In the counsel of God's will, the cross occupies a central place. This is because only through the cross can God's eternal purpose concerning His Son as well as His church be realized. "I determined not to know anything among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified," declared the apostle Paul (1 Cor. 2.2). Christ came to us by way of the cross, and only by this same way do we know Him. Unless the cross is accepted by us both objectively in terms of the finished work of Christ at Calvary and subjectively in terms of the dealing of the Holy Spirit in us, we have no message to deliver to the world and we are not fit to be its messengers.
In this present volume, Watchman Nee shows us that at the source of all spiritual things stands the cross. In order that Christ may be all and in all, there is no effective means save the cross. How we therefore need to pray, "Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me and know my thoughts" (Ps. 139.23), so that by God's response to such heartfelt prayer we may have a true knowledge of our selves. Now such response will mean our having to experience the dividing of our spirit and soul, since the root of all sins is the fallen self life of man. Yet, as the author makes clear, with the self thus dealt with, we can then be true messengers of the cross.
May God raise up many such messengers today.
