Introduction

Hello, everyone. We are now beginning the second session on the reformation of Christianity in this new era. Christian reformation is a very large subject. Can it be covered in ten sessions? I do not know. I will pack in as much as I can. But you must know precisely why reformation is necessary: Christians in this generation are full of confusion. Their confusion is not confined to one or two matters; it fills their whole lives.

Yesterday, I spoke on The Hypocrisy of This Generation. Why are people confused? Because they are surrounded by hypocrisy. Hypocritical pastors build hypocritical churches. Hypocritical churches are filled with hypocritical Christians. They have, by sheer incompetence, drained the power out of the Gospel. They have turned the living God into a dead god among them. God is not dead, of course. But to them, He is dead. They have somehow turned Baal into Jehovah. Compare what they say with the Bible, and it simply does not match. Even if you have only an elementary-school education, you should know that they are talking nonsense and making a mess of things.

Eventually, people become accustomed to confusion. They think confusion is normal. They become numb. They are no longer confused because they assume this is simply how things are. As I said before: imagine building an aeroplane that cannot fly. Then someone says, “That is just how aeroplanes are.” What sort of statement is that? I thank the Lord. These very confusions were the reason I founded Chinese Mingding Doctrine. I have turned much of the whole erroneous theological system upside down. Because of these confusions, I kept seeking, exploring, removing confusion, and growing step by step. I believe that after being a Christian for so many years, you must have your confusions too. You are a generation that has grown up amid confusion.

I have good news for you: we have resolved most of these confusions. If you listen to my sessions on questions and answers, you will find that many questions are difficult to answer. Yesterday, someone asked me: what is the difference between being as shrewd as serpents and being hypocritical? It is not an easy question. But my answer was quite succinct. I made it very simple. How simple? In your inward being, be like God; in your outward dealings, be like a serpent. That is being shrewd as serpents. But if you are a devil within and look like Jesus on the outside, it is of no use.

People today like packaging. Have you ever seen the Pope? He wears the papal hat, the papal robe, and holds the papal staff. When he appears, he looks most holy. But put that hat and staff on Chow Yun-fat, and an actor of his calibre would look entirely convincing. Someone may say, “Chow Yun-fat is more handsome.” He plays a gambling king and looks like one; he plays a king and looks like one. He can play anything. Dress up a young man, and he looks handsome. Dress up an old man, and he looks handsome too. Outward appearance is powerful. But what matters is whether there is real substance within.

Let me give you another piece of good news: do not be afraid of confusion, because we have the Bible. Do not be stumbled by what I say. Do not give up. After you have heard me, go and examine the Scriptures against what I have said. Peter and James often become ingredients in my hotpot. I frequently take them out and shake them about. Their epistles were included in the Bible, but they have created much confusion for people. Do you know which book of the Bible I have read the most times? You will never guess. Romans? Galatians? Genesis? No. It is James. From beginning to end, I wanted to understand it, but I could not. Later, I understood why: he did not write it clearly. How could I read it clearly?

I found that many people do not understand it either. Yet they still enjoy preaching from it. I admire their courage. I would finish reading James, pray, then read it again and pray again. Still, I could not make sense of it. Why? Because it was not written clearly. Brothers and sisters, you should accept what I am saying. You certainly have not read it as many times as I have. Why could I not understand it? Because I wanted to put it into practice, and I could not. You will notice one thing: the sermons I preach and the Bible studies I conduct are all called “treatises.” Newcomers may not know what a treatise is.

There are books called classics, such as The Yellow Emperor’s Inner Canon. There are also treatises: books which take what is written in the classics, put it into practice, and record the results. What I teach is the result of practice. I tell people how to use it. Zhang Zhongjing wrote the Treatise on Cold Damage Diseases; that is a treatise. The Yellow Emperor’s Inner Canon is a classic. We read the Bible, and I expound a treatise. The relationship is roughly like that between The Yellow Emperor’s Inner Canon and the Treatise on Cold Damage Diseases. I speak of things that have been put into practice. If they cannot be practised, how can I preach them? I approach these matters with a practical spirit. The problem is that many people do not practise. The moment they do, they get stuck.

You must know that Chinese Mingding Doctrine truly came through God’s revelation. Do you know what happened later? God led me to Acts chapter 15 and to Galatians. After I pieced all these pictures together, God gave me a revelation: James had read Galatians. He saw how Paul had criticised him in Galatians, leaving him exposed from head to toe. James was angry, so he wrote James. That is the correspondence between them. Later, I found that it really does match.

Chinese Mingding Doctrine emerged from confusion. I encourage all of you to have the same tenacity and rigorous attitude. Do not assume I am speaking carelessly. If I were to speak and act carelessly, God would deal with me. I would be making myself an enemy of God. Why would I invite such trouble? The greatest tragedy in life is this: an engineer builds a bridge, and it collapses; an aerospace engineer builds an aeroplane, and it crashes; an architect builds a house, and it falls down; a property developer develops a project, and it is left unfinished. These are serious failures. A lawyer who cannot win a case, or an accountant who cannot reconcile the books—these too are tragedies.

