventy-Seven) 16.The Overcoming Life (Chapter Seventy-Eight) 17.The Way to Overcome (Chapter Seventy-Nine) SECTION NINE: CONFERENCE IN PENANG, APRIL 1938 18.God is Light (Chapter Eighty) 19.The Mind of Christ Jesus (1) (Chapter Eighty-One) 20.The Mind of Christ Jesus (2) (Chapter Eighty-Two)
21.Learning the Lesson of the Cross (Chapter Eighty-Three) 22.Five Kinds of Forgiveness (Chapter Eighty-Four) SECTION TEN: A MESSAGE GIVEN IN SHANGHAI, 1938 23.Concerning Material Offering (Chapter Eighty-Five)
PREFACE Volume 43 of The Collected Works contains five sections that include various messages given by Watchman Nee in 1937 and 1938. Section Six contains messages given in Canton in the spring of 1937, including topics on the revelation of Jesus Christ, God interrupting man's speaking, and basic gospel truths. Section Seven includes fellowship with the co-workers in Shanghai in June 1937. It is a record of two private words of fellowship. Section Eight contains the messages given in a conference in Singapore, August 1937, concerning Christ's full salvation and the overcoming life. Section Nine contains the messages given in a conference in Penang, April 1938, concerning various subjects of interest. Section Ten is a message given in Shanghai in 1938 on material offering and its relationship to our praise in the Lord's table meeting.
SECTION SIX MESSAGES IN CANTON, APRIL 1937 CHAPTER SIXTY-FOUR THE REVELATION OF JESUS CHRIST Date: April 11, 1937, afternoon Place: Canton Scripture Reading: Mark 9:1-8 JESUS CHRIST AND THE REVELATION OF JESUS CHRIST John 3:16 says that God gave us His Son; Revelation 1:1 says that God gave us the revelation of Jesus Christ. God has given us two great blessings: Jesus Christ and the revelation of Jesus Christ. The word revelation in Greek is apokalypsis. Apo means "to lift," and kalypsis means "veil." Together they mean to lift the veil and to reveal what is behind the veil. If we only have Christ but do not have the revelation of Jesus Christ, we still do not know who Christ is, and it is as if Jesus Christ is still behind the veil. Our revelation of Jesus Christ will be full only when we have put off our bodies and are face to face with the Lord. Then we will see Him clearly. However, there
are some people—not all, but some—who are seeking and who draw near to God. These ones not only have Jesus Christ today but also the revelation of Jesus Christ. SEEING THE KINGDOM OF GOD COME IN POWER In Mark 9:1 the Lord said, "There are some of those standing here who shall by no means taste death until they see the kingdom of God having come in power." This means that Christ was about to be manifested. The Lord's promise in this verse implies that man can know Him at the present time. There is no need to wait until one's death. The kingdom of God is something abstract; one cannot touch it or lay hold of it. Yet we have to realize that the kingdom of God is the Lord Jesus. The Lord Jesus is the reality and content of the kingdom of God. The manifestation of the Lord Jesus is the very manifestation of the kingdom of God. Mark 9:1 presents the main subject of verses 2 through 8, which describe how Christ manifested Himself. These seven verses are a full explanation of verse 1. "AND AFTER SIX DAYS" Verse 2 begins with the phrase "and after six days." This means that it is the seventh day. The principle of studying the Bible is that whenever you come across a certain word or phrase that you do not understand, you should refer to the first mention of it in the Bible. The six days in Genesis 1 refer to the six days of God's work. The seventh day is the day of God's rest. God spent six days to create the universe and all the things in it. The seventh day is the day of rest. Even Adam and Eve rested. The moment Adam and Eve were born, they rested; this is the proper way. They were not born to work. Adam and Eve rested in God's work. They had the best situation. If it had been up to Adam and Eve to create the universe, they would have had to spend more time to do it. They would not have been able to complete the work even if they had six thousand years. We are saved through realizing that God is the One who accomplished everything. We must realize that we should live by resting in God's work as well. We are here to enjoy God's work. Simply put, God does a work that is both full and complete. There is no need for us to do anything. All we have to do is enjoy what God has done. Thank the Lord! All that God has accomplished is good and complete. Whatever man has done and whatever sinners have produced are just vile and incomplete. The revelation of Jesus Christ comes "after six days." This means that God has accomplished everything. Man has no part in it whatsoever.
In spiritual matters our vision is based on God's work alone; we have no part in it. God's work enables us to see God's revelation.
