The fallen human life is not only evil, improper, and dishonest but also frail and mortal. Our human life is frail in every respect, whether physically, psychologically, or morally. A person who is physically strong may lose his life when he is hit by a car, a person who is psychologically healthy can easily become angry or irrational when he is irritated, and people with a relatively high moral standard can stumble and fall when they encounter certain temptations. It is difficult for man to overcome all temptation.
If we consider our past experience, we will realize that it was often difficult for us to prevail when we encountered temptation. Many young students have been brought up well in their family life, but when they graduate from high school and enter into university, their parents may repeatedly remind them not to pick up bad habits. However, even though they solemnly promise and determine to keep their parents’ word, not long after the school term begins, they are tempted by their schoolmates and are soon stumbled. They stumble not because they have no determination but because the life of fallen man is frail and unable to endure the slightest test or withstand temptation.
The life of fallen man is not only frail but also gradually decaying, with death as its final end. No matter how long the human life is, it cannot escape from death. Thus, the human life is frail and mortal.
Although the actual condition of the fallen human life is evil and also frail and mortal, God desires to bring salvation to man. We need to see that God’s salvation is not according to man’s natural concept. All the virtuous men and philosophers from ancient times to modern times, and from the East to the West, including the Chinese Confucianists and philosophers, have focused on correcting man’s behavior. They have all given some moral teachings for man to practice so that he may change his outward behavior. However, the way of God’s salvation is altogether contrary to man’s ideas. God’s intention is not merely to correct man’s outward behavior. Rather, God desires to change the life of man within. God’s salvation does not begin from man’s outward condition; rather, it begins by God’s working on man’s inner being. God does not directly change man’s outward behavior but enters into man to change his inner life. We all need to see God’s way. In fact, it is impossible to change man’s behavior (Jer. 13:23). Moreover, even if man’s outward behavior could be changed, man would still have the same evil life within.
One day a man walked across the street and saw a peddler selling clay dolls. The clay dolls looked white, clean, and beautiful on the outside, so he bought one for his daughter. His daughter liked the clay doll very much and not only caressed its face but also kissed it often. After some time, the clay doll’s white and clean face became blurry and dirty due to the daughter’s continual caressing and kissing. The little girl recalled that every time her face became dirty, her mother washed her face in a basin of water. Thus, she took a basin of water and scrubbed the doll’s face in the same way. However, she found that the more she washed it, the darker the doll’s face became. Eventually, neither the nose nor the eyes of the doll could be identified, and the doll’s face became nothing but a piece of clay. She broke into tears, and her father rushed in to comfort her. He asked her why she was crying. After he discovered that the clay doll no longer looked nice, he said to her gently, “Silly girl, this clay doll is not washable. The more you wash it, the dirtier it becomes, but if you do not wash it, it remains clean.”
We need to consider what our situation is. Are we dirty outwardly or are we dirty inwardly, and are our outward good deeds more or less than our filthiness within? Many people do not sense how dirty they are until they try to improve themselves. Many misbehave and do indecent things without realizing how dirty they are. However, when they decide to improve their behavior, they begin to realize that the filthiness within them is incurable (17:9). A loose person may not sense the extent of his looseness, but when he desires to restrain his looseness, he discovers that it is impossible to do so.
A competent and cultivated lady once came to see me. She looked very grieved and told me that she had an extremely difficult problem. At first I was worried and thought that, based on her countenance, her problem was unsolvable. When she told me the details, I realized her problem was that she was unable to control her temper. She said, “I have always hoped that I would be able to refrain from losing my temper in the presence of my husband so that we could have a happy and satisfying marriage and a pleasant family. However, the more I try not to lose my temper, the more I lose my temper. When I do not try to control my temper, I do not lose my temper as often, but when I try to suppress it and determine not to lose my temper in front of my husband, it seems that something within me involuntarily causes me to lose my temper. This problem has damaged the sweetness between us as a couple and has affected the pleasant atmosphere in our home. My losing my temper is against my will, and although I have tried my best to improve, I am becoming more helpless in this matter. Please tell me what to do.” I responded calmly, “Your problem is not unusual. We all lose our temper because the life within us is a temper-losing life. If we were able to refrain from losing our temper, it would be a great miracle, because the life within us is against this.” She replied, “What then should I do? I have tried different methods, but none have worked. As a preacher, you must have a good way to cultivate yourself and restrain yourself from losing your temper.” Then I told her that all the methods of self-cultivation do not work. The more we try to cultivate ourselves, the more we will lose our temper. This can be compared to a little child walking with two cups in his hands. When left alone, he may not break the cups, but if his mother calls out to him and tells him not to break the cups, he may become nervous and drop the two cups.