So you must understand: I am a rigorous academic. I have resolved an enormous number of confusions. Let me tell you the good news: do not remain confused. Some will listen, and some will not. Those who listen need only have a learning attitude and examine the matter carefully. They do not need to depend too much on others. But if someone failed to learn properly in primary school, failed again in secondary school, muddled through university, and then comes to challenge me—when he cannot even understand a primary-school text—there is little to discuss.

Not long ago, someone died. While he was alive, I wanted to minister to him. When he had cancer and was in pain, I prayed with him, and he would feel much better. Did he experience God? Yes, he did. But whenever I told him that cancer was a curse, he argued with me.

Like a fluttering sparrow or a darting swallow, an undeserved curse does not come to rest. (Proverbs 26:2)

This means that every curse has a cause. He thought that curses would not come upon him. He read it wrongly. How could this not create confusion? Until he died, he never understood what had happened. He would not accept what I said, and he died in confusion. Traditional Christians speak of demons and say, “There is no demon in me, because He who is in me is greater than he who is in the world.” But the one dwelling in you may well be a demon. Greater in what sense? They say, “I believe in the Lord. The Holy Spirit lives in me, so He who is in me is greater.” I cannot see it. Speak of curses, and they say, “I have no curse. A curse can never come upon me. There are no curses under the New Covenant.” I say, “You should go back to primary school.” I know that sounds harsh. But can one carry on a conversation like that? No. In the end, I said, “Brother, I cannot minister to you. Let us leave it here. Go wherever you wish.” There are many people in this world. I minister to those whom I can minister to. Those whom I cannot minister to, I let go.

When I had COVID last year, I had difficulty breathing, a high fever, and was drenched in sweat. Apart from praying, I did nothing but pray. You may think I went to hospital. I did not. I isolated myself. I was not going to spread the virus everywhere. During that period, I read a report that a pastor had died from COVID. Someone said to me, “Are you afraid now?” I said, “What is there to fear?” Before he died, that pastor had left behind an article. Line by line, it was filled with sorrow.

Deep in his heart, he had one hope: to build a church full of love. He was the founder of that church, but he was not satisfied with the church he had built. It was like me writing a computer program and being dissatisfied with my own code. He wrote that his church lacked love, that there were internal struggles, and many other problems. While I was suffering from COVID, I thought: was this not the church you built? I sighed deeply. Yet he still hoped to build a church like a family, a church full of love.

Chinese Mingding Doctrine does not preach this. Chinese Mingding Doctrine preaches the building of God’s army, trampling upon the devil and the enemy. Chinese Mingding Doctrine preaches a victorious church. Many want to build what they call a loving church, yet they do not know how to define love. It is all fleshly. How can it turn out well? They build a church of love, and end up with a church full of bitter struggles. Whom do they blame? They got it wrong. As I struggled on the verge of death, I watched this and wept. Did he die? Yes, he died. He had been a pastor for decades, yet until his death he did not know that he had failed to understand. Why? Because he did not know how real the spiritual world is. That is why there are so many such confusions.

There was another pastor who died recently of brain cancer. Why? Because a member of his church came to me for ministry. I asked, “Which church are you from?” He named the church. I asked, “Why do you not seek ministry from your own pastor?” He said, “We do not even know who will minister to him.” Then I investigated further. I do not know whether everything he said was true; the dead cannot testify. But that was indeed what he said.

At that time, his church was holding a healing conference. I said, “Was your church not holding a healing conference? Did you not attend?” He said, “No. Our church holds healing conferences for outsiders, not for insiders.” Another church that ministers outwardly but not inwardly. I was truly bewildered. This is deception. So today the church is full of confusion. Here was a pastor who supposedly loved the Lord so much—how could things end this way? Before dying, he was still writing about loving the Lord and striving to love God.

I suppose that until he died, he never understood. He remained confused and died in confusion. If I live in confusion, that will not do. I must understand. I ask God: if I have got it wrong, I will change. If I am seventy and have got it wrong, I will change. If I am eighty and have spent fifty years on something wrong, I will still change. Others think, “If I have been wrong for fifty years, how embarrassing!” But how many tragedies are there in this generation? There is too much confusion among Christians today. When I grew up in the local church, it was filled with confusion.

I attended the funeral of a pastor who had been killed in a car accident. I knew him. I stood outside his coffin and spoke a few words to the dead man. He loved cars very much. Do you know car enthusiasts? They change the wheels, change the exhaust pipes. The engine may not be large, but when they press the accelerator, the noise roars. They wrap the car in bright colours and modify it. That is what car enthusiasts do.

At that time, I said, “God, I will love You alone.” There are many such stories. I have seen pastors who like to wear Hermès clothing. I wonder what is so special about such clothes. They are very expensive. On the road of seeking Mingding Doctrine, I have seen many tragedies and many confusions. I am someone who explores and seeks. If brothers and sisters become people who explore and seek, you will surely receive.

This generation is full of confusion. One day, I received a call. Someone said, “Pastor, please pray for my money.” I asked, “What happened? Tell me.” He was from Henan. In fact, many people from Henan love the Lord, but they love Him in great confusion. He had saved a few million yuan. When he saw poor preachers, he wanted to help them. He wanted to help God support these poor preachers. So he invested all his money in a business, and lost everything. All the money vanished. That was all the money he had for his whole life.

