REVELATION ON THE CHURCH
Paul tells us that God has revealed the mystery of Christ to us in spirit (Eph. 3:4-5). In Ephesians it is the church that is referred to as the mystery of Christ. Christ is the mystery of God (Col. 2:2), since God is embodied in Him. Because Christ is realized in the church, the church is the mystery of Christ. Without a revelation in our spirit, we cannot know the church. There are countless Christians to whom the church remains a mystery; they do not know how to look to the Lord through their spirit. The mystery is revealed only in spirit.
A PURE HEART AND SINGLE MOTIVE
Our heart is like an envelope, containing the spirit (1 Pet. 3:4). To have a transparent spirit to see God’s revelation, we must have our heart thoroughly dealt with. “Lord, purify my heart. Not only cleanse it, but purify it from any covering. Make my motive single, that my only concern may be to see You, to see Your recovery, and to see the mystery.”
Without a pure heart and a single motive, our view of things is foggy. Our vision of the church may be like a rainbow, disappearing from sight after a while! The problem with seeing is not in our spirit. The problem has to do with the “envelope” in which our spirit is wrapped. Our heart may not be pure; we may be motivated by hidden desires for rank or status.
Pray that the Lord may do this purifying work in you. Then you will be steady in seeing the revelation. The mystery of Christ, which is the church, will be revealed to your spirit.
SUBTRACTING
Christians are not secular, worldly people. As children of God and members of Christ, we must learn to “subtract” how we feel in our mind, emotion, will, and heart and take care of our spirit. When we are all set to quarrel with a brother, do these four subtractions! The wish to quarrel will be gone, and the spirit will come out. We should not be people in our mind, emotion, or will. Our mind may be shrewd, but subtract it! Our emotions may be strong, but do not live in them! Our will may be set, but turn from it!
Whatever confronts us—things great or small, good or bad, right or wrong—we need to be in our spirit. Remain there. “Abide in Me” (John 15:4). This wonderful “Me” is right in our spirit. To abide in Him that is where we must be. Stay there. If you have moved out, move back in.
GOD PLEASED
God is happy when He sees that we remain in our spirit. Our spirit is our hope. It is our home. It is our country. There is no place else we should be. Hallelujah for this wonderful home in which we can stay! If we want to please the Lord, we must be sure He always finds us here.
(Life Messages, Vol. 1 (#1-41), Chapter 36, by Witness Lee)
