Many newly saved ones, due to the freshness of life, are quite accurate in their consciousness about sin. On the contrary, many who have been Christians for years are mixed up and frequently lead others down the wrong path. We all know that the skin of the soles of our feet is hardened and thickened through much walking and consequently becomes insensitive. The skin of infants is soft and thus very sensitive. There are some who love the Lord and are constantly dealt with by Him. Such ones do not have a “hardened, thickened skin.” On the contrary, they have become “rejuvenated” within. This means that they have become experienced. Having been dealt with and broken before God, they have become soft. We may meet such a one and ask him, “Yesterday morning after praying, I did not have the peace to wear this clothing. What shall I do?” Because he is an experienced person before the Lord, instead of lying to you, he will say, “Since you do not have the peace, then you should not wear it.” He will not reason or argue.
However, some will reason or argue on behalf of others. Some long-time Christians apparently have no big mistakes in their life, but because their fellowship with the Lord has been broken, they do not care about God at all. If such a Christian would hear our question, he would say, “What is wrong with this? This clothing is quite elegant. Why should you feel uncomfortable wearing it?” Although he is saved, there is a problem with his fellowship with the Lord. If we act according to his words, we will be led astray. If we wear that clothing, no one would criticize us and say that we are wrong, nor would anyone condemn us according to the teachings of the entire Bible. Nevertheless, we have made a mistake, not in violation of a regulation but in violation of a basic principle. Why is this? This is because we Christians must take our inner sense as the starting point. Strictly speaking, everything we do must originate from our innermost part. For example, Brother Hwang asked me if it is all right to enter into a business partnership with another brother. If I am experienced before God and if I fear Him, I will not make a decision for him. Rather, I will remind him and say, “Have you gone before God to pray about this matter? Have you sought for an answer before Him? Have you fellowshipped with Him? Do you have any sense in your innermost part?”
A certain brother came and talked to me about his marriage, asking, “What is the proper way to have a Christian wedding?” I said, “Whenever I watch a wedding being held in the assembly hall of the church in Taipei, it is as if I am looking at a condition of leprosy. Some unclean things which are condemned before God are manifested there. The whole situation makes me feel very uncomfortable. The guests all desire to bless the new couple, but the way the bride walks down the aisle and the way she adorns herself have completely canceled out God’s blessing and God’s presence.” Nothing is more sensitive than the sense in our spirit. If a person does not have a cold, his sense of smell is very keen. He can smell the aroma of any fragrant thing around him. Likewise, he can smell the stench of any odorous thing nearby. The sense of the human spirit, however, is the most sensitive of all. Even our insight is not as keen as our spirit. The most sensitive part in us is our human spirit. It is not necessary to tell others whether we have prayed or not. They know our situation immediately after they come into contact with us. Therefore, I said to that brother, “I have offended all those who were married in the Taipei meeting hall by saying that nearly all the weddings held there were expressions of leprosy. But I believe that the God whom I serve condemns likewise.”
Concerning our past practices, I do not dare to say anything good or bad in order to influence others, but I dare say that there is neither God’s blessing nor God’s presence. I told that brother, “Concerning your wedding, I cannot tell you what to do, but you know what you should do. If a person has been suffering from a temperature of 104 degrees Fahrenheit, is there any use to tell him not to also have a temperature of 104 degrees about his wedding? Whatever you say will be futile. If someone wants to be leprous, let him be, because no one will be able to hold him back.” Then the brother said, “That is wrong.” However, this is not merely an issue of right or wrong; rather, it is a situation which is outside God and in which there is no contact with God. As a rule, a good wedding meeting is a meeting in which we have a feast together with the Lord. A wedding in God is a wedding with His special presence. The wedding meetings in the past, however, were devoid of the Lord’s presence. Finally, I told the brother that the two persons who are to be married must go before God to pray and then do according to what they sense in their prayer. In any case, they should do everything according to the sense of peace in their innermost part.
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