Search
In this chapter we will consider the failure of Christianity over the past two thousand years. This failure lies in the fact that only “famous” speakers speak in their meetings, and the audience does nothing but listen. This can be compared to a person being required only to listen to famous teachers at school. He listens in elementary school, high school, college, and even in graduate school, but he does not do any work on his own. The end result is that he can do nothing. He may have listened to lectures on chemistry, mathematics, and other subjects, but he has gained nothing and consequently has no usefulness.
Many among us have been saved for a long time and have been meeting regularly. However, not many can clearly speak the truth. Not many can give a clear word on the parts of man, the function of each part, or even the difference between justification and sanctification. Our continual listening to “famous” speakers has caused us to become loose in our life practices and to lose our pursuit in the truth. The result of our listening to famous speakers is that we do not endeavor to study the truth. We have wasted our time and have gained nothing. This is our failure.
For this reason we are determined to change the system, but this is not easy to accomplish. We have raised up numerous churches during the past fifty years, and we have learned much from our observation and experience. Without a doubt all the saints love the Lord, the church, and the Lord’s recovery. By 1984, however, we saw that the churches in the Lord’s recovery, whether in Taiwan or in America, had become lukewarm. The church in Taipei has decreased in number instead of increasing. In spite of all the faithful labor, there is no result. This is also the situation in all of Christianity. Our practice has been wrong. We should not have allowed the brothers and sisters to always listen to famous speakers. We need to attend classes and study. I hope that the saints in the Lord’s recovery would not be Christians who only listen to famous speakers; rather, we would be Christians who attend classes and study.
The best example that proves the success of education is Taiwan. It is difficult to find a society as stable, prosperous, abundant in knowledge, and excellent in manpower as Taiwan. The primary reason for this situation is the availability of education. Many people have received higher education and are able to develop products that can compete in the world market. As a result, many riches have been brought to this country. This accomplishment has caused much admiration among Westerners.
When we built the workers’ home in 1954, we imported flush toilets from abroad because plumbing equipment in Taiwan was outdated. The flush toilets presently used in Taiwan, however, are more advanced than those in America. Success in education has enabled Taiwan to achieve what it was unable to achieve thirty years ago. Over the past thirty years the people in Taiwan have become educated, and their knowledge has developed. If this can happen in a nation, it can happen in the church. Everything in Taiwan today is advanced, but everything in the church is still according to the old way. Even though the Lord has blessed us abundantly, we delay Him because we maintain our old ways. It is reasonable for us to maintain our strong points, but to maintain our old practices is a dreadful and serious mistake. Therefore, whether we are young or old, we need to change. First, we need a change in concept, and second, we need a change in practice. We must all start afresh to learn.
The practice in Christianity has unconsciously bound all the saints. This practice requires the saints to only attend a Sunday service and give a monetary offering. Such a practice annuls the function of the saints and edifies only the preachers. We may say that we do not have this practice among us, but the principle of everyone listening to a “famous” speaker is equivalent to this practice. The brothers and sisters have developed the habit of sitting in the meetings and listening to gifted brothers give messages. This habit annuls the gift we have received from the Lord. We have all been regenerated by the Lord and have His life. This life brings us a gift as our function. This can be compared to a newborn baby who has a complete set of internal organs. Having a complete set of organs does not mean that the baby is fully developed in function. It simply means that the baby has a complete set of organs. As the baby grows, the function of each organ will be manifested. Function is the issue of the growth in life. When a child grows to a certain stage, he will begin to speak, and when he reaches another stage, he can learn to read. This also applies to the gift a person receives when he is regenerated; the function of the gift is manifested through his growth in life.
We are living Christians. Since we have been regenerated and have God’s life in us, we should grow in life in order for our function to be manifested. If after two years a child cannot speak, his mother will worry even to the extent of losing her appetite, because she is concerned that the child might be dumb. Our practice in the churches has made people dumb. Many saints in the churches have listened to messages for decades and have become dumb because they do not speak. On the contrary, many young people like to speak, but they do not have any content. Hence, the crucial point is not merely to speak but to speak with content. This depends on education.