Was his motive good? It was good. He wanted to support poor preachers. But let me remind you today: never imagine that you can help God. You cannot help Him. I sighed. I asked, “What happened afterwards?” He said, “Then I fell ill.” He was bedridden. Every night, something that called itself the Holy Spirit would wake him up and tell him to pray for his money. He obeyed that so-called Holy Spirit and prayed for his money. The more he prayed, the worse he felt. The worse he felt, the more severe his illness became.

Finally, he called me and asked me to pray for his money. I spent time explaining Chinese Mingding Doctrine to him. His money was gone, and his life was nearly gone too. I said, “Let us pray for your life first.” He said, “No. You must pray for my money. The Holy Spirit told me to pray for my money. We must obey the Holy Spirit. You too must pray for my money.” I said, “Is the Holy Spirit really so idle?” The most serious problem in this generation is that people have altered the Gospel. They have turned a powerful Gospel into a powerless one.

Do poor preachers not have God to provide for them? God can provide. Why are they poor? Because they believe in a gospel of poverty. Evangelicals can have a very strong faith. Some pastors stand on the platform and say, “I am an evangelical pastor.” Yet they persist in their faith amid a maze of confusion, right to the end. I admire them in a way. They turn a powerful Gospel into a powerless one, and then persist in it until death.

Unbelievers look at them and say, “Your God is dead.” They reply, “No, our God is alive.” They have believed God into death, yet they continue arguing. Even unbelievers know that this does not work, but they pray with great confidence. How can this not be confusing? I feel it deeply. God does not make mistakes. Demons do not make mistakes. Only we make mistakes. We must return to the Bible, explore it carefully, and examine it seriously.

Even if we had no New Testament, but only the Old Testament, we could still discover this: those who rely on works are under a curse. In Paul’s time, there was no New Testament Bible. There was only the Old Testament. The New Testament had not yet been written. If you understand Genesis alone, you will know that relying on works does not work; relying on faith is the key.

People have replaced being faith-based with being works-based. Anyone who is works-based can boast. But those who are faith-based have no basis for boasting. In fact, that is not the Gospel. Those who boast that they alone preach the pure Gospel are often the first to condemn others as heretics. They condemn this person and that person, and in the end turn themselves into heretics. Is that the Gospel preached by the Apostle Paul? Paul said:

Even if we or an angel from heaven should preach to you a gospel contrary to the one we preached to you, let him be accursed!

This is a most serious matter.

That is not the Gospel. It is a moralistic sound. They have turned the Bible into a book of moral teachings. In fact, they have not even understood Laozi’s Tao Te Ching. Laozi wrote about governing through non-action, which still requires trust in God. They have turned the powerful Gospel into a works-based gospel. Have you noticed something interesting? Every Christian, when first coming to faith, can experience miracles and wonders. When people first believe, miracles happen. Otherwise, it is difficult for them to believe.

When we first entered the faith, we all experienced God. Later, no one knows what happened. Things changed. The Gospel became a moralistic sound. Is that not strange? When you first believed in God, what had you done? Nothing. So how did you receive? Because you believed. But as you continued believing, you entered into works-based thinking. Then it stopped working, because you believed wrongly. The foundation had changed. Then people invented a term: the honeymoon period. They say that was the honeymoon period, and now you must carry the cross. Once they have drawn people in, this is what it becomes. First there is a honeymoon; then one becomes an old married couple with no love. One simply gets on with life. When we first entered by faith, we experienced God. Who then bewitched us afterwards? They tried to deceive me too, but they could not, because I am someone who seeks.

When my pastor preached from the pulpit, I sat below and wrote my own notes. I could not take in much of what they preached, so I read and wrote on my own. Otherwise, I slept. Brothers and sisters, never be lazy. You must explore. When you take notes, do you think I need your notes? Taking notes is to give you a heart that explores and seeks. What should believing in the Lord be like? Once you ask this crucial question, many of your confusions will be resolved.

The foundation is the root. Faith is the foundation. In being faith-based, not even 0.001 percent of works may be mixed in. If you add even a little works, then the Old Testament is also Scripture, and we must keep circumcision. Circumcision is merely a small operation on the male organ. When you first believed in the Lord, it was faith. But as you continued, you wanted to do something for God. You thought you were capable of helping God. That is where trouble begins.

The moment you cannot see God’s grace, you have already departed from God’s grace. Having departed from grace, you give yourself an explanation: “I have not done well enough. I have not believed well enough. I am not devout enough.” Then you try harder to become more devout, but still receive nothing. So you do even more. Eventually, you burn out, and then a brain tumour comes. That is not being faith-based. We must know clearly that Abraham’s faith is one of the matters Chinese Mingding Doctrine has studied most thoroughly.

We have studied Abram’s faith in great depth. Abraham’s faith was absolutely not based on works. Abram believed God, and God counted him as righteous. If it were not faith-based but works-based, it would be hopeless, because one could always pick apart Abraham’s conduct. You must gradually understand this and remove confusion. There is one core confusion: people have turned being faith-based into being works-based. Once that happens, everything collapses.