"JESUS TOOK WITH HIM PETER AND JAMES AND JOHN" Verse 2 continues, "Jesus took with Him Peter and James and John." Why did Jesus not take all of the twelve disciples? Why did He only take these three disciples? All twelve disciples had Jesus Christ, but only three had the revelation of Jesus Christ. Having the Son of God is having eternal life, but not everyone who has the Son of God has the revelation of the Son of God. Without the revelation of Jesus Christ, there will not be a clear and adequate realization of Jesus Christ. The Lord brought three disciples. Thank the Lord that at least three people were able to receive the revelation of Jesus Christ. If they can have the revelation, so can we. "INTO A HIGH MOUNTAIN" Jesus brought the three disciples "up alone into a high mountain privately." Why did the Lord bring the three disciples to a high mountain? This is because level ground is not the place for receiving revelation. Moses was on a mountain when he received the law. Elijah was on a mountain when he served as a prophet. High on the mountain is where one gets away from people, far away from the earth, and close to heaven. To climb up a high mountain requires strength. If one wants to receive revelation, he must leave all men behind to be far away from earth and close to heaven. He must pay the price. "HE WAS TRANSFIGURED BEFORE THEM" While they were up on the high mountain, the Lord was transfigured before them. Why was the Lord transfigured? What would have happened if He had not been transfigured? In this verse we see that Jesus Christ is actually God in disguise. If God were not disguised, we would all know Him. But God is disguised in Christ. This makes it difficult for us to recognize Him. Perhaps we know that there was a carpenter in the land of Galilee, a man in Nazareth; perhaps we know that He was a brother of James, Joses, Judas, and Simon. In a sense everyone who has read the Bible knows Him, because the Bible talks about Him. His name is Jesus. But those who only know Jesus Christ in this way do not really know Him. They merely know a "disguised" Jesus Christ. The Jesus Christ whom the disciples knew was the "disguised" Jesus Christ. I am afraid that the Jesus Christ we know
is merely the Jesus Christ spoken of in the four Gospels or the Jesus Christ taught by some preachers. The Lord's transfiguration was the Lord's removing of the "disguise" in front of the disciples. It is essential for all of us to see the Lord who is outside the flesh. If we say that the disciples did not know the Lord, they could argue that they had a history of following the Lord for three years. It is inaccurate to say that they did not know the Lord. However, we could not say that they really knew the Lord, because they were so ignorant. This is why the Lord had to be transfigured; He had to remove the disciples' veil of false knowledge. God the Son manifested Himself on the mountain and removed the veil in order for man to know Him in a clear way. After Peter saw the Lord's transfiguration on the mountain, what did he say? According to 2 Peter 1:16-17 he said, "For we did not follow cleverly devised myths when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we became eyewitnesses of that One's majesty. For He received from God the Father honor and glory, a voice such as this being borne to Him by the magnificent glory: This is My Son, My Beloved, in whom I delight." Peter had such great power and such clear understanding of the Lord's coming because he had received the revelation of Jesus Christ. Peter followed the Lord to the mount of transfiguration and experienced a great change. He saw the revelation of Jesus Christ, and his living was drastically changed. How do we know whether a person really knows the Lord and has seen the revelation of Jesus Christ? If one knows the Lord and has seen the revelation of Jesus Christ, his living will surely have a drastic change. This is an indicator that a person has received the revelation of Jesus Christ.
"ELIJAH WITH MOSES" After the Lord was transfigured, suddenly Elijah and Moses appeared before the disciples and conversed with the Lord Jesus. Peter must have thought, "This is such a rare opportunity for the three of us to be with the three of you." He proposed to the Lord, "Rabbi, it is good for us to be here; and let us make three tents, one for You and one for Moses and one for Elijah." Yet the Lord did not answer him. What does this mean? Suppose someone invites you to tea and you only stare at him without saying a word. Saying nothing is more severe than saying "no" to him. Not saying anything means rejection. Silence means resistance. Christ should never be ranked equally with Moses and Elijah. The
kingdom of God has replaced the law and the prophets. If the kingdom of God is here, Moses and Elijah must go away. Only then can Jesus Christ of Nazareth come. If Moses and Elijah are still here, Jesus cannot come. Moses and Elijah cannot be mixed together with Jesus. If the Old Testament continues, the New Testament cannot come. The disciples did not realize this. Mark never followed the Lord Jesus. He was a young man, and he was a disciple of Peter. The Gospel of Mark is Mark's written account of what he heard from Peter. Peter spoke the words, but Mark recorded the message. This is an historical fact concerning the Bible. The Gospel of Mark is actually the Gospel of Peter. This is why the Gospel of Mark gives us more specific details concerning Peter. Peter loved to talk. Wherever he was, he always had something to say. At this point he said something foolish again. But after he said it, he did not know how to go on. The Lord was silent, and Peter did not know what to say. But God spoke at this juncture. The Father's words seemed to be directed at Peter specifically; they were words of rebuke. The Father seemed to be saying, "You should use your ears and not your mouth. You should listen to the Lord instead of asking the Lord to listen to you." Here we see what the New Testament is all about. We should not listen to the law and the prophets any longer. Instead, we should listen to the beloved Son of God, Jesus Christ. The prophets should be put aside, and the law should be put aside. The New Testament is Jesus Christ revealed. A life according to the New Testament is just a life of obedience to the revelation of Jesus Christ. Moses represents the law, which tells us that God has established regulations for man. In addition to the Ten Commandments, the Pentateuch contains hundreds of additional commandments. These are also laws. The Old Testament only contains God's law. When men in the Old Testament wanted to know whether a certain matter was right, all they had to do was find the answer in the law. They did not necessarily have an inner sense of right or wrong. Their "yes" and "no" were written in the law. If a person observed the various ordinances and laws, he would be justified. In the Old Testament all problems were dealt with by the law; the law determined what was right and what was wrong. Hence, the law separates man from God. It sets up a standard of right and wrong apart from God. But these are dead standards. Thank the Lord, the Old Testament is over. The law is over. Today in the New Testament dispensation, only God is our "yes" and "no." God in us becomes our law. If a man does not have God and only has regulations, and if all he knows is "yes" and "no," he is still in the Old Testament.
