MONEY
Now we come to the matter of finance, of money. It is not easy to create a financial condition which is profitable to the saints. It is always good not to bring the saints together in the matter of money. Money is a hard thing to handle. Do not think that just because we are brothers in the church life who love one another that it is all right for us to do business with one another. As an older brother among you, I would advise you not to have financial relationships with brothers. Do not get into a partnership with brothers and even the more with sisters. I want to warn you based upon my own experiences in the past.
If you help a brother get a loan from another brother, you must prepare yourself to pay that loan. If you are not prepared to pay that loan, keep your hands off. It is better to be spiritual. Tell the brother who wants the loan that you will pray for him. This brother may feel strongly that you can help him in this matter. Again I say, however, do not touch the matter of marriage and do not touch the matter of money. We should help the saints in a very profitable way, but with certain practical limitations. Even if we recommend a certain brother for a job, we must do it carefully. These are problems in human society.
We are regenerated and we love the Lord, but practical things still cause trouble. The biggest troubles in human society are sex, money, and business. If these three items were removed from human society, every country would be full of peace. None of the elders should touch these three things. Do not touch the matters of marriage, money, and business without caution. We must love our brothers. If we have the ability to help a certain brother, then we can give to him. Some of the churches have suffered in these matters already, but thank the Lord, not that much. The longer a church exists in a certain place, the greater the possibility there is that there would be involvement in these three matters. These matters can all become temptations to the elders.
IN TRUTH, IN LIFE, AND IN LOVE
As a leading one in the church, you should always move, act, and practice in truth, in life, and in love. This will be quite healthy. We must stay in these three things. We must realize that there are germs everywhere. Our physical body can easily get sick. Even while the fruits and vegetables are growing on the farm, the farmers try to find a way to protect the fruits and the vegetables from being corrupted or contaminated. In the church life it is the same way. The entire human society is thoroughly sick. There are germs everywhere. If we are careless and do not stand strictly in the truth, in life, and in love, it will be hard for us not to be contaminated. This is why we should pray much and always be careful and trembling in contacting the brothers and in helping them. Always learn to be fearful and trembling and to do things in truth, in life, and in love. Then you will be protected. This does not mean that we will not have any problems. Even a very healthy person can get sick with just a little carelessness. In order to keep ourselves healthy, we must be very careful all day. With just a little carelessness, we will get sick. All of us love the Lord, love His recovery, love the church life, and love all the saints, but do not think that merely to have a loving heart is sufficient. We must stick ourselves to truth, keep ourselves in love, and always help others in life. This is safe.
(Elders' Training, Book 04: Other Crucial Matters Concerning the Practice of the Lord's Recovery, Chapter 9, by Witness Lee)
