These free eBooklets are digital editions of some of our essential, classic booklets. They are compiled from the ministry of Watchman Nee and Witness Lee and are relevant to the present speaking. We will continue to add more booklets to this series. If you would like to read other publications by these brothers, please visit ministrybooks.org.
The principle of all the Lord’s miraculous works is found in His first miracle, the turning of water into wine. The turning of water into wine signifies the turning of death into life. The human life with its natural enjoyment runs out and fails in death, but the Lord changes death into life by regenerating the believers with the eternal, divine life of God Himself and ushering them into the full enjoyment of this life in this age and in the ages to come.
According to the Bible, Christ is life itself, and the church is God’s spiritual building. In this eBooklet compiled from Life-study of John, Witness Lee shows that the entire Bible is a book of life and building. He examines crucial verses in Genesis, the Gospel of John, and Revelation to demonstrate how the theme of life and building introduced in Genesis and consummated in Revelation is bridged by the record in John’s Gospel.
Many believers understand that we received the divine life when we believed in the Lord Jesus. However, few may realize what the goal of the life that we have received is. In this booklet compiled from the Life-study of John, Witness Lee shows that the cases recorded in John 2 concerning the changing of water into wine and the cleansing of the temple reveal that the divine life is for the building of God’s house, which is just the believers as the enlargement of the Body of Christ in resurrection.
Many Christians desire to go to heaven to dwell there with God in eternity, but the Scriptures reveal that God desires to come down to the earth to dwell with the believers in this age. In this eBooklet compiled from Life-study of John, Witness Lee opens up the mysterious chapters of John 14 and 15, which unveil the Triune God’s dispensing of Himself into His believers for the producing of the church as the mutual abode of God and man.
Many today view the Bible in various ways, but few have ever considered the Bible as a romance. In this eBooklet taken from Life-study of Romans, Witness Lee shows from both the Old and New Testaments that the Bible is a romance in the purest and holiest sense. It presents the love relationship between a universal couple—God in Christ as the Bridegroom and His redeemed people as His Bride.
Christians are accustomed to saying that there are four Gospels: the books of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. However, Paul also refers to his Epistle to the Romans as a gospel. In this eBooklet taken from Life-study of Romans, Witness Lee opens up the subjective gospel in this crucial Epistle of Paul. The gospel in the first four books of the New Testament concerns Christ in the flesh as He lived among His disciples before His death and resurrection. The gospel in Romans concerns Christ as the Spirit of life who indwells the believers after His resurrection for their sanctification, transformation, and glorification in the divine life. This is something deeper and more subjective than the Christ in the Gospel.
Most people judge matters according to the principle of good and evil. In the Bible, however, good and evil are introduced not as distinct categories but as parts of the same category. The Bible reveals that instead of being occupied with the concept of good and evil, we should be concerned about life and death. To be in life is to live out God, and to be in death is to live out Satan. In this booklet taken from the Life-study of Romans, Witness Lee presents from Scripture the line of life, the line of death, the universal battle between God as the source of life and Satan as the source of death, and the Christian’s place in this battle.
John 3:16 says that because God loved us, He gave His only begotten Son so that everyone who believes in Him should not perish, but have eternal life. This verse indicates that God saves us because He loves us. Furthermore, in Ephesians 2:5 and 8 we are told that we are saved by grace. The book of Romans, however, reveals that we are saved by righteousness. In this eBooklet, compiled from Life-study of Romans, Witness Lee explains why righteousness is the power of the gospel and why righteousness is necessary in order for God to produce many sons through the gospel.
God’s salvation is not only a salvation from sin but also a salvation in His divine life. For this reason, the New Testament speaks of being saved in life, walking in newness of life, and even reigning in the life of God. In this eBooklet, compiled from Life-study of Romans, Witness Lee presents the law of the Spirit of life in Romans 8:2 as the key to experiencing the life of God in His full salvation.
Every kind of life has a law—a natural power with a certain tendency and activity. In Romans 7 and 8 the apostle Paul speaks of three laws, which correspond to three lives: the human life, the satanic life, and the divine life. In this eBooklet, compiled from Life-study of Romans, Witness Lee explains these three lives and laws that operate in every believer. The secret of the Christian life, he shows, is to activate the right life with the right law.
Every human being has a need related to his or her condition. In his Gospel, John presents nine cases that represent the various conditions and needs of human beings in order to illustrate that Jesus Christ as life fully meets the need of man’s every case. In this booklet taken from the Life-study of John, Witness Lee focuses on the first of these nine cases, which illustrates that even the moral have a need—life’s regenerating.
Every human being has a need related to his or her condition. In his Gospel, John presents nine cases that represent the various conditions and needs of human beings in order to illustrate that Jesus Christ as life fully meets the need of man’s every case. In this booklet taken from Life-study of John, Witness Lee presents the second of these nine cases, the case of the Samaritan woman in John 4. The case of the Samaritan woman illustrates the second need of all mankind—the need for satisfaction. At some point, regardless of our success or attainments, we all have had the feeling of being empty, and this emptiness, this sense of dissatisfaction, corresponds to the Samaritan woman’s situation. However, just as Christ as life was able to meet the need of Nicodemus in John 3, so also is it able to meet the need presented in John 4. Thus, to the Samaritan woman, the Lord Jesus unveiled life’s satisfying.
Every human being has a need related to his or her condition. In his Gospel, John uses nine cases to represent the various conditions and needs of human beings in order to illustrate that Jesus Christ as life fully meets the need of man’s every case. In this booklet taken from Life-study of John, Witness Lee focuses on the third of these nine cases, that of the son of a royal official. The official’s son was dying, and through his situation, the Lord showed the third need of mankind—the need of life’s healing. The older we get, the more we are impressed with the shortness of life. Apparently we are living, but actually we all are in the process of dying. We are weak and fragile and in need of healing. But just as the official’s son received the healing in John 4, so also can we receive life’s healing today.
Every human being has a need related to his or her condition. In his Gospel, John uses nine cases to represent the various conditions and needs of human beings in order to illustrate that Jesus Christ as life fully meets the need of man’s every case. In this booklet taken from Life-study of John, Witness Lee focuses on the fourth of these nine cases, which exposes the vanity of religion and reveals that it is Christ as life who enlivens us. In this case we see a man who had been sick for thirty-eight years, who knew how he could be healed but could not get up and do what was required. He was impotent, unable to move, just as we all are unable to meet the requirements of religion. But then the Lord Jesus came to this man and spoke. The impotent man heard the enlivening word of the living, life-giving Lord, and he was healed. It is the same with us today. When we have Jesus, we have life’s enlivening.
Every human being has a need related to his or her condition. In his Gospel, John uses nine cases to represent the various conditions and needs of human beings in order to illustrate that Jesus Christ as life fully meets the need of man’s every case. In this booklet taken from Life-study of John, Witness Lee focuses on the fifth of these nine cases, the feeding of the five thousand. These five thousand people were seeking nourishment, and the Lord met their need in a rich way. Here we see not only our need and hunger, but also the richness of life’s feeding.
