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Whenever we touch the matter of the church, we touch both God’s intention and our intention. The matter of the church is completely determined by how well our intentions correspond to God’s intention. God’s intention is to gain the church, and our intentions should be to take care of God’s intention concerning the church. However, our intentions often are not pure in this regard, because of the mixture in us. In other words, we use God’s intention for our own purpose. When we do not stand fully with God’s intention, our intentions regarding the church are not so pure.
We should not think that we are pure and without mixture; we should not think that we do not have our own intentions when we touch the spiritual and holy matters of God. Those who have studied church history and the condition of Christianity today know that many people are not simple in regard to the church. God’s intention is to gain the church, and our intentions should be completely one with God’s intention; however, our intentions concerning the church are very complicated. To a great extent we use the church to achieve our own purposes.
Today the church is divided into many sects and denominations. Outwardly, these divisions are due to problems and differences in the interpretation of various truths. However, if we trace to the root of this matter, we will see that these interpretations are merely problems on the surface; the real, hidden problem is our intentions. This is because people often divide themselves from others even if they and the others are clear about the truth. The truth is not a problem; our intentions are the problem. Consider a group of brothers who advocate baptism by immersion and who are being divided from a group of brothers who advocate baptism by sprinkling. After some time the brothers who are for immersion may say, “Although we still believe that immersion is right, we will not insist on it. It is all right if you sprinkle. We are willing to worship the Lord together with you. Let us come together and no longer be divided.” Some of the brothers who are for sprinkling may say, “Thank and praise the Lord, let us come together.” However, a few others may still say, “No, although our different views concerning the truth do not affect anything, we cannot come together.” Then in a clever and euphemistic way they will give some excuses for not being able to come together. Those who are discerning can detect that the real problem behind these euphemistic words is not the truth but their intentions.
In the past we have encountered such situations. In the beginning we had different views concerning the truth. Gradually, after much discussion, some of us said, “Okay, these things do not matter. We care only for the faith; having the faith is good enough.” However, the reply we received from the others was that they still could not come together with us and would rather remain divided. Their personal intentions had not been defeated by God; that is, their intentions were not subdued by God so that they cared only for God’s intention. Man’s intentions related to the matter of the church are very complicated.
In 1933 there were two brothers in Kiangsu Province; they truly loved, pursued, and served the Lord. After they read the publications put out by the Gospel Book Room, they came to Shanghai to seek fellowship, and we talked about the matters of the church very clearly. Rather than being offended, they said Amen, acknowledging that not only those who serve the Lord but all of God’s children should take this way and stand simply on the ground of the church. The brothers who fellowshipped with them believed that they were very clear and that they did not have any problems. However, after they went back, we heard that one of the two brothers said to the other, “This way is right and good, but if I take this way, what will I do for my living?” Even though this brother knew that it was improper for him to remain in division, he remained in that realm.
This shows that the matter of the church is not simply a problem related to the truth. Outwardly, it seems as if this is a problem related to the truth, but when we look behind this outward covering, we find that there are hidden problems. Some people are concerned about their food and clothing, that is, their living; others are concerned about other things. Once there was a brother who wanted to be a responsible brother in his locality. He would talk to others, saying, “Brother So-and-so was the first to move to this locality, and he is a responsible brother. Brother So-and-so was the third to move here, and he is also a responsible brother. Another brother was the twentieth to move here, and he is also a responsible brother. I was the second one to move here. Why am I not a responsible brother?” From the time that I met him in 1933, he was always talking about being a responsible brother. In the beginning he was quite zealous and did not have problems with the brothers. Although he talked about the errors of sectarianism, within his heart he wanted to be a responsible brother. When he was still not a responsible brother by 1940, he began to criticize the other brothers. In 1948 he set up another meeting in his home and began to work together with a denominational preacher. Subsequently, in their meetings and publications they would attack us and criticize our interpretations concerning certain truths. When I read their publications, I realized that we were “wrong” only because we did not make him a responsible brother.
