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The general subject of Life Lessons, volume 3, is “Transferred into Christ.” When we are transferred into Christ, we are then “Joined to Christ,” “Abiding in Christ,” “Experiencing Christ,” expressing Christ, and “Taking Christ as Everything” (lessons 25 through 29). After that, we are “One Spirit with the Lord,” “Living in the Fellowship of Life,” “Obeying the Sense of Life,” “Obeying the Teaching of the Anointing,” and “Walking according to Spirit” (lessons 30 through 34). In this way, we are “Awaiting the Lord’s Coming” so that we can be “Raptured to Meet the Lord” (lessons 35 and 36). When we are transferred into Christ to live a life that is sanctified, spiritual, overcoming, and one spirit with the Lord, we will eagerly await the Lord’s coming and will be raptured to meet Him and be with Him joyfully. This is the line of thought in volume 3.
Volume 4 is altogether on the complete salvation of God. The first lesson speaks of “The Way to Enjoy God’s Salvation.” Although this lesson does not specifically mention each aspect of salvation, it includes the first stage of sanctification. This first stage of sanctification is the first step of the way to enjoy God’s salvation. Second, it is “The Forgiveness of Sins and the Cleansing Away of Sins” and “Propitiation and Reconciliation.” Following this is “Sanctification — the Second Stage,” “Justification,” and “Regeneration.” The forgiveness of sins, the cleansing away of sins, propitiation, reconciliation, sanctification, and justification are the six steps of preparation, the result of which is regeneration. When we have the first six steps, we can then be regenerated. After regeneration we have “Renewing” and “Sanctification — the Third Stage,” followed by “Transformation,” “Maturity,” “Conformation,” and eventually, “Glorification.”
Hence, the four volumes of Life Lessons cover from “Knowing That You Are Saved” to “Glorification.” In brief, they cover our being saved to our being glorified.
The content of Life Lessons is deeper from one volume to the next, but this does not mean that there is nothing profound in the first volume. For example, lesson 9 in volume 1 is the continuation of the previous lesson concerning “Knowing Christ.” This lesson speaks mainly of knowing Christ’s person and also His work. The incarnation of Christ was a work, His crucifixion was a work, His resurrection from the dead was a work, and His ascension was also a work.
The second lesson on knowing Christ begins with His ascension to the heavens and continues with His heavenly ministry. This part of the work of Christ is very deep for many Christians. Today very few Christians know that Christ is accomplishing His heavenly ministry. Almost all Christians know that Christ bore our sins on the cross, died for us, gave Himself up for us, and shed His blood for us, yet very few know His heavenly ministry. There are not even many professors of theology, pastors, or preachers who properly know this.
Because this lesson is so profound and high, we must be particularly careful in using it when we go to the home meetings. We do not need to speak too much or spend too much effort on this lesson. According to the lesson, we can simply say, “Now He has obtained a more excellent ministry inasmuch as He is also the Mediator of a better covenant” (Heb. 8:6). Then we can continue to explain, “After Christ enacted the new covenant (Matt. 26:28) through His death on the earth, He ascended to the heavens to be the Mediator of this new covenant, executing it upon those who believe in Him” (lsn. 9). Hence, people can at least see that the Lord Jesus has a ministry in the heavens today, and this ministry is for Him to be the Mediator of the new covenant. He not only ensures that the new covenant will not fail, but He also executes this new covenant upon those who believe in Him.
The Lord Jesus has accomplished the new covenant, and now He is the Mediator of the new covenant in the heavens, executing the new covenant that He accomplished upon you and me, who believe in Him. If there are any who do not understand this, we should fellowship more with them, lead them to repeat the related words in the lesson, and read with them in a living way. Last, we need to lead them to pray with us. If they say that they do not know how to pray, we should lead them to follow our prayer sentence by sentence.
Although these matters are deep, some who are desirous to pursue the Lord may have the heart to understand, and they may raise an endless stream of questions. We should pay attention to this. On these occasions we should never extend the meaning of the text or develop an understanding based on inference, turning to the Life-study messages or other publications. We should simply use the materials in the lessons lest we be lost in the “forest.”
