My Righteous One Shall Live by Faith (Hebrews 10:38), Enoch Tsai

It is the Lord's mercy that I don't love the present age but the presence of our dear Lord (2 Timothy 4:10). While I was walking as a self-righteous man and doing things according to this fallen age, the Lord came into my life and saved me from the distractions of this age. Thanks be to God! I am what I am because of the grace of God (1 Corinthians 15:10). Hence, I would like to share my experience of Christ with friends and brothers and sisters in the Lord.

After I got saved, under God's sovereignty I was brought to the United States for graduate study. At that time, the situation was very difficult for me because of opposition from my family since I believed into the Lord. The Lord reminded me that He is the One who promised to lead His people into the good land (Deuteronomy 1:8). In order to make this story short, He did it. The Lord was with me and gave me whatever I needed so that I had no worry about living in the United States. Two years later, because of the Lord's leading and by the prayer of brothers and sisters in the churches, I got married. It seemed almost impossible for us to get married but the Lord just opened the way and answered every specific prayer. He is the One who brought us together and we were happy to consecrate our marriage to the Lord.

After I got married, I was told that I could only hold my graduate assistantship for one more semester. That meant I would have financial difficulties in my last semester. That was the most difficult time I ever passed through. I always argued with the Lord about how such things could happen to me. Was I not the one who came to every meeting of the church? Was I not the one who was faithful in service? Was I not the one who consecrated my life to You? These questions just showed that I was still a self-righteous man, just as I was before I got saved. Through the help of the ministry of Watchman Nee and Witness Lee and the fellowship of brothers and sisters in our local church, I was able to see that the Lord may give us outward blessings but He also would like to give us Himself. However, it was still so hard for me to pass through financial hardships.

One day in the morning, while I was reading the New Testament, the Lord showed me a verse which said, “My righteous one shall live by faith; and if he shrinks back, my heart does not delight in him” (Hebrew 10:38). My eyes were opened to see that the outward blessing that the Lord gives cannot draw us near to Him. He does everything toward us according to His good pleasure, not ours. Circumstances happen to us by God's arrangement for us to enjoy Him as our source. After that day, my wife and I were strengthened by the words of God and able to press on even though the situation hadn't changed. Furthermore, we were able to rejoice with others in Christ!

I didn't realize that I was a self-righteous man before that day. I always thought that I could do something for the Lord. Thank the Lord for His mercy on my wife and me so that we may see that He is the faith in us. The apostle Paul said, “I am crucified with Christ and it is no longer I who live, but it is Christ who lives in me” (Galatians 2:20). Without Him, I am unrighteous. He is the righteous One and also, He is our righteousness (1 Corinthians 1:30). Thank the Lord that whenever the heart turns to the Lord, the veil shall be taken away (2 Corinthians 3:16). Praise the Lord!