THE ELDERSHIP IN GOD’S NEW TESTAMENT ECONOMY
SERIES THREE
THE ELDERSHIP IN GOD’S NEW TESTAMENT ECONOMY
The Living of the Elders
Message Two
Living Under the Principle of the Nazarite
Scripture Reading: Num. 6:1-12, 1 John 2:15-17; James 4:4; Gal. 1:4, John 7:18; 1 Tim. 2:6a; 1 Cor. 11:14; Heb. 13:13; Rom. 13:1-2; Matt. 12:46-50; Acts 15:39; Rev. 3:1, 4; 1 Pet. 1:18
I. As those living in the principle of the Nazarite, elders and co-workers must be rescued from all aspects of the world—Num. 6:1-4; 1 John 2:15-17; James 4:4; Gal. 1:4: (2000 ITERO-Fall, AFTERNOON SESSIONS, msg. 3)
A. One aspect of the world from which we must be saved is degraded Christianity—one of the “schools” within the “university” of the world—Gal. 1:3-4, 1 Peter 1:18: (2000 ITERO-Fall, AFTERNOON SESSIONS, msg. 3)
1. Today’s Christendom is huge and devilishly abnormal; the nature of the constituent of the church has been changed, and its size has become abnormal—Matt. 13:31-32. (2000 ITERO-Fall, AFTERNOON SESSIONS, msg. 3)
2. The difference between apostate Christendom and the genuine church is that one is a mixture while the other is pure—v. 33: (2000 ITERO-Fall, AFTERNOON SESSIONS, msg. 3)
a. The entire Christendom has become a corrupted mixture—1 Cor. 5:6. (2000 ITERO-Fall, AFTERNOON SESSIONS, msg. 3)
b. The local churches have to be crystally transparent, with no mixture—Rev. 21:18, 21. (2000 ITERO-Fall, AFTERNOON SESSIONS, msg. 3)
B. “In most Christian work, supposedly carried out for Christ, there is very little life ministered to people”—John 5:7 (footnote 2): (2000 ITERO-Fall, AFTERNOON SESSIONS, msg. 3)
1. “To him [Watchman Nee] work did not mean much; life meant everything”—1 Cor. 3:7. (2000 ITERO-Fall, AFTERNOON SESSIONS, msg. 3)
2. “In my whole life, he [Watchman Nee] is the only person I [Witness Lee] have known who paid more attention to life than to work” (Watchman Nee—A Seer of the Divine Revelation in the Present Age, pp. 85, 87)—Duet. 30:19; Acts 17:25. (2000 ITERO-Fall, AFTERNOON SESSIONS, msg. 3)
C. As elders and co-workers, we must lead the churches out from all practices containing any traces of the world and anything in the principle of Babylon, thus, keeping the Lord’s recovery away from anything worldly or Babylonian—Gal. 1:4, Heb. 13:13. (2000 ITERO-Fall, AFTERNOON SESSIONS, msg. 3)
II. As those living in the principle of the Nazarite, elders and co-workers must be separated from self-glory and consecrated to the Lord to live under His headship—Num. 6:5; John 7:18; 1 Thes. 2:6a; 1 Cor. 11:14; Heb. 13:13; Rom. 13:1-2: (2000 ITERO-Fall, AFTERNOON SESSIONS, msg. 3)
A. A Nazarite separated to the Lord should not cut his hair, but rather bear the shame, long hair being a shame to a man—Num. 6:5, 1 Cor. 11:14: (2000 ITERO-Fall, AFTERNOON SESSIONS, msg. 3)
1. To have long hair means to be separated from self-glory, thus, having no self-consciousness, self-righteousness, or self-glory—vv. 14-15; Num. 6:5 with footnote 1. (2000 ITERO-Fall, AFTERNOON SESSIONS, msg. 3)
2. We must “go forth unto Him outside the camp, bearing His reproach,” being despised by others, without any glory-seeking—Heb. 13:13. (2000 ITERO-Fall, AFTERNOON SESSIONS, msg. 3)
B. A Nazarite fully consecrated to the Lord must be absolutely under authority, absolutely under headship—Num. 6:2, 5, Rom. 13:1-2: (2000 ITERO-Fall, AFTERNOON SESSIONS, msg. 3)
1. The shaving of ones’ head signifies the rejecting of the headship of the Lord, the casting off of the Lord’s authority over us—Num. 6:5 with footnote 1. (2000 ITERO-Fall, AFTERNOON SESSIONS, msg. 3)