Every human being has a need related to his or her condition. In his Gospel, John uses nine cases to represent the various conditions and needs of human beings in order to illustrate that Jesus Christ as life fully meets the need of man’s every case. In this booklet taken from Life-study of John, Witness Lee focuses on the sixth of these nine cases, the need of the thirsty. The Feast of Tabernacles was a time of satisfaction, but actually those there were still thirsty. Even when we have succeeded in our achievements, enjoyed our possessions, and rejoiced in the best circumstances, we will find that we still have a thirst. Something within us remains unsatisfied. Like the Israelites at the feast, our need is life’s quenching.
Every human being has a need related to his or her condition. In his Gospel, John uses nine cases to represent the various conditions and needs of human beings in order to illustrate that Jesus Christ as life fully meets the need of man’s every case. In this booklet taken from Life-study of John, Witness Lee considers further the sixth of these nine cases, which illustrates the need of the thirsty. This booklet centers around John 7:37: “Now on the last day, the great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried out, saying, If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink.” Everything has its last day. Every feast comes to an end, and we will feel thirsty. Then we must come to the Lord Jesus and answer His cry. To have our thirst quenched, we must come to Him and drink of the living water.
Every human being has a need related to his or her condition. In his Gospel, John uses nine cases to represent the various conditions and needs of human beings in order to illustrate that Jesus Christ as life fully meets the need of man’s every case. In this booklet taken from Life-study of John, Witness Lee focuses on the seventh of these nine cases, a woman caught in the act of adultery. After catching this woman, the religious people asked the Lord Jesus what they should do with her. They were hoping to trap the Lord by forcing Him to choose between the law and His position as the Savior. But the Lord answered in the wisest way, and through this situation He revealed life’s setting free.
Every human being has a need related to his or her condition. In his Gospel, John uses nine cases to represent the various conditions and needs of human beings in order to illustrate that Jesus Christ as life fully meets the need of man’s every case. In this booklet taken from Life-study of John, Witness Lee focuses on the eighth of these nine cases, the case of the blind man in John 9. When the Lord Jesus healed this man, He did so in a particular way, unveiling not only the need of the blind but also life’s sight.
Every human being has a need related to his or her condition. In his Gospel, John uses nine cases to represent the various conditions and needs of human beings in order to illustrate that Jesus Christ as life fully meets the need of man’s every case. In this booklet taken from Life-study of John, Witness Lee focuses on John 10, which is related to the case of the blind man in John 9. In chapter 10 the Lord Jesus spoke of the sheepfold. Many Christians know that we are the Lord’s sheep, but have you considered what the sheepfold is? The key to unlocking the secret of this parable depends very much upon the meaning of the sheepfold.
Every human being has a need related to his or her condition. In his Gospel, John uses nine cases to represent the various conditions and needs of human beings in order to illustrate that Jesus Christ as life fully meets the need of man’s every case. In this booklet taken from Life-study of John, Witness Lee presents the last of these nine cases, the case of Lazarus in John 11. Previously, the Lord Jesus healed the sick and dying, but Lazarus was already dead. His need was not healing; it was for life’s resurrecting.
In chapters 3 through 11 of his Gospel, John presents nine cases to illustrate how Christ as life can meet mankind’s every need for the fulfillment of God’s purpose. Following these cases, John chapter 12 reveals the issue of Christ being life to man. It is the producing of the church, a house of feasting and the place where the Lord can rest and obtain His satisfaction. In this booklet taken from Life-study of John, Witness Lee focuses on the matter of the church as life’s issue.
Chapter 12 of the Gospel of John shows us, in a shadow, that the church has come into existence through the Lord as resurrection life. We have the church by His resurrection life. But how can the Lord increase the church? In this booklet, taken from Life-study of John, Witness Lee presents the answer to this question, which is shown in the second part of John 12 (vv. 12-36). The first part of John 12 shows how the church is there, and the second part shows how the Lord can increase the church through His death and resurrection.
John 13 is an interesting and meaningful chapter in the Bible. In this chapter John tells the story of the Lord Jesus washing His disciples’ feet, but there is something deeper to see here as well. Foot washing is a matter of showing love to one another and many Christians practice it, but it is also a sign with a spiritual significance. In this booklet, compiled from Life-study of John, Witness Lee presents the significance of foot washing, the true meaning of life’s washing in love.
At the beginning of John chapter 13, we see the Lord washing His disciples’ feet. Then in verse 14 the Lord tells us to wash one another’s feet. We not only need to have our feet washed directly by the Lord Himself, but we also need the mutual foot washing of one another. Sometimes we must keep the Lord’s word literally, but to an even greater degree we must keep His word spiritually. What does it mean to spiritually wash one another’s feet? How does this relate to fellowship? In this booklet compiled from Life-study of John, Witness Lee explains the significance of John 13—the precious matter of life’s washing to maintain fellowship.
In John 17 the Lord Jesus uttered a most profound prayer. It is the completion of the message He gave in John chapters 14, 15, and 16, and it is a prayer that is difficult to understand. On the surface it is a prayer for oneness. But there is something deeper and more profound beneath the surface too. In this booklet compiled from Life-study of John, Witness Lee presents the deep significance of this prayer—the glorification of the Triune God.
The Lord’s prayer in John 17 concerns the glorification of the Triune God and reveals three stages of oneness. In this booklet compiled from Life-study of John, Witness Lee uses verses in John 17 and the type of the tabernacle in Exodus 26 to show the connection between glorification and the oneness for which the Lord prayed.
John chapter 1 reveals the two sections of eternity: eternity in the past and eternity in the future. In eternity past God planned and purposed, and in eternity future everything will have been accomplished. When does God accomplish His work, then? Between the two sections of eternity is the bridge of time, and it is here that God accomplishes all that He wants to accomplish. There are five particular things that God accomplishes on this bridge of time, and in this booklet taken from Life-study of John, Witness Lee considers each of them in turn.
Although the language of John 1:1 and 1:4 is simple and brief, these verses are deep and profound. “In the beginning was the Word.” But what is the beginning? And what is the Word? What does “in Him was life” mean? In this booklet compiled from Life-study of John, Witness Lee answers these questions and shows how these matters relate to our Christian life and God’s ultimate intention and purpose.
John 1:14-18 indicate that all the children of God need the enjoyment of Christ. But how can we enjoy Christ? In this booklet compiled from Life-study of John, Witness Lee breaks down these verses to show that we can enjoy Christ because He was incarnated—becoming flesh and tabernacling among us, full of grace and reality.
In this booklet compiled from Life-study of John, Witness Lee presents the main subject of John 1:19-51 with its five main points: the Lamb of God, the dove, the stones, the building of God’s house, and the Son of Man. “The Lamb is for redemption; the dove is for life-imparting, transforming, and building; the stone is for material; the house is the building; and the very substance of God’s building is man” (p. 1).
In John chapter 3 the Lord Jesus spoke to Nicodemus concerning being born again. Nicodemus was confused as to how such a thing could happen, but the Lord revealed that it is not a physical matter. To be born again is to be born of the Spirit in our spirit, and this new birth is our entry into the kingdom of God. In this booklet compiled from Life-study of John, Witness Lee opens up this passage in John, giving us the meaning of regeneration and the definition and significance of the kingdom of God.
