The second problem that life encounters in us is hypocrisy. There was a sister in the church in Nanking who spoke slowly and walked softly; everything she did was soft and gentle. Consequently, all the responsible brothers in the church in Nanking thought that she was very spiritual. However, strictly speaking, this was a false spirituality. We need to see that being slow is not necessarily of life and being quick is not necessarily of life. Whether or not something is of life is not determined by whether it is quick or slow. These have nothing to do with life.
Many people think that to be slow is of life and to be quick is not life. For example, if a certain brother does things quickly or does too many things when he serves, some saints think that he has a quick temper and is not spiritual, and that he needs to be dealt with and broken. On the other hand, if another brother wipes chairs and sweeps the floor slowly when he cleans the meeting hall, many saints think that he is very spiritual and that his life has been dealt with and broken. This is not correct. Just as being quick is not life, being slow is not life also. Whether or not a person’s actions are of life does not depend upon whether he is quick or slow; rather, it all depends upon how he takes care of Christ.
Furthermore, a certain brother may be born with a disposition like a sharp stone. It seems as if he had eight horns when he was born, and it is very difficult for others to get along with him. Both at home and at work, his horns easily touch other people. Even after being saved, his horns continually touch people in the church. People cannot speak a few sentences to him before he starts an argument with them; he can pound the table and glare at people. Because of this, people quickly say that he is fleshly and needs to be broken. On the other hand, another brother may be born with a smooth personality like Jacob. A smooth stone does not have any sharp edges or protrusions. Some people are born this way; they never offend their siblings and parents at home, and they never offend their co-workers and superiors at work. Regardless of how people treat them, they are always smooth and even. When such a person is saved, he becomes a smooth Christian in the church. Three to five years may pass, and he never offends anyone. Many brothers and sisters praise him, saying, “This person is truly spiritual. He never argues at home or causes trouble outside. We see him doing many things, but he never gives his opinion. He is truly spiritual and full of life.” This kind of speaking shows a lack of knowledge about life. We need to realize that this is actually hypocrisy. If his behavior were truly spiritual, then it would mean that he was spiritual even before he was saved. This is not possible. A person’s spirituality is not determined by outward appearance but by how he takes care of Christ.
Not only do other people think that such a brother is spiritual, but even the brother himself thinks that he is spiritual. He not only deceives others; he even deceives himself. Although he does not criticize others outwardly, he is full of criticism inwardly. For example, when he sees a certain brother lose his temper, he questions why this brother has such a bad temper. He inwardly criticizes the brother for not being like himself, because he has never lost his temper or fought with others since being in the church life. Although he may not say anything outwardly, he feels this way inwardly. He thinks that others are in their flesh and need to be broken but that he does not need any breaking. Moreover, he can even pray to the Lord, saying, “O Lord, have mercy on my brother. Although I do not dare to say too much, may You have mercy on him and break his flesh.” He never prays for himself because he thinks that his smoothness is spiritual. He does not realize that his spirituality is false and that it is actually a great hindrance to life.
Some people may be naturally gentle, modest, uncontentious, caring, willing to shed tears for others, sympathetic, and self-sacrificing. They have many good points and virtues. After they become Christians, they bring these natural virtues into the church. They think that these virtues are of life and that Christians should have them, but they do not realize that their inner eyes have not been opened. They are blind and do not realize that these virtues are false. From the point of view of morality, people should have these virtues, but from the point of view of life, these virtues are false. Life is God Himself, life is Christ, and life is the Holy Spirit. Anything that is not of God, Christ, or the Holy Spirit is not life. Hence, regardless of how much a person can meet—and even go beyond—the standard of morality, this is still not necessarily life.
Life involves only the expression of Christ Himself out of us. Suppose a person treats his wife in very harsh way, including hard looks and beatings. After being saved, the Lord will begin to operate in him and give him a strong feeling to stop his habit of oppressing his wife, to apologize to her, and even to ask her for forgiveness. This is not something natural and inborn; this is Christ being expressed from him. Such an operation breaks and defeats him so that Christ can be expressed out of him. When he apologizes to his wife and asks her to forgive him, life and Christ are being expressed in him.
There are actually some people who never lose their temper. However, there is a greater possibility of these people becoming truly spiritual if they would lose their temper once or twice. This is because they often truly know the self and Christ only after losing their temper. We should never think that it is easy for people to lose their temper. Some people are born with a disposition that does not lose its temper even when others try hard to make them lose their temper. It is difficult for some people not to lose their temper, but for others, it is difficult for them to lose their temper. This is due to their disposition, and their disposition cannot be changed easily. Nonetheless, when Christ operates and moves in them, urging them to speak some frank, strong words, life will be expressed if they go against their disposition and obey the inner feeling to speak a frank word. This is very difficult for them, and it requires that they pay a great price.
Thus, the expression of life involves the rejection of our natural disposition and preference, and simply allowing Christ to operate in us and break us. Then our actions through the inner operation of Christ will be of life. If we always do things according to our disposition and natural being, the outcome will always be hypocrisy. We must see this matter clearly.