[ACuriousFellow]

Regardless of what Witness Lee would say, good is not the enemy of life. God is good, and God is holy. As such, we must endeavor to be good and holy. We should not shut down others who seek to learn what is good and righteous according to the scriptures. We cannot say that those who seek to correct or improve a ministry are all just “in their minds” and “speaking death.” We cannot ignore the cries of those who have been wronged by calling them “negative speakers” who just “poison” the congregation. What many of them yearn for, what many of our brothers and sisters yearn for, is accountability and reconciliation. Many seek peace and instruction. Many want their church home to be a safe place that abides by the righteousness of God as best as it can. Yet when they express themselves they are often told to just “eat more Christ” by pray-reading and calling more. They are often not consoled or advised, but rather they are often sent away time and again with empty platitudes and grim warnings of the “death” they will bring by not “letting go and letting God.” This is usually the result of those who question not the scriptures but the “Ministry of the Age.” It is not the “Ministry” that needs to abide by the scriptures in The Lord’s Recovery, but rather it is often the scriptures that need to abide by the “Ministry” lest they be labeled as a “dead letter.”

Useful For Training in Righteousness

Hebrews 12:4-13
4 In your struggle against sin, you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood. 5 And have you completely forgotten this word of encouragement that addresses you as a father addresses his son? It says, “My son, do not make light of the Lord’s discipline, and do not lose heart when he rebukes you, 6 because the Lord disciplines the one he loves, and he chastens everyone he accepts as his son. 7 Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as his children. For what children are not disciplined by their father? 8 If you are not disciplined—and everyone undergoes discipline—then you are not legitimate, not true sons and daughters at all. 9 Moreover, we have all had human fathers who disciplined us and we respected them for it. How much more should we submit to the Father of spirits and live! 10 They disciplined us for a little while as they thought best; but God disciplines us for our good, in order that we may share in his holiness. 11 No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it. 12 Therefore, strengthen your feeble arms and weak knees. 13 “Make level paths for your feet,” so that the lame may not be disabled, but rather healed.

The Lord disciplines us for the sake of training us in righteousness. Just as a father disciplines and trains his child whom he loves, so, too, does the Lord discipline us. “To the angel of the church in Laodicea write: These are the words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the ruler of God’s creation. I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! So, because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to spit you out of my mouth. You say, ‘I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.’ But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked. I counsel you to buy from me gold refined in the fire, so you can become rich; and white clothes to wear, so you can cover your shameful nakedness; and salve to put on your eyes, so you can see. Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest and repent. Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person, and they with me. To the one who is victorious, I will give the right to sit with y on my throne, just as I was victorious and sat down with my Father on his throne. Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches.” (Revelation 3:14-22). Any teaching, correction, or rebuke is for the purpose of training the saints in righteousness so that the servant of God may be complete, fully equipped for every good work. Whether it is from God himself or from the saints, this must be the goal of teaching, correction, and rebuke. We must train ourselves to distinguish between good and evil so that we may know what the good is and hold to it and so that we may identify the evil and rid ourselves of it. “Now we ask you, brothers and sisters, to acknowledge those who work hard among you, who care for you in the Lord and who admonish you. Hold them in the highest regard I love because of their work. Live in peace with each other. And we urge you, brothers and sisters, warn those who are idle and disruptive, encourage the disheartened, help the weak, be patient with everyone. Make sure that nobody pays back wrong for wrong, but always strive to do what is good for each other and for everyone else. Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. Do not quench the Spirit. Do not treat prophecies with contempt but test them all; hold to what is good, reject every kind of evil. May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. The one who calls you is faithful, and he will do it.” (1 Thessalonians 5:12-24). We must warn those who are idle and disruptive, give encouragement to those who are downcast, help the weak, and show patience with everyone. We must strive to do what is good for each other and for everyone else, and that includes being prepared in and out of season for teaching, correction, rebuke, and training in righteousness. Although we must not treat prophecies with contempt, we should test them. If we see that they are good, we hold to it. If we see that it is evil, we reject it. This is good for the building of the Church. This is what will allow us to grow properly as the Lord’s children so that we would not remain as immature babies but grow into mature sons of God just as Christ did. We would never be capable of such a thing without the Spirit, but as believers we are marked by it. We cannot deny the power of the Spirit to help us grow in righteousness. To seek what is good is to seek life. If we would seek the life of God, we must seek what God has declared to be good. The foundation is Christ. To believe in Christ and submit to him is good and righteous. To obey his commands, loving the Father and loving one another, is to believe in Christ and submit to him. To care for the poor, the orphan, and the widow, along exercising love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control is to honor the Son and love one another. If we honor the Son, we honor the Father. Christ has borne the image of the invisible God. He has lived righteously, and we must endeavor to do the same now that we are saved by faith and grace. “Be imitators of God, as dearly loved children and walk in the way of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God. But among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or of any kind of impurity, or of greed, because these are improper for God’s holy people. Nor should there be obscenity, foolish talk or coarse joking which are out of place, but rather thanksgiving. For of this you can be sure: No immoral, impure or greedy person—such a person is an idolator—has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God. Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of such things God’s wrath comes on those who are disobedient. Therefore do not be partners with them. For you were once in darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light (for the fruit of light consists in all goodness, righteousness and truth) and find out what pleases the Lord. Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them. It is shameful even to mention what the disobedient do in secret. But everything exposed by the light becomes visible—and everything that is illuminated becomes a light. This is why it is said: ‘Wake up, sleeper, rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.’ Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is. Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit, speaking to one another with psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit. Sing and make music form your heart to the Lord, always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ." Ephesians 5:1-20). Just as a child learns many things by watching and imitating their parents, so, too, must we learn by watching and imitating our Lord. A child may get it wrong several times. They will babble when trying to speak. They will struggle when trying to stand. They will stumble when trying to walk. They will not know their left hand from their right hand. It is a grand journey for child simply to be able to walk and talk, but it is something that naturally happens so long as the child is properly cared for and loved. This is how it is for us. We have such a loving God, and we must babble and struggle and stumble as we grow and learn how to live by the Spirit. In the same way, a child struggles to discern good from evil, so we must give them simple things for their hearts to digest. Little by little they learn to distinguish between what is good and evil, and this by the human standards of good and evil. How much greater it is, then, when we learn God’s standard of good and evil. As a child becomes like their parents, may we endeavor to become holy and righteous even as our God is holy and righteous. May we be such a guide to our fellow believers so that we may help them grow as well. This is a good way. Let us put off evil and put on the good. Let us admonish one another and let us rejoice in the Lord. Let us train one another in what is righteous and keep one another from evil. Let us fellowship sweetly with one another and the Lord. This is an excellent way.