Once a person has God, he will be delivered from right and wrong, and he will truly be one who lives in the New Testament. I have a servant in my house called Mr. Wong. His disposition is entirely opposite of mine. He likes to have rules and regulations for everything he is about to do, and he likes to work by these rules and regulations. However, all I want is for him to obey me and to do things according to my desire. What he wants is in the principle of the Old Testament; what I like is in the principle of the New Testament. With the law there is no need for man to draw near to God. He can know what is right and what is wrong. The law is a set of dead moral standards apart from God. It is something that once it is known, will be known forever. But the New Testament requires a daily knowing and a moment by moment knowing. In the New Testament Moses cannot exist; the law cannot exist. True knowledge of the Lord is not the knowledge of yesterday; nor is it derived from books. It is knowledge that comes from the Lord who is living and speaking in us; it is always in the present tense. What do the prophets represent? The prophets supplemented what was lacking in the law. They were the ones who inquired of God on behalf of men. A prophet was one who sought God's will on behalf of others. For instance, you might be sick and not know whether you would become well or not. You could send for a prophet to inquire of God to see whether or not you would become well. Or you might not know whether or not you should go to a certain place. You could ask someone to inquire of God's will for you. This was the work of a prophet. The law enabled you to know right and wrong according to dead regulations, while a prophet told you what was right and wrong in place of you knowing it yourself. God said that we should not listen to Moses or Elijah. However, there are many Elijahs today. Suppose we have a very spiritual brother or sister among us. If you have a problem, it is easy to ask him or her to inquire of God for you. If you are not clear about God's will, it is easy to charge him or her to inquire about God's will for you. This is the principle of a prophet. This is what Elijah did. The law takes away man's direct communication with God, and the prophet also takes away man's direct fellowship with God. Both the law and the prophets stand between man and God and separate man from God. Some may ask why there are prophets in the New Testament. What is the difference between New Testament prophets and Old Testament prophets? New Testament prophets are completely different from Old Testament prophets. The
Lord gave some prophets in the New Testament. Their principal work is the building up, encouragement, and consolation of men (1 Cor. 14:3). They only explain the principles of God's will. They do not go into the details of God's will. "THIS IS MY SON, THE BELOVED. HEAR HIM" Isaiah prophesied that one day, "the earth will be full of the knowledge of Jehovah,/As the waters cover the sea" (11:9). God's words are marvelous. He says the earth will be full of the knowledge of Jehovah. "Full" means there is no longer any need. Hebrews 8:11 says, "And they shall by no means each teach his fellow citizen and each his brother, saying, Know the Lord; for all will know Me from the little one to the great one among them." This means that neither a fellow citizen nor a brother can be one's prophet any longer. We have to know God ourselves. This is the New Testament. The New Testament is the Lord living in us, telling us what is from God, what is right, and what is wrong. The New Testament is the Lord leading us inwardly. Because of this we have no need for others to instruct us anymore. We can receive spiritual help from others, but the detailed leading of God's will is strictly a matter between us and God. Today the prophets and the law are over. Thank God! We need to hear, "This is My Son, the Beloved. Hear Him!"
CHAPTER SIXTY-FIVE GOD INTERRUPTING MAN'S SPEAKING Date: April 12, 1937 Place: Canton Scripture Reading: Mark 9:5-7; Matt. 17:24-27; Acts 10:14-16, 28-29, 34-35, 43-45 GOD INTERRUPTING MAN'S SPEAKING All the verses we have read tonight are related to Peter and his speaking. Peter was particularly fond of talking. He always had something to say even though it was not always the opportune time to say it. Of the many times that Peter spoke, God interrupted him three times. First, the Father interrupted his speaking; then Christ interrupted his speaking; and finally, the Holy Spirit interrupted his speaking. God, Christ, and the Holy Spirit interrupted Peter's speaking three different times. These three instances are very unusual. First, God came in to restrict Peter when he had run out of words. Second, God restricted Peter before he had even begun to speak. Third, God restricted Peter after a lengthy speech
as he was about to continue. These three instances were recorded in Mark 9, Matthew 17, and Acts 10. The Father Interrupting Peter's Speaking on the Mount of Transfiguration On the Mount of Transfiguration, the Lord Jesus changed His appearance, and Moses and Elijah suddenly appeared. When Peter saw this, he said to Jesus, "Rabbi, it is good for us to be here; and let us make three tents, one for You and one for Moses and one for Elijah" (Mark 9:5). Peter often addressed Christ as Lord (Adonai). But here he addressed the Lord as Rabbi. The Bible continues, "He did not know what to answer." On the Mount of Transfiguration, Peter saw Christ as the Rabbi, and he also saw two others in addition to Christ—Moses and Elijah. While Peter was saying, "It is good for us to be here," God would not allow him to go on. He stopped Peter's speaking: "And a voice came out of the cloud: This is My Son, the Beloved. Hear Him!" (v. 7). This was the Father interrupting Peter's speaking. Christ Interrupting Peter's Speaking in the House at Capernaum In Matthew 17 when the Lord was in Capernaum, the temple-tax gatherers came to ask Peter, "Does not your Teacher pay the temple tax?" (v. 24). Peter said, "Yes." After Peter answered, he thought, "What if Christ does not pay the tax?" Therefore, he came into the house to tell the Lord. But the Lord had already prepared something to say to him. Verse 25 says, "Jesus anticipated him, saying..." This means that Christ would not allow him to speak. On the Mount of Transfiguration, the Father interrupted Peter's speaking. Inside the house beside the seashore, Christ interrupted Peter's speaking. The Holy Spirit Interrupting Peter's Speaking in the House of Cornelius Peter was a Jew, and Jews did not associate with Gentiles. However, God purposely chose Peter to open the door of the gospel to the Gentiles; He did not choose anyone else. One day Peter saw a vision. "He beheld heaven opened, and a certain vessel like a great sheet descending, being let down by four corners onto the earth, in which were all the four-footed animals and reptiles of the earth and birds of heaven. And a voice came to him: Rise up, Peter; slay and eat! But Peter said, By no means, Lord, for I have never eaten anything common and unclean. And a voice came to him again a second time: The things that God has cleansed, do not make common. And this occurred three times; and
immediately the vessel was taken up into heaven. Now as Peter was utterly perplexed in himself as to what the vision which he had seen might be, behold, the men who were sent by Cornelius, having made diligent inquiry for Simon's house, stood at the gate. And they called out and inquired whether Simon, who is surnamed Peter, was lodging there" (Acts 10:11-18). The Holy Spirit then urged Peter to go with them. The next day Peter went with the messengers of Cornelius. When he arrived at the house, he preached the gospel to the people with the opening words: "In truth I perceive that God is not a respecter of persons, but in every nation he who fears Him and works righteousness is acceptable to Him" (vv. 34-35). Peter evidently perceived the significance of the vision, but did not entirely agree with God. He went on and on with his speaking, but the Holy Spirit did not wait for Peter to finish. He fell upon all those who heard the word (v. 44). This was the Holy Spirit interrupting Peter's speaking. When Peter saw that the Holy Spirit was being poured out on the Gentiles, he said, "Can anyone forbid the water so that these would not be baptized?" (v. 47).