The whole world would be in darkness if God had not given us the Bible. We each have a Bible in our hand, but not many of us are diligently learning the truth. If we want to grow in life and use our gift to supply others, we need to be educated by diligently learning the truth. A certain sister was over fifty years old and illiterate when she was saved. Over the past twenty years, however, her ability to read Chinese has improved, especially her ability to read the Bible. Since education has become more available, fewer people are illiterate. Hence, we should endeavor to learn the truth in the Bible, beginning with the Gospel of Matthew. If we read only two verses every morning, we would read 730 verses in a year and 7,300 verses in ten years. The New Testament has a total of 27 books, consisting of 7,957 verses in 260 chapters. If all of us would practice reading two verses every day, we would read every verse and every word of the New Testament in less than eleven years.
For example, we can begin from the Gospel of Matthew: “The book of the generation of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham: Abraham begot Isaac, and Isaac begot Jacob, and Jacob begot Judah and his brothers” (1:1-2). Five to eight minutes are enough to read these verses with emphasis and to pray-read them. We should not excuse ourselves by saying that we do not have time. We are not required to spend thirty minutes or an hour reading. How can we say that we do not have five to eight minutes to read every morning? When we rise in the morning, it is best not to immediately occupy ourselves with washing up or getting dressed. Rather, we should first read two verses for the day and try to remember them. Then while we are washing up, we can speak these verses again and again. Even while the sisters are preparing breakfast, they can pray-read these verses. In this way no one can say that he is unable to learn the truth.
In addition to reading the Bible in the morning, we can read the Bible as we ride the bus to work or to school. Hence, we should have a Bible with us. If we do not have a Bible with us, we can consider the verses we pray-read in the morning. This is a beneficial practice that will enable us to keep the Lord’s words in our heart. Even when we are at work, we can consider the verses we read. If we would learn the truth in this way, we will be able to clearly explain what is justification and what is sanctification. We can all learn this.
There was an elderly brother in Nanking who was a pastor when he was young. Since his memory was quite poor when he was eighty, his family had to lock him inside the house for fear that he would become lost if he left the house. I am now older than he was at that time, but most people admire my good memory. The secret to my memory is that I treasure the Bible and read it diligently. I am very familiar with every chapter and every verse of the Bible. The portions that I read in my youth are more familiar than ever to me, and I will never forget them. Therefore, the older saints should take courage. As long as we read two verses a day and repeat them during the day, we will not forget them. Not only so, we will finish the entire New Testament in less than eleven years by reading two verses a day. How wonderful this is! This is to learn the truth.
If all the brothers and sisters can learn the truth in this way, they will speak out of the abundance within them. Many brothers and sisters have been Christians for more than thirty years, but they have never spoken in a meeting. Suddenly they are being told to speak in the home meetings, and they do not know where to begin. Therefore, we are now undertaking an educational program. Now that we are changing the system, we will begin meetings to read Truth Lessons. If the young people in a country do not receive a basic education, the country will never become rich and strong. The result of being uneducated is either poverty or barbarity. Where there is no education, there is no civilization.
When I was young, my mother sent me to an English school to learn English. I believe that was the Lord’s sovereign arrangement for me to receive a foundational training in English. I was in my sixties when I went to America. Before that time I had never studied or lived in America. Many Americans were surprised that I could give messages in English. Without a foundation in English, however, even if I was filled with spiritual knowledge and divine truths, I would only be dumb, speechless, in Western countries.
We all love the Lord and like to speak for the Lord, but what do we speak and how do we speak? We need an adequate knowledge of the truth, and then as persons belonging to God and seeking the Lord, we will have wisdom and knowledge through the Lord’s word to know what to speak and how to speak to people. In 1933, on my first trip away from home, I went to Shanghai to meet with Brother Watchman Nee. After a short time Brother Nee asked me to stay in Shanghai and entrusted me with the ministry of the word. At that time I spoke the Chefoo dialect, and I did not know how to serve in an environment where everyone spoke the Shanghai dialect. This is a matter of education. Since I exercised to give messages in Mandarin and use proper words when I spoke, all the brothers and sisters understood me. As a result, all the saints, young and old, brother and sister, came to see me with problems regarding their family, jobs, and school. I was able to handle the language difference and the problems concerning the truth.