Do you know that when Chinese Mingding Doctrine first began building the church, some people came to help? If you asked them to help, you had to accept them. Later, I made up my mind and sent them all away. I said, “Either go back to your own church, or remain in this church. But do not come here to help me. I do not need your help, and God does not need your help. This is extremely confused.” After I sent them away, the church began to grow vigorously.

A church grows through continual growth. Chinese Mingding Doctrine is a system. You cannot listen to God’s word in fragments. You cannot merely listen to stories. You must build a system from God’s word. That is the purpose of this series. After listening to these ten lessons, you should know what we are reforming. We are not reforming others. We are reforming ourselves. We cannot change others. We change ourselves. If there is a revolution, we revolutionise ourselves.

Scripture

O foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you? Before your very eyes Jesus Christ was clearly portrayed as crucified. I would like to learn just one thing from you: Did you receive the Spirit by works of the law, or by hearing with faith? Are you so foolish? Having begun by the Spirit, are you now being perfected by the flesh? Have you suffered so many things in vain—if indeed it was in vain? So again I ask: Does God give you His Spirit and work miracles among you by the works of the law, or by your hearing with faith? So also Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness. Understand, then, that those who have faith are children of Abraham. Scripture foresaw that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, and announced the Gospel in advance to Abraham: “All nations will be blessed through you.” So those who rely on faith are blessed along with Abraham, the man of faith. For all who rely on works of the law are under a curse, as it is written: “Cursed is everyone who does not continue to do everything written in the Book of the Law.” Clearly no one who relies on the law is justified before God, because “the righteous shall live by faith.” The law is not based on faith; rather, “the person who does these things will live by them.” Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us, for it is written: “Cursed is everyone who is hung on a tree.” He redeemed us so that the blessing given to Abraham might come to the Gentiles through Christ Jesus, so that by faith we might receive the promise of the Spirit. (Galatians 3:1–14)

Prayer

God, remove the ignorance within us. Let no one deceive us again. Today, let us stand in Abraham’s faith and in the grace You have given us, that we too may receive Abraham’s blessing. God, remove every kind of ignorance from within us, so that we may know fully Your will and Your plan. God, let Your Holy Spirit work within us today, helping us put to death the evil deeds within us. Let us depend on You and grow continually every day. Remove every confusion within us. Deliver us from every form of uncleanness. Restore Your powerful Gospel, and let the power of the Holy Spirit be manifested in us once again. We will no longer seek to be justified by works. We will be justified by faith and become blessed people before You. In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

Background of the Scripture

This passage is particularly good. Why is it good? Because the Apostle Paul wrote Galatians in a particular setting. Let me briefly introduce the background of Galatians, for it is extremely important.

Paul was establishing churches among the Gentiles. Peter and James from the Jerusalem church said to Paul, “You go and establish churches among the Gentiles. We Jews cannot associate with Gentiles, so we will preach the Gospel to the Jews.” This was around AD 49, in the period described in Acts chapter 15.

In Acts 15, they reached an agreement. Peter and James would be apostles to the Jews, and Paul would be an apostle to the Gentiles. It appeared to be well arranged. But Paul always regarded the Jerusalem church as his source. He remembered the source of the water he drank. Yet the Jerusalem church became rather strange. It went into the Gentile churches Paul had built, especially those in Galatia, and began preaching circumcision.

I find this rather odd. Circumcision—what was the point? The Israelites had been circumcised until their nation was destroyed, until they became a colony. They had reached that state. Were not the people who crucified Jesus the very people who were doing such things? Why continue with this? I think they were not thinking properly. Yet they were extremely zealous for it. Jesus did not teach this. So it was strange indeed.

But the Jerusalem church was like the mother church of the churches Paul had built. The mother church of Paul’s churches was Jerusalem. Then the mother church used its position to issue orders to Paul’s churches, saying, “No, the Gospel must include circumcision.” And the people in Galatia listened. After all, representatives from the mother church had come. Especially when Peter stood there, he carried great weight. He had followed Jesus for three and a half years. He had been there when Jesus was crucified. That made him highly persuasive.

What was Paul by comparison? Paul had not followed Jesus. After Jesus ascended, Paul was still persecuting Christians. So some people began accepting what Peter said. That was why Paul wrote Galatians. Yet the churches Paul had built were still, in some sense, branches under the Jerusalem church. One had to show some respect to the mother church. But this issue struck at God’s fundamental interests. So Paul became forceful:

You foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you? Before your eyes Jesus Christ was clearly portrayed as crucified. I ask you only this: Did you receive the Spirit by works of the law, or by hearing with faith? Are you so foolish? Having begun by the Spirit, are you now being perfected by the flesh? (Galatians 3:1–3)

This was a severe criticism. That was why Paul wrote Galatians. Read it from beginning to end, and you will see that Paul, between the lines, brought Peter down and brought James down as well. He was skilful, forceful, and sharp. This pleased God. Paul said:

Am I now seeking the approval of man, or of God? Or am I trying to please men? If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a servant of Christ. (Galatians 1:10)

What strong words. He was not trying to rebel. He was preserving the pure Gospel for us. Consider the risks Paul took. This political struggle and contest of strength had only just begun. He was taking on the Jerusalem church. It was an internal political struggle within the church, an internal contradiction.