In John chapter 3, the Lord Jesus told Nicodemus: “As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up” (v. 14). In this booklet compiled from Life-study of John, Witness Lee shows how the Lord used the Old Testament type of the bronze serpent to reveal our real condition and our need of redemption.
In John 3:30, John the Baptizer spoke concerning the Lord Jesus: “He must increase, but I must decrease.” What do these words mean? Do they apply to us today? In this booklet taken from Life-study of John, Witness Lee considers the answer to these questions, revealing not only what it means for us to decrease but also how we can become the increase of Christ.
John 3:31-36 is a passage that bothers many translators of the Bible, but in this booklet compiled from Life-study of John, Witness Lee opens these verses in a clear and marvelous way. Although the Lord Jesus was born in a manger and raised in the house of a poor carpenter, these verses reveal an unlimited, all-inclusive, and immeasurable Christ. “He is higher than the heavens and broader than the universe. He is everything, and everything is for Him” (p. 2).
In John 3 the Lord Jesus encountered a woman at a well. All the earthly, physical, and even religious things had left this woman dissatisfied. She had a deep thirst within her, and thus, the Lord offered her the living water. You may know this story, but have you ever considered that the Lord was thirsty, too? He asked the woman for a drink of water. “However, it is very strange to note that neither of them ate or drank, yet both of them were satisfied” (p. 20). How could this be? What happened to meet not only the need of the woman but also the need of the Lord Jesus Himself? In this booklet compiled from Life-study of John, Witness Lee considers these verses and answers these questions.
We live in a troubled world. In fact, not one of us is without our troubles, and none of us are truly at peace. But there is a real and precious solution. In this booklet compiled from Life-study of John, Witness Lee presents the peace-giving Christ in John 6. “The world may trouble everyone, but it cannot trouble Him.” Without Christ, we all are troubled. But with Christ, we have satisfaction and peace.
In this booklet compiled from Life-study of John, Witness Lee considers the case of the adulterous woman in John 8. This chapter reveals that among human beings there are two things: a religion and a living Person, the great I Am. Through this case, we see that “the religion of the law, as represented by the temple, cannot set people free from sin and its death, but that the Lord Jesus as the I Am, becoming the Son of Man lifted upon the cross for the serpent-poisoned people, can do what religion and law cannot do. The religion of law-keeping is versus the great I Am” (p. 1).
In John 11:25 the Lord Jesus said, “I am the resurrection and the life,” and in this booklet compiled from Life-study of John, Witness Lee delves into the truth behind this statement. “By itself, life can only have existence, but resurrection can withstand any kind of attack, even the attack of death” (p. 1). In so many cases in John, the Lord Jesus changed death to life. He came into situations of death in order to be life in the principle of resurrection. And today, He is still doing this. In all our situations, He is ready to come in as resurrection and enliven us.
John 14:1-6 reveals the Lord Jesus going through death and coming in resurrection to bring the believers into the Father. In this booklet compiled from Life-study of John, Witness Lee considers the significance of these verses and shares with us the good news: “A place before and in God has been prepared for us. As long as we believe in the name of the Lord Jesus, we have a standing before God and in God…Hallelujah!” Because of the work of Christ, God can never reject us or cast us out. Our standing in God is firm.
In this booklet compiled from Life-study of John, Witness Lee expounds John 14:7-20. In these verses, the Lord Jesus tells the disciples more concerning the “coming and going” that He spoke of in verse 3. The disciples were puzzled by the Lord’s words in verse 3, but today we have the revelation to make these words clear. The Lord’s going was through His death, and His coming was in resurrection as the Spirit. This Spirit, the “another Comforter” and Spirit of reality that the Lord spoke of, comes and enters into us to be our life and everything we need.
In this booklet compiled from Life-study of John, Witness Lee expounds chapter 15 of the Gospel of John. “Most Christians are very familiar with John 15, a wonderful chapter about the Lord as the vine and us as the branches. Apparently, it is easy for us to understand this chapter because we know what a vine is, what branches are, and what is the relationship between a vine and its branches. However, John 15 is possibly the deepest chapter in the New Testament. If we are to properly and adequately understand the deeper meaning of this chapter, we must understand the central thought of God and the intention of the Holy Spirit in writing the Gospel of John.”
Throughout John 15 the Lord Jesus speaks of abiding—us in Him and Him in us. But what does it mean to abide in the Lord, to abide in His love, and to let His words abide in us? In this booklet compiled from Life-study of John, Witness Lee gives a meaningful, precious, and practical answer to these questions.
In this booklet compiled from Life-study of John, Witness Lee considers the believers' status as branches of the vine—their oneness with the other branches, their relationship with the vine, and their function of fruit-bearing.
“The crucial point of John 16 is the work of the Spirit. According to this chapter, the work of the Spirit is in three categories: to convict the world; to glorify the Son by revealing Him with the fullness of the Father to the believers; and to disclose what is to come.” In this booklet compiled from Life-study of John, Witness Lee considers the Spirit’s convicting work and the result of the Spirit’s work: the mingling of divinity with humanity.
In this booklet compiled from Life-study of John, Witness Lee presents three basic principles in John chapters 14 and 15 and reveals how those same principles are repeated in John 16, which reveals that in resurrection Christ was “born” with His believers to become the church as a newborn child (v. 21).
In John 17:6-24 the Lord Jesus prays for the believers to be built up into one. This oneness is in three stages: in the Father’s name by the eternal life (vv. 6-13); in the Triune God through sanctification by the holy word (vv. 14-21); and in the divine glory for the expression of the Triune God (vv. 22-24). In this booklet compiled from Life-study of John, Witness Lee considers the first of these three stages—oneness in the Father’s name.
In John 17:6-24 the Lord Jesus prays for the believers to be built up into one. This oneness is in three stages: in the Father’s name by the eternal life (vv. 6-13); in the Triune God through sanctification by the holy word (vv. 14-21); and in the divine glory for the expression of the Triune God (vv. 22-24). In this booklet compiled from Life-study of John, Witness Lee considers the second of these three stages—oneness in the Triune God.
In John 17:6-24 the Lord Jesus prays for the believers to be built up into one. This oneness is in three stages: in the Father’s name by the eternal life (vv. 6-13); in the Triune God through sanctification by the holy word (vv. 14-21); and in the divine glory for the expression of the Triune God (vv. 22-24). In this booklet compiled from Life-study of John, Witness Lee considers the third of these three stages—oneness in the divine glory.
When giving their records of the Lord’s death, Matthew, Mark, and Luke focus on the line of redemption. But the Gospel of John focuses on the line of life, and in this booklet compiled from Life-study of John, Witness Lee presents the emphasis of John’s record. John’s purpose was to show that the Lord is our life and that He died on the cross for the purpose of releasing Himself to us as life. His death on the cross was not just for our redemption but, much more, for the purpose of imparting His divine life into us.
In this booklet compiled from Life-study of John, Witness Lee considers chapters 18 and 19 of the Gospel of John. In these chapters, “the Holy Spirit reveals the Lord’s willingness to go into death and to deliver Himself to death that He might be sown as a grain of wheat into the earth to die in order that He might rise up to release and impart Himself into us, thus bringing forth much fruit by His death and resurrection.”
