In chapter twenty-one of Acts we see a situation in which Paul was distracted from God’s New Testament economy. He was convinced by some in Jerusalem to return to the law and fulfill certain of its requirements. This took place after Paul had written the Epistles to the Romans and the Galatians. In those Epistles Paul spoke strongly against continuing to keep the law in the Old Testament manner.
After writing those books, Paul went to Jerusalem for the last time. Acts 21:18 says that Paul went in “to James, and all the elders were present.” According to verse 20, they pointed out to Paul “how many thousands there are among the Jews who have believed, and are all zealous for the law.” They had been instructed concerning Paul that he was “teaching all the Jews throughout the nations apostasy from Moses, telling them not to circumcise their children, nor to walk according to the customs” (v. 21). Then James and the others went on to give Paul this advice: “Therefore do what we tell you: Four men are with us who have a vow on themselves; take these and be purified with them, and pay their expenses that they may shave their heads; and all will know that there is nothing to the things of which they have been instructed concerning you, but that you yourself also walk orderly, keeping the law” (vv. 23-24).
Acts 21:18 does not say that Paul went in to see the elders and James was present. This verse says that Paul went in to James and the elders were present. This indicates that James was the central figure in the church in Jerusalem and that he exercised a strong influence.
How could James have become such a strong and central influence among the believers? It probably was because he was so godly and pious, and he emphasized practical Christian perfection. Nothing attracts people more than one’s perfection. Even one as spiritual as Paul was not as attractive as James in this regard. If James were with us today, no doubt we would be attracted by his Christian perfection.
As an illustration of how people are attracted to what they consider perfect, let me relate something Brother Nee told me in 1932. Brother Nee wore his hair a little longer than was customary among the Chinese at that time. One day he said to me, “Brother Lee, if I were to cut my hair shorter, more of the people would receive my ministry.” Because the Chinese people at the time were very conservative, they were not willing to accept anything they regarded as modern. To them, a gentleman should wear his hair quite short. Certain ones would have been open to receive Brother Nee’s ministry if he met their standard of perfection in this matter.
Christians are easily attracted to those who seem to practice Christian perfection. For example, suppose a certain brother is gentle, humble, and meek, and always speaks in a kind, loving way. Would you not be attracted to him? Would it not be easy for you to be influenced by him? I use this as an illustration to point out how people are attracted by perfection.
If we see that perfection attracts people, we shall be able to understand the nature of James’ influence in Jerusalem. James was godly, righteous, and, in a certain sense, holy. He certainly had a measure of practical Christian perfection. Nevertheless, with James we do not see the life of someone living in the kingdom of God.
In the entire New Testament there is only one person who lived fully, wholly, and absolutely according to the New Testament economy of God, and this person was the Lord Jesus.
When I was young, I was taught to take Jesus as my example and to follow Him. To a certain extent, I taught others to do the same thing. However, for years I wondered how we could take Jesus as our example and follow Him. Do you know how to take Jesus as your example? Do you know how to follow Him? When I asked certain Christian teachers and pastors about this, they pointed out that the Lord Jesus was gentle and that He was never angry.
Eventually I learned from reading the Scriptures that at least on one occasion the Lord Jesus was angry. This was the occasion when “He found in the temple those selling oxen and sheep and doves, and the moneychangers sitting there. And having made a whip of cords, He drove them all, both the sheep and the oxen, out of the temple, and He poured out the coins of the moneychangers and overturned the tables” (John 2:14-15). This made me question what I had been taught about the way to follow the Lord Jesus. I began to lose my trust in what I now realize is a natural understanding and teaching about taking Jesus as our example.
In the Gospel of Mark we see that the Lord Jesus did not live a life merely of human morality or of keeping the law. Instead, He lived God the Father as His life. This kind of living is much superior to a life of living the law or human morality.
God’s desire is that He be expressed from within us. He does not want to see us merely living a life that is moral or a life that is according to the law. He wants to see Himself expressed from within us as we take Him as our life and live Him. In Mark we have the portrait of a life not of the law nor merely of morality, but of the One who lived God and expressed Him.
In a forthcoming message we shall see that as the One who lived God and expressed Him, the Lord Jesus had God the Father as His inner divine essence, and God the Spirit outwardly as His power. He, therefore, lived His life by the divine essence that was within Him and by the divine power that was upon Him. This means that He lived a life of God. This kind of living is revealed in the Gospel of Mark.
All the while He was on earth, the Lord Jesus lived a life of God. With Him, the things of the Old Testament had passed away. His life was altogether new, for He had God the Father within Him and God the Spirit upon Him. His life, therefore, was absolutely related to God Himself and was fully according to God’s New Testament economy. Hallelujah for such a life! This life is the reality, substance, and pattern of God’s New Testament economy. It is the life that produces the members of Christ to form His Body to express the Triune God.