If you have only a superficial knowledge of the New Testament, you may think that its pages contain just stories and teachings. Buried beneath its surface, however, are the implications of the death and resurrection of Christ. We shall discuss this further after we answer some questions.
I believe I have had the experience of dying that you mentioned in the previous message, but I am not clear about resurrection.
In the Bible death is the threshold of resurrection (2 Cor. 4:11-12). If you have the experience of death, you do not need to understand resurrection; it is the complement of death. They go together, both in the Bible and in the Spirit, and therefore in our experience.
When we go to the Word, how do we know what portion to read?
Let me suggest a way that I learned from Watchman Nee. Have two copies of the Bible. One should be plain, just the pure text of the Bible without any notes. This is for your morning reading, not too long a portion, a half chapter at most. For this reading prayerfully select a book, like one of the Gospels or one of the Epistles. (Do not choose Ezekiel for nourishment. Wait till you are full-grown and can handle that kind of food!) Go through this book consecutively verse by verse, praying over every phrase so that you thoroughly digest it. This kind of reading is for your spiritual nourishment.
Use the other copy of the Bible to study for knowledge. Make notes on its pages of light you receive or of comments from messages or from reference books. For this reading, go through the whole Bible consecutively, once a year, four chapters a day. Gaining this knowledge will give you a solid foundation for life and will enrich the nourishment you receive from your morning reading.
These two ways of getting into the Word, one for nourishment and the other for knowledge, I surely recommend to all of you.
What is the difference between being legal with oneself to get into the Word whether one feels like it or not, and Christian behavior?
The routine, daily eating of the Word will surely influence your behavior. Because the Bible is the word of our God, when we come to it we have the sense, even before we read it, that we are coming to God Himself. You will be improved just by this sense. Suppose you were to use your time for the Word on a secular magazine or newspaper instead. Do you not think that giving that time to what the world thinks will have a negative, worldly influence on your behavior?
For over fifty years I have been kept by the Lord in His Word, without ever becoming loose. It would grieve me to see any of you become loose by not diligently reading the Word. The time you waste cannot be recovered, and the poison you take in has a lasting effect. Some of you who are ex-hippies can testify how drugs have damaged your mind, even though you have repented. Go the legal way, not the loose way.
When you talk about being strict and legal, do you mean living like a monk?
It is not only monks who are legal. Think how strict the Armed Forces are. Even though the United States is so democratic, once you are in the military service, even the length of your hair is regulated. You have a precise time to get up and get your bed made, and you must keep all your belongings in order. This strict treatment has improved the character of many sloppy, young men.
I do not want you to become like a monk or a nun; just be a proper person. Do not get to bed too late. Get up and get dressed at an early hour. Make your bed, then pray and read the Word. Keep all your books in order. Keep all your clothes in their right place. Do not leave dirty clothes around. Put your shoes where they belong. Every room in your house must be neat. Even your yard, including the part by the street, should have a well-kept appearance.
Our testimony as Christians must be that we are people of the highest caliber. We are the witnesses of the Lord Jesus. Do you think we can be both sloppy and spiritual? In God’s creation everything is in good order. We do not want to live in the fallen situation of the worldlings. From my observation of over fifty years, I can state that everyone ever used by the Lord has been one who is strict with himself.
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