Where is man’s rebellion practically manifested? First, it is manifested in words. Second, it is manifested in reasons. Third, it is manifested in the thoughts. In order to be delivered from rebellion, we must first deal with these three things. Otherwise, rebellion cannot be truly dealt with.
If a man is rebellious, his words surely will reveal rebellion. Sooner or later rebellious words will come out of his mouth, because out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. In order to know authority, a man must first meet authority. If a man has not met authority, he will never be able to submit. It is useless to merely listen to messages on submission. A man must at one time meet God, and then the basis of God’s authority will be established in him. When he speaks, he will know if a word of disobedience comes out. Even before the word comes out, the thought of it will give him an uneasy feeling. He will realize that he has stepped beyond his boundary and that there is a restraining within him. If a man speaks words of rebellion carelessly without any restraining within, he must be one who has never met authority. It is much easier for a man to speak in rebellion than to act in rebellion.
The tongue is the thing that is the hardest to tame. Therefore, when a man rebels against authority, the tongue will show it immediately. Perhaps one agrees with you in your presence, but when the back is turned reviling words will come out. No words may be spoken up front, but the mouth is filled with words when the back is turned. This is because the mouth is so available. Everyone in the world today is rebellious. Mostly people pay lip service and submit outwardly. But in the church there should not be just outward submission; all submission should come from the heart. If you want to know whether or not a man is submissive in heart, see if he is submissive in words. God requires a submission of the heart from us. We have to meet God’s authority or the problem will explode sooner or later.
When Eve was tempted in Genesis 3, she added a few words: “Neither shall ye touch it” (v. 3). We have to realize the seriousness of this matter. If man knows God’s authority, he will not dare add to God’s word. The word of God is clear enough. “Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat: but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it” (2:16-17). God did not say, “Neither shall ye touch it.” Those words were added by Eve. Whoever changes God’s word by adding to or deleting from it proves that he has never met authority. Such a one is surely rebellious and unlearned. If a government sends a person as a representative to speak a word at a certain place, that person must remember precisely the words that he is to speak. He must not add anything else to the words. Although Eve saw God every day, she did not know authority. She spoke carelessly, thinking that it was all right to say a few words more or less. If a mortal man serving a mortal master would not dare to add to or delete from his master’s words, how much more should we who serve God be careful in doing the same? If a man speaks carelessly, it proves that he is a rebellious one.
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