Section one talks in Foochow, September 1947
The mercy of God
Date: September 5, 1947Place: Foochow, Fukien
Everything depending on the mercy of God
When we read Romans 9, we have to pay attention both to its principle and to its application. This chapter reveals the principle that everything depends on God’s mercy. The apostle applies this principle to the Israelites. He shows us that everything that happened to the Israelites was of God’s mercy. Not only do we need to pay attention to the application today, but we also need to pay attention to the principle behind the application.
Romans 9:16 says that “it is not of him who wills, nor of him who runs, but of God who shows mercy.” Zeal and pursuit are of no use. Neither is the absence of zeal and pursuit of any use. Waiting too long, not waiting long enough, being too quick, or not being too quick — none of these is of any use. Being in one place or another, hearing much or hearing little — none of these is of any use either. Everything depends on the mercy of God. Only the Holy Spirit is able to lead men to a proper standing. There must be at least one time that a person sees God’s mercy. Concerning this matter, our eyes must be opened at least once. Of course, it is good if our eyes can be opened more than once. But there must at least be one time when we see that everything depends on God’s mercy. Whether we see this matter all at once or realize it through a process, the minute we touch this matter, we touch the fact — not a feeling, but the fact that everything depends on God’s mercy.
God’s mercy is a fact. A fact is not dependent on feeling. Take the matter of regeneration as an example. We often tell sinners that they must have a one-time definite experience of repentance and believing in the Lord. To believers, we say that they must have a one-time definite consecration of themselves to the Lord. It is the same in principle in regard to man’s understanding of God’s mercy. There must be at least one time when a person definitely touches God’s mercy.
The need to deal with the mind, the emotion, and the will — being tempered under the discipline of the spirit
Three kinds of people need God’s dealings: those who are strong in their will, those who are strong in their emotion, and those who are strong in their mind. Many people are controlled by these three conditions. These three things must experience God’s breaking. God deals with man’s strong points more than He deals with his weak points. Man’s strong points often hinder him from spiritual progress even more than his weak points. Unless a man is dealt with in these three areas, he cannot know God’s mercy.
After a man has been dealt with by God, he will be tempered in his spiritual life. In many things it is inappropriate to be either too much or too little. Some people wait too long, while others do not wait long enough. All these require tempering. Some people are not strong enough in their inner man; their outer man is too strong. This is like a man’s head taking up one-fourth of his body or one-sixteenth of his body; neither is proportionate. The right proportion should be one-seventh of the body. Some people are too strong in their mind. Others are too strong in their emotion or their will. Their inner man is not strong enough. These conditions require tempering.
Once I took a leader of the China Inland Mission to hear Brother T. Austin-Sparks. After the message, others usually would ask about the message that had just been given. But on my way home with this brother, I did not ask him anything. In the end he opened his mouth. He felt that Mr. Austin-Sparks was too strong in his will. I told him that my will was also quite strong. This leader, Mr. Baker, asked, “Then how are you able to get along with him?” Those who are outwardly strong in their will do not easily get along with others. But this brother did not realize that we are one because of our inner man, not because of our outer will. Today, in order for our inner man to match our outer man, our inner man must grow. When the inner man grows, it can control the outer man.
Some people are too strong in their minds. Their minds need to come under the control of the inner man. I have read the New Testament a few hundred times. Although I cannot say that I have read it more times than everyone else, at least I can say that I have read it more than many people. I could find over one hundred passages that contradict each other. However, I have not done this, because my mind has been under the control of the Holy Spirit.
If we want our spiritual life to be well-tempered, we need to attune our condition to a proper balance. We must neither be too much nor be too little. This can be compared to shooting on a pinball machine; there are pins to the left and to the right, and the balls must be directed at the optimum angle before they can score. There are many pitfalls in our spiritual journey; our mind, emotion, and will can all become hindrances to us. If we are too much or too little, we fall into danger.
Everything depends on God’s mercy. Before I was saved, I planned to go to America. If I had left two months earlier, I would not have met Sister Dora Yu, and I might never have been saved. Even if I had been given the chance later, I might not have believed. It was God’s mercy that I met Miss Dora Yu at that time. It was neither too early nor too late.
Only God can do things in just the right proportion. We are prone to speak either too much or not enough. No one can preach a message that will meet everyone’s need. Even the apostle Paul and the apostle Peter faced the same problem. When words come out of a person’s mouth, it is difficult for the words to come out just right. This is why it is easy for people to misunderstand.
Only God can bring man to a state of true humility. Sometimes a little cross and a little dealing make a person proud instead of humble. Only severe crosses and severe dealings will make a person humble.
Some people are too spiritual; they think that the Lord dwells only in our spirit. But Ephesians 3 says that Christ dwells in our heart through faith. He dwells not only in our spirit, but also in our heart. This is something that a person can feel. John 15 says that Christ abides in the believers, but it does not say that Christ abides in our heart. Only Ephesians 3 speaks of Christ dwelling in our heart. Some people are too spiritual. They think that the heart does not mean much. However, many of the Psalms speak of the heart. In order to be tempered in spiritual matters, we need to pay attention not only to the spirit, but to our heart as well.
The way of the church — looking to God’s mercy
The way of the church during the past two thousand years is a way of looking to the mercy of God. Only God’s mercy can temper us. I have often told the young people that they may have to wait for five years before they will realize that everything is of God’s mercy. A person has an average of one hundred forty thousand hairs. The Bible says that God has numbered every one of our hairs. He knows us more than we know ourselves. When God wants to save us, we are saved. If God did not show mercy, no one could be saved. Once D. L. Moody was preaching the gospel, and a lady was about to be saved. At that moment an umbrella fell and caused a distraction. In the end the lady was not saved. Whether or not a man can be saved is not the responsibility of the preacher. The responsibility of the preacher is simply to present the way to others. Only God’s mercy can put a person on the way. It is God’s work that puts a person on the way. It is also God Himself who takes men forward on the way.