Thank God, after the Galatians received this letter, they returned to Paul’s teaching. Paul spoke strongly:

But even if we, or an angel from heaven, should preach to you a gospel contrary to the one we preached to you, let him be accursed. As we have said before, so now I say again: if anyone is preaching to you a gospel contrary to the one you received, let him be accursed. (Galatians 1:8–9)

If anyone preaches another gospel to you, let him be accursed. Whom was Paul referring to? Peter and James. Brothers and sisters, do not judge by appearances. Do not assess people by appearances. Begin to explore and seek. Do not believe blindly. Blind belief will leave you in a miserable state. We must return to the Gospel written by the Apostle Paul—a Gospel founded on faith.

After Paul wrote Galatians, who saw it? Peter saw it. Someone may have said, “Peter, Paul is talking about you. You are pretending.” Someone also brought it to James. James read it, and it did not sit well with him. When did he write his letter? Probably two or three years later, around AD 52. There were only three years between AD 49 and AD 52. Paul did substantial work in building churches. Then James wrote James.

You may ask, “Is that really so?” If you have an academic spirit, compare them carefully. You will find that James and Galatians read like two people quarrelling online. One writes an article; the other writes another. They are wrestling with each other on the internet. Paul became angry, so James wrote:

For the anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God. (James 1:20)

Paul said: be faith-based.

So those who rely on faith are blessed along with Abraham, the man of faith. (Galatians 3:9)

James replied: no, being faith-based is not enough; you must add being works-based.

So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead. (James 2:17)

They were locked in contention. In church circles, they would have been trending topics. In the end, not only the Galatian church, but also the Ephesian church and the Corinthian church, had matters linked to Peter. Brothers and sisters, you must understand: few study the Bible as thoroughly as I do. Of course, I must thank God for the revelation He has given us. At last, I understood James.

Go and observe. Those who particularly like James often have many inner struggles. Fortunately, James wrote only one short letter. His writing was poor, and he had not understood the Old Testament. Whether James or Peter, though one was Jesus’ brother and the other was Jesus’ leading disciple, they did not love learning very much. They had not understood the Old Testament, and the New Testament was even less clear to them. Brothers and sisters, never refuse to learn. If I ask you to take notes and you react as though I am sending you to slaughter, then we have a problem. You may think you are writing notes for me. No. You are writing them into your own mind.

The Confusion of the Galatians

The confusion of the Galatians was much like the confusion of Christians today. Where does the confusion of Christians today come from? From James, 1 Peter, 2 Peter, and Jude. They create the same kind of confusion. I think: God, You are truly humorous. Why is God especially humorous? Because He included James, 1 Peter, 2 Peter, and such writings in the Bible. It is as though He dug a pit for you—so that you would read them carefully and understand them. Where did the Galatians’ confusion come from? From Peter and James.

What did they do? If I were Peter or James and arrived in Galatia, what would I do? I would collect all the offerings from this gathering and bring them back to Jerusalem. Then I would share the importance of circumcision. It is only a small operation, so do not worry. After hearing this, would you feel some resistance? Then they would open the Old Testament and say, “Our forefather Abraham was circumcised.” Goodness. The ordinary person would surely be confused. “What should we do? Let us be circumcised.” So the Galatians began to be circumcised.

Many Galatians were circumcised. After all, it was just a small operation. Some might even say, “It is hygienic and good for health.” But the issue was that it was not the Gospel. Once you accepted circumcision, further questions arose: should you offer bulls and sheep? Should you go to the Jerusalem church to worship? Pursue the matter further, and if circumcision was brought in, then everything else would be brought in too. Would that not mean going back to the Old Testament?

These people had not understood Genesis. If they had understood Genesis, they would know that before Abraham was circumcised, God counted him righteous because he believed God.

Abram believed the LORD, and He counted it to him as righteousness. (Genesis 15:6)

But things went wrong. Why? Because behind it were the brood of vipers. They deceived people and caused confusion. Then the Galatians began to be perplexed: “Previously, when we had COVID and tested positive, we prayed and were healed. Why does prayer no longer work? Hurry, send us to hospital. Put us on ventilators.” Then after being intubated, some died. “Paul, why has the Gospel stopped working?” Some wrote to Peter. Some wrote to Paul. Some wrote to James. Paul wrote Galatians.

I suppose Peter and James might have said, “The honeymoon period is over.” What then? “This is carrying the cross of Jesus Christ.” What confusion. Would you not be confused? I would be confused too. People began to suffer, and Paul said:

Have you suffered so many things in vain—if indeed it was in vain? (Galatians 3:4)

You may not understand this verse, but the Galatians certainly did. “All this suffering I have endured is pointless. Prayer no longer works. It used to work well. Why does it no longer work?” They were confused. The Gospel had been altered. It was like a computer infected with a virus. The buttons no longer work. Your computer has a virus and a Trojan horse. Whenever you try to execute something, it no longer functions. The computer has become useless. Were the Galatians confused? Yes. Why? Because the Gospel no longer worked. They could not understand why. Was circumcision found in Scripture? Yes, it was.