THE REASON GOD INTERRUPTS MAN'S SPEAKING Let us consider the reason God interrupts man's speaking. Of all the books in the Old Testament, Job contains the greatest amount of man's speaking. There is not another book in the Bible that contains more speaking from man. The three friends of Job had much to say; they spoke unceasingly. Even Job spoke unceasingly, and at the end, Elihu opened his mouth to say many words. After Job's three friends finished speaking and after Job and Elihu finished speaking, God began to speak. There are forty-two chapters in Job. Most of them are man's speaking. God only speaks at the end. It seems as if God patiently endured their speaking. From this we can see that God is not only the God who speaks but also the God who listens. God listened to the incessant speaking of Job and his friends, yet it seems that God did not have the same patience with Peter. Was it because God had become impatient? No, if God were impatient, He could have stopped Job and his friends while they were talking. God was not in haste to stop man's speaking. In reading the book of Job, we see that God likes to listen to man's talking. He can listen to man's talking. God interrupts man's speaking for a definite reason. Sometimes, God cannot allow man to continue speaking, because man will go astray. We should realize that God interrupts man's speaking not because He is
impatient; He interrupts man's speaking because what is said should not be said. They are words that should not be heard, words that need to be stopped. The Reason the Father Interrupted Peter Peter's speaking was interrupted first by God on the Mount of Transfiguration. After the Lord was transfigured before the three disciples, Moses and Elijah also appeared. If you had asked Peter on that day whether he would choose the law, the prophets, or Christ, Peter would have probably answered, "I cannot choose just one. I want all three." Peter, as well as many Christians, wanted to have the law and the prophets in addition to Christ. We all want to have regulations and help from spiritual ones. Christians may think that they have the Spirit living within and that they have Christ as power and life. But they also need outward statutes, regulations, laws, and help from others. This is man's thought; it is not God's way. God the Father spoke to Peter from heaven: "This is My Son, the Beloved. Hear Him!" This means that God will not tolerate our putting Christ on the same level with the law and the prophets. Today those who have not received Christ may want the law and the prophets. However, since we have received Christ, God will not tolerate the law and prophets. What is the law? The law tells us what is right and wrong in an outward way, while Christ tells us what is right and wrong from within. The law is the outward fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil; but Christ in us is the inward fruit of the tree of life. Eight or nine years ago, I was at Kuling Mountain recovering from an illness. At that time I met an electrician who installed electric lights. He was not very literate. (Today he is able to read the Bible.) As I read the Bible daily, I would read portions of it to him. Later, he was saved. Not long after, I returned to Shanghai. I was somewhat worried about him because he drank quite a bit. Every night he had to drink. He could drink a few bottles of wine at one time without getting drunk. However, every time he drank, he could not stop until he was drunk. I was worried about what would happen after he had spent all his money on drinking. While I was still with him, I often wanted to urge him to stop drinking. But I did not say anything. After I returned to Shanghai, he came to visit me one day. I asked him how he was doing and whether or not he had experienced any temptations recently. He replied, "Mr. Nee, don't you know? I am a wino. I love drinking. After you left, my wife set the table with the food and wine on it. I wanted to drink, and I was getting ready to open my mouth to give thanks for the food. But I could not pray. I asked my wife to bring the Bible to me so that I could see what it said
about drinking. I searched for a long time, but I could not find anything regarding the matter of drinking. I thought to myself, `It is a pity that Mr. Nee is not here. If he was, I could ask him.' Since I could not ask you and since my wife and I only knew bits and pieces of the Bible, I thought that it would not matter if I drank. I thought that God was not concerned about this matter, so I prepared a glass of wine. But I could not put the drink in my mouth. I had to ask my wife to take the wine away. Only then was I able to pray and take my supper. I was very puzzled. I told myself that when I went to Shanghai the next time, I would ask you for the reason." I asked, "Why did you stop drinking?" He said, "I don't know why. All I know is that when I tried to drink, the `householder' in me would not allow it. Therefore, I did not drink." Then I said to him, "Yes, indeed, if the `householder' in you will not allow you to drink, you should not drink. From now on you have to listen to the speaking of the `householder' in you." "The householder forbids it" is the new testament. The new testament is just the living Christ in you. This is completely outside of the law and the prophets. If the Bible were just regulations, if there were no living Christ within you, nothing would work. If Mr. Nee were a prophet in Shanghai, everyone would have to come to Shanghai in order to know God's will. If one must search the law to know what is right and wrong, one must first know to how to read. Does this mean that a person who is unable to read cannot know God's will? Does this mean that one must find a prophet before he can know God's will? Thank God, those of us who can read the Bible are able to know God's will, and the villagers who cannot read the Bible are also able to know God's will, because Christ lives in them. The Bible only gives us a general direction of how Christ guides us in an inward way. This kind of direction only gives us an outward standard, and while the Bible has many major functions, it cannot replace Christ. The electrician knew Christ; the Christ he knew was an indwelling Christ. This is the new testament. This is the salvation of Christ. We should listen to the speaking of the householder within just as the electrician did. However, Peter was not this way. In addition to Christ, he had the law and the prophets. The new testament is not Christ plus the law and the prophets. The new testament is Christ replacing the law and the prophets. God's interruption of Peter's speaking was a declaration that Christ cannot be added to the law and the prophets. Rather, Christ replaces the law and the prophets. The law and the
prophets are over. Today it is the living God, Christ, who lives in us. This is the new testament. In traveling to many places, I have found that many Christians often say the right thing. For example, one person may say to another, "You must pray much regarding this matter to see whether or not the Lord will lead you in this way." The other person's response may be, "The Bible says nothing about this." Many people are like this. When situations arise, they deal with them according to the teachings in the Bible. Many people only want outward regulations; they do not care for the inward Christ. However, before finding out whether the Bible says something, we should first find out how Christ is leading us inwardly through the Spirit. Our life and work do not necessarily have to be guided by outward laws. Many people consider the Bible to be the most perfect law; they think that it tells us everything about "do's" and "don'ts," right and wrong. Actually the law for a Christian is not the Bible; the law is the Christ living within him. The Christ living in us is our law. If Christ in us says that something is right, it is right. If Christ in us says that something is not right, it is not right. Often before we read about a certain matter in the Bible, we already know inside how we should conduct ourselves. Some say that when the co-workers are not around, they have no one to consult with and are at a loss. But I say that it is better for the co-workers to not be around, because they can learn to consult the Spirit. The fundamental difference between Christianity and Judaism is that Judaism emphasizes the outward law, whereas Christianity emphasizes one's personal contact with Christ. The new testament addresses what is right and what is wrong according to life. The new testament is a matter of touching the living Christ and receiving His inward leading. Please remember that in the new testament, once our inward, personal fellowship with Christ is taken away, everything else is futile and useless. Moses and Elijah are a glory of the past. They must not become a hindrance to the new testament. Both the law and the prophets need to be put aside. This is why God interrupted Peter's speaking. Peter had placed the law and the prophets on the same level as Christ. Brothers and sisters, we all have the same ability to accomplish God's will. The problem is that men will not listen to what Christ is saying inwardly. Instead, they study the Bible blindly or inquire of others. If a certain matter arises and one person says one thing, another says a second thing, and still another says a third thing, whose word should we take? I would ask, "How do you feel inwardly?" Why do we have to take the word of outward teachers? Today we must listen to
the speaking of the Christ within us. God's interruption of Peter's speaking meant that the law and the prophets should not occupy any place in us.
