GOD DESIRING THAT ALL THE PEOPLE OF JEHOVAH BE PROPHETS
Having the Full Knowledge of the Truth
How do we speak for God? To speak for God, we need to have the full knowledge of the word of God (1 Tim. 2:4). Today the main reason that Christians cannot speak for God is that they do not understand the word of God. Therefore, we need to learn to understand the word of God; then we will be able to speak for God.
Letting the Word of Christ Dwell in Us Richly
Next, we have to let the word of Christ dwell in us richly (Col. 3:16). The words let and dwell are strong words in Greek. It is not just to store the words of Christ richly in us, as the Chinese Union Version says. Here, the word of Christ is considered a living person; the word of Christ is the personified word. If we just let the word be stored in us, the word does not have to be a person. However, if we want to let the word dwell in us, the word must be a person. This is why Colossians says that we have to let the word of Christ dwell in us richly. He is waiting for us to let Him, and He wants to dwell in us; in this way we have the word of the Lord in us.
Being Experienced in God’s Word of Righteousness
Furthermore, we need to be experienced in God’s word of righteousness (Heb. 5:13-14). In the book of Hebrews, the shallow word of God is called “the word of the beginning of Christ” (6:1); God’s word of righteousness is deeper and more mystical. We all need to be experienced in the deeper word of God so that when needed we may have the words with which to speak for God.
Speaking the Word of God in Season and out of Season
Finally, Paul told Timothy to proclaim the word, to speak for God, in season and out of season (2 Tim. 4:2).
THE WORD OF GOD GROWING, MULTIPLYING, AND BECOMING STRONG
What we should emphasize after the changing of the system is teaching the saints the truth according to a certain line of lessons. At the same time, we hope that at the end of every Lord’s table and every prayer meeting, we could reserve half an hour to speak a portion of God’s word. In this way, every week, besides the formal learning of the truth, we will also have the two periods of time, after the prayer meeting and the Lord’s table, to learn the truth. The food that the Lord has given us is so rich. The twenty-seven books of the New Testament in particular have all been interpreted for us, and the truths are quite clear. Therefore, this matter would not be too difficult.
For example, a church may be divided into four places for meetings, and each place may have two brothers who are responsible specifically to prepare for the speaking after the Lord’s table. They should pray and consider one of the twenty-seven books of the New Testament, and if they think that the book of Ephesians is fitting, then they should first read through the six chapters of Ephesians and see which chapter or which portion they should speak. If they do not have enough burden, then they should go and read the footnotes and the Life-study of the New Testament from which they could surely find a portion or two which are fitting. If they can find five or six pages of material, that would be sufficient.
It is best to announce at the Lord’s table what will be read the next Lord’s Day and to ask the saints to bring the Life-studies. However, it is not enough to merely read. You have to speak while reading, but do not speak too much; it is sufficient just to point out a few things. Not only one person, but everyone can read and point out certain points. First read a few verses, then pray-read them, and then read a few paragraphs of explanation. In this way I believe that everyone will be satisfied. There are fifty-two weeks in a year, and every week we could have two such meetings, so altogether there would be one hundred and four meetings a year. In this way the saints would be able to hear the Lord’s words of life and to receive nourishment from them.
Almost everywhere in the world there is the custom of resting from work on the Lord’s Day; everyone has a day of vacation and rest. Therefore, we have to utilize the Lord’s Day morning to diligently work on the truth, speak the truth, and teach the truth. If possible, on the Lord’s Day morning we should have not only one kind of meeting, but three or four kinds of meetings at the same time—one that is not too deep, another one that is little deeper, and still another that is even deeper. We must have all kinds of meetings. At present we are still in the process of research, and I hope that after the changing of the system we could strictly put these things into practice so that the saints may receive the teaching. In this way, after three to five years the saints among us will have made great progress in knowing, speaking, and explaining the truth. Everyone will be able to speak for God, speaking every day and speaking everywhere, in season and out of season; they will be able to speak at any time and in any place.
Today the whole world is in a spiritual drought; every place is lacking the word of God and the truth of God. If we depend only on the preachers to speak and minister the word, the word will be very limited and very restricted. What we need today is for all the saints to speak the word of God. If we all speak, in the end the word of God will grow and multiply greatly and will also become strong (Acts 6:7; 12:24; 19:20).
(Speaking for God, Chapter 3, by Witness Lee)
