Amazing Grace (8 page)

Jesus ascended to a higher place: the mountain summit. If
we see Him as the Christ of God, this will be revelation. When Jesus was transfigured
atop the mount, He revealed His true self. There the three disciples recognized
His true inward identity. They also saw Moses and Elijah with Jesus. Peter was
one who liked to speak. Let us acknowledge that there are many descendants of
Peter today; indeed, in the church there are many who like to speak. In
speaking as he did on this occasion, Peter did not know what he was saying. Yet
he could not keep quiet under such great revelation. On the one hand he saw the
true image of Jesus as Christ the Son of God, and on the other hand he also saw
the most important figures in Judaism; in such a situation as that, how
could
this disciple of Jesus remain
quiet? So Peter suggested to his Master to allow him to build three tabernacles:
one for Thee, of course, but also one for Moses and one for Elijah (Mark 9:5b).
In Peter’s mind Jesus was the greatest of the three, so naturally He should
have the first place. After Him there were the second and third positions. So
let them
be
given tabernacles as well.
 
To all this the Gospel writer’s comment was
that Peter “knew not what to answer” (v. 6a).

We Christians know, of course, that Moses represents law;
and Elijah, the prophets. According to Peter’s mindset Jesus the Christ was the
center, but both law and prophet also had their places. Yet God did not think
so, for such understanding would destroy the faith of future believers in
Christ. Consequently, God in heaven immediately expressed His thought, for He instantly
overshadowed the three disciples with a cloud and also dismissed Moses and
Elijah. So that when the disciples looked about, they saw only Jesus. At the
same time they heard a voice from heaven, saying, “This is my beloved Son: hear
ye him” (vv. 7-8). In so many words God was telling them that this was no time
for them to speak but only to hear—not what they might wish to suggest but what
His beloved Son would be moved to say; therefore, hear Him.

To be a Christian is by inwardly recognizing who Jesus
Christ truly is; it is certainly not by knowing the law and the prophets. For, firstly,
law calls for outward regulation: it is that which is written on stones: it
tells people what to do and what not to do and establishes an outward standard
of right and wrong. Many Christians sense the leading of the Holy Spirit but
they have not learned how to obey His leading. Instead, they follow what men
say is right or wrong. Perhaps these Christians do see what the Bible says as
to what is right or wrong, but they do not have inward revelation and thus have
not learned how to follow the guidance of the Holy Spirit.

A brother once asked me: “If I am to do a certain thing, please
tell me what the teaching of the Bible is.” I answered him in the name of the
Lord with these words: “If you do not know the Bible’s teaching on a particular
matter, do you not have other means by which to know God’s will?” During the
Old Testament period there were only written rules void of any leading of the
Holy Spirit within them. In the present New Testament period, however, we have
the Holy Spirit indwelling us to lead us into doing God’s will. In comparing today’s
New Testament era with that of the Old Testament we can say that whereas the
Holy Spirit is living, the law is dead. It is highly harmful to one’s spiritual
life if a person sees only rules and lacks the inward guidance of the Holy
Spirit. In Old Testament times God’s people had only the Judaic Scriptures
without possession of the Holy Spirit within; but in our current New Testament
era we also have the indwelling Holy Spirit who tells us what is right and what
is wrong.

Today if anyone should look solely to the teaching of the
Bible without also experiencing the Holy Spirit’s guidance in relation to its
teaching, that person is still living under the Old Testament dispensation and
not under that of the New Testament. I am not in any sense despising the Bible;
rather, what I am trying to say here is that while the Bible is without doubt most
precious, it cannot be superior to the work of the Holy Spirit within the
believer. In fact, if the New Testament is superior to the Old Testament, which
it is, then the Holy Spirit surpasses the Bible. Some Christians deem the not
keeping of the Ten Commandments to be against the law. They do not realize that
the law is only a principle, apart from which it does nothing further. Yes, it
tells us yea and nay, but nothing more. I would here declare that the Bible is indeed
a most precious book, but it cannot be a substitute for the Holy Spirit nor is it
the only standard against which a given action is to be judged as being right or
wrong. The Bible is essential, but Bible truth must be supported by the leading
of the Holy Spirit in relation to that truth.