In this booklet compiled from Life-study of John, Witness Lee considers the Lord Jesus’ resurrection as presented in the Gospel of John. “The record in the Gospel of John regarding the Lord’s resurrection is different from that in the other three Gospels. The record of the Lord’s resurrection in Matthew, Mark, and Luke is nearly the same. John’s record, however, is vastly different. The Gospel of John always has the viewpoint of life. According to John’s Gospel, the Lord has come to be the expression of God to be received by us as life, and He died and resurrected to impart Himself into us as life…John 20 and 21 are written from this point of view.”
In this booklet compiled from Life-study of John, Witness Lee fellowships concerning those who discovered that the Lord Jesus had been resurrected. John chapter 20 shows us what kind of person can receive not just the historical fact about the resurrection but the vision of resurrection as a reality today. “How can we have the revelation of the Lord’s resurrection? There is such a wonderful and mysterious fact as the Lord’s resurrection accomplished in this universe. But how can we know it? How can it be revealed to us? How can we have this vision? Only by loving the Lord and seeking Him.”
In John 20:17, for the first time, the Lord Jesus called His disciples “My brothers.” Previously, He had called them His friends (e.g., John 15:14-15), but never brothers. In this booklet compiled from Life-study of John, Witness Lee presents the precious, marvelous truth behind this change and how it relates to us today.
Christians know that the Lord Jesus passed through a process of being examined by the religious leaders, going to the cross, and being resurrected from the dead. But how much do we see concerning Christ after His resurrection? In this booklet compiled from Life-study of John, Witness Lee considers the Christ who is now life in resurrection. “When He is in resurrection, He is life as the Spirit, for He is the Spirit in resurrection. In this booklet we need to see how this life is now the Spirit in resurrection.”
On the evening of the day of His resurrection, the Lord Jesus met with His disciples for the first time since being resurrected. This was a fulfillment of His promise to them in John 16:22, when He said, “I shall see you again and your heart will rejoice, and no one will take your joy away from you.” In this booklet compiled from Life-study of John, Witness Lee presents the five blessings that the Lord’s return brought to His disciples: His presence, His peace, His commission, the Holy Spirit, and the authority to represent Him.
At the end of chapter 20 of the Gospel of John, everything is wonderful and complete. The Lord Jesus has come back as the Spirit to be with the disciples and to be everything to them. It seems that we have touched upon something divine, spiritual, heavenly, eternal, and beyond our conception, and that there is no need for chapter 21. What, then, is the meaning and purpose of this additional chapter? In this booklet compiled from Life-study of John, Witness Lee considers the answer to this question.
In this booklet compiled from Life-study of John, Witness Lee fellowships concerning John 21:15-25, which reveals that in resurrection the Lord Jesus is working and walking with the believers. He is working as the Shepherd to build up the church by shepherding His flock, stirring up and restoring His disciples’ love toward Him, charging His disciples to care for His flock, walking with His disciples as His followers, and training His disciples to know His invisible presence.
In this booklet compiled from Life-study of John, Witness Lee presents the three stages of spiritual matters in the writings of John. “The Apostle John not only wrote the Gospel of John but also his Epistles and the book of Revelation. His writings are of three important categories. The Gospel of John is for the imparting of life, his Epistles are for the fellowship of life which is for God’s building, and the Revelation is for the consummation of God’s building. Thus, there are three stages of spiritual matters in his writings. The first stage is that of life imparting, the second stage is that of spiritual growth and building, and the last stage is that of maturity and the completion of God’s building.”
In this booklet compiled from Life-study of John, Witness Lee opens up the illustration of the vine in chapter 15 of the Gospel of John. John 15:5 tells us that Christ is the vine, and we are the branches. “The fact that Christ is the vine and we are the branches of this vine clearly indicates that we are part of Christ. What a great matter this is! John 15 is not merely a parable; it is an illustration showing how we are now a part of Christ. We are not simply those who have been redeemed, forgiven, justified, reconciled, and saved. We are actually a part of Christ! If we view the illustration from this angle, we shall realize how profound it is.”
In this booklet compiled from Life-study of Philippians, Witness gives an overview of the church in Philippi based on the apostle Paul’s epistle to them. Through Paul’s letter, we see the church’s positive features, its defect, and the apostle’s encouragement and prayer for them all.
In this booklet compiled from Life-study of Philippians, Witness Lee considers Paul’s suffering for the gospel and his enjoyment of grace. What does it mean to suffer for the gospel? What is grace, and how can we enjoy it? It may seem easy to answer such questions in a natural way, but the book of Philippians reveals that suffering for the gospel and enjoying grace are deep matters; indeed, it is the enjoyment of grace that enables us to be sustained in suffering for the gospel.
In this booklet compiled from Life-study of Philippians, Witness Lee offers an overview of many of the titles of the Spirit—including the Spirit of Jesus Christ, the Spirit, the Spirit of God, the Spirit of Jehovah, the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of Jesus, the Spirit of Christ, and the seven Spirits of God—and the revelation of the Spirit that we gain from understanding each title.
In this booklet compiled from Life-study of Philippians, Witness Lee considers the matter of magnifying Christ by living Him (Phil. 1:19-21). In Philippians 1:20 the apostle Paul says, “According to my earnest expectation and hope that in nothing I shall be put to shame, but with all boldness, as always, even now Christ shall be magnified in my body, whether through life or through death.” In Paul’s bodily sufferings, Christ was magnified, exalted, and extolled. His sufferings afforded him opportunity to express Christ in His unlimited greatness. Philippians is concerned with the experience of Christ. To magnify Christ under any circumstances is to experience Him with the topmost enjoyment.
Philippians 1 reveals that there is a vast difference between enjoying the presence of Christ and living Christ. Here, the apostle Paul considers these two ways of experiencing Christ, and he ponders a choice that is before him: to die and enjoy the presence of Christ in a fuller way, or to remain and have further opportunities to live Christ. In this booklet compiled from Life-study of Philippians, Witness Lee presents Paul’s choice and fellowships concerning how it relates to us in our Christian life.
In Philippians 1:27 the apostle Paul charges the Philippians to stand firm in one spirit and to strive with one soul. “Nowhere else in the Bible are the terms spirit and soul used together in this way…What is the difference between ‘in one spirit’ and ‘with one soul’? Why does Paul not say ‘with one spirit’ and ‘in one soul’? And why does Paul say ‘stand firm…striving together” instead of ‘stand firm and strive together’?” In this booklet compiled from Life-study of Philippians, Witness Lee answers these questions and presents the significance of this passage in the Bible.
The apostle Paul wrote the book of Philippians while he was in prison, but his concern was not related to his imprisonment. Rather, Paul was concerned about the Philippian believers’ attitude and for the kind of spirit they had toward him. In this booklet compiled from Life-study of Philippians, Witness Lee fellowships concerning the apostle’s entreaty to the believers in Philippians 2:2. “Paul was not troubled by his imprisonment, but he was troubled by the situation among the believers in Philippi. He was very concerned about their spiritual condition. Therefore, Paul appealed to the Philippians to make him happy to the uttermost. Paul needed their encouragement, consolation, and fellowship to be a support to him. If the Philippians would render him such support, they would make his joy full.”
