In this chapter we want to see the fourth great mystery in the Bible-the mystery of Christ. However, before we fellowship about the mystery of Christ, I feel that I have the responsibility to fellowship in detail with you the truth concerning the person of Christ. It is only when we see this truth that we can enter into the subjective experience of Christ and live out the mystery of Christ, which is the church. This truth is neglected by Christianity today. The mystery of Christ is the church; the content and expression of Christ are the church. If we have only the objective knowledge but not the subjective experience of Christ, this mystery will become an empty doctrine. Dear brothers and sisters, we cannot be deceived. We must know the truth. In order to fellowship about this truth, I cannot avoid referring to certain things in our “family history” which can serve as a background and provide a contrast to this truth.
I started to correspond with Brother Nee in 1925. In 1932, Brother Nee went to my hometown to hold a special conference, and we started to have face-to-face contact. In the following year, I left my work, and he wrote me a letter which confirmed my leaving my job to serve the Lord full time. Hence, after I left my job, I went to Shanghai particularly to see him. In the beginning of 1933, we began to work together until the political situation in mainland China changed in 1949. At that time, he called an emergency co-workers’ meeting to decide on how to cope with the changes. Two times in the co-workers’ meetings he suggested that I leave mainland China and go overseas. Therefore, in April or May of 1949 I went to Taiwan. The following year Brother Nee went to Hong Kong and brought in a revival. Then he wanted me to go there to arrange all the church services of the co-workers, elders, and deacons. After staying there for one and a half months, I returned to Taiwan. Just before I left for Taiwan, Brother Nee went back to mainland China. In 1952 he was put into prison, and after twenty years of imprisonment he was taken by the Lord in 1972.
I worked with Brother Nee for almost twenty years and had a very close relationship with him in the work. We had much time together. He and I never engaged in any idle talk; we always talked about the truth and the Lord’s work. I knew the burden within his heart for the Lord, his view concerning the church, and his way of carrying out the work. Brother Nee absolutely believed that the Triune God is simply Christ Himself. Hymns, #490 was written by Brother Nee himself, and two lines of the hymn say, “Thou, Lord, the Father once wast called, / But now the Holy Spirit art.” This hymn was first printed in Shanghai and was included in the hymnal with 1,052 selections that Brother Nee had published before he went into prison.
At the end of 1933, a certain Mr. Hsueh, who was a Chinese traveling preacher from the China Inland Mission, was invited to speak in our meeting in Shanghai. He said, “Never think that the Father is the Father, the Son is the Son, and the Spirit is the Spirit, and that the three are separated. Never think that the Lord Jesus is not the Holy Spirit; the Lord Jesus is the Holy Spirit Himself.” Brother Nee was sitting at the back listening. When Brother Hsueh mentioned this point, Brother Nee responded far from the back, “Amen!” Even we who were seated in front heard it. After the meeting when he and I were strolling together, he said, “We all must see that the Lord Jesus is the Holy Spirit.” Beginning with Brother Nee up until now, the belief among us concerning the Triune God is that the Father, the Son, and the Spirit are one and not separated.
In 1954 I was invited by the church in Hong Kong to hold a conference. For at least seven days, I spoke with much emphasis on this truth. Every time after I spoke, the brother who accompanied me on the platform prayed to conclude the meeting. His prayer completely confirmed what I spoke. The emphasis of my speaking was that the Triune God had become the indwelling Spirit. I also especially selected some hymns in this category for the congregation to sing. However, after Brother Nee was imprisoned, that brother who had accompanied me changed and said that this was heresy, thereby stirring up contention, which eventually led to division.
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