I earnestly hope that the Lord will one day bring His church to spend more time for praising and less for teaching. I do not have much trust in teaching. Today’s Christianity is full of teachings, yet it is so poor. The more teachings we have, the more problems will arise and divisions occur. All the divisions are based upon doctrinal matters. Do you think we could be divided by praising? I tell you, the more we say Hallelujah, the more we will be united. It is exceedingly easy to be divided in the mind, but in the spirit it is so easy to be one in Christ.
In the United States there are many, many Christian book stores. There are certainly thousands upon thousands of Christian books—good books, sound books, fundamental and spiritual books. I have traveled widely throughout this country and have noticed in nearly every Christian home many books— books about the Bible, Christ, and the Christian life. Some had read through the books concerning the subjective work of the cross. But that cross was just in their mind; that cross did not cross out their mind. It was just a matter of knowledge to them, not of life. Christianity today is full of knowledge and teaching. How many expositions there are on Romans and other epistles! But where is the life, the power, and the impact? If we would spend as much time in praising as we have for teaching, how powerful we would be! If we would learn to praise more and more, we would have the impact and we would have the oneness. The more we discuss on the basis of knowledge and doctrine, the more we will be divided, but the more we praise together, the more we will be one.
The Lord must recover the matter of praise. Sometimes just the singing of a hymn as praise to the Lord will edify people more than a message. The message mainly touches the mind, but the singing, the praising, touches the spirit. The best edification, the best comfort, and the best encouragement are all in the singing of praises. The best weapon for us to fight the battle is praise. When we begin to sing and to praise, God sends the help. But to have this kind of meeting, a meeting with Christ singing within our singing, we need the adequate experiences of Christ.
I wish again in a simple way to point out to you the riches of Christ unveiled in this book of Hebrews. It is a book of Christ as so many better things, things which we must know in a way of experience and enjoyment.
Chapter one tells us that this Christ is the Son of God; He is even God Himself, far better than the angels. He is such a Christ. Chapter two tells us that this One, the very God, was made the Son of man, a real man, who for a little while was lower than the angels for the suffering of death. He partook of our nature; He made Himself the same as we. Now He is crowned with glory and honor; yet He is still here on earth, moving and singing in the midst of the church; He is still here with God’s children; He is still here putting His trust in the Father. He is the very God, and He is a real man. As the Son of God, He is there today on the throne at the right hand of God. As the real man, He is here today in the midst of the church among the children of God.
Then chapter three tells us that such a One, so qualified as God and as man, is the Apostle sent from God to us. He is much better than Moses; He is our better Moses. With the double qualification of the divine and human natures, He is the Sent One from God, not only taking the lead among us, but building us together as the house of God. We all have been made partakers of this One. The word “partakers” in verse 14 of this chapter has another meaning in Greek: it means partakers, but it also means companions. On one hand Christ is our enjoyment; so we are partakers of Him. But on the other hand He is our companion, helping us to enter into the enjoyment. On the one hand He is the good land, and on the other hand He is Joshua, the companion of Caleb, helping Caleb to enter the land. Therefore, we are not only His partakers, but also His partners, His companions. He is not only our enjoyment, but also our companion, helping us to enter into the enjoyment. We need to experience all these things.
Chapter four tells us that He is our real Joshua. The word “Joshua” is a Hebrew title, which when translated into Greek is Jesus. The name Jesus is exactly equivalent to Joshua. Christ is our real Joshua, the One who brings us into rest, the One who brings us into the good land which is Himself. He is the good land, and this good land is in our spirit; so we must discern our spirit from our soul. We should no longer live in the soul; as long as we are in the soul we are in the wilderness. When we turn to the spirit, we are in the good land, the Holiest of all. Here is the very Christ whom we enjoy. He is the ark and He is the good land, and He is also Joshua who brings us into the good land.
From the end of chapter four to the end of chapter seven there are more than three chapters telling us that Christ is the high priest, better than Aaron. He is a high priest according to the order of Melchisedec. He is able to sympathize with us; He can and He does care for all our needs. Therefore, we have the boldness to come to the throne of grace to obtain mercy and find grace to meet the timely need. He is a high priest who continually ministers the riches of God to us just as Melchisedec ministered the bread and wine to Abraham. He is continually interceding for us, and He is able to save us to the uttermost. He ministers Himself to us not according to the letters of the law, but according to the power of an endless life. He is such a priest!
From chapter eight through chapter ten, verse 18, we are told that the new covenant formed by Christ is much better than the old. Christ is the Mediator of this covenant, the Performer of this covenant, and the Testator of this covenant, the One who gives this covenant as a testament to us. He is the Executor of this testament, this will, and He is also the very sacrifice which made it possible. This covenant is so high, so rich, so much more excellent than the old. He is such a One with such a covenant, and now we all have been made partakers of Him. Where is He? The Holy Spirit today is the very reality of this wonderful One. To be made partakers of Him means that we have been made partakers of the Holy Spirit, the reality of Christ. Now day by day we partake of this Spirit, the Spirit of grace (10:29).