In this booklet compiled from Life-study of Philippians, Witness Lee presents Christ as our pattern as revealed in Philippians 2. In these verses we see that Christ our pattern is not only objective and in the heavens but also subjective and within us. Taking Christ as our pattern is a matter of cooperation, not imitation; and through our cooperation, this pattern becomes our salvation.
In this booklet compiled from Life-study of Philippians, Witness Lee fellowships concerning the exaltation of Christ as revealed in Philippians 2:9-12: “My burden in this booklet is to relate the exaltation of Christ to our spiritual experience. God has already exalted Christ, but have you exalted Him? Christ has been exalted in the universe, but has He been exalted in you?...I do not care to talk about the exaltation of Christ in an objective way, but to apply this to our subjective experience.”
In Philippians 2:12 Paul says, “…work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.” What does this mean? We have been truly born of God; we have received salvation. What, then, does it mean to work out our salvation, and how can we do such a thing? In this booklet compiled from Life-study of Philippians, Witness Lee presents the answers to these questions and offers a deeper view of Paul’s word to the Philippian believers.
In this booklet compiled from Life-study of Philippians, Witness Lee considers Philippians 2:14-16 in a granular way, unpacking the major phrases in these verses and expounding their application in our Christian life.
In Philippians 2:17 the apostle Paul speaks of being poured out as a drink offering. What is a drink offering, and what does it signify to the New Testament believers? How does it reflect our experience of Christ? In this booklet compiled from Life-study of Philippians, Witness Lee considers this section of the New Testament and answers these questions.
In this booklet compiled from Life-study of Philippians, Witness Lee presents the matter of being like-souled: “I treasure the expression ‘like-souled’ used by Paul in Philippians 2:20. This short phrase opens a window through which we can see the secret for us to experience Christ in a way which issues in a true concern for the churches. I hope that we all will come to know this precious secret.”
In this booklet compiled from Life-study of Philippians, Witness Lee gives a word on the matters of being like-souled and of risking our soul (Phil. 2:20, 30). “Without spiritual experience, we cannot have an adequate understanding of Paul’s thought in these verses. Mere reading without experience is not sufficient. Through our experience in the church life and through observation, we have come to understand at least to some extent what Paul means when he speaks of being like-souled and of risking the soul.”
In this booklet compiled from Life-study of Philippians, Witness Lee considers the threefold contrast presented in Philippians chapter 3: the believers who “serve by the Spirit of God” (v. 3) in contrast to “the dogs” (v. 2); the believers who “boast in Christ Jesus” (v. 3) in contrast to the “evil workers” (v. 2); and the believers who “have no confidence in the flesh” (v. 3) in contrast to “the concision” (v. 2).
Philippians 3:7-8 says, “But what things were gains to me, these I have counted loss on account of Christ. But surely I count also all things to be loss on account of the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, on account of whom I have suffered the loss of all things and count them refuse that I may gain Christ.” In this booklet compiled from Life-study of Philippians, Witness Lee offers a deeper view of these verses. “Many of us have known Philippians 3:7 and 8 for years, and we are very familiar with these verses. However, we probably have not touched the depths of this part of chapter three. Without this, we cannot be initiated into the genuine experience of Christ. You may have heard many messages on how Paul counted all things loss on account of Christ and on account of the excellency of the knowledge of Christ. But has knowing these verses in an objective way brought you into the real experience of Christ? I believe that, if we are honest, we shall have to admit that we have not experienced Christ according to these verses. The reason for this lack of experience is that, until now, we have not probed into the depths of Paul’s thought in this portion of the Word.”
In Philippians 3:8 the apostle Paul says, “I count also all things to be loss on account of the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord.” In this booklet compiled from Life-study of Philippians, Witness Lee considers the excellency of the knowledge of Christ, including the contrast between the law and Christ, the excellency of the person of Christ, the all-inclusiveness of Christ, and the excellent knowledge of Christ.
In Philippians 3:9 we see that the apostle Paul’s earnest desire was to be found in Christ, and in this booklet compiled from Life-study of Philippians, Witness Lee explains what this means and how we, too, can be found in Him. Paul “expected to be found in Christ by all those who observed him—the Jews, the angels, and the demons. This indicates that he aspired to have his whole being immersed in Christ and saturated with Christ so that all who observed him could discover him in Christ.”
In this booklet compiled from Life-study of Philippians, Witness Lee considers the two kinds of knowing that the apostle Paul uses in Philippians 3. “To have the excellency of the knowledge of Christ in Philippians 3:8 is by revelation. But to know Him in verse 10 is by experience—to have the experiential knowledge of Him, to experience Him in the full knowledge of Him. Paul first received the revelation of Christ and then sought for the experience of Christ—to know and enjoy Him in an experiential way.”
Philippians 3:10 speaks of the power of Christ’s resurrection, the fellowship of His sufferings, and the matter of being conformed to His death. In this booklet compiled from Life-study of Philippians, Witness Lee presents the relationship among these matters, our spiritual experience, and the resurrection the apostle Paul refers to in verse 11.
In this booklet compiled from Life-study of Philippians, Witness Lee considers the way the apostle Paul speaks of his conversion in Philippians 3. “Have you ever heard anyone say that at the time he was converted Christ gained him so that he might gain Christ? We need to realize that Christ has gained us that we might gain Him. Then we need to use Paul’s expression to uplift our conversation about conversion. Christ gained us not merely for the sake of forgiveness, redemption, salvation, or heaven. I repeat, He gained us for the definite purpose that we might gain Him.”
In this booklet compiled from Life-study of Philippians, Witness Lee considers the apostle Paul’s speaking in Philippians 3:13-16, including the unique goal of God, the basic principle of the Christian life, and the extraordinary expressions Paul uses in this Epistle.
“In chapters one and two of Philippians Paul’s intention was to have communication, fellowship, between him and the believers in Philippi that he might share his experience of Christ so that the believers might be encouraged to have a full participation in his enjoyment of Christ. At the beginning of chapter three, Paul changes his emphasis.” In this booklet compiled from Life-study of Philippians, Witness Lee considers this change of emphasis and Paul’s basic concept in Philippians 3.
In this booklet compiled from Life-study of Philippians, Witness Lee presents two important matters from the fourth chapter of Philippians: thinking the same thing and rejoicing in the Lord. This rejoicing affords us the strength to have one mind, to think the same thing.
In the first three chapters of Philippians, the apostle Paul refers to the inner reality of the experience of Christ, and in chapter 4 we find the expression of this reality. In this booklet compiled from Life-study of Philippians, Witness Lee delves into Philippians 4:5-9 and considers the full expression of a life which lives Christ.
In this booklet compiled from Life-study of Philippians, Witness Lee continues his study of Philippians 4:5-9 and considers six governing aspects of a life that lives Christ. The apostle Paul gives us these governing aspects in verse 8: “For the rest, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is righteous, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is well-spoken of, if there is any virtue and if any praise, take account of these things.”