The Importance of Godly Training

1 Timothy 4:7-16
7 Have nothing to do with godless myths and old wives’ tales; rather, train yourself to be godly. 8 For physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come. 9 This is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance. 10 That is why we labor and strive, because we have put our hope in the living God, who is the Savior of all people, and especially of those who believe. 11 Command and teach these things. 12 Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith and in purity. 13 Until I come, devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture, to preaching and to teaching. 14 Do not neglect your gift, which was given you through prophecy when the body of elders laid their hands on you. 15 Be diligent in these matters; give yourself wholly to them, so that everyone may see your progress. 16 Watch your life and doctrine closely. Persevere in them, because if you do, you will save both yourself and your hearers.

One of the most crucial elements of spiritual maturity is training in godliness, which all the children of God are called to aspire to. It is good to be diligent and watch our lives and our doctrine because it is not only ourselves we will preserve with this, but those who hear our words. All that is written regarding teaching, correction, rebuke, and training in righteousness will be for naught if the man of God does not first check himself. There are many ways in which this godliness manifests. We know, for example, that godliness is to turn away from greed. “But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that. Those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs. But you, man of God, flee from all this, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance, and gentleness. Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called when you made your good confession in the presence of many witnesses.” (1 Timothy 6:6-12). We know that godliness is to turn away from youthful lusts and pointless arguments. “Flee the evil desires of youth and pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace, along with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart. Don’t have anything to do with foolish and stupid arguments, because you know they produce quarrels. And the Lord’s servant must not be quarrelsome but must be kind to everyone, able to teach, not resentful.” (2 Timothy 2:22-24). Godliness stands in contrast to sinfulness, and we must make a conscious effort to turn away from our flesh and to the spirit so that we may live godly lives. “So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. For the flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh. They are in conflict with each other, so that you are not to do whatever you want. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law. The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity, and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other.” (Galatians 5:16-26). We know that we must set our mind on such things and consider what our Lord says is good and evil. “Those who live according to the flesh have their minds set on what the flesh desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires. The mind governed by the flesh is death, but the mind governed by the Spirit is life and peace. The mind governed by the flesh is hostile to God; it does not submit to God’s law, nor can it do so. Those who are in the realm of the flesh cannot please God. You, however, are not in the realm of the flesh but are in the realm of the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, they do not belong to Christ. But if Christ is in you, then even though your body is subject to death because of sin, the Spirit gives life because of righteousness. And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies because of his Spirit who lives in you.” (Romans 8:5-11). Because we have the Spirit of Christ in us, we are in the realm of the Spirit. We are no longer those bound by the flesh. We have been set free in Christ and can now set our minds on the Spirit of God so as to be governed by the Spirit of God. Paul also told this to the Colossians as well, telling them that as children of God in Christ we must set our minds on things above rather than earthly things. “Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.” (Colossians 3:1-4). And how exactly does such a mindset manifest itself? If you keep reading through the passage, Paul makes it clear. “Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry. Because of these, the wrath of God is coming. You used to walk in these ways, in the life you once lived. But now you must also rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips. Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator. Here there is no Gentile or Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave or free, but Christ is all, and is in all.” (Colossians 3:5-11). As those who are born of God through the Holy Spirit, we are now capable of pursuing righteous lives, but it is still a choice we have to make. “Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed—not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence—continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose.” (Philippians 2:12-13). We are free from sin, and we are made free so that we may pursue righteousness. “For it is God’s will that by doing good you should silence the ignorant talk of foolish people. Live as free people, but do not use your freedom as a cover-up for evil; live as God’s slaves” (1 Peter 2:14-16). And again, “You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh; rather, serve one another humbly in love. For the entire law is fulfilled in keeping this one command: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ If you bite and devour each other, watch out or you will be destroyed by each other. So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. For the flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh. They are in conflict with each other, so that you are not to do whatever you want. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.” (Galatians 5:13-18). In our daily lives, we must make a conscious effort to seek the Lord and know what it is our God wants from us, and there is an overabundance of God-breathed scriptures to guide us in this endeavor. If we know God’s word, we must make an effort to hold to it. As the Lord said, “Why do you call me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do what I say? As for everyone who comes to me and hears my words and puts them into practice, I will show you what they are like. They are like a man building a house, who dug down deep and laid the foundation on rock. When a flood came, the torrent struck that house but could not shake it, because it was well built. But the one who hears my words and does not put them into practice is like a man who built a house on the ground without a foundation. The moment the torrent struck that house, it collapsed and its destruction was complete.” (Luke 6:46-49).

