In this universe and in every age God works according to His intention. God’s work seems to be different outwardly in every age; actually, it is absolutely the same in principle inwardly. The Old Testament age and the New Testament age are absolutely different, and God’s work in the two ages is different. However, intrinsically God is the same God in both ages. This may be likened to the fact that the clothes I wore yesterday and the clothes I am wearing today are different, yet I, who wear the clothes, am the same. In every age God is the same God, and the work He does in every age is for the same goal, although the way His works are manifested outwardly is different. Hence, as those who pursue God walk on His way, they should not pay too much attention to the outward manifestation of His work; rather, they should focus on knowing God’s way and God Himself inwardly. It is difficult to say what God’s way of working in every age is, and it is even more difficult to say what the outward manifestation of His work in man and through man is. These matters are entirely controlled by God’s hand and cannot be determined by man.
For example, in the four hundred years that have passed since the Reformation carried out by Martin Luther, God has passed through many people. Surprisingly, however, those whom God has passed through and worked on have had different outward manifestations. There was one kind of manifestation with George Müller, another kind with D. L. Moody, and yet another kind with Charles Spurgeon. Not only have the outward manifestations of God’s work in every person been different, but the outward manifestations of His work in every age also have been different. Therefore, we should not insist that we must do a certain thing in order to touch God’s desire. For example, in China the Lord used Brother John Sung primarily for the gospel. God’s work in him was manifested in a particular way with a particular appearance. Some felt that his work was fruitful and therefore sought to imitate, to copy, his way. In the end, however, that way did not work for them. We all have a certain appearance, yet none of us can guarantee what the children we beget will look like, for their appearance is not under our control. The children we give birth to are not bronze statues, stone sculptures, or wax figures. Only man-made objects such as bronze statues, stone sculptures, and wax figures can be alike. The children we give birth to have life and are living.
There are two ways of looking at God’s work throughout the ages. Apparently, the outward manifestation, the outward form, of God’s work is completely different in every age. Intrinsically, however, the principle, way, content, and purpose of God’s work are absolutely one and the same. God worked in Christ, in the apostles, and in the spiritual saints throughout the ages, and He is working in us also. The goal and direction of God’s work are absolutely the same. This is similar to the fact that although we may wear Chinese-style clothing in China, kimonos in Japan, and Western-style clothing in Europe, we, the persons, are unchanged regardless of what we wear outwardly. We are who we are whether we are in Taipei, in Japan, or in Europe. Likewise, what God did in Job, David, John, Martin Luther, and George Müller was outwardly different but inwardly the same. Throughout the ages God has never changed His work.
Whether in the Old Testament age or the New Testament age, in China or abroad, at present or in the future, the outward manifestation of God’s work may be diverse, but there is only one content within. Because we have received such a revelation from the Bible, we have no desire to imitate others in their outward forms, nor do we want the churches to imitate one another in outward form. God’s work is manifested in the church in Taipei in one way, in the church in Taichung in another way, and in the church in Kaohsiung in yet another way. This is referring to the outward appearance. However, the work that God is doing is intrinsically one; God’s work in Kaohsiung is also His work in Taipei, and God’s work in Taiwan is also His work in Southeast Asia.
It is a great blessing for college students to be saved while they are still young. Furthermore, the situation of the churches today is much richer than it was thirty years ago. Thirty years ago, even if we had used all our money to buy spiritual publications, it would still have been impossible to find in them the light that we have today. Now that we have passed on the light of these truths to you, you must clearly see that there is only one work God desires to do throughout the ages. The unique work that God has been doing throughout the ages is to work Himself into man. God desires to make man a God-man, one who is God yet man. A God-man is one who has God within him, one who has the element of God. This may be likened to a cup of water becoming a cup of tea-water after the addition of the element of tea. We were originally only human, but today God has been added into us. God has not only been added into us, but He is also mingled with us. This mingling reaches the point where we become God-men, but we do not share the Godhead.
God’s work throughout the ages has been only to work Himself into man. This is the work He did in Job, Enoch, Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and the Old Testament prophets. Throughout the ages God did not do another work in these persons. If we read the book of Daniel without seeing Daniel’s character, it will be difficult for us to understand the content of the book. If we do not know the characters of Isaiah and Jeremiah, it will be difficult to understand the contents of the books they wrote. Every book written by the prophets in the Old Testament can be compared to a famous person’s biography. If we cannot see the prophet’s character, we will not be able to sense the flavor of God produced by the work that God did in that prophet or understand the portion of the Scriptures that he wrote. This is the secret. Therefore, not only the New Testament reveals that we are in Christ, but even the Old Testament reveals the same principle. The one thing that God has been doing throughout the ages is to work Himself into man. This is God’s goal.