In this booklet compiled from Life-study of Philippians, Witness Lee considers the secret of sufficiency in Christ that the apostle Paul refers to in Philippians 4:12. “Paul had learned the secret of sufficiency, of satisfaction, of contentment. This secret is actually Christ Himself. In chapter one of Philippians, Christ is the life for us to live; in chapter two, Christ is the pattern for us to follow; and in chapter three, Christ is the goal and the prize for us to pursue. Now in chapter four, Christ is the secret and also the power for us to enjoy.”
The believers in Philippi sent material supply to the apostle Paul when he was in need, and they also ministered life to him. Thus, between the believers and the apostle there was the fellowship of life and the mutual ministry of life. In this booklet compiled from Life-study of Philippians, Witness Lee presents the Philippians’ fellowship in the apostle’s need and fellowships concerning our own giving in such a fellowship of life and ministry of life.
In the closing verses of his Epistle to the Philippians, the apostle Paul extends a brief word of greeting (vv. 21-22) and blessing (v. 23). In this booklet compiled from Life-study of Philippians, Witness Lee opens up this brief word and presents the revelation found in it.
The apostle Paul used four very important terms in his Epistle to the Philippians: grace, salvation, the Spirit, and Christ. In this booklet compiled from Life-study of Philippians, Witness Lee considers the apostle’s use of these terms particularly in Philippians 1:7, 19, 20, 21: “In these verses grace, salvation, the Spirit, and Christ are not defined in a doctrinal way. Rather, they are related to experience.”
In Philippians 1:19-20 the apostle Paul speaks of the supply of the Spirit. This supply may seem abstract and mysterious, but there is a picture in Exodus to help us. In Exodus 30:23-30 we find the compound ointment—a wonderful picture of the supply of the Spirit. In this booklet compiled from Life-study of Philippians, Witness Lee considers the apostle’s words in Philippians and examines the picture in Exodus in detail, unveiling the spiritual significance of the elements in the compound ointment and their connection to the Spirit today.
In this booklet compiled from Life-study of Philippians, Witness Lee uses verses throughout the New Testament to help us see what it means to live Christ and how we can do it. “Just as we must breathe in order to live physically, we must breathe spiritually in order to live Christ. The way to breathe spiritually is to call on the name of the Lord…All day long, no matter where we are or what we are doing, we need to call on the Lord. Whatever we are doing, we should call on the Lord Jesus…By calling on the Lord, you will live Christ.”
In this booklet compiled from Life-study of Philippians, Witness Lee fellowships concerning the relationship between the Word of God and the Spirit, not only as a fact but also in our daily Christian experience, with a particular focus on our receiving the Word by means of prayer.
In this booklet compiled from Life-study of Philippians, Witness Lee opens up the matter of the Word of God as a source of supply to us, enabling us to live and magnify Christ. “We have pointed out that the supply of the Spirit is equal to the riches of Christ and that the riches of Christ are embodied in the Word.” To enjoy these riches, we must come to the Word, mingling our reading with prayer. Then we will receive the supply in the Spirit and live a life full of the basic elements of Christ’s riches.
In this booklet compiled from Life-study of Philippians, Witness Lee considers the difference between outward behavior and living Christ. By letting the Word of Christ dwell in us richly, by singing it and pray-reading it, the riches of the Word fill us and make us one with the Lord. This is the way to live Christ.
In this booklet compiled from Life-study of Philippians, Witness Lee offers a picture of who our marvelous Christ is, how the Triune God came to reach us, how Christ is not only our Redeemer but also our life supply, and how we can receive this life supply today. “Living Christ has much to do with the riches of Christ realized in the bountiful supply of the Spirit and the bountiful supply of the Spirit embodied in the rich Word of God.”
In Philippians 1:21 the apostle Paul says “To me to live is Christ,” and in this booklet compiled from Life-study of Philippians, Witness Lee fellowships concerning what this means and what it issues in. The central thought of the Bible is not only the objective Christ but also the subjective Christ, experienced by us day by day.
“If we sincerely desire to be saturated with the living Word so that we may live Christ, we need to follow the practice advocated by Paul in Colossians 3:16.” In this booklet compiled from Life-study of Philippians, Witness Lee provides a thorough and practical explanation of what it means to have the word of Christ dwelling in us. “We must let the word of Christ inhabit us in a rich way, not by mere knowledge from the mind, but by every kind of wisdom from our spirit, including singing and psalming.”
“If we would allow Christ to occupy us and make His home in us, we must be filled with the word of Christ.” In this booklet compiled from Life-study of Philippians, Witness Lee fellowships concerning the importance of the Spirit and the Word in our daily Christian life and practice.
In this booklet taken from Life-study of Philippians, Witness Lee considers the significance of the apostle Paul’s word forbearance in Philippians 4:5 and helps us to appreciate its importance in our Christian life.
The apostle Paul uses the word forbearance in Philippians 4:5, in the final chapter of an Epistle “which emphasizes the experience of Christ.” Thus, this booklet, compiled from Life-study of Philippians by Witness Lee, considers how the virtue of forbearance relates to a Christian’s experience of Christ.
In this booklet compiled from Life-study of Philippians, Witness Lee considers forbearance, the all-inclusive virtue found in Philippians 4:5. “Based on the analysis of the Greek word, our spiritual experience, God’s activities in His economy, and the Lord’s living on earth, we can realize that to have adequate forbearance requires that we also have many other virtues.”
In this booklet compiled from Life-study of Philippians, Witness Lee considers the apostle Paul’s word forbearance in Philippians 4:5 and the need to exercise this virtue specifically in our married and family life.
We may read Philippians and ask why the apostle Paul would mention forbearance and anxiety at the conclusion of such a profound book. In this booklet compiled from Life-study of Philippians, Witness Lee considers this question and the relationship among forbearance, anxiety, and the experience of Christ.
In this booklet taken from Life-study of Philippians, Witness Lee fellowships concerning the source of forbearance, the source of anxiety, and the way to have a life full of forbearance but without anxiety.
In this booklet taken from Life-study of Philippians, Witness Lee contrasts forbearance with anxiety and presents the secret of satisfaction, the importance of prayer and petition with thanksgiving, the proper realization we must have in order to exercise forbearance, and six points for our practice.
In Philippians 4:13 the apostle Paul testifies, “I can do all things in Him who empowers me,” and then in Colossians 3:17 he charges the believers to do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus. These two verses correspond to one another, and in this booklet taken from Life-study of Philippians, Witness Lee considers them and what they reveal about doing everything in the name of the Lord.
Philippians 2:5-16 speaks of Christ, salvation, God, and the word of life. These are the four basic elements of the structure of these verses. In this booklet taken from Life-study of Philippians, Witness Lee fellowships concerning how these four elements are related to one another.
In this booklet compiled from Life-study of Philippians, Witness Lee presents the importance of seeing the relationship between the Spirit and the Word of God, the word of life. “The Christian life is intimately related to the life-giving Spirit and the word of life. As the consummation of His process, God is now the life-giving Spirit. Furthermore, in His speaking He is the Word. He has given us the Spirit and the Word as two wonderful gifts.”
It is difficult to define the Word. In the book of Revelation, the Son of God is called the Word; the book of Ephesians indicates the Word as the Spirit; and in John the Lord Jesus tells us His words are spirit and life. In this booklet compiled from Life-study of Philippians, Witness Lee fellowships concerning the Word, its oneness with the Spirit, and the importance of exercising our spirit to pray when we come to the Word.