Once a brother who
fellowshiped
with us talked about baptism with another brother who happened to be in the
denominations.
I would have to say that this brother of ours acted as
though he were a member of the Baptist Church, since he talked about nothing
but water baptism. He was able to convince that other brother regarding baptism
by immersion. So he brought that other brother to my dwelling place and asked
me to baptize him. I therefore asked that other brother why he wanted to be
baptized. He said it was because he now saw that the Bible teaches immersion,
not sprinkling. I then asked if he had prayed about it or had been led by the
Holy Spirit in coming to his decision. His answer was, “The Bible says immersion;
hence, I want to be immersed.” I said to him: “You must go home. I am not going
to baptize you because you have not received any revelation on this matter.” This,
then, is an example of following law.

Brethren today must realize that we are here not only to
help people obey the Bible but also obey Bible truth through the Holy Spirit. I
am not in any way denigrating the Bible. I simply maintain that to the Bible
must be added the work of the Holy Spirit in the believer. For the Bible void
of the Holy Spirit is the law. What is needed today is not law but having the
living Christ dwelling in us in order that we might have His leading by means
of God’s Spirit. The Bible is not just law, though many do consider it as simply
law—as
the
standard for determining
whatever is right or wrong. This is a matter of life and death, and is the
difference between Judaism and Christianity. If we be unclear of this difference,
how can we expect a great revival, for example, in the Chinese south sea area
such as Singapore, the Philippines, and so forth?

Serving in the house of a medical doctor in Chefoo there
was a maid. Once she came to Shanghai and got saved. She noticed that sisters
had head coverings. She asked why and was told that it was done in obedience to
the teaching of the Bible. Upon hearing this she began wearing a head covering
as other sisters were doing. When she returned home she did the same; so her Christian
mistress asked her why. She really did not know why, so she simply answered
that the Bible taught head covering, and because the other sisters had their heads
covered, she also did the same. Other than that, she knew nothing more. One day
I came to this new sister’s Chefoo home, and her mistress told me the story of
her maid’s head covering. I requested to have her brought to me immediately.
She came, and I told her the following: “I am a representative of the church in
Shanghai, and I wish to tell you that you should not have your head covered for
the reason you stated because we do not have any sister who observes head
covering for the reason you have explained. For the basis of your practice of head
covering is law.”

Let us be clear on this, which is, that outside rules and
regulations can turn the most spiritual text—the Bible—into a deadening book of
law. One day God had said to Peter, “Listen to My Son; never mind the law and
the prophets.” What God had told Peter He also tells the whole church. Thank
God! Christ Jesus lives not only in
heaven,
He also lives
today in you and me. We do not listen to law
alone,
we
should also listen to the leading of the living Christ in relation to that law.

We must now address the matter of the Old Testament
prophets as represented by Elijah, who had also appeared on the mount with
Jesus. Law is dead rule whereas prophets are living persons. Law cannot be put
forth as the standard for every human act, word, movement or expression of
behavior. You cannot find in the law that which is to govern what I am going to
eat this evening, whether that
be
rice or congee or
something else. Nor can it define how the church here in Singapore should meet.
You cannot find these matters being determined in the law, since its coverage is
limited. What the law has regulated is good, yet it is comprised of no additional
rules for governing many other matters. That is why during the Old Testament
era, there was not only dead law but also living prophets. For concerning whatever
matter or issue which could not be found in the law you asked the prophets to
inquire of God about on your behalf. The prophets were remedial agents who
could and did fill up what was lacking in the law. You could not ask God
yourself but you could request the prophet to ask Him for you. And then the
prophet would relate to you what God had said.

