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When a Christian lives a normal life before God, he will display certain characteristics that will distinguish him from other people. Titus 2:14 says that God redeemed us from all lawlessness and purified to Himself a particular, or peculiar, people. This means that if a person who has received God’s salvation lives in such a salvation to be a normal Christian, his living will appear peculiar to others. Since he does not follow the current of the world as others do, he is peculiar before men. This is a characteristic of a Christian. Christians are different from the worldly people. Those who are in religion are nearly the same as the worldly people, but Christians are not. As those who have received God’s salvation, Christians in their normal living are considered peculiar by the world. Therefore, Christians are a peculiar people. This is their manifestation before men.
On the other hand, a Christian is contradictory within himself. If a Christian lives before God, not departing from the right track, he is seen as peculiar before men. Yet he is also contradictory within himself. The more a person loves the Lord, the more he looks peculiar before men and experiences contradictions within himself. This means that something inside of him disapproves of whatever he does, speaks, and expresses on the outside. His inward being is in opposition, in conflict, and in contradiction with his outward being. Whenever a Christian is neither peculiar without nor contradictory within, then something is wrong with him. Since everything we are speaking here is all within the sphere of Christian living, I would like to present these two aspects as two principles that are before all of us, hoping that we would take hold of them and always use them to measure ourselves. Whenever we lose our outward characteristic of being peculiar and our inward characteristic of being contradictory, we can be sure that we have become degraded. If a Christian is normal before God, he is definitely peculiar before men and contradictory within himself. Being peculiar and being contradictory are the two prerequisites of a person who loves the Lord.
In addition, we have to look at another principle. What should be the starting point of the Christian walk before God? In other words, when a Christian does a certain thing, from where does it originate? For example, someone may ask me—a Christian—to do a certain thing for him. Naturally, I would consider whether this thing is beneficial to him. If it is beneficial, I will do it. This is doing things out of my thinking. If I think it is all right, I will do it; otherwise, I will not do it. I do this thing with my thinking and my insight as the starting point. Another example is when a non-Christian receives an invitation to a banquet, and he begins to consider whether he should go. Of course, such consideration or thinking becomes the starting point of his decision. Normal Christians, however, should conduct themselves not according to their own thinking or insight but according to the sense in their innermost part.
Why should our innermost part be the starting point of our Christian walk? We have to realize that our consideration and our discernment are not trustworthy. Even if they are correct, they may still not be pleasing to God, because the starting point is wrong. As Christians, we have the Spirit of God dwelling in us (Rom. 8:11), and we also have God in us (Phil. 2:13; Heb. 13:20-21). This God who is in us lives in our innermost part, which is our spirit. We cannot easily analyze the spirit, but we can sense it. Our innermost feeling is the sense in our spirit. Christ lives in our innermost part, that is, in our spirit (Rom. 8:10; 2 Cor. 13:3, 5). Therefore, to be a normal Christian is to be a Christian according to the sense in our spirit. If we want to be those who follow Christ, we have to follow the sense in our innermost part because that is where Christ dwells.
I hope that we would not treat this matter lightly. In particular, the newly saved ones should pay much attention to it. Many Christians have a great lack in their spiritual experience because they do not understand this matter. Religions always focus on teaching people outwardly; their starting point is from without. But God’s salvation is not like that. After we have received God’s salvation, this salvation abides in us and requires us to have our starting point from within. From that time onward, we should no longer walk merely according to our own discernment and perception. Rather, we must walk according to the sense in our deepest part, that is, the sense in our spirit, because Christ lives in our spirit, our innermost part.
Let me illustrate. Suppose one day as we are praying and pursuing the Lord, we sense in our innermost part that we should no longer wear the clothing that we are wearing. It is not a matter of whether we like or dislike this clothing; rather, it is a matter of having a sense of disapproval while we are praying. We feel uncomfortable if we continue to wear this clothing. Perhaps we would seek out fellowship and ask a certain brother regarding this matter. Perhaps that brother would gently say, “This clothing looks fine. I do not know why you should not wear it,” yet we still feel uncomfortable despite what he says. What should we do then? Should we follow his outward advice or should we act according to our inward sense? Regardless of anything else, a normal Christian must take his inner sense as the starting point of his daily walk.
Many newly saved ones, due to the freshness of life, are quite accurate in their consciousness about sin. On the contrary, many who have been Christians for years are mixed up and frequently lead others down the wrong path. We all know that the skin of the soles of our feet is hardened and thickened through much walking and consequently becomes insensitive. The skin of infants is soft and thus very sensitive. There are some who love the Lord and are constantly dealt with by Him. Such ones do not have a “hardened, thickened skin.” On the contrary, they have become “rejuvenated” within. This means that they have become experienced. Having been dealt with and broken before God, they have become soft. We may meet such a one and ask him, “Yesterday morning after praying, I did not have the peace to wear this clothing. What shall I do?” Because he is an experienced person before the Lord, instead of lying to you, he will say, “Since you do not have the peace, then you should not wear it.” He will not reason or argue.