Paul faced this situation and wrote Galatians at length. In fact, Galatians, Ephesians, Colossians, 1 Corinthians, 2 Corinthians, and Romans all address this same confusion. The Galatians had suffered much, so Paul had to bring Abraham back into the discussion. But then James brought Abraham in too. Peter brought Abraham in as well. They almost tore Abraham to pieces. Now you understand.

Paul Reminded Them How They Had First Received the Gospel

Paul reminded them how they first received the Gospel. Look at how he put it:

You foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you? Before your eyes Jesus Christ was clearly portrayed as crucified. I ask you only this: Did you receive the Spirit by works of the law, or by hearing with faith? (Galatians 3:1–2)

When the Holy Spirit descended on you, you had not been circumcised. So why be circumcised now? How did they know the Holy Spirit had descended upon them? When the Holy Spirit comes upon people, they receive tongues, and various manifestations of the Spirit’s power appear. The term Holy Spirit is very important. Today, some people nearly lose their minds the moment you mention the Holy Spirit. Jesus may be mentioned, but the Holy Spirit must not be mentioned. Yet Paul said:

Having begun by the Spirit, are you now being perfected by the flesh?

Are you so foolish? Having begun by the Spirit, are you now being perfected by the flesh? Have you suffered so many things in vain—if indeed it was in vain? So again I ask: Does God give you His Spirit and work miracles among you by the works of the law, or by your hearing with faith? (Galatians 3:3–5)

These words resolve the matter at once. How? We began on this path. Why has someone deceived you into taking another path? The other path was the very path that led Israel into national ruin. They were still a colony. Why have you gone back there? Especially when my mother church, the Jerusalem church, kept struggling and struggling until, within a few years, it was poor and in a terrible state. Is that good? Of course, Paul did not say it in these exact words. But the point is this: since we received in this way, we must continue firmly on the road of faith.

Think about it. How can one be perfected by the flesh? By having a circumcision performed on one’s body? And after that, what then? All these things are problematic. Someone may say, “You are not devout enough.” No problem, I can become more devout. I can begin at the foot of Mount Tai, make a small kowtow every three steps and a large kowtow every five steps, all the way to the summit, until my head is bleeding. Is that devout enough? Very devout. But there is no work of the Holy Spirit, because God’s Spirit does not depend on such things.

“You see, I am very devout.” What does that have to do with faith? Nothing. Being perfected by the flesh has no meaning. I once encountered a Christian who fasted and prayed in church for forty-three days. Then he died in the church, and his family came looking for him. Goodness. Fasting and praying for forty-three days—were you trying to outdo Jesus? Were you trying to surpass Him? Then he died. Is that not confusing? “God, what is going on?” God may well say, “I would like to ask you the same. What were you doing?” No one knows where he went after death.

How do miracles through the power of the Holy Spirit come about? Miracles and wonders are a key component of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Let me ask you: are there many miracles worked by the Holy Spirit among us? Let me tell you: the miracles we experience in one week can surpass the miracles many churches see in a whole year. Why? Because God’s Spirit is glorified among us, and we are faith-based.

Jesus Christ ministered on earth for just over three years. Yet the miracles He performed during those years were so numerous that books could not contain all of them. The four Gospels record only a small portion. So I want to tell you: miracles, wonders, and the power of the Holy Spirit are inseparable components of the Gospel we believe today. When you are poor and in a wretched state, how should I minister to you? By giving you money? Giving you money is of no use. Money cannot solve the problem. God’s power can solve the problem. Then miracles will happen. Once miracles happen, things become good.

A sister among us shared with me yesterday. She said there was a time when she was truly desperate. In that state of despair, she came among us, heard the Gospel of Chinese Mingding Doctrine, and prayed, “God, take me out of this place.” God truly took her out. A miracle happened. Her days of poverty were transformed into days of abundance. Brothers and sisters, you must know: without miracles, how can there be transformation? What can a person do without miracles? I can give you money or help you find a job, but it does not solve the real issue. It is better for there to be a miracle.

Do you know, brothers and sisters? When I see someone paralysed, I hope he will rise and walk. I hope this miracle will happen. When I see someone blind, I hope he will see. Among us, the blind can see, the lame can walk, and lepers are cleansed. Why? Because our God is a God who works miracles. Unlike those who turn a powerful Gospel into a powerless Gospel and then say miracles are unimportant—this is utter nonsense. If miracles were unimportant, why did Jesus perform them? Without miracles, where would transformation come from?

Therefore, brothers and sisters, depend on the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is a central component of the entire faith in Jesus Christ. If you want to put to death the evil deeds of the flesh, do it by faith and through the Holy Spirit. If you want to experience extraordinary transformations throughout your life, do it by faith and through the Holy Spirit. Our God is a God of miracles. Even if the world is in extreme crisis, God can create a job for you. Do you believe that? But you do not live for a job. You live for God.

