How much we are related to the other members is not only a proof of how much we have been built up, but it is also a test of how much we have been transformed, because the more we are transformed, the more we will be united with and related to others. For example, suppose that an American brother and a Chinese brother are placed together. In the natural man it is impossible for these two brothers to be related. After one day of being together the American brother will no longer be able to go along with the Chinese brother, and the Chinese brother will no longer be able to go along with the American brother. How then can these two brothers be related as one? You may answer, “In Christ.” Yes, but both these brothers are already in Christ. They are both already in Christ, but one is in Christ with a Chinese mind, and the other is in Christ with an American mind. Thus, the only way for these two brothers to be related as one is to be transformed. Both of their minds must be transformed. The more these brothers are mutually transformed, the more they will be united together. Through transformation, these two brothers will grow together. Sometimes we see a brother who is very peculiar. I tell you, we can never be related to others as long as we are peculiar. To be related to others, we all have to be normal brothers and sisters—normal to the extent that there is nothing special about us. How can we become such normal Christians? The only way is to be transformed.
How then can we be transformed? The way to be transformed is to be renewed. The first thing that must be renewed is our mind. Our mind is the biggest trouble-maker. In addition, we must also be renewed in our emotion and will. If I remain in my natural emotions, I will seem very peculiar to you, and after not too long a time I will no longer be able to go along with the brothers. Sometimes we see a brother who is very dear, yet we dare not commit ourselves to him because we realize that he is still so natural in his emotions. He is so good, nice, lovely, and even dear, but he has not yet been transformed in his emotions. Thus, we all must be transformed by being renewed in our mind, emotion, and will.
There is only one thing that lasts. The only thing that can last even into eternity is the Spirit. In China there is a group of co-workers who have been working together for more than thirty years. For thirty years we have been related together, especially with Brother Watchman Nee. The reason we have been able to stay related and to work together so closely for over thirty years is that we all have been learning not to go along with our mind, our emotion, or our will. We go along only with the Spirit. Over these years we all have been learning to be transformed. Without the grace of the Lord I would have split with the co-workers many years ago. Over the years there have been troubles, difficulties, and hard times, but our relatedness has been kept by our learning to go along with the Spirit. Many times, quite a number of us were together, and in tears we each told the Lord, “Lord, I have to go along with You. I just have to go along. I am suffering in my emotions, and I am suffering in my will, yet I have to go along with You in the Spirit.” You and I can never be related in the mind, emotion, and will. We can be related only in the Spirit. The Spirit must overrule and govern the mind, emotion, and will; that is, our mind, emotion, and will must be under the control of the Spirit. When I am not happy in my emotions with another dear co-worker, what should I do? Should I just go along with my emotions? I should not. Instead, I should subdue my emotions under the control of the Spirit so that the Spirit will be a spirit of the emotions, a spirit overruling the emotions, a spirit governing the emotions. Then I will be transformed by the renewing of the emotions. My emotions will become spiritual. They will be emotions under the control of the Spirit. I repeat, the only thing that is long-lasting is the Spirit. You must believe me. Our friendship must be in the Spirit so that it can last for eternity. If it is just in the emotions, then our friendship will never last. Our relatedness must also be something in the Spirit. Thus, we all have to be transformed by the renewing of our whole being through the Holy Spirit.
The way to be transformed by the renewing of our mind, emotion, and will is to drink the Spirit. There are two aspects to our experience of the Spirit (1 Cor. 12:13). The first aspect is to be baptized into the Spirit, just as we were baptized into water. The second aspect is to drink the Spirit. To be baptized into the Spirit is something outward, whereas to drink the Spirit is something inward. When you drink a glass of milk, it saturates your being. In the same way, when you drink the Spirit, the Spirit saturates you. What does it mean to be saturated? To be saturated simply means to be transformed. Thus, we have to drink of the Holy Spirit day by day so that He will saturate our whole being, and in so doing, He will transform our whole being.
This saturating of the Spirit will keep us related, and the more we are saturated with the Spirit, the more we will be related. As a result, we will realize the Body life, the church life. This is not merely some sort of doctrine or teaching. We all need to see something regarding the real life of the Body and regarding our need to be transformed by the renewing of the natural man through the Holy Spirit, of whom we are drinking day by day. In order to realize the real life of the Body, we have to be baptized by the Holy Spirit and to drink of this one Spirit. The more we drink of Him, the more we will be saturated with Him, transformed by Him; and the more we are transformed by Him, the more we will be related together and realize the real life of the Body of Christ.