Restricting God

Just one of the reasons why I love the teachings of Watchman Nee. From his book "The Release of the Spirit". Chapter V, The Church & God's Work. (Italics mine.)

"If we really understand the nature of God's work, we shall readily admit that the outward man (soul - mind, will & emotions) is truly a formidable hindrance. It is true to say that God is much restricted by man. The people of God should know the ultimate purpose of the Church and also the inter-relationship of the Church (all born again, spirit filled believers), of God's power, and of God's work.

God's Manifestation & God's Restriction

There came a time when God committed Himself to human form - in the Person of Jesus of Nazareth. Before the Word became flesh, God's fullness knew no bounds. However, once the incarnation became a reality, His work and his power were limited to this flesh. Will this Man, Christ Jesus, restrict or manifest God? We are shown by the Bible that, far from limiting God, He has instead wonderfully manifested God's fullness. The fullness of God is the fullness of this flesh.

In our day God commits Himself to the Church. His power and His work are in the Church. Just as in the Gospel we find all God's work given to the Son, so today God has entrusted all His works to the Church and will not act apart from it. From the Day of Pentecost up to the present, God's work has been carried out through the Church. Think of the Church's tremendous responsibility. God's committal to the Church is like His committal previously to one Man, Christ - without reservation or restriction. Thus the Church may restrict God's work or limit His manifestation.

Jesus of Nazareth is God Himself. His whole being from within to without is to reveal God. His emotions reflect God's emotions; His thoughts reveal God's thoughts. While on this earth He could say: 'Not that I should do My will, but the will of Him that has sent Me ... The Son can do nothing of Himself save whatever He sees the Father doing ... For I have not spoken from Myself, but the Father who sent me has Himself given Me commandment what I should say and what I should speak' (John 6:38; 5:19; 12:49). Here we see a Man to whom God is committed. He is the Word that became flesh. He is God becoming man. He is perfect. When the day came that God desired to distribute His life to men, that Man could declare: '... The grain of wheat falling into the ground ... if it die ... bears much fruit" (John 12:24). Thus God has chosen the Church to be His vessel today - the vessel of His speaking, for the manifestation of His power and His working.

The basic teaching of the Gospel is the presence of God in one Man, while that of the epistles is God in the Church. May our eyes be opened to the glorious fact: God formerly dwelt in the Man Jesus Christ, but now God is only in the Church, not in any other organization (political, religious or otherwise). When this light dawns on us, we will spontaneously lift up our eyes to heaven saying, 'Oh, God! How much we have hindered Thee!' In Christ, the Almighty God was still almighty without suffering any restriction or straitening. What God expects today is that this same power may remain intact as He resides in the Church. He would be as free in manifesting Himself in the Church as He was in Christ. Any restriction or disability in the Church will invariably limit God. This is a most serious thing; we do not mention it lightly. The hindrance in each of us constitutes a hindrance to God.

Why is the discipline of the Holy Spirit so important? Why is the dividing of spirit and soul so urgent? It is because God must have a way through us. Let no one think that we are only interested in individual spiritual experiences. Our concern is God's way and His work. Is God free in our lives? Unless we are dealt with and broken through discipline, we shall restrict God. Without the breaking of the outward man, the Church cannot be a way for God."