Permit me to say that simply to be relieved or released from
the Ten Commandments does not constitute being liberated from the law, since
all outward regulations fall within the scope of the law. On the other hand, whatever
command comes forth from the mouth emanates from the prophet. Back then, you yourself
did not inwardly know God’s will, so you asked the prophet to inquire for you.
Thank God, not only the representative of the law—Moses—must be dismissed, even
the prophets—as represented by Elijah—had to be dismissed, too. On the Mount of
Revelation, not just Moses had to depart but even Elijah also had to disappear
from the scene. As we have seen, the work of a prophet back then had been,
among other responsibilities, that of seeking God’s will for others. But the
era of both the law and the prophets has now passed away. Today, with the
prophets having been dismissed, we Christians cannot depend upon others to seek
God for ourselves.

What is the New Covenant or Testament? “The earth shall
be full of the knowledge of Jehovah” (Isaiah 11:9b). You yourself can approach
God and ask of Him directly. There is no need for the believer to consult his neighbor
or seek out the prophet, for each and every person can now know God’s will
directly (see Jeremiah 31:33-34, Hebrews 8:10-11). I have received many letters
in the past year asking me for guidance about many matters. It is as though
these letter-writers are saying, We have Mr. Nee as our prophet, so we need not
go and inquire of God directly; let Watchman Nee tell us God’s thought and will
after he has inquired of Him. Brethren need to recognize that such behavior is of
the Old Covenant way of seeking out a prophet. It is not the New Covenant way.

Nevertheless, having said this, does it mean that you do
not need to listen to another brother’s word? No. People in the Old Testament period
listened solely to their prophets, whereas Christians in our New Testament time
not only are to listen to their brethren but are also to add in the guidance of
the Holy Spirit. What I said a moment ago does not mean you are not to hear our
brother or sister nor search the Scriptures; rather, it calls you not only to
do those things but also to add in the guidance of the Holy Spirit concerning
those things. Thank God that Moses and Elijah are indeed gone. You do not need
anyone to tell you what God’s will is, for you can know it in yourself: the
Holy Spirit in you will tell you whether you should do this or not do that,
whether you should go here and not there, think this or not think that, say
this or not say that.

Formerly, I could not understand why Paul insisted on
going to Jerusalem (see Acts 21:4, 10-14). A number of people tried to hinder
him from going, yet he still went. Why did he insist on going? I now know that Paul
had decided to go in order to preserve the way of the New Covenant. For
according to the New Covenant, no one is to be your prophet. True, brothers and
sisters may be moved by the Holy Spirit and prophesy concerning you, but some
of those brethren back then had no need to tell Paul, since he himself also knew
God’s will in the matter. Those people were too active in the matter, for they
tried to be prophets to Paul. But Paul ignored them and went to Jerusalem as
was called for by God. Should Paul have listened to them, what would have happened
to the record of the Bible? Instead, Paul went forth, having been willing to sacrifice
himself in order to preserve the New Covenant principle and to inform us that
today the time of the law and the prophets has passed away.

In our Christian faith there is only the Son of God. We
cannot add in law and prophet. Christ the Lord in us causes us to know what we
must do or not do. When people ask me for my advice or opinion about matters, I
always respond by telling them to ask themselves. Each and every saved person
can know God’s will in himself or herself. Should our thoughts and emotions be
confused, we will not be able to hear the Lord’s voice nor
the
Spirit’s
leading. But if we are pure in heart, we shall see God and know
His mind (see Matthew 5:8). In any case, let us remember that as a Christian we
should hear the Lord Jesus and receive revelation from God directly. We must
not add in law and prophet. May God lead us in learning a most essential lesson
here.
First and foremost, let us each receive
revelation directly from God himself in Christ by His Holy Spirit, and proceed
to know and carry out His will. This, then, is a living covenant which we have,
not a dead one.
[††]