Certain religious teachers attempt to systematize the revelation in the New Testament. Under the influence of such systematic teachings, some suppose that since Christ is in the third heaven He cannot be elsewhere, particularly not in us. Nevertheless, the Bible says that Christ is both in the third heaven and in us as well (Rom. 8:34, 10). Furthermore, although Christ is in us already, He is coming. This means that He is both here now and He is coming. I cannot reconcile this. I simply believe both aspects because the New Testament reveals both.
Recently a young man approached me and asked if I believed that the Lord Jesus was at the right hand of God in the heavens. I assured him that I did. Then he asked me if I believed that the Lord had been resurrected with a body. I told him that I definitely believed this also. Then I encouraged him not to systematize the truth of God’s revelation in the New Testament. On the day of His resurrection, the Lord Jesus entered the room where the disciples were gathered. Although the doors were closed, He suddenly appeared in their midst. According to Luke 24:37, “They were terrified and affrighted, and supposed that they had seen a spirit.” The Lord said to them, “Behold my hands and my feet, that it is I myself: handle me, and see; for a spirit hath not flesh and bones, as ye see me have” (v. 39). Certainly the Lord in resurrection still had a physical body. How then was He able to enter that closed room? Instead of trying to explain this or to systematize it, we should simply believe the plain word of the Bible. The New Testament says that Christ is the life-giving Spirit indwelling our spirit. As such an indwelling One, He is spreading within us and saturating us with Himself, seeking the opportunity to come out through us. But the Bible also reveals that Christ is on the throne in the third heaven and that in His coming back He will descend to the earth. Instead of trying to reconcile the subjective aspect and the objective aspect of the Lord’s coming, let us simply believe both because both are revealed in the New Testament.
The problem many believers have is that they have been religiously indoctrinated regarding the objective aspect of the Lord’s coming, to the neglect of the subjective aspect. They pay their full attention to the Christ in heaven and firmly believe in His coming back. However, they neglect the fact of the indwelling Christ, perhaps not even realizing that Christ is now within them. As we are awaiting Christ’s coming back from the heavens, we need to enjoy Him inwardly. The Lord Jesus said, “Behold, I stand at the door and knock; if anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him and he with Me” (Rev. 3:20). The Lord’s word here indicates that He is here already. How we need to experience the living, subjective, indwelling Christ!
My burden is to minister such a Christ to the Lord’s people. It is not to teach the saints how to interpret the Bible. What is the use of knowing how to rightly interpret the Bible if we do not have a direct, precious, and intimate enjoyment of the living Christ? How we must fight the battle so that all the children of God may have such an enjoyment of the Lord! This is our need in the Lord’s recovery today.
Let us forget the ordinances and practices, and let us say, “O Lord Jesus, I have not realized how much I need to take You as my life and as my person. Lord, I open my being to You, and I take You as my life and as my person. I don’t care about my concepts concerning the way to practice the church life. I care only to have the living, intimate, and personal enjoyment of You.”
Regarding the church, we should have no intention of either imitating or of opposing. Our only aim should be to enjoy the living Person of Christ and to inwardly experience Him more and more. We should not be concerned about practices, methods, or ways. Consider as an illustration the various kinds of eating utensils. The Chinese use chopsticks, the Americans use a knife and fork, and the Indonesians may use their fingers. We should not be concerned about what we eat with, but only about what we eat. As long as people take the proper food into them, we should not be concerned whether they use chopsticks, a knife and fork, or their fingers. However, some may boast that the best way is to use a knife and fork. Spiritually speaking, we may do the same thing regarding the practice of the church life. We may be proud of our way, but we may not have any food on our plate. Let us not care for spiritual table manners; let us care only for spiritual eating. Many of us were starving for years because we cared only for manners, not for food. In so many religious groups everything is well-mannered and in excellent order, but there is no food for the Lord’s people to eat. Therefore, in His recovery today the Lord is recovering the food on the table, not the manner of eating the food.
In His economy God is not concerned about utensils. His concern is that we experience Christ’s sanctifying, cleansing, nourishing, and cherishing. Only as we experience Christ in such a way will He be able to present a glorious church to Himself. Praise Him that the process of this presentation is inwardly taking place day by day. May we all see that in His economy God cares not for forms or practices, but only for His dear Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. May we all receive mercy to experience and enjoy Him.