Our faith is not founded on eloquent words of human wisdom. The faith of Chinese Mingding Doctrine is founded on the power of the Holy Spirit. With the Spirit’s power, and miracles every day, how good that is. Pray, and people are healed. Pray, and financial problems are resolved. Why? Because we walk the path of faith, not the path of works. We are faith-based. I know your conduct is not good enough. Mine is not good enough either. Neither is Abraham’s conduct good enough. If God worked only after our conduct became good enough, would that not be a tragedy?

So, brothers and sisters, do not try to help God with your conduct. God does not need us, a plate of stinking tofu. Before God, we are not even a dish. We can only receive. I see a sister typing that when she first came to me, she did not believe in the Lord. She had been treated in hospital for a long time, but nothing worked. Then she thought of me. I prayed with her for one hour, and she went home full of life and energy. Let me tell you, I was happier than she was. Ah, the Gospel works. So, brothers and sisters, do not rely on your own conduct before God. Rely on your faith. Draw upon God’s power by faith. Depend on the Holy Spirit to solve problems. That is powerful indeed. God’s Spirit is so good.

Return to Abraham’s Faith

There are many kinds of faith. Some people say, “Teacher, why does my faith not work?” I ask, “What sort of faith is this?” Their faith is faith in themselves. At one moment they believe in themselves; at another, they cannot believe in themselves. In the end, they exhaust me. It turns out they believed in themselves. Can faith in oneself work? So we must return to Abraham’s faith.

Abraham heard what God said to him, and he believed God. He did not contend with God. That is why, whenever you hear me preach, I often bring Abraham into the discussion.

Abraham should give himself a Nobel Prize. Why? Because he made a great discovery: Abraham’s faith. This faith is splendid. Everyone with the same faith as Abraham enters into Abraham’s blessing. Abraham’s faith is faith that our God can create something out of nothing and raise the dead to life. He believed that what is impossible with man is possible with God. This is entirely consistent with what Jesus taught. So return to Abraham’s faith. I have studied Abraham’s faith thoroughly, from Genesis chapter 12 through Genesis chapter 26.

If you begin following me now and listen to Genesis every week, you will surely gain much. Abraham eventually understood one truth: there is no great meaning in merely living. Many people today also realise that life has no meaning. But once they are alive, they find life very interesting. Then they cannot walk Abraham’s path.

Abraham saw that ordinary life had no meaning, so he sought God. God then led him onto a most demanding road. Each time, he had to break through by faith. From Ur of the Chaldeans to Haran, then to Canaan, then down to Egypt, leading two thousand people—this was no small matter. Why did he do it? Because he saw no great meaning in living merely for this life. He sought an eternal hope. He understood that if one dies and that is all, then life has no meaning. This was Abraham’s faith.

So if you ask me which came first—Abraham’s faith or seeing through life and death—I tell you: seeing through life and death came first. If you are full of hope in this present life, if you think it is interesting, enjoying this thing and that thing, having great fun, then you probably cannot walk this path. If one is preoccupied with romance, finding a partner, finding a job, buying a house, buying a car, travelling, playing, gambling, and making friends, it is very difficult to walk Abraham’s path. Abraham did not care for these things. He found them all boring. You live, and then you die. How boring. So he sought God, and that was why he had Abraham’s faith.

If your view of life is entirely different from Abraham’s, if you do not see life as vanity, then it is over. There is no need for you to come here, because even if you do, you will not be able to walk this path. Why do I minister as I do? Ministry exhausts me, but that is all right. Why? Because this is the meaning of my life. I was born for this, I die for this, and I live for this. This is the purpose of my life. What else would I do if I did not do this?

Abraham’s faith began there. Then, once he sought God, something remarkable happened. Those who blessed Abraham were blessed, and those who cursed Abraham were cursed. How powerful is that? If you become like Abraham, you will be formidable.

Abraham’s life was filled with remarkable things. When he went out to battle, he led only 318 men and defeated four kings. That was extraordinary. In whatever he did, he was a great prince. The people around him honoured and respected him. What a wonderful way to live. God said, “I will make your name great. I will deliver your enemies into your hands.” These are powerful words. Brothers and sisters, do you want to become such people? If you do, return to Abraham’s faith. Abraham’s faith was faith in God, not faith in himself.

Brothers and sisters, you must know that people in this world take one of two paths: one lives by the strength of one’s own hands and sword; the other lives by God’s grace. To live by one’s sword is to be under a curse. That is relying on works. But by faith, relying on God, God says, “I am your shield.” He truly is God. He protects us well. What then is there to fear? The moment you fear, faith is gone. And once faith is gone, demons come in.

Being Faith-Based Is the Key to Blessing

Whenever you are works-based, you are under a curse. Whenever you are faith-based, you begin to be blessed. It is that simple. If you do not know this, reflect on the years since you believed in the Lord. Never say, “God, let me give You something.” What does God need from you? Do not get this wrong. Sacrifice must first be founded on faith; only then does the offering have meaning.

Every time I lead someone in prayer, I minister in faith. My ministry is faith-based. You may not yet be perfect, but that is all right. First, I let you receive grace. Then we address the problem. There was a man whose eyes were going blind. I prayed with him, and he was healed. Later, even I thought it was marvellous. Because I was faith-based, our Gospel is truly the Gospel, not a moralistic sound.