If someone continues to raise questions and refuses to let us go, we should treasure such a heart and repeat the lesson once again. If he still does not let us go, we should speak to him one more time. We need to believe that the more we fellowship, the more he will understand. Then he will receive an impression of the new covenant and know that the Lord Jesus is the Mediator of the new covenant and that He is now in the heavens doing one thing, that is, executing the new covenant upon those who believe in Him. The more we do this, the more people will be impressed.
When we touch the Lord’s word, we must know that the Lord’s word and the Lord’s Spirit are inseparable. Therefore, we should not depend as much on our explanation as on the work of the Holy Spirit. As we continue to repeat-read, vitalize-read, and pray-read, the Holy Spirit will do a work along with the word to open the mind within men and cause them to understand the word. Perhaps as someone reads with us three or four times, his inner being will suddenly be opened and made clear to know that the Lord Jesus is the Mediator, executing the new covenant He accomplished for him. Regardless of the situation, we need to be patient with people. If they do not let us go, we should be happy for their pursuing heart, and we should read again to get into the words with them.
Sometimes, perhaps after we leave, someone may continue to be perplexed. However, we should believe that the Holy Spirit will work in him. This is very wonderful. Some may be enlightened in three to five days, but some may still not understand after three to five months. Still, there will be a day in which each person will be enlightened because something has been injected into him, that is, that the Lord Jesus is the Mediator of the new covenant and that today He is in the heavens, executing the new covenant upon us. Sooner or later this will be very clear to the new ones, and it will have a great impact upon them.
We need to realize that most of the newly baptized ones have been saved within the past few months and that they do not know much. Therefore, we should try not to use too much of the material in volumes 3 and 4. We should teach the first two volumes to lay a foundation in them before starting to use the topics in the next two volumes. We should avoid trying to teach them the content of volumes 3 and 4 at the beginning, because they have not yet reached that level.
In spite of what has been said, there are a few lessons in volume 4 that can be used as references. For example, in lesson 37, “The Way to Enjoy God’s Salvation,” there are three main points — the sanctification of the Holy Spirit, our repentance, and our believing and being baptized. This lesson mentions that after a person is separated from the world unto God and is moved in his heart, he will repent, believe, and be baptized. This material can easily be used in the home meetings.
This is also a suitable lesson to help those who are newly saved to know how the Spirit searches, enlightens, moves, and separates people while they are still sinners. This is the sanctification of the Holy Spirit. Because the Holy Spirit touches man in this way, we sinners can be awakened and repent. This is revealed to us in the Gospel of Luke. Luke 15 speaks of a woman who lost a silver coin. She lit a lamp, swept the house, and sought carefully until she found it (v. 8). It is by the Holy Spirit’s enlightening and searching within man in such a way that a sinner is awakened to repent. John 16 also says that when the Holy Spirit comes, He will convict the world concerning sin and concerning righteousness and concerning judgment (vv. 8-11). All these verses speak of the work of the Holy Spirit in sinners to enlighten, move, search, and cause them to have the thought to turn to God.
Luke 15 continues with another parable, the parable of the prodigal son. This prodigal son who left the father’s house was feeding hogs, and one day he came to himself and said, “How many of my father’s hired servants abound in bread, but I am perishing here in famine!” (v. 17). That he came to himself is based upon the woman’s lighting the lamp and searching in the previous parable. This woman is the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit comes to enlighten and search so that the sinner, who is far away from the father’s house, can come to himself. This is the meaning of repentance. This illustrates that before we go to the home meetings, we must study the content of Life Lessons. Only then when we contact people can we know their inward needs and give them the proper help.
Lesson 38 in volume 4 speaks about “The Forgiveness of Sins and the Cleansing Away of Sins.” All the saved ones should know that God forgives their sins and cleanses their unrighteousness. Following this, lesson 39 speaks about “Propitiation and Reconciliation.” These are also things that the saved ones should know. Next is “Sanctification,” which is a little deeper, and “Justification,” which also is deeper. These matters should be taught gradually. However, lesson 42, on “Regeneration,” is a lesson many newly baptized ones should know clearly.
The above gives us the general idea that although these lessons are from volume 4, some can still be used right away. The latter part of volume 4, which covers “Renewing” after regeneration, “Sanctification — the Third Stage,” “Transformation,” “Maturity,” “Conformation,” and “Glorification,” should not be touched at this point. Perhaps we should wait for eight months to a year to cover these. In any case, the decision must be made according to the actual condition of those in the home meeting.