The Reason Christ Stopped Peter Peter's speaking was interrupted the second time by Christ in a house in Capernaum. Peter seemed to be the spokesman of the twelve disciples, and some came to ask, "Does not your Teacher pay the temple tax?" Peter should have asked Christ first. But he did not do this. Instead, when he was asked, Peter mindlessly answered, "Yes." Then he went in to check with the Lord. He had made a decision already; He was only informing the Lord after the fact. On the Mount of Transfiguration, the Father interrupted Peter after he had spoken a few sentences. But Christ did not wait for Peter to speak at all. He anticipated him, saying, "What do you think, Simon? From whom do the kings of the earth receive custom or poll tax, from their sons or from strangers?" Christ stopped Peter because He wanted Peter to know that no one had authority over Him. The kings and leaders of the world only collect taxes from outsiders. They do not collect tax from their own sons. The temple tax was for the temple, not for Caesar. In name the temple tax was for God. In reality it was appropriated to the priests. In Matthew 16 and 17 Christ was manifested specifically as the Son of God. The incident with the temple tax occurred immediately after Caesarea Philippi, where the Lord asked the disciples, "Who do you say that I am?" and Peter said, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God." In chapter seventeen, on the Mount of Transfiguration, the Father said, "This is My Son, the Beloved." Both of these two chapters speak of Christ as the Son of God. In chapter sixteen the recognition was from men. In chapter seventeen the recognition was from God the Father. In chapters sixteen and seventeen, both men and the Father acknowledged Christ as the Son of God. But what about those other than the disciples? Did they acknowledge Christ as the Son of God? At the end of chapter seventeen those who collected the temple tax came to collect tax. If Christ was just another Jew, no one would have bothered to ask about tax. But Christ was different; His words and actions were very particular. He performed miracles, healed the sick, caused the lame to walk, raised the dead, and even proclaimed that He is the Son of God. Undoubtedly, the Jews saw all of these things. Yet inwardly they doubted whether He was really the Son of God. Peter's answer eliminated the question from their minds because he placed Christ on the same level as all the other
Jews. Peter treated Jesus the Nazarene as an ordinary person. He forgot that the Lord was the Son of God. The entire salvation of Christ stands upon the foundation that Jesus the Nazarene is the Son of God. If Jesus the Nazarene is not the Son of God, there is no salvation of Christ. If there is no salvation, there is no church. The church proclaims that Jesus the Nazarene is the Son of God. If we do not know that Jesus the Nazarene is the Son of God, nothing will avail. Therefore, after Peter proclaimed that Christ was the Son of the living God in Matthew 16, Christ said to him, "Upon this rock I will build My church." The Son of the living God is the rock. The church is built upon this rock, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it. Therefore, if Jesus the Nazarene were just an ordinary person, it would have been impossible for the church to be built up, because there would have been no foundation. Friends, what is the salvation of Christ? The salvation of Christ is a faith that believes in Christ being the Son of God. Our faith is not the cross, resurrection, ascension, etc. These are only the works of Christ. The Bible does not ask us to believe in His works. It only asks us to believe that He is the Son of God. This means that we are to believe in His person. If we believe in His person, we will spontaneously believe in His works. The Bible says that everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ has been begotten of God (1 John 5:1). Everything hinges on believing in Him as the Son of God. Do you believe in the Son of God? If you read the book of Romans, the Gospel of Luke, or the Epistle of First John, you will find that everything hinges on whether or not Christ is the Son of God. Perhaps you do not consider this question to be that important. But God considers this question to be very important. When a person believes that Christ is the Son of God, he receives salvation and eternal life. "He who has the Son has the life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have the life" (v. 12). Jesus the Nazarene is a man. He is also the Son of God. The Son of God is the very Jesus the Nazarene. This means that the Son of God became a man. If Christ had not put on human form and instead had the sun on His head, a face like lightning, and a voice like thunder, everyone would have naturally believed that He was the Son of God. But the Lord Jesus was not like this. When He came to this earth, He came to Bethlehem and was born as a human being, just like you and me. Then He grew up gradually. Without revelation, men cannot recognize Him as the Son of God. What is the Christian faith? The Christian faith tells us that throughout history there is one person who stands out uniquely among all men. This person is the
Son of God, the God of heaven; that is, He is God Himself. This is the One whom we believe in. The Christian faith is altogether a matter of Jesus being the Son of God. This matter is so important because if Jesus the Nazarene were not the Son of God, it would be impossible for men to contact God, even if we knew that God exists in heaven. Even with such a God, He would not be a revealed God. Men would only know that there is a God in heaven but would not know anything about Him. They would be like the Greeks, who addressed the God in heaven as the "unknown God" (Acts 17:23), that is, a God whom no one knows. Jesus the Nazarene is the God in heaven, the God whom no one could know. Today He has come and put on a human body so that man can now touch Him and know Him. Paul told us that the Athenians worshipped an unknown God. They thought that the God in heaven was like the lightning in the sky. We can say that Jesus the Nazarene is like the electricity in electrical wire. The electricity in electrical wire makes electricity real and approachable to us; electricity thus becomes something that can be touched, felt, seen, and known. Christianity does not worship a mysterious God. Christianity is about a God who has come to earth; it is about a God who has come among mankind so that man can know and realize Him. God has already come among mankind—this is the Christian faith. If Jesus the Nazarene were not a man, it would be impossible for men to know God. The God in heaven is a God that man cannot see, but Jesus the Nazarene is the revealed God. Jesus the Nazarene is God being seen, heard, and touched by us. This is why Christ would not let Peter go when he told the ones who took up the temple tax that Christ would pay the tax. Perhaps Peter was ready to pay the tax, and if Christ would not pay it, he would persuade Him to pay. Peter was so sure that Christ would pay the tax. His words to the tax collectors seemed to be a guarantee that Christ would pay. Peter never imagined that Christ would stop him. Although Christ did not do much, His answer was a proclamation that He is the Son of God. O friends, do you know who Jesus is? Jesus Christ is the Son of God. He is the God in heaven who has come to earth to be a man. In the end Christ did pay the tax, but not because He was not the Son of God. In His status as the Son of God, He did not have to pay. But He paid the tax because He did not want to offend others. This is a practical lesson for us. It is often not a matter of whether or not we should pay tax. There is also the matter of not stumbling others. Christ would not leave any excuse for others to accuse Him of anything; He did not want to stir up anything. As far as His status was concerned, He had
