The Letters in RED

Today I interview Lee Wilkerson on his new book The Letters in RED: A Study in the Words of Jesus.

Enjoy!

Instead of asking, “What is your book about,” I’m going to ask the question that’s behind that question. And that unspoken question is, “How are readers going to benefit from reading your book?”

Lee Wilkerson: Thank you Frank. I’m hoping that anyone who reads my book will understand that all truth is first spiritual. It is a living power in the heart of regenerate man. Its purpose is to bear witness to what the Spirit of God is doing deep within each believer. People see the Sermon on the Mount and they either take it as a new set of obligations, or they take it as something that Jesus did away with, at least for now, or they take it as an ideal- a religious dream.  However, truth is not there so we can have ideals. It is not there so we can formulate doctrines, it’s primary purpose in not even to keep us out of error, though that is part of what it does- but it’s primary purpose is to join with God’s Spirit in the transformation of the heart and the life of the believer. Truth is to be in the inward parts; it is to bear witness to the work of the Spirit of God in the heart of the believer and in the Church.  Without this, all scripture becomes dead letter.

Tell us a bit about the experiences that shaped the insights in the book.

Lee Wilkerson: Well, several friends of mine when I was growing up were pretty bruised by holiness movements, so I know what the mishandling of holiness can do.  On the other hand I see multitudes of Christian lives euthanized through denominational structure, and doctrines that create mega churches and micro souls. Grace becomes a marketing ploy and God is nowhere to be seen.  I’ve seen it from both sides and the middle- strict holiness versus cheap grace. However, it has also been my privilege to have been involved with non- traditional churches in the U.S, Spain, Japan and Canada, and I have seen people go through incredible difficulties because they had a firm grounding in truth; not just Biblical doctrines, but the inward working of God’s grace.  However, I guess the experience that has really stirred me is seeing Christian young people wandering aimlessly through life. It just tears me up. I knew I had to write this, because I wanted to convey that grace is an operative power in which we live.  It gives direction and purpose to life, it disciplines us as regards the world, and it gives us an unshakable hope.

How is your book different from the many other books on the same subject?

Lee Wilkerson: Most books on the teachings of our Lord are going to go through them and tell you how to apply these words to your life.  That is fundamentally wrong; it’s like trying to mix oil and water.  Our book seeks to reveal that those are truths that explain what God has been doing in our lives- He applies them. They are also the principles that reveal His dealings with His Church, from before time, in this age, and clear up until the completion of all things in Christ. After God has done His work in the hearts of believers, the Sermon on the Mount will come out from them, just as it did in the Early Church. Every word that comes from the mouth of God comes from the abundance of His Heart, and His words do not return to Him void.

Give us two or three insights from the book that would be helpful to Christians.

Lee Wilkerson: Well, in the second half of the book we deal with the current conditions that cause us to trivialize what our Lord said when He was here.  One of these is our tendency to take the Bible literally, but not seriously.  The world sees Christians contending loudly for the inerrancy of the Bible, and yet things that the Bible plainly espouses are not part of most believers’ lives, while attributes that Paul plainly decries- like materialism, pride, self- satisfaction- are rife.

Another one is that there are faithful believers all over this world- Asia, Africa, South America – who are not hearing the same word that many of our churches are preaching.  They are being taught by God.  These believers are seeing their young people serving God, their churches are growing even in the face of hardships; they are seeing miracles, and indeed some of them are seeing that, “Blessed are they that are persecuted for righteousness’ sake.”  They are able to stand because they are hearing the word of truth, not the American gospel. Take heed how you hear.

Thirdly, toward the end of the book, we talk about how Jesus’ teachings when He was on the earth were the basis for Paul’s understanding of the Body of Christ. Jesus, by His life and His words, revealed a new level of love that the world had never seen.  Jesus also revealed in the four gospels that this divine love which was in Him, would, with the coming of the Holy Spirit, be thrown open to all who have faith. This love would give us access to God’s heart, and our fellowship with God would blossom into fellowship with all those who call upon the name of Jesus.   This new level of fellowship- a common life, the Body of Christ- is very clear in Jesus’ teachings in the all four of the gospels, and Paul refers to this union of believers repeatedly.  It was the foundation of His apostolic ministry, and it begins with the words in red.

What do you hope readers will walk away with after they finish your book?

Lee Wilkerson: I hope that they will understand that God’s plan for us- which is to say God’s purpose for His Holy Spirit in us- is vast.  It does not matter how many fools there are in Washington, Moscow, Berlin, London.  It does not matter about the economy or the latest war.  It does not matter the latest revelation of governmental corruption; we have been given an incorruptible life. Light is stronger than darkness, love is stronger than hate, truth is stronger than error, and life is stronger than death. The Spirit and the gifts are ours.

What else would you like readers to know about the book?

Lee Wilkerson: It is written with the prayer that some of the people who read it will shut down the media circus, get rid of the clutter, close the door, perhaps join hands and hearts with a few other earnest believers, and seek the face of God till He answers in the depths of their hearts. And He will.