Professional Documents
Culture Documents
22/07/07
<Genesis 3:8-15; Romans 12:3-21>
1. The truth in the interpersonal relationships that God has determined for me
<Gen 2:23, 2:10-20, 1:27-28; Eph 4:1-16; Matt 28:18-20; Romans 16:1-27…>
• We must first restore the truth that God has determined. Only through this truth are we able to
restore the correct interpersonal relationship
1) We, the children of God, are the source of all blessings
• We are the source of all blessings. This truth is independent of our conditions
• It is God who initiated the blessings on Adam and His life has entered the body of Adam.
Therefore, the Garden of Eden became the source where blessings flow
• We have the potential in us to bless all nations
• No matter how weak we are now; our family members receive grace only because of us.
Likewise, the people beside us are blessed because of us, despite our weaknesses
• It is because of our existence that people around us are blessed. This is the truth
regardless of whether we believe or not
• We are God’s children who received great love from God! Therefore, nobody can harm us
• We have enemies only because we had received small grace and are worried that others
can snatch it away
• We have “all blessings” in Jesus Christ. “All blessings” means endless blessings. If
someone did snatch our blessings away, God will top it up with greater ones
• Very often, we tell others that we are very pitiful. Thus, we are hurt easily by the words of
others. Those who always feel that they have limited blessings are afraid that they are left
with nothing if somebody is to snatch their blessings away
• Our vessel must be big. We won’t be easily deceived or attacked by the words of others
when our vessels are big
• If our vessels are indeed big, even if we give blessings to others, it will not be used up
2) Because we are the source of all blessings, we will become the blessings for all nations.
Nobody among the nations is able to make us lose out
→ All nations are targets who need our compassion, help, edification and blessing
• If we know that we are the source of blessings, we can then bless all nations. We need
not compete with them
• Our pastor is just a small figure who is known hardly to anyone
• It is all right for people to look down on us. More importantly is God must accept us
• Since we have gotten the things that are infinite, then it is all right whether we are able or
not to have things that are subjective
• We should pray that “from now onwards, I’m not going to receive anymore hurts”
• We receive hurts because our vessel is small. We will not be hurt if our vessel is big
3) In order for us to bless the whole nations, God has already prepared the most unique
position, roles, gifts, etc for us
→ Use all these conditions to commune, supplement and grow up with others
• This is the perfect will that God has determined for us
• We must know what our roles and positions are. We can use them to bless others
• E.g. A daughter must use her role as a daughter to bless others. And a father must also
use his role to bless his children
• We can only build a relationship with the people among us, after we’d known what our
positions, roles and gifts are
• Regardless of what our character is, we just need to use that unique character to bless
others so that they can also taste the goodness of the Gospel
• This is what it means by “sober judgment”, which is equals to “God-determined”
4) And since I had received such wonderful blessings and enjoy them, I will love those who are
always with me more. At the same time, I will receive more of life’s grace from God
• We are the blessed ones. Therefore, as we continue to enjoy God’s love, we will also love
more and build a better relationship with the people among us
• No matter how we dislike our family members, we will still feel uneasy if something
happened to anyone of them. No matter how much we don’t like our parents, we will not
want to kill them that easily. Family ties are God-determined
• After we have become blessed (changes to lifetime purpose and interest), those who like
to be together with us and those whom we valued will become our blessing, just like how
we are a blessing to them
• Therefore, in <Romans 16>, the names that Paul wrote were his co-workers’. Having
received blessings, he met these people, developed a relationship with them and they
became co-workers
• After we become blessed, people whom we meet are likes bees. Before that, people
whom we meet are like houseflies. However, there will be some houseflies who will
become bees
5) Gradually, the boundless network that God prepared for us will expand
→ Especially for those who live a congregation- and church-centred life to develop their
inter-personal relationships, their life’s network will extend to many important people (贵人)
of this era
• After we become blessed, we can differentiate people. This is because every aspect of
our lives has changed. Therefore, the people and things we see as important or not will
be different from how we saw them in the past. We will slowly spend less time with people
whom we just engage in meaningless conversations with
• After we become blessed, we will discover that the most precious thing that God has
prepared for us is the congregation. We will love our fellow brothers and sisters and live a
congregation-centred life. After our congregation comes our relatives and friends
• After we have become co-workers, doors of evangelism will continue to open. Our
network will also expand
• The inter-personal relationship that God has fixed for us has a system
• It starts from God. Coming in together is a heart that loves people and blesses people.
