Now we shall see the twelfth main point concerning the knowledge of life, which is the growth of life. If we desire to have further knowledge of life, we must also know what the growth of life is. There are many brothers and sisters whose hearts’ love toward the Lord cannot be said to lack fervency, and the price they have paid also cannot be considered insufficient, yet because they do not know what the real growth of life is, they have many mistaken views and pursuits; thus, the real growth of life in them is quite limited. How unfortunate this is! Therefore, in order that we may have accurate knowledge and proper pursuit in the path of life, we shall spend a little time to see what the growth of life is.
Before we see what the growth of life is, however, we shall look at the negative side, what the growth of life is not. This will make us more deeply impressed and afford a more precise knowledge.
The improvement of behavior means the changing of a person’s behavior from bad to good, from evil to virtuous. This is what men ordinarily call “forsaking evil ways and returning to the right” or “departing from evil and following after virtue.” For example, a man formerly was very proud; now he is humble. He often used to hate others; now he loves others. He was habitually quick-tempered and easily angered; now his temperament has become slow, and he is no longer quick-tempered. All these can be considered the improvement of behavior. When a man’s behavior is thus improved, is this the growth of life? No!
Why do we say growth of life is not the improvement of behavior? It is because behavior and life are things which definitely belong to two different worlds.
Just as evil is other than life, so also is good other than life. Just as evil is not life, so also is good not life. Evil and good, though different in nature, are of the same world; both are other than life, and both are not life. Thus, in the Bible, good and evil are not two trees, but one tree; life is another tree, being something of another world, another kingdom (Gen. 2:9). We can say that good and evil on one hand and life on the other hand definitely belong to two different categories. Thus, a man, by his own determination and effort, can improve considerably in behavior and yet still be very immature and weak in the life of God. This is because his improvement is entirely apart from life; it is of his own work and not of life. Besides, what he has improved is not the result of his growth in life. Therefore, growth of life is not the improvement of behavior.
What is the expression of piety? The expression of piety differs from improvement of behavior. Improvement of behavior is toward men, which means a person’s behavior and character before men has been improved and becomes better than before. The expression of piety is toward God, which means a person’s attitude before God is full of reverence and fear, besides being devout and sincere. Yet whether it be the improvement of behavior or the expression of piety, both alike are not the growth of life. Some believers may be very reverential and devout before God; they dare not be disrespectful or loose in their behavior and action. We cannot say these expressions are not good, but neither are they the growth of life. This is because such believers only look upon God as One who is high above all, One who is worthy of reverence and fear; therefore, they have a heart of veneration and the expression of piety. Yet as to how God in Christ dwells in man as man’s life, and how by the working of the law of this life He is within man to be God to man, they may not have the slightest knowledge nor the slightest experience. Though they have the expression of piety, yet such expression is not due to the growth of the life of God within them; therefore, it is not an indication that they have the growth of life within them. Hence, growth of life is also not the expression of piety.
What is zealous serving? This means that formerly a believer was indifferent and cold toward the things of God; now he is enthusiastically pressing on in serving God. Or formerly he seldom came to the meetings, and now he is present at every meeting. Formerly he was not concerned about the church; now he participates in all kinds of services of the church. Though such zealous serving manifests a believer’s fervency toward the Lord and his diligence in serving the Lord, and though it is also often commended by men, yet such zeal may very possibly be mixed with much human excitement, busyness, and interest. It is also quite possible that such serving is according to the soulish power of man and depends on the strength of man; it is not from the leading of the Holy Spirit; even less does it depend on the life of Christ or help men to have a deeper union with God. Hence, such zealous serving does not come from life and is not of life; therefore, it is not the growth of life.
We see in the Bible that before the apostle Paul was saved, he served God with zeal (Acts 22:3). At that time, though within him he had not received the life of God, he could serve God outwardly by his own excitement and strength in a very zealous manner. This shows us that zealously serving God may be wholly unrelated to life. It does not indicate one iota the condition of a person’s life. Therefore, growth of life is also not zealous serving.