the right to ignore and forget about the tax. He had the absolute sovereign right to do this. But He paid the tax because He would not offend others. Here lies a principle: We can exempt ourselves from many obligations if we insist on our rights and status. But to avoid offending and stumbling others, we should take care of the obligations anyway. This is the practical cross. It is always precious to exercise a care for others and their interests. A humble Christian is a loving Christian. In asking whether or not something should be done, we often find that the real issue behind the matter is not whether or not something is a sin, but whether or not we are willing to suffer loss. As far as our qualifications, our life in God, and our status as God's sons are concerned, we may not need to pay any tax. But for the sake of bearing the cross, we should do it. Here we see the preciousness of Christ's meekness. Man could not demand one shekel from Him, yet He was unwilling to hurt anyone's feelings. He paid because He did not want to stumble anyone. Christianity is not just concerned with righteousness. It is true that there is righteousness in Christianity, but it is also full of grace. The salvation of Christ enables us to suffer loss, to bear the cross, to not vindicate ourselves, to be defamed, and to please others. The last verse of Matthew 17 is marvelous. Christ even paid the tax for Peter. The only One who was exempt from paying the tax was Christ. But if Christ did not pay, others would be offended, and it would involve more than just Christ. It would involve Peter and Christ. Therefore, not only was Christ involved in this matter, the Christian (Peter) was also involved. The Lord asked Peter to take the tax money to give to them for "Me and you." We should not cause others to stumble. We do many things that we do not have to do. We are willing to bear the cross so that others will not suffer because we are Christians. Rather, we ourselves would suffer the pain. The Lord seemed to be saying, "From now on every Christian has to work together with Me (`Me and you') to keep others from being unhappy."
THE REASON THE HOLY SPIRIT INTERRUPTED PETER Acts 10 shows us the first time the church preached the gospel to the Gentiles. The church had been in Jerusalem for about eight or nine years. But the gospel had only reached the region between Samaria and Jerusalem; it had not reached the Gentile places yet. The Jews thought, "We are Christians, but we are also Jews. To be a Christian is to believe in Christ, to have our sins forgiven, to have God as our righteousness, and to have Jesus Christ as our Savior and Lord. But
at the same time, we are also Jews; we cannot associate with the Gentiles." In the eyes of the Jews, the Gentiles are a filthy and unclean people. But in Christ there is no difference between Gentiles and Jews (Eph. 3:6). If a person wants to be a Jew, he cannot be a Christian believer at the same time. If he wants to a Christian believer, he cannot be a Jew. The believers at that time did not know this; therefore, they brought the Jewish element into the church. God first showed Peter that it was wrong for Christians to dissociate themselves from the Gentiles. Peter, however, only went to the Gentile house reluctantly. Peter thought that if he went to a Gentile home, he had already done them a great favor. He did not know that the Holy Spirit would grant a greater favor to the Gentiles. The Bible says that while Peter was still speaking, the Holy Spirit fell upon all those who heard the word (Acts 10:44). Up until this time the thought had never occurred to Peter that the Holy Spirit would descend upon the Gentiles just as He descended on the Jews at Pentecost. Peter could not go on speaking. The Holy Spirit was showing Peter that the grace God gave to the Gentiles was exactly the same as that which had been given to the Jews. The Holy Spirit descended on the Jews as well as on the Gentiles. This is the salvation of Christ. This is the church. In the church there is no difference between Jews and Gentiles. How is the church today? Are there any distinctions between male and female, master and slave, educated and uneducated, rich and poor, Chinese and foreigners? I thank God that we are neither the Chinese Christian Church nor the Anglican Church. The Lord says that in the new man there cannot be Greek and Jew, slave and free man, noble and lowly, rich and poor, respectable and despised (Col. 3:11). In the church we are all brothers and we are all members of the Body of Christ (Matt. 23:8; 1 Cor. 12:12-13). In Kumming I said to some, "If you have the Chinese you do not have the church; if you have the church you cannot have the Chinese. There is absolutely no such thing as a Chinese Church." After the First World War, several British brothers went to Germany. They were introduced as "British brothers." Right away they made a correction, saying, "We are not British brothers; we are brothers from Britain." Several months ago I was holding some meetings in Kaifeng. Many important government officials were saved. Afterward, a group of people said, "We cannot go to an ordinary church because the people there do not dress well and the preaching is not that sophisticated." One of the saved officials said, "We should build a big hall and invite a high-class preacher to preach. Then the high-ranking
personnel from the party, the administration, and the army can come." I asked them, "What sign would you hang on the outside of the hall?" While they were considering, I said, "You could hang a sign with the words The Christian Church of the Officials. They said that they could not do this. I said, "Why not? That is what your words suggested." I then spoke a very frank word to them: "Outside of the church, you are over the common people, among whom I am one. But in the church there is no difference between officials and common people." This is like what we see here today. All those who are in Christ are brothers. There is no difference in rank or position. Everyone who believes in the Lord receives the same redemption by the precious blood and the same life. If there is the church, there cannot be officials. If there are officials, there cannot be the church. Our church is not an anti-Western church; neither is it a special establishment for a special class of people. Some have asked me whether it is proper to establish a women's church. If there is the church, there are no females. If