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 three and four. 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 three and four 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 four that can be used as references. For example, in lesson thirty-seven “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 thirty-eight in volume four 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 thirty-nine 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 forty-two, 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 four, some can still be used right away. The latter part of volume four, 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.
(A message given on April 21, 1987 in Taipei, Taiwan)