In Philippians 2:15 the apostle Paul tells the Philippian believers that they are children of God who “shine as lights in the world.” The Greek word that is translated “lights” here means luminaries which reflect the light of the sun. In this booklet compiled from Life-study of Philippians, Witness Lee fellowships concerning this verse and helps us to see how we are able to shine, reflecting Christ as the real sun.
“According to the book of Philippians, there is a salvation which is constant in our practical life. To say that this salvation is constant means that it is a salvation we may experience every day, every hour, and every moment.” In this booklet taken from Life-study of Philippians, Witness Lee presents this salvation—not our eternal salvation from hell, which is objective, but a very subjective and experiential salvation that we can enjoy moment by moment.
In the book of Philippians, we see that we have a constant, daily salvation. However, a certain power is necessary to afford us this kind of salvation. In this booklet taken from Life-study of Philippians, Witness Lee considers the two means for the accomplishment of this salvation that are presented in Philippians: the bountiful supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ, and the inward operation of the indwelling God.
In this booklet compiled from Life-study of Philippians, Witness Lee presents five aspects of the divine and rich provision for our constant salvation: the pattern with its standard, the inward operation of God, the children of God, shining as luminaries, and the word of life (Phil. 2:5-16). If we enjoy all these aspects, we shall experience constant salvation.
In Philippians 2:17 the apostle Paul speaks of “the sacrifice and priestly service of your faith,” a phrase which can be difficult to understand. What is the faith that can constitute a sacrifice offered to God? In this booklet taken from Life-study of Philippians, Witness Lee considers this verse in depth and answers this question.
In Philippians 3:9 the apostle Paul says, “And be found in Him, not having my own righteousness which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ…” What does it mean to be found in Christ? What does Paul mean by a righteousness “which is through the faith of Christ”? In this booklet compiled from Life-study of Philippians, Witness Lee answers these questions and expounds this passage of Paul’s writing.
In Philippians 3:7-16 the apostle Paul uses at least three different Greek words to express the idea of gaining, indicating the Lord’s desire that we gain Him, obtain Him, and lay hold of Him. In this booklet taken from Life-study of Philippians, Witness Lee reveals that these expressions point to three stages of the securing of Christ. “In this booklet I am not burdened to cover either the initial gaining of Christ or the final laying hold of Him. My burden is related to the process of the continual obtaining of Christ, the process which takes place between the initial gaining of Christ and the final laying hold of Him.”
In this booklet compiled from Life-study of Philippians, Witness Lee expounds the word out-resurrection in Philippians 3:11. “The term ‘out-resurrection’ is found in the Bible only in Philippians 3:11. The Greek prefix ek means ‘out.’ Here Paul adds this prefix to the usual Greek word for resurrection. What was his reason for doing this? According to his vision and experience, Paul realized that God’s intention in the universe is altogether related to something which is new, something in resurrection, but resurrection in a very particular sense, not resurrection in an ordinary sense.”
In this booklet taken from Life-study of Philippians, Witness Lee focuses on two words found in Philippians 3:14: goal and prize. The apostle Paul speaks of the goal and the prize, but what is the goal and what is the prize? Many would answer that both the goal and the prize are Christ. Although such an answer may be regarded as correct, there is something very particular concerning these words that we can see in Philippians 3:10-14.
In Philippians 3:15 the apostle Paul says “Let us therefore, as many as are full-grown, have this mind.” What does Paul mean by “this mind”? To answer this question, Witness Lee considers Paul’s word in previous verses, and he presents our need to have the unique mind inwardly and the unique walk outwardly.
The emphasis in the Gospel of John is on God expressing Himself in man, but in the Gospel of Luke the emphasis is on a Man living a life to express God. Thus, Luke presents the Lord Jesus, God in the flesh, as a genuine and perfect Man, one having both the divine and human essences and one whose life was a composition of God with the divine attributes and man with the human virtues. In this booklet compiled from Life-study of Luke, Witness Lee gives an overview of the Lord’s conception and birth as recorded by Luke and fellowships concerning the divine and human essences possessed by the Lord.
In this booklet taken from Life-study of Luke, Witness Lee speaks concerning the Lord Jesus’ life on earth, a life that was a composition of the divine attributes and the human virtues. This is the highest standard of morality. “When we speak of the highest standard of morality, we are not using the word ‘morality’ in a traditional way. By morality we mean the standard of life God requires.”
In this booklet compiled from Life-study of Luke, Witness Lee compares the conception of John the Baptist and the conception of the Lord Jesus. These two conceptions are strikingly different in essence. The conception of John the Baptist was God’s miracle, accomplished by the divine power yet without the divine nature. The conception of the Savior was God’s incarnation, “a mingling of the divine nature with the human nature, producing a God-man, one who is both the complete God and perfect Man, possessing the divine nature and the human nature distinctively, without a third nature being produced.”
In this booklet taken from Life-study of Luke, Witness Lee considers the birth and youth of the Lord Jesus. Luke’s record of the Savior’s birth and youth is completely different from that in Matthew. “What Matthew records of events that took place at the Savior’s birth and during His youth constitutes striking evidence of Christ’s legitimate kingship. Luke’s record of the same birth and the same youth is of another category, that of events which offer strong proof of Jesus’ genuine humanity. The two records cover only two of the different aspects of the Savior’s wonderful status.”
In this booklet compiled from Life-study of Luke, Witness Lee fellowships concerning the inauguration of the Man-Savior. “The inauguration of the Man-Savior mainly involves His being baptized by John the Baptist and His being anointed by the Father. Actually, this inauguration is an introduction, but it is more than merely an introduction. To introduce a person does not mean to officially put him into office. But to inaugurate a person means not only to introduce him, but also to usher him officially into his office.”
The Lord Jesus was baptized not only to fulfill righteousness according to God’s ordination, but also to allow Himself to be put into death and resurrection that He might minister in the way of resurrection. By being baptized He lived and ministered in resurrection even before His actual death and resurrection three and a half years later. In this booklet taken from Life-study of Luke, Witness Lee fellowships concerning the issue of this baptism: a life and ministry that was in resurrection even before the Lord’s actual death and resurrection.
In Luke 4:1-13 the Lord Jesus stands against the temptations of the devil and wins the victory. In this booklet, taken from Life-study of Luke, Witness Lee presents the spiritual significance of each of the devil’s temptations and the significance of the Lord’s victory. “Through the testing of the Man-Savior, God was able to show His enemy, Satan, the Devil, that there is a Man who can withstand temptation.”
In this booklet compiled from Life-study of Luke, Witness Lee fellowships concerning the first three and a half chapters of the Gospel of Luke. These chapters reveal that two angels and a number of human beings were involved in the preparation of the Man-Savior, and in the words spoken by these persons, seventeen aspects of the Man-Savior are revealed. “When we consider all these aspects…we see that He is not only both God and man, but everything God intended to give to His people and do for them.”
