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Scripture Reading: Gen. 2:8-9; Eccl. 1:2; Matt. 6:31-32; Luke 14:33; 1 Cor. 15:10; 2 Cor. 4:7; 12:9; Phil. 3:8; 4:11-13
The relationship between man and the grace that God bestows on man has two aspects. One aspect involves the procedure, and the other aspect involves the goal. God has a goal concerning man, and He must have a procedure in order to reach this goal. Hence, His relationship with man involves a procedure. In regard to His procedure, God bestows outward blessings, and in regard to His goal, He supplies inward grace. Both aspects are indispensable.
In eternity past God had a good pleasure, which was to enter into man and be joined to man so that man would have His life and nature. According to this good pleasure, God made a plan with the goal of entering into man to be man’s life and element. God had this unique goal in eternity past before time began, that is, before He created the heavens and the earth. From eternity past to eternity future God is working to accomplish His goal of entering into man so that man may be joined to Him. God’s relationship with man, the grace He gives man, and the things He does in relation to man are for Him to accomplish His glorious goal. He will achieve His goal when He is fully mingled with and joined to man in eternity future.
In order to accomplish His desire and goal, God created man. Before creating man, He created everything in the universe and thus prepared everything that man would need in order to live. He created the earth for man to have a dwelling place, and He also created air, the sun, and food for man’s existence. After creating everything that man would need for his existence, God created man. Hence, immediately after man was created, he was able to enjoy everything that God had prepared: there was the earth to dwell on, air to breathe, light from the sun, and food to eat. Man had all that he needed for his existence.
Although God had prepared everything that man needed, this preparation did not accomplish God’s goal in man. Rather, these things were but a procedure for God to reach His goal. In order for this goal to be accomplished, man must have a way to exist, and in order for man to exist, God had to prepare everything that man needed for his existence. Hence, the things that God created were not His goal; they were His procedure. In view of God’s relationship with man, the things that were created were part of His procedure; they were not His goal. Hence, the things that God gives to man do not convey grace; they are outward blessings.
Outward blessings refer to the material things that God bestows on man and to the physical environment that God prepares for man’s existence. Whether it be people, matters, things, or environments, everything that man enjoys for his existence is an outward blessing given by God. What Adam enjoyed in the garden of Eden was outward blessings. Although those things were prepared for him by God, they were outward things, material in nature, and related to the environment.
Outward blessings are material and are related to man’s existence. They are God’s procedure, not His goal. Those who live only according to outward blessings are living in God’s procedure; they are not in God’s goal. Although they may enjoy many material things, their heart is still empty because they are only in God’s procedure. This is revealed in Solomon’s experience. Solomon did not lack outward material things; he even had a surpassing abundance of material things. He had all the possible enjoyment that a man can have in the material realm. Nevertheless, he said, “Vanity of vanities; all is vanity” (Eccl. 1:2), because material things are not the goal of God in man and thus cannot satisfy man’s inner need.
Material things are for man’s existence so that man may reach God’s goal. However, after man’s fall the enjoyment of material things usurped man, causing man to want material things instead of God’s goal. Man enjoys the things that God created without caring for the goal of creation. Hence, when the Lord Jesus was on the earth, He wanted man to forsake all things. He said, “Everyone of you who does not forsake all his own possessions cannot be My disciple” (Luke 14:33). The expression all his own possessions refers to the outward material blessings prepared by God for man’s existence. If man highly regards such things, he will neglect God’s goal. If we want to receive only the outward things that God prepared as the procedure, it will be difficult for us to receive the grace that God prepares for us to reach His goal. In other words, if we enjoy outward blessings but disregard God’s goal, it will be difficult for us to receive the grace that God has prepared for us.
Grace is God entering into man and being joined to man so that man may have His life and nature. Grace is God being enjoyed by man to be man’s inner blessing. Grace is God entering into man to be man’s life and everything so that God can accomplish His goal in man.