2. As elders and co-workers we must respect authority and remain in subjection to the Lord’s headship, thus, casting off the rebellious nature that is still within us—Rom. 13:1-2; Titus 3:3. (2000 ITERO-Fall, AFTERNOON SESSIONS, msg. 3)
III. As those living in the principle of the Nazarite, elders and co-workers must be delivered from natural affections—Num. 6:6-8; Matt. 12:46-50; Acts 15:39: (2000 ITERO-Fall, AFTERNOON SESSIONS, msg. 3)
A. A Nazarite consecrated to the Lord must not be defiled by anything dead, especially by the death of a nearest relative—Num. 6:6-8, Matt. 12:46-50: (2000 ITERO-Fall, AFTERNOON SESSIONS, msg. 3)
1. Our nearest relatives, representing our natural affections, can be a means to deaden us—Num. 6:6-8; Luke 21:16. (2000 ITERO-Fall, AFTERNOON SESSIONS, msg. 3)
2. We must be separated from our natural affections, which so easily deaden us—Matt. 12:46-50. (2000 ITERO-Fall, AFTERNOON SESSIONS, msg. 3)
3. We must overcome our natural affections and not be affected by our mother, our father, our sister, our brother, or even our wife or husband; if not, we will become deadened—Luke 14:26. (2000 ITERO-Fall, AFTERNOON SESSIONS, msg. 3)
B. Elders and co-workers must do their best to be kept away from family involvement and entanglement in the church leadership and their work—2 Tim. 2:4, Matt. 12:47-48: (2000 ITERO-Fall, AFTERNOON SESSIONS, msg. 3)
1. The relationship among the co-workers, the elders, and the churches must be altogether in the spirit, not in anything natural—vv. 47-48. (2000 ITERO-Fall, AFTERNOON SESSIONS, msg. 3)
2. There must be a line of separation between the leadership and the family—vv. 47-48. (2000 ITERO-Fall, AFTERNOON SESSIONS, msg. 3)
3. To bring one’s family into the work, eventually, will not be a healthy situation—vv. 47-48. (2000 ITERO-Fall, AFTERNOON SESSIONS, msg. 3)
IV. As those living in the principle of the Nazarite, elders and co-workers must be saved from touching spiritual deadness—Num. 6:9-12; Rev. 3:1, 4: (2000 ITERO-Fall, AFTERNOON SESSIONS, msg. 3)
A. Numbers 6:9 shows you that if any man dies suddenly beside you, you are defiled by his deadness: (2000 ITERO-Fall, AFTERNOON SESSIONS, msg. 3)
1. Anyone’s spiritual death can affect you—v. 9. (2000 ITERO-Fall, AFTERNOON SESSIONS, msg. 3)
2. Whenever you see or smell the stench of spiritual death, you must run away—v. 9. (2000 ITERO-Fall, AFTERNOON SESSIONS, msg. 3)
3. Do not enjoy looking into the trashcans; all homes (churches) have a trashcan—Prov. 4:24. (2000 ITERO-Fall, AFTERNOON SESSIONS, msg. 3)
4. Learn to taste the good things, not the defiled things such as gossip, criticizing, and murmuring; if not, you will be deadened—Matt 12:36; 1 Cor. 10:10; Phil. 2:14. (2000 ITERO-Fall, AFTERNOON SESSIONS, msg. 3)
5. Negative talk kills; learn to keep yourself away from the dead members—1 Cor. 10:10; Prov. 4:24. (2000 ITERO-Fall, AFTERNOON SESSIONS, msg. 3)
B. A Nazarite must remain fully sanctified, separated to God from all things, and should continually cleave to God—Psa. 110:3, Luke 9:62, Phil. 3:13-14: (2000 ITERO-Fall, AFTERNOON SESSIONS, msg. 3)
1. It is not easy to avoid the unexpected death of someone near us because that kind of death is often hidden—Num. 6:9 with footnote 1. (2000 ITERO-Fall, AFTERNOON SESSIONS, msg. 3)
2. If we are defiled by unexpected deadness, we need to have a new start—vv. 9-12. (2000 ITERO-Fall, AFTERNOON SESSIONS, msg. 3)
3. If we are defiled, we need to be cleansed by separating ourselves to the Lord—vv. 9-12. (2000 ITERO-Fall, AFTERNOON SESSIONS, msg. 3)