If we sincerely desire to take Christ as our life and as our person, we must let go of our ordinances. For example, we should not have an ordinance about hair styles. Rather, we should contact the Lord concerning this and pray, “Lord Jesus, I am one of Your members. What kind of haircut do You want to have? I don’t care for any way of worship or living, and I am not concerned about customs or habits. Lord, I only care that You be my life and my person.” Spontaneously the living Lord Jesus will let you know how you should cut your hair. Then you simply act according to what He shows you. This is not an ordinance; it is a practical experience of taking Christ as your person.
Our need today is not doctrinal knowledge, but the practical and daily experience of taking Christ as our person. In 1970 we first began to speak of the church as the new man. At that time we pointed out that in order to have the church in the aspect of the new man, we need to take Christ as our person. Since that time, there has been much talk about the new man and about taking Christ as our person. Even some good hymns have been written along this line. But according to my observation, there is little reality among us of actually taking Christ as our person. We should not be satisfied if others regard us as good people. We must be those who take Christ as our person. May we all go to the Lord and have a thorough transaction with Him concerning all the details of our daily living.
In many respects we are still quite religious. Even the way we preach the gospel and help others to be saved may be carried out in a religious way. We may tell people that they are sinful and that Christ died on the cross for their sins. We may go on to say that if they believe in Him, they will be forgiven, justified, saved, and made ready for heaven. In a sense such gospel preaching is good, fundamental, and even scriptural. However, it may be religious. The important factor in the preaching of the gospel is to help people open to the Lord Jesus and take Him into them. Even if a person has no concept of forgiveness, justification, or heaven, he will have the reality of all these if he takes Christ into him. When we have Christ, we have forgiveness, redemption, justification, salvation, and sanctification.
God’s purpose is not simply to forgive our sins, to justify us, and then to carry us away to heaven. His intention is to work Christ into us. Before the foundation of the world, He chose us in Christ and put a mark on us. Then, in time, He called us. When God called us, His desire was that we focus our attention not on forgiveness or justification, but on receiving His dear Son into us. As long as Christ is living in us, we shall have no problem with forgiveness, justification, salvation, or heaven.
Only by having Christ in us can we become part of the Body of Christ. It is Christ alone who constitutes us a part of Himself. For this, forgiveness, justification, and sanctification are not sufficient. May the Lord grant that we may see that we have not only been forgiven, justified, saved, and sanctified, but also re-created in Christ and with Christ.
Because I have had experience with various kinds of Christianity, including fundamental, Pentecostal, and inner life Christianity, I am familiar with many different religious practices. I can testify that today I am not for any practice, but only for taking Christ as my person in a genuine and living way. My desire is to help others receive and experience the living Christ. He is not a form, religion, regulation, ordinance, or practice—He is the living Spirit. Our need is simply to open to Him and to take Him into us.