After we have acquired the heart, knowing that we are the source of all blessings to
others, we will then bless the people closest to us, bless other people and then the whole
world
* We must clearly understand: The devil Satan is most afraid when two people who have known the
gospel come together to become spiritual co-workers
• There will always be obstacles to having a blessed interpersonal relationship
• A person’s understanding and trust for another person will not be complete. Even the
understanding and trust between a couple is limited
• Within a person, there will be messy and complicated thoughts and views (different personalities
within a person). At times, it is very difficult for someone to become one person
• Therefore, two different people cannot become co-workers or become one body, unless they have
the same spiritual gospel, the same spiritual perspective, purpose, method, same vision of the
kingdom etc
• Two people come together to do business. When business is good, things are fine. However,
when there are losses, there will also be a strain to the relationship
• The devil Satan is most afraid when two people who understand the gospel, come together with
the same perspective, method and purpose. He is not afraid of deep and stable relationships
• What Satan is most afraid is when a couple who have acquired a gospelized perspective, are able
to have a common perspective in physical, spiritual, psychological aspects and in turn love each
other and work together
• Satan’s attack is to prevent co-workers from joining up together, to understand one another and to
see everything using God’s perspective
4) Understand: What is the position, status, role, gift that Jesus Christ has given me at this
present moment?
→ Therefore, in front of God and man, we should make sober judgment ( 合乎宗道 ), such
that our lives can become faultless, be it in front of God or man,
• God has given different people different positions, status, roles. We just need to use them
and complement each other
• If we want to put on the Gospel shoes, we must wear shoes that are “fitting”
• E.g. If we are deacons, we must know that we are to serve others, serve the church. We
should not look upon ourselves too highly or reprimand others like how the pastor can do.
However, we should also not look too lowly of ourselves, and view ourselves as helpless
etc
• No matter what we do, we must do it have sober judgment
• E.g.: If a married sister has some strong views she wants to put across, she should do so
through her husband. This is because not everyone will listen to her and her husband
may not have “face” if she puts across her views too strongly
• We should have sober judgment in all things, in all situations, and on all people. There
should be different tones used when speaking to our staff, our bosses, our children,
commander etc
• Those who know their positions and roles well will have wisdom. They will know how to
say the right words at the appropriate time
• If we do not make sober judgment, even if the content is right, there may be unpleasant
consequences
5) Living it out: My entire life purpose is to serve in a ministry that saves people, heal them and
bless them: Become all things to all men so as to win more people
→ Therefore, conflicts in interpersonal relationships that are not beneficial will also occur
less
• “I have become all things to all men so that by all possible means I might save
some” <1 Cor 9:22>
• We do so that others can be comfortable. Our purpose is to bless others, heal them but
not to become hypocritical people
• When we do this, we will quarrel less with people. If we are really serving a ministry that
saves people, heals them and blesses them in our lives, there will not be many conflicts
• The reason why we have conflicts with others is because we want to play and touch the
things of the world
• We must also have time to go out and play with others. But the principle is to “play as you
serve”. The purpose of watching a movie together is to bless people. Therefore, even if
we cannot get the tickets, we will not blame others
• When we dine with brothers and sisters, it is not because the meal is exceptionally good.
Neither is it because we want to gossip about others. We dine together because we want
to bless one another, love one another. At that time, we will definitely have blessed
conversational topics
2) Rely on the Holy Spirit to differentiate people and evangelise. We must be absolutely God-
driven, message should be clear and to have an eager heart that loves lives
• We must first differentiate people before evangelizing to them. For those whose time table
is not ready, do not force them
• In the process of testifying to others, they themselves will meet with more and more
problems and will be blessed this way. Therefore, just wait
• When people look for us, we have to be honest, sincere in sharing the gospel to them and
also have a heart that loves their lives
• Therefore, this must be done by relying on the Holy Spirit. More than that, we must be
equipped before we know what to say