The purpose of changing the system is so that every brother and sister will learn the truth. If any of the older saints are sixty years old and begin reading two verses from the Bible a day, they will only be seventy-one years old when they finish reading the New Testament, and they will still be very useful to the Lord. As a short-term benefit, if we read two verses a day, what we read will become very useful by the time we begin a home meeting in six months. We also hope to see the young generation gained by the Lord in this age.
Presently, there are about one thousand churches on six continents. The whole world is open to the Lord’s recovery, because the Lord’s recovery has the proper ground and is full of the truth. Five hundred young saints who can speak Spanish and who can go to Central and South America would not be enough to meet the needs there. There is a need everywhere—in the United States, Canada, East Africa, West Africa, South Africa, and North Africa. Therefore, we must learn the truth. We should not take the easy way of listening to “famous” speakers. We need to take classes and be educated by learning the Bible word by word and item by item. If we practice this, we will achieve a definite educational standard in twenty years.
Changing the system is to help us to speak for the Lord; hence, we must cooperate. Previously, the brothers and sisters came to the meeting hall for morning watch every morning. We do not deny that having morning watch corporately is helpful. However, it is not sufficient to have morning watch without fellowshipping with the Lord in His presence. The blessing we receive from having corporate morning watch can never replace the personal contact we have with the Lord. We need to spend five to ten minutes to contact the Lord every morning. No matter how busy we are, we should grasp every opportunity to contact the Lord. Even while we bathe or take a walk, we can consider and meditate on the verses we read. This will be a great benefit to us. We should not contact any person, thing, or matter before we contact the Lord in the morning. This practice is included in our learning the truth.
We need to make a resolution to learn the truth. We should not say, “It is useless to make a resolution, because the result will be as Paul says: ‘To will is present with me, but to work out the good is not.’” The Lord who is living in us will help us. Everything depends on whether we are willing to learn. The Lord said to Jerusalem, “I desired to gather your children together, the way a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you would not!” (Matt. 23:37). Now the Lord is asking us, “Will you contact Me for a few minutes every morning? Will you pray-read two verses? Will you learn Truth Lessons in the church meetings?” Many people can testify that reading any kind of book, newspaper, or magazine cannot compare with reading the Bible. At my present age I am still alert and sharp without any confusion because I have the words of the Lord in me all the time; His words in me are everything to me. I have joy whenever I read the Bible. Reading the Bible is good medicine for healing. The Lord’s word is the factor of our happiness. If we speak the Lord’s word every day, we will be healthy.
It is even more necessary for the older brothers and sisters to learn the truth. If we know the truth, we can teach our children and grandchildren, and when they live with us, our conduct and behavior will be proper. If the tongue of a grandfather is the pen of a ready writer (Psa. 45:1) and that home is filled with a scholarly atmosphere, the children and grandchildren who are living together will benefit greatly even if they have little contact with the grandfather. Similarly, the most basic requirement for all the brothers and sisters in the church to manifest their function is to learn and know the truth. Without an education in the truth it is difficult for us to develop or manifest our function. This is the problem in today’s Christianity, and it is also a big lack among us.
I hope that after such fellowship, we will all learn the truth. The Lord has prepared Truth Lessons for us, and it is the best means for us to learn the truth. In order to use Truth Lessons, we must be prepared before we come to the meeting. There will be no need for us to pray as we did in the past: “Lord, today Brother So-and-so will speak the message. Please strengthen him so that his words will penetrate our hearts. O Lord, touch all the brothers and sisters so that they will come to listen to the message.” Such prayers are for listening to famous speakers; they are not prayers for the brothers and sisters to speak in the meetings. Instead, we should pray, “Lord, I will learn the truth. Lord, bring new ones to us so that we can learn the truth together.”
