THE KESWICK CONVENTION AND OTHERS
In addition to him, there were others like Evan Hopkins of England and Theodore Monod of France. These ones, together with Smith in America, formed the so-called Keswick movement. In addition, there was Andrew Murray, a Dutchman. The raising up of these brothers set the general scene for the recovery. However, their recoveries were not complete. There were still recoveries of other minor parts. For example, we have the recovery of the hymns by Frances Ridley Havergal, and some other contributions by other writers.
THE RECOVERY OF THE CRUCIFIXION OF THE OLD MAN
During the last century, God enlightened men concerning the matter of consecration and its importance through the brothers we have mentioned. However, their revelations were not deep enough. Consecration is not simply a kind of exchange, in which we offer to God all we have and all we are, and we take back from Him what He has and what He is. Darby told others that consecration is based on the casting off of the man of flesh and the removal of this man. The goal of the gospel is not only to forgive the sinner’s sin, but to crucify the sinner. The gospel saves not merely by forgiving the sinner and delivering him from perdition, but by crucifying the sinner with the Lord. In preaching the gospel, we have to be careful. If we are not careful, we will easily preach the wrong thing. The gospel removes not only the sin in the flesh, but the person of the flesh. What goes to the heavens is the new man, and not the fleshly man. All spiritual lessons, including obedience and our service to the Lord, must be practiced in accordance with this principle. Even lessons as spiritual as those taught by Madame Guyon must be pursued according to the principle mentioned here by Darby.
Romans 7 says that we are dead to the law. This is why we can be married to Christ. Not only are our sins dead, but we ourselves are dead. If we were not dead, it would be unlawful and adulterous for us to be joined to Christ. If we are dead, we would not be our own person any longer, because the cross has removed our own person. Today there is no longer any need for this person to ask for forgiveness. Only a living person needs forgiveness; a dead person does not need forgiveness. The one who was dead in sin is the crucified old man, and the cross has removed this old man already. This was what Darby preached.
THE RECOVERY OF THE TRUTH OF THE CROSS
After this, we have Mrs. Penn-Lewis, who was raised up to preach the truth concerning the cross. She preached about the cross dealing with the old man. Her understanding was more advanced. Notwithstanding, today our understanding of the subject is more clear than that of Mrs. Penn-Lewis.
THE RECOVERY OF THE TRUTH OF RESURRECTION
After Mrs. Penn-Lewis, we have Mr. T. Austin-Sparks, who saw resurrection. We have been talking about resurrection for years, but we do not know what resurrection really is. Mrs. Penn-Lewis wrote two books about resurrection, but they are not very clear about the subject either. It was not until Brother T. Austin-Sparks wrote about resurrection in 1926 and published what he wrote in the Overcomer magazine that the world knew for the first time what resurrection is. When Miss Barber and I read his writings, we began to pay attention to this matter. Many people talk about resurrection, but they have not presented to others resurrection—the real thing itself. When Brother Sparks talked about resurrection, light came. He presented to others the very resurrection itself.
What is resurrection? It is life going into death and passing through death; in the process, what succumbs to death dies, and what cannot die comes out of death alive. This coming out of death is resurrection. Resurrection is anything that death cannot swallow up.
(Messages Given During the Resumption of Watchman Nee's Ministry (2 volume set), Chapter 43, by Watchman Nee/Witness Lee)