It is possible for man to receive many outward blessings from God without receiving grace. It is also possible for man to enjoy many outward things without receiving God’s life. Adam enjoyed everything that God created, but he did not have the life of God. Although he did not lack any material thing, he lacked the life of God. Although he received many items from God, he did not receive the life of God. Adam’s relationship with God was based on his being created; he did not have a life relationship with God. Therefore, after God created him, God placed him in front of the tree of life (Gen. 2:8-9) so that he might receive the divine life, that is, receive God’s life.
What Adam enjoyed in the garden of Eden was in his environment and was outward. Those blessings enabled him to exist and afforded him an opportunity to receive the life of God. Grace, which is related to life, is spiritual and inward. If a man enjoys only outward blessings without receiving God as grace, he will feel unsatisfied and empty. This is the reason that people sense the vanity of human life. Even if a person were to enjoy material blessings as Solomon did, as long as he does not have God, his human life will be empty. For this reason Solomon exhorted people to remember their Creator in the days of their youth, before the evil days come (Eccl. 12:1). Enjoying material blessings cannot satisfy man’s inner need. The only thing that can satisfy man’s inner need is the Lord Jesus. A man who enjoys outward blessings without enjoying the Lord will feel empty.
A person who enjoys outward things but does not receive God as life is a pitiful human being. Although he may be able to enjoy everything God created, this does not mean that he enjoys the Lord who is the Creator of all things. He has received outward blessings, not grace. Only when God enters into him to be his life can he receive grace. Grace is God as life entering into man; that is, grace is God Himself. We often focus on outward things but neglect grace; we receive the outward things but lose grace.
It is worrisome that many believers focus on outward blessings. They ask to be healed of sickness, for a lack to be supplied, for a place to live, for food and clothing, for their home to be in a convenient location, and for safe and peaceful travel. These are matters related to the environment. Believers often focus on obtaining these outward blessings rather than obtaining God.
After the fall man was far away from God and separated from God’s care. As a result, man fell into various hardships. Some hardships are material, such as a lack of food or clothing, whereas other hardships are psychological, such as sorrows and sufferings. Man faces such hardships because he has lost God and His care. When man repents, he seeks God for solutions to these problems. Hence, saints often testify of how God cares for them, answers their prayers, solves their problems, meets their need, or comforts them. These testimonies are in the realm of outward blessings. It seems as though the grace that God gives us is related to outward things, such as solving problems, alleviating sufferings, supplying a lack, and answering prayers for material things.
Believers regard God’s grace in this way because they are influenced by their background. If we are willing to come out of our background, forget about our hardships and sufferings, and stand in an objective position, we will see that God’s desire is not related to outward physical things or peace. God does not merely desire to give us outward physical things; He desires to give us spiritual grace. Outward things are but a procedure; spiritual grace is the goal. The procedure is for the goal. God desires to put His life in us so that we can receive and enjoy Him.
A brother who was sick prayed and was healed. Another brother who lost his job prayed and found another job. A sister who had a problem with her housing prayed, and the problem was resolved. A brother who lacked a means of livelihood prayed, and he received provision. Although these are examples of God’s care, they are outward. Only God and His life are grace.
The provisions that God gives us are related to things and matters, which enable us to exist so that we may achieve His goal, that is, so that we may receive Him and His life. God’s provisions are to achieve His goal. The outward things that we receive from God enable us to receive grace.
A believer should focus on grace, not on things. Matthew 6:31-32 says, “Do not be anxious, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, With what shall we be clothed? For all these things the Gentiles are anxiously seeking. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things.” The Gentiles seek only to exist on the earth; they do not know the purpose of their existence. They think that by solving the problems related to their basic necessities — such as food, clothing, dwelling, and transportation — they have solved the problems of human life. They do not understand that even when their need for basic necessities is met, one problem will remain unsolved, which is that they have not received God as their life. The provisions of food and clothing are God’s care related to His procedure for their existence so that they can obtain God Himself as grace. This is His purpose. People who receive these provisions but do not receive God are merely in His procedure; they are not in His goal. Gentiles do not know God’s goal; hence, they seek only outward blessings. As God’s children, we should not seek merely outward blessings; we should seek grace. We should seek to gain God more than we seek things and matters outside of God. We should enjoy being filled with God more than we enjoy outward material things.