However, some will reason or argue on behalf of others. Some long-time Christians apparently have no big mistakes in their life, but because their fellowship with the Lord has been broken, they do not care about God at all. If such a Christian would hear our question, he would say, “What is wrong with this? This clothing is quite elegant. Why should you feel uncomfortable wearing it?” Although he is saved, there is a problem with his fellowship with the Lord. If we act according to his words, we will be led astray. If we wear that clothing, no one would criticize us and say that we are wrong, nor would anyone condemn us according to the teachings of the entire Bible. Nevertheless, we have made a mistake, not in violation of a regulation but in violation of a basic principle. Why is this? This is because we Christians must take our inner sense as the starting point. Strictly speaking, everything we do must originate from our innermost part. For example, Brother Hwang asked me if it is all right to enter into a business partnership with another brother. If I am experienced before God and if I fear Him, I will not make a decision for him. Rather, I will remind him and say, “Have you gone before God to pray about this matter? Have you sought for an answer before Him? Have you fellowshipped with Him? Do you have any sense in your innermost part?”
A certain brother came and talked to me about his marriage, asking, “What is the proper way to have a Christian wedding?” I said, “Whenever I watch a wedding being held in the assembly hall of the church in Taipei, it is as if I am looking at a condition of leprosy. Some unclean things that are condemned before God are manifested there. The whole situation makes me feel very uncomfortable. The guests all desire to bless the new couple, but the way the bride walks down the aisle and the way she adorns herself have completely canceled out God’s blessing and God’s presence.” Nothing is more sensitive than the sense in our spirit. If a person does not have a cold, his sense of smell is very keen. He can smell the aroma of any fragrant thing around him. Likewise, he can smell the stench of any odorous thing nearby. The sense of the human spirit, however, is the most sensitive of all. Even our insight is not as keen as our spirit. The most sensitive part in us is our human spirit. It is not necessary to tell others whether we have prayed or not. They know our situation immediately after they come into contact with us. Therefore, I said to that brother, “I have offended all those who were married in the Taipei meeting hall by saying that nearly all the weddings held there were expressions of leprosy. But I believe that the God whom I serve condemns likewise.”
Concerning our past practices, I do not dare to say anything good or bad in order to influence others, but I dare say that there is neither God’s blessing nor God’s presence. I told that brother, “Concerning your wedding, I cannot tell you what to do, but you know what you should do. If a person has been suffering from a temperature of 104 degrees Fahrenheit, is there any use to tell him not to also have a temperature of 104 degrees about his wedding? Whatever you say will be futile. If someone wants to be leprous, let him be, because no one will be able to hold him back.” Then the brother said, “That is wrong.” However, this is not merely an issue of right or wrong; rather, it is a situation that is outside God and in which there is no contact with God. As a rule, a good wedding meeting is a meeting in which we have a feast together with the Lord. A wedding in God is a wedding with His special presence. The wedding meetings in the past, however, were devoid of the Lord’s presence. Finally, I told the brother that the two persons who are to be married must go before God to pray and then do according to what they sense in their prayer. In any case, they should do everything according to the sense of peace in their innermost part.
As a rule, a Christian must use his inner sense as the starting point. Basically, he does not need to seek out everyone for advice. Perhaps some weddings are from Babylon, while others may even be from the bottomless pit; not all weddings originate from Jerusalem. Since we are saved, we need to bring every matter before the Lord and pray, “Lord, since You live in me, what would You like to do?” This is being a Christian. I believe that hardly anyone has prayed to the Lord about every matter relating to his wedding. Many Christians who are getting married focus on the outward considerations rather than the inward peace as their starting point. As a result, a few weeks after their wedding, they have to go before God and ask for forgiveness. The fact that they have to ask for forgiveness is a strong indication that they did not do things according to the inner sense. Do not do things according to outward considerations, outward customs, human regulations, human opinions, and human endorsements, all of which are condemned before God. We have to learn to conduct ourselves according to our innermost part.
If a young man comes to ask us, “I am going to be engaged, so what should I do now? And what shall I do when I get married later?” Now, of course, we know how to respond and say, “I cannot decide for you. I cannot be your lord or master.” In fact, though, when some older ones hear about two young people getting married, they would eagerly offer their advice even before being asked. These ones do not understand what it means to be a Christian. Once there was a brother who came to me to talk about his marriage, and he gave me all the details of his situation. I simply told him, “Brother, have you seriously prayed about this matter before God? Have you turned this matter over to God? Are you in the hands of God? What is the sense in your innermost part?” He said, “I have prayed for this matter for a long time. But the more I prayed, the more confused I have become. Therefore, I would like to hear what you have to say because you have a deeper experience in the Lord. If you say it is all right, then it must be all right. If you say it is not all right, then it must not be all right.” When I heard this, I thought, this is serious! Therefore, I dared not say whether or not it was all right. I simply told him, “I cannot decide for you. You have to bring this matter before the Lord.” That brother expected me to come up with a plan or make a decision for him, but I could not. Finally, I told him, “Do not be distressed over this. This matter is quite simple. You need to put it before God, commit yourself to Him, and ask Him for guidance. You can tell Him, ‘If this matter is of You, cause me to become so clear about it within. If this is not of You, then let me sense the blockage.’” It is so simple. We all have to learn to bring all our matters before God and to live in our innermost part.
