UNBELIEF BEING THE GREATEST SIN
The greatest problem among God’s children today is that they cannot believe God’s Word. It is not that hard to ask them to let go. Since they have let go, it should be an easy thing for them to believe. Brothers and sisters, please come before the presence of the Lord. After you have let go, you should have the faith that you will get through.
A sister had let go completely and committed everything to the Lord. I asked her whether she had overcome, and she answered that she was not sure. I asked her why, and she said that she had not seen the results yet. I said to her bluntly, "You have committed the greatest sin that man can commit, the sin of unbelief. When you do not believe, it means that you are making God a liar. God has said that you are a branch and that if you let go, the Lord’s life will spontaneously flow out of you. However, you are saying that God has not delivered you even though you have let go. You are saying that you have fulfilled your part but God has not fulfilled His part." She denied that this was her intention. Then I told her, "You should say to the Lord, `I thank and praise You because You have given everything to me.’"
Brothers and sisters, please remember that when we believe in the Lord as our Head and our life and believe that we have received everything, everything is indeed ours. Once we believe, all problems are solved. Once we have faith, no obstacle can stop us from victory. Hallelujah! This is salvation. Our believing today is not a work but a substantiation of the facts. We believe that the Lord is the Head, that He lives in us, that He is our life, that He is the vine and we are the branches, and that He is overcoming for us. Once we believe, all the temptations will go away. Once we believe, the Lord will do everything for us. Thank and praise Him that He has done everything!
We have been meeting here for eight or nine days already. I would like to see what is going to happen to all of us. How many of us have let go? How many have not only let go but also believed? First, I would ask those who have let go to raise their hands. Now I would like those who have let go and also believed to raise their hands. There is not much difference between the number of those who raised their hands the first time and the number of those who raised their hands the second time. However, the second time there were a few less hands. Now I will say a little more about the matter of believing.
Brothers and sisters, please remember that God’s Word is trustworthy. We are not trusting our own experience. We are not believing our own feelings. We are believing God’s Word. God says that the Lord Jesus has not only become our righteousness on the cross, but that Christ has become our sanctification through living within us. Therefore, we can say that Christ is not only our righteousness but also our sanctification. We do not have to feel that Christ is our life, and we do not have to feel that Christ is our sanctification. We believe that He is our life and that He is our sanctification. God’s Word is reliable. When God says that Christ is our life, we also say that He is our life. When God says that Christ is our sanctification, we also say that He is our sanctification. When God says that Christ is our victory, we also say that He is our victory. Whatever God says, we believe.
In Chefoo I asked a sister whether or not she had let go, and she answered, "Yes, because God says that I am crucified with Christ." Next I asked her whether she had overcome, and she dared not say whether she had, because she was not sure. I told her frankly, "Sister, God says that Jesus Christ is your life, but you are saying that Jesus Christ may not be your life. God says that Jesus Christ is your sanctification, but you are saying that Jesus Christ may not be your sanctification. God says that His grace is sufficient for you, but you are saying that His grace may not be sufficient for you. Between you and God, one must be lying. Either God is wrong or you are wrong. Do you dare say that God is a liar? God says that Christ is your life, but you are saying that Christ may not be your life. God says that Christ is your sanctification, but you are saying that Christ may not be your sanctification. Are you not saying that God’s Word is untrustworthy?" By then, her expression had changed, and she replied immediately, "I do not mean that. I do believe God’s Word." Brothers and sisters, if you are still doubting, and if you still wonder whether Christ is your life and whether He is your sanctification, this is not a small thing. I can tell you bluntly that you are making God a liar!
I once talked briefly to a sister in Chefoo before a meeting. Because the time of the meeting was approaching, I asked her quickly whether she had let go. She told me that she had. I then asked whether she had overcome, and she said that she had not but that she knew what her problem was and that it was not a big problem. I realized that I had to go in a few minutes, and I prayed for God to give me the wisdom to say something to her. I said, "You smiled and said casually that you do not have faith. But in God’s sight, this is a great sin. It is a great sin to not believe God’s Word. God says that Christ is your life and that He is your sanctification. He says that Christ is your victory and that His grace is sufficient for you. But you cannot believe, and you even think lightly of it and brush it away with a smile. Sister, I must tell you that you have committed a great sin! You have to go to the Lord and say, `God, I have not believed Your Word; I have sinned against You. Please forgive me, and remove my evil heart of unbelief. Please remove this sin from me.’"
Some do not believe, but they are still smiling. They think that unbelief is not a great thing. Actually, this is a great sin. This sin is more serious than the sin of adultery or murder. We have to say to God, "Forgive me, for I have sinned against You. Lord, remove my evil heart of unbelief." If we call this unbelief a sin, we will get through. Our faith is based on God’s Word. How wonderful is 2 Corinthians 12:9, which says, "My grace is sufficient for you"! How wonderful is 1 Corinthians 1:30, which says, "Christ Jesus...became wisdom to us from God: both righteousness and sanctification and redemption"! How wonderful is Colossians 3:4, which says, "Christ [is] our life"! If we grasp hold of God’s Word and believe His Word, all will be well. Even if we have only one verse of the Scripture or one word from the Lord, we will have the assurance, and we will overcome.
(Collected Works of Watchman Nee, The (Set 2) Vol. 24: The Overcoming Life, Chapter 8, by Watchman Nee)
