ORLANDO CHINESE CHURCHMONTHLY NEWSLETTERAugust 2006Relationship, Testimony and Church (I)
A relationship is the interaction between two or more existing elements, which is essentially determined by the people involved.
Just as the life of cat or dog has its own characteristics, so is the life of man. Then, the life of God is self-existing, omnipotent and omnificent, the source and sum of all goodness and wisdom (Mk 10:18). On the other hand, man is perishable, imperfect and limited. Irrespective of our faith or cultural background, we all have our own understanding of perfection and wisdom. We only differ in that some accept and pursue, while others resist and despise. Why is it that man can conceptualize the divine life that far exceeds man's limited life? This is because man was created in the image of God (Gen 1:26). God breathed into man the breath of life, so man became a living soul Adam (Gen 2:7). Then God made the woman Eve from man's rib (2:22). Adam came from the spirit of God, and Eve came from the Adam before he was corrupted (I Co 11:8). Unfortunately, they rebelled against God and ate the forbidden fruit from the wrong tree. Consequently, the divine spirit in them died and all human race corrupted (Gen 2:17). Sin entered the world through one man, and death came upon all (Rom 5:12). Enslaved by sin, man can no longer exhibit the glorious character of God (3:23). The harmony between God and man, as well as the relationship between men are forever lost (Gen 3:8-13). Thanks be to God, who loved us and gave us His Son (Jn 3:16). Through the blood and redemption of Jesus man may receive the new birth of spirit by faith (3:5). The indwelling of the eternal life of God (Jn 14:23, 17:21, Eph 1:13f) makes us a new creation (II Co 5:17), made in Christ Jesus to do good (Eph 2:10).
Therefore, only when man has the restored divine life, a healthy relationship is possible, then he can testify for the glory of God. Since a relationship is mutual, we cannot control it as a single party. We can choose to be certain type of man or do certain things, but cannot totally determine what type of relationships to have with others. The Lord said often that "a servant is not greater than the master (Jn 15:20)". Our experience will never exceed His experience while on earth. Let us take a look at His relationship with man:
"All were made by Him, through Him and for Him (Col 1:16)". But when He came to His own, His own received Him not (Jn 1:10f). The high priest, the scribes and the Pharisees were supposed to be people set aside to serve God at that time. But, they shut their eyes from the testimonies of God the Father, John the Baptist and the Lord Himself (Jn 5:31-30). They devised all schemes to deny and persecute Jesus, and finally killed Him with the hand of gentiles. The root cause was their jealousy and self interest. The incarnated Son of God was totally rejected by the rulers of the "house of God". Then, we also see that during the three and half years with the disciples, He gave them heavenly authority and divine power to cast out demons and heal the sick. But their relationship with the Master was foggy, to say the least, and most time far apart. They interpreted Jesus' ministry and expected from Him in accordance with their own ideas. Judas Iscariot even betrayed Him for thirty pieces of silver (Mt 26:14-16) due to his love of money (Jn 12:4-6). Many heard Him preach, but paid no real attention to it (Mt 11:16-17). Only a group of lowly and simple women accompanied Him to Calvary (Lk 23:27), and prepared ointment for His body as a way of honor and remembrance of Him (Mk 16:1). The Gospel books also recorded the good deeds of the apostle John, Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus (Jn 19:38-40). Those selected individuals maintained a very different attitude toward the Lord. However, Jesus' overall relationship with people, from the perspective of man, was one filled with loneliness, rejection, misunderstanding and denial.
What matters is how Jesus managed His relationship with others！"Jesus did not entrust Himself to them, for He knew all men and because He did not need anyone to bear witness concerning man, for He Himself knew what was in man (Jn 2:24f)". He knew man's evil hearts, yet He declared again and again, "I desire compassion, not a sacrifice (Mt 12:7)". The only true God desires to grant man grace, giving rather than receiving. No matter how people mistreated Him, He remained faithful in His compassion, help and love. He knew who He was: the incarnated Son of God, and why He came to this earth: to seek and save the lost (Lk 19:10). Through the death and resurrection of the cross He redeemed man's sin, so that the holy God may dwell in us. Through our faith and obedience He fulfills the original purpose of God in this new creation of Christ. He leads us into the eternal rest He prepared for us in Christ (Isa 30:15, Heb 4:1-11). Looking at the relationship of Jesus toward men, we see that He truly is the God of mercy and grace, slow to anger but full of lovingkindness and truth (Ps 86:15). Knowing His position before God, He was obedient to the Father and did not please men nor judge them who rejected His words (Jn 12:47).
We may further examine the apostle Paul's inter-personal relationships. Before he became a believer, he persecuted the saints with his zeal for the law (Act 22:19f, 9:13f, I Tim 1:13). On the way to Damascus the Lord of grace revealed Himself to Paul, and testified that he was to be the vessel testifying before the gentiles and kings and suffering for His Name's sake (Act 9:15f). He was not one of the original twelve (Act 1:21-26, Rev 21:14), but was chosen and charged with a great responsibility (I Cor 9:1f). From his letters one can see that Paul always follows the footprints of Jesus (II Cor 11:23, Act 16:22f, 9:29, 23:12-15). People looked at him as one who should be removed and killed (Act 22:22). As he himself said, "we have become the scum of the world, the dregs of all things, even until now(I Cor 4:13)". Then there were the "false brethren who sneaked in to spy out our liberty (Gal 2:4)". They disturbed the church and distorted the true gospel (Gal 1:7). Furthermore, there were the "babies in Christ" at Corinth, for whom he equally suffered much (I Cor 3:1). Just like his Lord, Paul knew his apostolic call and the Lord's election, so he did not show any self pity nor any bitterness, anger or pride. He said, "not only this, but we also exult in our tribulations, knowing that tribulation brings about perseverance; and perseverance, proven character; and proven character, hope; and hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us (Rom 5:3-5)". As he experienced God's love in suffering and tribulation, he could proclaim that nothing can separate us from the love of Christ (Rom 8:35) and be an overcomer through faith in Christ and His cross (I Cor 2:2, Gal 6:14). He learned that in fiery trials he was delivered from sin (Dan 3:25, I Pet 4:1). He did not boast of the circumcision by law, nor his blood tradition of a Benjaminite (Phi 3:3-5). He relied not on the training under Gamaliel (Act 22:3) or the revelation of mystery (II Cor 12:1-7). He only recognized that he "received mercy, in order that in me as the foremost, Jesus Christ might demonstrate His perfect patience, as an example for those who would believe in Him for eternal life (I Tim 1:16)". He knew that his service was not of himself, but by God's grace. He was only preaching "in demonstration of His Spirit and of power (I Cor 2:4)". The Lord Jesus personally trained this great New Testament teacher Paul through hardship and affliction (Isa 30:20). Concerning those who brought him suffering, he knew that they are under the law, not born again as "being born of the blood (Gal 4:23), therefore have not the eternal life. He said, "as at that time, he who was born of the flesh persecuted him who was born of the spirit, as it is now also (Gal 4:29)". But his love for them toward salvation remained the same, as he admitted, "I have great sorrow and unceasing grief in my heart, for I could wish that I myself were accursed, separated from Christ for the sake of my brethren, my kinsmen according to the flesh (Rom 9:2-3)". As to the Corinthian church of confusion, jealousy, division and in-fighting, Paul considered them "of the flesh, as babes in Christ (I Cor 3:1,3)". He pointed out that they did not walk in the Spirit, yet he loved them to the extent of having them "in my heart to die together and to live together (II Cor 7:3)". Such unchanging love was solely based on his understanding and obedience to the will of God. (Bei, To continue)
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