We should not come to the meeting with the expectation of listening to a speech. When we come to a meeting, we should not wait for someone to lead us. When it is time to begin, we can open Truth Lessons and read. We do not even need to wait until everyone is present. When the latecomers arrive, they can join in the reading. During the meeting we can read with emphasis; we can also pray-read and sing-read. All the brothers and sisters should open their mouths. We should change our old concepts and not long for messages given by famous, eloquent speakers who use good stories and examples. We no longer have famous speakers. Every one of us is a small member, and none of us can speak well. Nevertheless, we cannot sit in a meeting and look at each other. We should exercise to call hymns and read the lessons. Everything should be carried out by the brothers and sisters themselves. We can give testimonies, pray, and pray-read. Such a meeting in which everyone functions is much better than a meeting by a famous speaker. May all the gatherings in the churches in Taiwan be like this in two or three years. May every gathering be living, with everyone speaking. We do not have idle talk in the meetings; neither do we consider everyday matters. In the meetings we speak concerning the Lord, the truth, and the gospel.
If we desire to be useful to the Lord, we must learn the truth. Truth is the foundation. To preach the gospel, we need to learn the truth; to speak with others, we need to learn the truth; to help others, we also need to learn the truth. If we do not know the truth, when people come to us with a problem concerning their marriage, we can only say, “Our God is almighty. Pray and trust Him more. He will definitely save you.” If someone seeks our help concerning his business, we will also say, “God is almighty. As long as you trust in Him, He will surely help you.” Regardless of the person, matter, or situation, we will always give the same answer. What help can we render? However, if we have sufficient knowledge of the truth, when people encounter a problem, we can speak to them according to the word of the truth that pertains to their particular problem. We can even strengthen the word with examples or experiences from the people in the Bible. If we do this, we will render genuine help to others. We should no longer use clichés to say things that do not even touch the point.
For example, when a sister has a problem with her husband, we should speak to her according to the word of the truth. Afterward, we should wait for her response and listen to what she says. We can then strengthen her by telling her the story of Ruth in the Old Testament. In this way she will receive help and be able to resolve the problem with her husband. If a brother speaks to us concerning his business, we should fellowship with him according to the truth. Whether we can render genuine help to people depends on whether we are clear concerning the truth. Therefore, we must have the spiritual education of the truth.
We should make a schedule for the seven days of the week, which begins with rising in the morning and ends with going to bed in the evening. The schedule should include our daily activities. Because we have our own circumstances, we should make our own schedule. This schedule will naturally reflect the specifics of our circumstances. If we love the Lord and pursue the Lord, we should make a schedule and practice according to our schedule. Otherwise, we will not succeed.
Certain things must be included in our schedule. There must be a time to contact the Lord daily, whether it is five, ten, or fifteen minutes. We should have a fixed time to have fellowship with the Lord daily. In our contact with the Lord we must confess our sins. Perhaps we have committed many sins unconsciously, yet we have no feeling concerning them. However, when we fellowship with the Lord and He points out those matters and rebukes us, we should confess all the sins we are inwardly conscious of, one by one. We should confess our sins every day. Even though we have confessed our sins in the morning, if we become weak before noon, we should confess our sins again at noontime. Daily confession keeps our conscience pure and removes any barrier between us and the Lord.
Furthermore, we should constantly turn to the Lord. We should say to the Lord, “I truly believe in You. You are the Spirit, and You are filling me inwardly. Fill me now, Lord, like the air filling my whole being.” We should believe with our whole heart that the Lord lives in us and that what we speak through faith has authority, power, and boldness. Our schedule must include these three things, and we must practice them. We must fellowship with the Lord daily, confess our sins, and ask the Lord to fill us with Himself. From today forward, we should endeavor to learn the truth, and we should exercise to have a schedule. We should not feel that this is difficult. We are absolutely sure that as long as we practice step by step according to our schedule, we will walk in peace. If we practice these matters with persistence, considering them as part of our daily life, we will see the Lord’s work.