We must put the Lord’s word into practice. No one learns how to walk without first attempting clumsily to stand. No one learns how to speak without first babbling. No one learns how to swim without first getting in the water. Still, we have the potential for all these things in our minds and bodies. In the same way, we have the potential to live godly lives because of the Holy Spirit of God who lives in us, but we must still make a conscious effort to be godly in order to be trained in godliness. This is part of the Lord’s discipline as we struggle with sin. “In your struggle against sin, you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood. And have you completely forgotten this word of encouragement that addresses you as a father addresses his son? It says, ‘My son, do not make light of the Lord’s discipline, and do not lose heart when he rebukes you, because the Lord disciplines the one he loves, and he chastens everyone he accepts as his son.’ Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as his children. For what children are not disciplined by their father? If you are not disciplined—and everyone undergoes discipline—then you are not legitimate, not true sons and daughters at all. Moreover, we have all had human fathers who disciplined us and we respected them for it. How much more should we submit to the Father of spirits and live! They disciplined us for a little while as they thought best; but God disciplines us for our good, in order that we may share in his holiness. No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it. Therefore, strengthen your feeble arms and weak knees. ‘Make level paths for your feet,’ so that the lame may not be disabled, but rather healed. (Hebrews 12:4-13). How, then, should we respond to the Lord’s discipline? With obedience and respect for the one who disciplines. How do we apply this training to our daily lives? The writer of Hebrews elaborates on this, saying “Make every effort to live in peace with everyone and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord. See to it that no one falls short of the grace of God and that no bitter root grows up to cause trouble and defile many. See to it that no one is sexually immoral, or is godless like Esau, who for a single meal sold his inheritance rights as the oldest son. Afterward, as you know, when he wanted to inherit this blessing, he was rejected. Even though he sought the blessing with tears, he could not change what he had done.” (Hebrews 12:14-17). This passage also shows us the results of holy lives. If we make every effort to live and peace and live holy lives, we will see the Lord. If no one falls short of the grace of God, bitter roots will be extinguished before they can cause trouble and defile many. The testimony of the Lord is given to all the world when we endeavor to live holy lives. “Dear friends, I urge you, as foreigners and exiles, to abstain from sinful desires, which wage war against your soul. Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us.” (1 Peter 2:11-12). And from our Lord himself, “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” (John 13:34-35). What we do serves as an example and encouragement to those who hear and see us. Children learn by imitating their parents and working through their growth by constant practice. In the same way, those who look up to us will imitate us. As such, we must make every effort imitate Christ. Paul was aware of this truth. “Imitate me as I also imitate Christ.” (1 Corinthians 11:1). This is why he exhorts Timothy by saying “Until I come, devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture, to preaching and to teaching. Do not neglect your gift, which was given you through prophecy when the body of elders laid their hands on you. Be diligent in these matters; give yourself wholly to them, so that everyone may see your progress. Watch your life and doctrine closely. Persevere in them, because if you do, you will save both yourself and your hearers.” (1 Timothy 4:13-16). Our efforts to live holy lives will not only impact our relationship with God, but also every one of our brothers’ and sisters’ relationships with God.