there are females, there is no church. There cannot be a women's church. The church is established for all those who are redeemed by the precious blood of Christ and who have received the life of the Son of God. Thank God for interrupting Peter's speaking three times. Through these interruptions we see what the Christian faith is and what the church is. On the Mount of Transfiguration, the Father interrupted Peter's speaking after a few sentences. Inside the house at Capernaum, Christ interrupted his speaking even before he began. In the house of Cornelius, Peter gave a long message, and then the Holy Spirit interrupted his speaking. These three interruptions by the Triune God are very much related to the salvation of Christ and the church. The content of the salvation of Christ and the church is just Christ Himself. The law and the prophets cannot be brought into the picture. The salvation of Christ and the church stands on the fact that Jesus the Nazarene is the Son of God. The Son of God is the only foundation of the church. In the church of Christ there is no difference among races and ranks. The church includes all those who are redeemed by the precious blood of Christ and who have received the life of the Son of God. If any one of these three items is missing, we lose the salvation of Christ and the church of Christ. Therefore, God would not listen to man's speaking. God wants man to listen to Him. God wants man to listen to the speaking of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
CHAPTER SIXTY-SIX MAN, SINNER, SIN, AND SINS Time: Spring 1937 Place: Canton (Editor's Note: In the spring of 1937, Brother Nee conducted two studies on "The Gospel of God" in Shanghai and Canton. The Shanghai messages have been published as The Gospel of God (Volumes 28 and 29 of The Collected Works.) The following two chapters are based on the Canton messages, and they are similar in content to the first two chapters of The Gospel of God. The dates of these articles are not known.) Tonight I am not here to preach the gospel. Rather, I am here to teach the gospel. In the Bible, there is gospel preaching and there is also gospel teaching. We need to teach the gospel because many have become Christians, yet they do not know how they became Christians. Many Christians know that they have entered the gate, but they do not know how they entered the gate. The message tonight is for those who have entered the gate; it is to show them what the gospel is. Therefore, we are not standing at the entrance compelling or inviting people to come in. We are speaking only to those who have already entered the gate. We want to speak concerning how you have become a Christian. I will not be doing a gospel preaching work; rather, I will do a gospel teaching work. I will not persuade or encourage you to believe the gospel. I only want to tell you how you have obtained the gospel. Just like an instructor who shows his students a map, I will tell you the way that you have come to this point. What is the gospel? The gospel concerns how God saved us, that is, how we entered the gate of God's salvation. Tonight we are not in any hurry. I would rather speak slowly so that you may know more about the truths of the gospel. By the grace of God, I want to speak to you concerning the subject of man, sinner, sin, and sins. Tomorrow evening perhaps we can speak about God's love, grace, righteousness, etc. What I am going to speak tonight may not be so pleasant for the ear because people dislike these four items. MAN AND SINNER In Genesis God made Adam, that is, man. Adam was the first man. However, his wife, Eve, was not the second man. Eve was just a part of Adam. Even in committing sins, Eve was still a part of Adam. The Bible does not say that Eve sinned independently. Only 1 Timothy 2:14 speaks of Eve's transgression. Other than that instance, the Bible says that Adam was the first man who sinned; only
the one man Adam sinned. Eve was taken out of Adam. Since Eve was taken out of Adam, she can be considered as a part of Adam. From God's viewpoint, there was no way for Eve to exist independently by herself. We know that we sin because we were born of Adam. According to God, we are all sinners. Unlike Adam who became a sinner because he sinned, we sin because we were born sinners. There is a big difference between Adam and all other men. Adam became a sinner because he sinned. But we sin because we first are a sinner. Man did not become a sinner because of his sins. Even if a man did not sin, he would still be a sinner. The moment a person is born, he is in Adam. Therefore, man is born a sinner. When I was speaking in Kaifeng, someone asked me, "How can we be in Adam?" I said to him, "The Chinese say that they are the descendants of Hwangti. When Hwang-ti was fighting with Tzi-you, suppose that Hwang-ti had not killed Tzi-you, but that Tzi-you had shot Hwang-ti with an arrow. Where would you be today?" He said, "Definitely, I would not be here." I said, "What does Hwang-ti's death have to do with your existence?" He said, "If Hwang-ti died, all of his descendants would not have lived, because we all came out of him. Because there was a Hwang-ti, we are here. Without him, we would not be here." I said, "That is right. This is the same as man's existence in Adam." We came out of Adam. Because Adam was a sinner, those who are in Adam are also sinners. Suppose you go to a plant nursery to buy a peach tree. Later, this peach tree bears many peaches. If you have bought a good peach tree, it will bear good peaches. If you have bought a bad peach tree, it will bear bad peaches. Sinners are just like trees. Sins committed by the sinners can be likened to the fruit of a tree. A certain kind of tree will bear a certain kind of fruit. The question is which kind are you. The fruit you bear will be according to the kind you are. You sin as a result of being a sinner. You do not become a sinner because you have sinned. This is the fundamental concept of God's salvation. What you are is far more important than what you do. Adam became a sinner because of his sin. But we sin because we are sinners. There are two kinds of sinners in this world: One is the sinner who sins, and the other is the sinner who does not sin, or the moral sinner. Whether or not man sins, he is a sinner. For example, man has the ability to speak, but there are some—namely, those who are dumb—who cannot speak. However, just because a person cannot speak does not mean that he is not a human being. We can only say that he is a dumb person. Those who can speak are human