We need to seek grace, but this does not mean that we do not need God’s outward care. We cannot exist without the outward care. For the sake of our existence, God measures out to us necessary things for our existence so that we may receive Him and be filled with Him. We must know, gain, experience, and be filled with God. Otherwise, everything that we know and pursue will be outward.
In Philippians 3:8 Paul says that he suffered the loss of all things and counted them as refuse that he might gain Christ. The expression all things refers to the outward things that are treasured by many. To Paul such things were dung; hence, he forsook and despised them so that he might gain Christ. To gain Christ is to gain the manifested God. This is also to receive grace.
Outward things and matters are a procedure to enable us to gain God. Whenever outward things and matters become the goal of our human life, they hinder and usurp us from gaining God. We should count such things as dung and put them aside. Regardless of how good or valuable a thing may be, if it hinders us from gaining God and from being filled with Him, we should despise it, condemn it, and forsake it. The life of God is a treasure in us (2 Cor. 4:7), and God is our excellency (Phil. 3:8). In order to pursue and gain this treasure, this excellency, it is worthwhile to despise and forsake outward things. We should pursue the treasure, the excellency, more than we pursue outward things.
Blessings refer to matters, things, and environments, which are a procedure that enables us to receive grace. Grace is God in us to be our life and power. Hence, no matter what environment, matter, or thing that we encounter, we should know, experience, and gain more of God.
In Philippians Paul says that he had learned, in whatever circumstances he was, to be content. He knew how to be abased and how to abound. In everything and in all things he had learned the secret both to be filled and to hunger, both to abound and to lack. He was able to do all things in Christ who empowered him (4:11-13). Paul’s circumstances and situations caused him to depend on the Lord, experience Him, and gain Him more, that is, to gain more of God. In every situation Paul grasped one thing: he depended on the Lord, experienced Him, and gained Him. This was Paul’s secret.
In 1 Corinthians 15:10 Paul says that he labored more abundantly than the rest of the apostles, but it was not him who labored but the grace of God which was with him. Paul knew that God was grace in him, and he depended on this grace and experienced this grace. He knew that the grace of God in him was sufficient and was his power (2 Cor. 12:9). For this reason he depended on this grace and experienced this grace in every environment. Some believers are good Christians when they do not have any lack, but they are defeated when they experience a lack or a trial. This shows that they do not adequately know grace. When other believers experience a lack, they receive grace. Some may think that it is impossible to bear such a lack, but there is grace, power, in these believers that causes them not only to endure the lack but even to love their condition. This power is the grace of God in them and with them, enabling them to know, enjoy, experience, and gain God in the midst of their lack.
There are still other believers who are strong and maintain their fellowship with the Lord when there is a lack, but when the situation turns for the better, they fail the test of abundance. God does not only place us in situations of lack. He will also place us in situations of abundance. Some people are able to withstand the trial of lack but cannot withstand the test of abundance. They are defeated by abundance. They are short of the grace to deal with the test of abundance. Abundance is not only a test; it can also become a temptation. Many people cannot withstand the temptation of abundance. Paul received grace, was filled with God, and depended on the Lord; hence, he could be abased, and he could abound. Neither lack nor abundance could drag him down; instead, they gave him the opportunity to experience and gain God. Having a lack caused Paul to experience and gain God, and being in abundance also caused him to experience and gain God. There was not one circumstance that could prevent him from experiencing and gaining God. All his outward circumstances caused him to experience grace and to obtain grace.
If we have God’s grace and His presence as our power, every circumstance will become an opportunity for us to receive more grace. If we know the grace of God, we will say, “I want to lose all the outward things and matters so that I may receive grace. O Lord, if poverty can cause me to gain more of You, I would rather choose poverty. If being abased and despised can cause me to gain You more, let me be abased and despised. If sickness can cause me to gain You, I would rather have sickness than be healthy.” To gain God is higher than to gain outward blessings.
May all of God’s children see what grace is and what it means to receive grace. We do not want to lose grace, nor do we want to lose any opportunity to receive grace. May we be those who testify in the meetings of touching God, experiencing God, and receiving grace.
