For this reason, I want to consider this matter in a more definite way so that we may have definite experiences. We do not want to experience Christ in a vague and abstract way. Often our talk about the enjoyment of Christ, the living of Christ, and the expression of Christ are just vague words. There is the lack of definite expressions. Concerning this matter, although the record of the New Testament gives us the revelation and the teaching, it does not give us too many examples. This is why these matters become all the more mysterious. When we read about them, though we may touch something, it is difficult to understand or to get into the experience because of the lack of examples.
When the Lord Jesus was on the earth, He told the disciples, "I have yet many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. But when He, the Spirit of reality, comes, He will guide you into all the reality" (John 16:12-13). Hence, the main thing is not the examples. What is needed is the Spirit of reality. Only by the Spirit of reality can we have real experiences of Christ. Therefore, in the third message, we will talk about the mysterious organism, and in the fourth message, we will talk about the mysterious law of the Spirit of life. Today, there is something within us that is organic. It is called a law. It is something that we should depend on and follow after. It is the most important key to our experience of Christ and the church.
In this additional word, I would like to remind you that we must have a definite pursuit of the riches of Christ and of His making home in our hearts. It is easy to say these words, but it is not simple to experience them. However, without the experience, they are but shallow and vague words. For example, Christ is light, and we can pursue Him in this item. We can say to the Lord, "Lord, in these days, I wish to pursue You as the light. May the eyes of my heart be enlightened, and may my spiritual sight be clearer, that I would know You and Your Body, and would have a deeper comprehension concerning all the secrets in Your Body." We may have heard of the mysteries in God’s New Testament economy, but we still need the vision. This is why Paul prayed for us in Ephesians 1, that the eyes of our heart would be enlightened to know the hope of His calling (v. 18). By chapter three, through the grace that God had given to him, he brought to light the dispensation of the mystery, which from the ages had been hidden in God who created all things (v. 9). Ephesians 5:14 says, "Awake, sleeper, and arise from among the dead, and Christ shall shine on you." All these words require our definite and concrete pursuit.
After we pursue in this way for a time, we can go on to pursue other things such as Christ as our life. This is an even deeper matter. In the past not many saints have pursued in this way. In the future, every one among us should pursue this way. Some should pursue Christ as light. Others should pursue Christ as life. Still others should pursue Christ as power or as wisdom. If we will all pursue Christ in such a definite way, the church life will be solid and rich. When anyone comes to the meeting, he or she will not share something vague only, but will be able to prophesy in a definite way. There will not only be the terminology but also the definite experiences. There will be the utterance as well as the reality.
Concerning the matter of Christ making home in our hearts, we also should have a definite pursuit. In my daily life, has Christ made home in my mind? Is my mind His proper habitation? Do I have further knowledge concerning Christ? Has my view been transformed concerning various matters? Is Christ in these views? We can say the same concerning our emotion, our will, and our conscience. We should no longer be general, and our speaking of the Lord’s word should no longer be vague. I think that we should make a distinction and have some discernment. We have to pursue in depth the matter of Christ making home in every part of our heart. Who is living in our mind and our will? Do we have Christ in our happiness, anger, sorrow, and joy? These are the kind of experiences we should have. They should be something that we can speak about.
When we pursue this way, we will become definite. I believe it will be very effective. This is why I feel that we should pursue further the matters covered in the book of Ephesians, so that we would have definite experiences and gain something real. We should have as much of this as possible. The more of these real items we have, the more solid, rich, and prosperous the church life will become. When we experience the riches of Christ item by item, Christ will make home in our hearts step by step. In this way, we will have definite and real experiences of Christ, and the Body of Christ will grow and be built up in a definite and real way.
(Spoken by Brother Witness Lee in Taipei on April 20, 1990)
(The Mysteries in God's New Testament Economy, Chapter 2, by Witness Lee)