beings; those who cannot speak are also human beings. There are some sinners who sin, and there are some sinners who are moral. It does not matter who you are. You have always been a sinner. This is why all men need a Savior. Many compare themselves with others and congratulate themselves for not sinning. But in God's eyes, they are only sinners who have not committed a certain kind of sin. Some may think that since they have committed only a few sins, they do not need the Savior. But in God's eyes, they are still sinners; they are just sinners who have committed a few sins. Even if you think that you are moral and have high ethical standards, and that you are very humble and gentle, at most God would consider you to be a very humble sinner. You are still a sinner. You still need the Savior. In the book of Romans, there are only two verses prior to 5:19 which use the word sinner. They are 3:7 and 5:8. Romans frequently mentions the many sins of man, but it does not say that man has become a sinner because of the many sins he has committed. There is only one place in the Bible that tells us how man became a sinner, or what constitutes man a sinner. Romans 5:19 says, "Through the disobedience of one man the many were constituted sinners." The one man who disobeyed was Adam. Many were constituted sinners through his disobedience. Man's sins have not made him a sinner. All those who have been born of Adam are sinners. One time I was teaching a group of elementary students in a Sunday school class. I did not know what to say, and I first asked them what kind of people are sinners, that is, who are sinners. A little girl answered, "Those who sin are sinners." Many who are here tonight are much older than that little girl, but many may think the same thing. This is childish thinking. The Bible says that as long as one is a man he is a sinner. Adam became a sinner because of his sin. But we who came out of Adam are sinners whether or not we have sinned. Ordinarily, a peach tree bears fruit. But there are exceptions. Perhaps among one or two million peach trees, there are a few which do not bear fruit. Although these trees do not bear fruit, they are still peach trees. Likewise, there may be one or two men among millions who do not sin. Although they do not sin, they are still sinners. In the seventeen years that I have been preaching, I have never said, "If you do not sin, God will be pleased with you." God abhors sin, and because every man is a sinner and has committed sin, God also abhors the sinners.
Romans 1 through 8 specifically speaks of how man is a sinner and how he receives salvation. Every Christian should come up to the standard of the book of Romans. If you do not understand the book of Romans, you cannot be a good Christian. Only those who understand the book of Romans can understand God's salvation. Romans 5 is a chapter that deals particularly with sins. The sin spoken of in Romans 5 is the result of man becoming a sinner, that is, man sins because he is already a sinner. Man first has the sinful life, and then he lives a sinful living.
SIN AND SINS Now let us go on by asking how man sinned. The act of sin involves a process. The Bible, in particular the book of Romans, tells us that the act of sin involves a process of sin. First, sin dwells in man's flesh because he is a sinner. Second, the sin in man urges, tempts, and stirs up his lustful desire. Third, if man follows this urging, he commits a sin. The acts of sin that are committed outwardly can be counted. For example, one can say, "Yesterday I committed one or two sins more than before. Today I committed one or two sins less." Outward sins can be counted in number. The number of sins may not always be the same. However, within us there is another thing called the power of sin, which is always the same; it always induces us to sin. Hence, there is a distinction between sin and sins in the Bible. In English, one is singular and the other is plural. In the original text, the distinction is even clearer. Sins refer to the outward acts that can be counted item by item, while sin is something that cannot be counted. It refers to the sinful nature within man. The sin within man is a kind of power, a law, an inclination that continually pulls man downward and compels man to go down the path of sin. Pride, jealousy, and temper are all things within man which compel him to sin. In order for one to sin, he must first have the inward power to commit the sin. Just as there must be an inward power to perform good before one can do good, there also has to be the inward power to sin before one can actually commit any sin. If there were no power within man, it would be difficult for him to sin. Man's indwelling power to sin is just sin itself, the singular sin. The outward sins committed by man are the acts of sins, the plural sins. Sins and sin are entirely different, and we must realize the difference between them. Romans is a book that deals particularly with sins. Chapters one through eight speak over and over again about sins and sin. Romans 1—5:11 speaks of sins, that is, the outward
sins. From 5:12 to the end of chapter eight, it speaks of sin, not sins. The dividing line is verse 12 in chapter five. Prior to 5:12, Romans deals with plural sins and covers such things as justification, forgiveness, etc. From verse 12 on, Romans deals with singular sin and covers such things as sanctification and freedom from sin. The two sections are totally different. Blessed are those who have the grace to realize that the former section refers to plural sins, and the latter section refers to singular sin. How do we deal with sins and sin? First, let us look at how sins are committed. For example, temper is a sin. If someone says something about you which is not nice, you may take their words into your ears and heart. You may not feel happy, and you may lose your appetite. Something may rise up within you, and you may try to suppress it. If the person continues to say unfavorable things about you, you may try to suppress your feelings even more. However, the more he speaks, the more your temper rises up within you. Should a Christian lose his temper? Of course not! Temper is a damage to the glory of Christ. But there is also a kind of power within you that wants to be let out. If the temper within is not let out, you will not feel happy. Suppressing your temper may even give you a bleeding ulcer. In the end you may lose your temper so violently that even your face and ears turn red. Here we see two things in man. The first thing is the urge within that induces one to sin; this is the singular sin that is spoken of after Romans 5:11. The second thing is the angry face, red ears, inflamed eyes, raised fists, etc. These are the many sins spoken of prior to Romans 5:12. Sins are outward, and they are countable item by item. Sins can be temper one time, pride the next time, and filthy thoughts another time. There can be hundreds and thousands of different sinful acts. But these hundreds and thousands of sinful acts all come from the singular sin within. Here we see that a sinner has two different kinds of sins before God. Consequently, there are two different kinds of salvation before God. The outward sins committed by the sinners, that is, the plural sins, require God's forgiveness. The many sins that separate us from God require forgiveness. When the conscience in us is at peace, we know that the sins separating us from God have been forgiven. However, even though the outward sins are forgiven, the power within still remains. Sometimes it compels a person to be proud or to lose his temper. Sometimes it compels him to become lustful or to have unclean thoughts. While the outward acts of sins have been forgiven through the blood of Christ, there is still something within pulling and dragging us to sin. Therefore, in