When I ministered to him, he told me the doctor had said he would become blind within a year. Everything he saw was blurred. I saw that he was collapsing. I encouraged him and said, “Brother, do you know that everyone with an eye problem whom I have prayed for has been healed?” Immediately, hope rose within him. When people are in despair, I know how to give them hope. I prayed for him for five minutes, and his eyes were completely healed. At that moment, I felt that the words of God—“Your faith has made you well”—were absolutely true. I thought, “God, You truly do not hold things against me. I was speaking boldly.”

Later, it really proved true. Everyone who came to me with blurred vision was healed. I am not deceiving you. To this day, it has been one hundred per cent. A sister once came to me and said, “Teacher, what will happen to me in the future?” I said, “Let us pray first.” We prayed for a while, and I told her, “Your future will be remarkable.” It may have sounded bold, but I spoke it by faith. Whenever a person’s faith is built up, that person experiences God. Whenever your faith rises, healing comes. When you are in despair and faith rises, despair immediately disappears. I build people’s faith. I boldly declare God’s promises.

Being faith-based is the key to blessing. If you want to bless someone, do not rely on what you see. Declare boldly by faith. Miracles and wonders will be manifested through you, because faith moves God’s mighty arm. God accomplishes according to what you believe. Begin to believe that you have a good future. Walking the path of faith is easier than walking the path of works. Begin to walk the path of faith. Many people do not understand this mystery. They are always self-righteous. They do not know that being faith-based is the key to blessing.

Do you want to bless others? If you do, bring them into Abraham’s faith, because that is the nature of our God.

Those Who Rely on Works of the Law Are Under a Curse

The history of the Old Testament is the classic example. You cannot keep the whole law. Only after keeping every law can one claim not to have broken the law. But if one breaks even a single commandment, one is guilty. And you have broken far more than one. Yet people still boast of keeping the law.

Many Christians live in confusion. They say, “Look at Sister So-and-so. She has such a good life.” I ask, “How does she have a good life?” They say, “Look at her conduct.” That is where things go wrong. I ask one question: “Whom has she ministered to?” No one. “Then how can her life be good? What miracles has she performed? Who has received blessing, healing, or transformation through her?” No one. What has she done? She practises self-cultivation at home.

We cannot continue on the works-based path. People may look as if they have good spiritual lives in church. But if their spiritual life is so good, why do they get cancer? It is hypocrisy. In the end, they deceive themselves. They live under a curse and yet boast in their works. If we are to boast, let us boast in our Lord Jesus Christ.

Today I often boast in our Lord Jesus Christ. Everything I do is by God’s power, not by myself. I can do nothing. By works, I will never be devout enough. Even if I knock my head against the ground until it is covered in blood, it is of no use, because that is under a curse. So brothers and sisters, you must know that reliance on the law brings a curse.

Is There a Contradiction Between Keeping the Law and Obeying God’s Word?

If you understand God’s word, you will know that relying on law-keeping and relying on works bring a curse. You need not read anything beyond Genesis to Deuteronomy to see this, because Abraham belongs to Genesis. If you rely on keeping the law, you will boast. But if faith is your foundation, you will understand that obeying God’s word must be faith-based. By God’s power, we put to death the evil deeds of our flesh. That is how we come through. There is no contradiction at all.

Let me also tell you: keeping the law is not difficult, but you must not make law-keeping your foundation. When we are faith-based, the Holy Spirit dwells within us. The power of the Holy Spirit is manifested. We are filled with the Holy Spirit and full of the Spirit’s power. Keeping the law then becomes elementary. But one can keep God’s law only by relying on God. Man cannot keep it by himself. The Bible settled this matter long ago. Is there a contradiction? No. Because God’s word itself tells us to be faith-based.

Conclusion

Why do we speak about the confusion of contemporary Christians? Because there are so many Christians today who are works-based. That is the problem. Christianity needs reformation today. I consider it an honour to have the opportunity to participate in God’s work in this matter. I also believe that all of us are fortunate to take part in such a great plan of God. Every confusion is related to being works-based. Today, if you come out of being works-based, you will surely see God’s marvellous works.

For matters that benefit people, one should not need to persuade them. But in reality, it is difficult. Still, it does not matter. We will continue to take courage and bring God’s people into God’s Kingdom. That is the work we must do today. You will surely see God’s glory. It will be exceedingly good.

May we, in the days ahead, witness with our own eyes the manifestation of God’s glory. May we witness with our own eyes how I participate in this great plan of God. On the day Jesus Christ returns, the latter glory will be greater than the former glory. The church will become a holy church. The world will grow more corrupt, but God’s church will grow increasingly holy.

The body of Jesus Christ and the powerful Gospel of God must be restored once again. Not only restored, but brought to a glory greater than before. Whenever I think of such things, I feel that I must thank God. Paul’s epistles rarely speak of pastoral care. Paul’s epistles were largely concerned with preserving a pure Gospel, fighting the devil, and striking against the dark powers of the enemy. But Paul laid the foundation. Today we build upon it. As for pastoral care, we should do better than they did then. Science and technology have advanced; the Gospel too must continue to advance.

May God bless you all!