In this booklet taken from Life-study of Luke, Witness Lee fellowships concerning Luke 4:18-19, where we see that the Lord Jesus was anointed to “proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord.” This acceptable year is the New Testament age typified by the year of jubilee (Lev. 25:8-17), the time when God would accept the returned captives of sin (Isa. 49:8; 2 Cor. 6:2) and when the oppressed under the bondage of sin would enjoy the release of God’s salvation. The year of jubilee was a year of release, freedom, and return of lost property. The Man-Savior began His ministry by proclaiming the jubilee of grace.
In this booklet taken from Life-study of Luke, Witness Lee focuses on Luke 4:31-44, part of the section of this Gospel that covers the ministry of the Man-Savior in His human virtues with His divine attributes. In these verses the Man-Savior carried out His fourfold commission, which included teaching (vv. 31-32), casting out demons (vv. 33-37, 41), healing diseases (vv. 38-40), and preaching the good news of the kingdom of God (vv. 42-44).
Luke 5:1—6:11 is a record of five cases: the attracting of the occupied (5:1-11), the cleansing of the contaminated (5:12-16), the healing of the paralytic (5:17-26), the calling of the despised (5:27-39), and the breaking of the deformed sabbatical regulation for people’s satisfaction and liberation (6:1-11). In this booklet compiled from Life-study of Luke, Witness Lee examines these cases and reveals that actually they are a picture of our own spiritual experience. “We all can testify that we were such persons. We have been attracted away from our occupations, and we have been cleansed, healed, uplifted, satisfied, and freed. This is the Man-Savior’s ministry in His human virtues with His divine attributes.”
As those who have been regenerated by God, we, the believers, have God’s life and nature. Now we need to see what principles should govern our character, our behavior. How should we conduct ourselves? How should we act and have our being? In this booklet taken from Life-study of Luke, Witness Lee uses Luke 6:12-49 to answer these questions. “All the aspects of the Lord’s teaching here are principles that should govern our Christian behavior.”
In the Gospel of Luke we see that the Lord Jesus, the God-man, lived a life that was according to the highest standard of morality, and in Luke 6:17-49 He teaches us this standard. In this booklet compiled from Life-study of Luke, Witness Lee expounds these verses and the Lord’s teaching. “I hope that many of us will delve into this teaching. If we pray over these verses and digest them, this will affect our daily walk.”
Luke 7:1-35 presents three matters: the Man-Savior curing the dying one with a word (vv. 1-10), the Man-Savior showing pity to the weeping mother by raising up her dead son (vv. 11-17), and the Man-Savior strengthening His forerunner (vv. 18-35). It may seem that there is no connection among the three cases, but in this booklet taken from Life-study of Luke, Witness Lee reveals that these matters are related.
The Christian life begins with the forgiveness of sins through our faith in the Savior. How can we be forgiven? It is because the Man-Savior is the incarnated God, the One who has authority to forgive our sin. In this booklet compiled from Life-study of Luke, Witness Lee fellowships concerning Luke 7:36-50: “a vivid description and an affectionate account of a sinful woman experiencing the forgiveness of sins.”
In this booklet taken from Life-study of Luke, Witness Lee considers Luke 8:1-21. “In 8:1-21 three matters are covered: the Man-Savior being ministered to by women (vv. 1-3), the Man-Savior teaching with parables (vv. 4-18), and the Man-Savior identifying His real relatives (vv. 19-21). If we consider 7:36—8:21 as a unit, we shall see that as those who have had their sins forgiven, we should follow the Lord, minister to Him, grow in life, and shine as lamps. Eventually, as such ones, we become the genuine relatives of the Man-Savior.”
In Luke 8:22-56 we see that we who believe in the Lord are on a journey with Him. Luke presents three matters in these verses: the quelling of the storm, the casting out of demons, and healing two persons. In this booklet taken from Life-study of Luke, Witness Lee considers these three matters and their significance in relation to our journey with the Lord.
The jubilee was a provision given to God’s people in Leviticus 25. Every fiftieth year, the year of jubilee, any land that had been sold was returned to its rightful owner and anyone who had sold himself into slavery was given back his freedom. Luke chapter 4 tells us that the Lord Jesus’ ministry opened with the proclamation of the jubilee, and in chapter 9 we see the spreading of the jubilee. Here the jubilee is the gospel of the New Testament, the proclamation of the release of the captives and of the recovery of the lost birthright. In this booklet taken from Life-study of Luke, Witness Lee considers the record in Luke 9:1-26 and the thought of the spreading of the jubilee that underlies it.
In this booklet compiled from Life-study of Luke, Witness Lee considers the order of events in Luke chapter 9. “Why after the feeding of the five thousand did the Lord question the disciples concerning Himself? Then why, immediately after they recognized Him as the Christ, did He tell them that He was about to be crucified and resurrected? The answer to these questions is that there cannot be a jubilee without Christ and without His death and resurrection.” The jubilee was a provision given to God's people in Leviticus 25. Every fiftieth year, the year of jubilee, any land that had been sold was returned to its rightful owner, and anyone who had sold himself into slavery was given back his freedom. Today, we cannot have the jubilee without Christ’s death and resurrection. Apart from the death of Christ, there would be no way for sinners to be released. Apart from the resurrection of Christ, there could not be the recovery of the lost right to enjoy God.
Praise is the highest work carried out by God’s children. We can even say that the highest expression of our spiritual life is our praise to God. But what is the spiritual significance of praise? How does it differ from prayer? In this booklet, Watchman Nee fellowships concerning the nature of praise, praise as a victory, faith as the ingredient of praise, and the relationships between our obedience and praise and our understanding and praise. “The Christian life soars through praises. To praise is to transcend everything to touch the Lord.”
This booklet begins by asking questions that have troubled human beings throughout history: “Why should man, who has been created by God, be subject to suffering throughout the whole course of his life? Why should men still continue to suffer after they become children of God? And why should men’s sufferings increase with the increase of their devotion to God?” The answer to these questions lies in seeing the distinction between two titles of God, the living God and the God of resurrection, and seeing their relationship to God’s eternal purpose. The accomplishment of God’s purpose involves our having “an experiential knowledge of God not only as the living God but also as the God of resurrection.”
Have you ever noticed this statement in the Bible—”a God who hides Himself”? Many Christians have never realized that God’s Word contains such an expression, but Isaiah expresses this thought most emphatically (Isa. 45:15). We may know God as the almighty One, as the righteous One, as One full of grace and compassion; but as the One who hides Himself, He may be unknown to us. “Our personalities are diametrically opposed to God’s personality. He likes concealment, we like display; He does not crave outward manifestations, we cannot be content without them. This divine disposition constitutes a great trial and test to us… I long that God’s children might realize the hidden nature of His working. Do not think that only mighty influences, great visions, and tremendous revelations are of Him. God’s surest work is done in the secret of our beings.”
Psalm 42:7 says, “Deep calls unto deep.” “We have to see the importance of the depths. Anything that is not from the depths will never reach the depths of others. If we have never received help or benefit in our depths, we will never have anything issuing from our depths. If we want to render spiritual help to others, something must issue from our depths…Only deep calls unto deep.”
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Living Stream Ministry
Praising
The God of Resurrection
A God Who Hides Himself
Deep Calls Unto Deep