In order to be a normal Christian before God, we need to learn to do everything from within, from our innermost part. When we help others, we should learn to turn them inward, into the innermost part of their being. Do not draw up a set of human regulations for them, do not ask them to do things according to our insight, and do not make decisions for them. These things are unbecoming to Christians and are beyond the bounds of the Christian living. Many elderly Christians have not been dealt with in their flesh or broken in their disposition. Such ones are full of opinions, methods, and ideas whenever people ask them for advice. This is not being a Christian but rather being a Mr. Know-it-all.
Christians live before God and learn to bring other people’s affairs as well as their own before the Lord. They do not dare to make decisions for themselves. Instead, they wait for God’s clear leading within them. This is being a Christian. We should be Christians not outwardly but inwardly. To be a Christian outwardly is to be a Christian apart from Christ. Human views, human methods, Christian traditions, and even biblical teachings are all outward if they have not passed through the inner sense. Being an outward Christian is quite superficial and is of no value before God. A genuine Christian does everything from within. He brings all matters to prayer and waits for an inner sense before making a decision. Even a new believer should know and behave in this manner. This type of person surely has the inner peace, rest, strength, and vigor.
Real Christians do not care for outward rituals; rather, they care for the inner life and spirit (Rom. 2:29). What may be proper and good outwardly may not necessarily be proper and good before God. What counts before God is to be proper and good inwardly. Until now many Christians have not yet been walking on this path. Although many people have embraced Christianity, only a few have truly lived this way before God. Some have been saved and have received blessings from God, but they live neither in their spirit nor in God’s blessings. They still do things according to traditions and customs and according to what others say or observe. In other words, they act according to outward factors. We have to learn to be simple, knowing nothing about natural affections and Christian traditions but knowing only that Christ lives in us and that we can have fellowship with Him. We go ahead and do a certain thing whenever Christ in us gives us the peace. We stop whenever the inner peace is absent. We will not care for what other people say. We care only for what Christ says in us and the inner sense He gives us.
In conclusion, Christians are peculiar before men, contradictory within themselves, and live in their deepest part before God. Some Christians encountered many difficulties and made many mistakes when they first began to walk on this path. Although they have made mistakes outwardly while living before God, in principle they are still right. Therefore, Christians should live and walk in a hidden way; they should not make a public show. Although Christians should not do things stealthily, they should not make a public display either. Some people like to make a show when they perform a good deed. This is not the Christian life. Genuine Christians live before God. Regardless of how many good deeds they perform, no one knows except their Lord and themselves. This is the principle in Matthew 6. Sometimes a person prays a little bit and eagerly desires to be heard by others or be followed by others with more prayers. However, those who are with him will not sense that his prayer carries any weight. The normal situation is that although you are humble, you do not display your humility before men; although you are meek, you do not show off your meekness before men. There are times when people who are being humble or meek cause us to be uncomfortable and uneasy. This is because they are doing it not from within but from without.
Forgive me for saying that many Christians like to imitate others. In particular, they like to imitate the seminary students in their way of walking while holding the Bible and gazing heavenward every few steps. That is to be pretentious. Please keep in mind that the more spiritual a person is, the more spontaneous, ingenuous, and ordinary he is. When you consider his humility, he does not look like one who is humble. When you consider his meekness, he does not look like one who is meek. You cannot see meekness in him just as you cannot see rudeness. He is so spontaneous and ingenuous, without any affectation.
In the Middle Ages in France, there was a renowned preacher who was well praised and whose preaching was very well received. Once he visited a place and many came to welcome him, but he eluded them. Instead, he went to a playground to be with a group of children. He found a wooden board and placed two children on one end, himself on the other end, and began to play seesaw with them. Those who were welcoming him searched all over only to find him playing seesaw with some children. Thus, many of them felt like cold water had been poured on them. They could not understand how a spiritual man could play with children. Consequently, some began to say that he was not spiritual. Later, in his own words, he said that he would rather be considered not spiritual than spiritual.
Whether or not we are spiritual is a matter before God, not men. We are not Christians if we are Christians merely outwardly. We are Christians only if we are Christians inwardly. The Lord Jesus said that we should not let the left hand know what the right hand is doing (Matt. 6:3). A weighty Christian is a Christian inwardly; he is an inward Christian. Such a Christian is peculiar before men and contradictory within himself. Moreover, he does all things before God with his deepest part as the starting point. Therefore, Paul says, “The spiritual man discerns all things, but he himself is discerned by no one” (1 Cor. 2:15). Why is it that no one can discern a spiritual man? It is because outwardly a spiritual man is very plain and, like Paul, may even be weak in bodily presence and contemptible in speech (2 Cor. 10:10). Yet he has the spiritual weightiness within, and he is a person who conducts himself in Christ and who lives before God. This is a Christian.
