In order to be transformed, we need to apply the cross of Christ to our peculiarity, individuality, independence, seclusion, self-deception, pretension, self-seeking, personal preference and taste, localism in church practice, and all kinds of divisive factors.
The cross of Christ needs to be applied to all of our peculiar traits. When I entered into the ministry with Brother Nee in 1933, he told me that there was a brother among us who had a certain peculiar trait. Whatever you asked him to do, he would do the opposite. If you asked him to go to the east, he would go to the west. Thus, if you wanted him to go to the east, you had to tell him to go to the west. The divorces and separations between husbands and wives today are mostly due to their peculiarities. In order to have the one accord in the church life, all of our peculiarities must be dealt with by the cross.
We also need to apply the cross to any localism in church practice. Some may have the attitude that their local church is independent and autonomous and should not be interfered with. This is localism. An independent local church is actually a local sect. We need to deal with any localism in church practice and with all kinds of divisive factors.
We may know something about Christ's Body, but if we do not accept the cross to crucify our natural life, to break us, and to consume us, and if we do not know the cross, we will always have problems. The co-workers and the elders need to apply the cross in their fellowship with one another. Instead of having a thorough fellowship with one another, they may like to keep things secret. Sometimes we call a meeting for the co-workers to come together to fellowship about the Lord's work, but in the meeting they say very little. Their policy is that the more you say, the more mistakes you make, and the less you say, the less mistakes you make. Anything concerning the work, however, should be fellowshipped among the co-workers. Surely if we are too open, we can cause trouble. But if we do not have open fellowship with one another and if we keep secrets, anything of the Lord which is under our hand will be killed.
The co-workers and elders must learn not to conceal or hide things from one another. The elders and the co-workers need to come together, to pray together, to open to one another, and to discuss the needs and problems in the church in a frank and open way. This is the best way to get things solved. To conceal things and to think that we have the way to take care of them without fellowship is wrong. We need to apply the cross to our individuality and independence.
We also need to apply the cross to our personal preference and taste. We have our taste and our choice, which are damaging to the one accord. We need to receive the supply of Christ, and we also have to receive His cross all the time. Eventually, we have to realize that everyone and everything is a cross to us. Our relatives, our children, the saints, and our close co-workers all become the cross to put us to death. This is our destiny. The Lord Jesus is the "cross-giver," who assigns all kinds of crosses to us. Only the Lord knows the right one for us to marry. The Lord's intention actually is not to give us a spouse. The Lord's intention is to give us the cross. The single sisters may have the desire to get the best husband, someone who is a hero, who is very capable, and who has the highest education. But eventually, such a husband, instead of being a hero, may become like a "Pharaoh" to them. Their intention is to get the best husband, but the Lord's intention is to give them the cross. We all need to realize that the cross of Christ goes along with the supply of Christ. Without the supply, we cannot bear the cross. But without the cross, the Lord's supply is merely terminology to us.