The divisions in the church today are apparently a problem related to the truth, but they are intrinsically a problem related to man. We should never think that people will not be divided as long as they are clear about the truth. They will still be divided even if the truth is presented logically to them. Our flesh likes to have the first place, to use gimmicks, and to devise clever excuses; consequently, Christians are divided. Often the truth is used merely as an excuse, a covering, an outward “skin,” for division, whereas the real reason is within us. If we have been dealt with before the Lord, we will not use different doctrinal interpretations as a pretext to develop something different. Every such division is a severe test to us.
Although we should not test or measure others, we need to learn and to receive admonitions based on others’ past experiences. We should ask ourselves, “Apart from the faith, do I include any doctrinal interpretations as part of the faith?” If the answer is yes, we need to realize that our different interpretations are more or less a pretext and a covering for our intentions. We must cast down and tear down any interpretation so that only the faith remains, but even more, we must tear down our own interpretations so that only the faith remains. Then we will not be covered outwardly but instead be simple inwardly. Then we will know whether our intentions are mingled with God’s intention or whether we have different intentions. Furthermore, we will know whether we are using the truth as an excuse to cover our intentions.
These things are never simple. If our environment or position changes, would we still believe what we believe today? Would we still have the same view of the church? This is a test. If we have only the faith, we will be the same no matter how our environment or position changes. If we insist on other things in addition to the faith, they will become a covering, and when our environment or position changes, we will divide ourselves from others. Through the Lord’s mercy we must tear down the different interpretations, including our own and those that belong to others. Only one thing should remain — the faith. In these matters our flesh and our intentions will be severely tested.
Perhaps a responsible one from another Christian group may come to see us and say, “We want to completely abandon our assembly. We want to fellowship with you and worship the Lord together with you. However, we still want to keep the Sabbath and practice baptism by sprinkling.” This is a test. What should we do? If we have not been dealt with by the cross, we will oppose their keeping of the Sabbath and their practice of baptism by sprinkling, and we will be unable to be one with these brothers. When the light of God shines upon us, however, we will realize in our innermost being that these brothers are not the problem and that it is we ourselves who cannot be one with them. We may not be able to even give them a reason that we cannot be one with them, but it is all related to our human element, our considerations, our interests, and our positions. Unless we are willing for our intentions to be exposed and dealt with before the Lord, we should not touch the matter of the church.
In brief we need to see seven points related to the church.
First, the church has only the faith, the one faith (Eph. 4:5). This faith is God in His Son, His Son as the Spirit, and the Spirit entering into us to cause us who believe in the Son of God to become one Body to express God and maintain His testimony on the earth.
Second, all doctrinal interpretations outside of the faith must be torn down and not be elevated to be a part of the faith. This includes our own doctrinal interpretations as well as those of others. The faith is the condition through which we become the children of God; hence, anything that requires more than this basic condition is not the faith but merely a doctrinal interpretation. Even if a doctrinal interpretation is completely according to the Bible, we should not consider it as a part of the faith. When we include doctrinal interpretations in the faith, the church is divided.
Third, as long as believers do not form sects or denominations, we cannot be divided from them. If they form sects or denominations, they divide themselves from us, but as long as others do not promote any divisive element, we should not divide ourselves from them. As long as their views or opinions do not harm the faith, we have no basis for being divided from them.
Fourth, we need to continually check and examine our inner condition, that is, our motives, intentions, and inclinations, to see whether we are using anything related to the church as an excuse to advance our own purposes. On the matter of the church, we need to ask ourselves whether or not we have absolutely accepted God’s intention, surrendered to God’s intention, and are mingled with God’s intent. We need to seriously consider these items. Others cannot check for us; we must check before the Lord ourselves.
In 1934 some brothers, who were unable to get along with others and who had many opinions, left their denomination because of dissension with their pastor. When they heard that denominationalism was not right and that the pastoral system was not according to biblical teachings, they seized upon this opportunity to confirm that this teaching was their basis for leaving the denomination. In fact, they did not really leave their divided denominational status but instead used the matter of the church to satisfy their peculiar disposition. I clearly said to them, “It is right for others to leave the denominations, but you were not right when you left.” This shows that our flesh uses the matter of the church for our own purposes because we are neither upright nor pure.
The problems in Christianity are complicated because believers are not simple, not because there are many different doctrinal interpretations. Even though the truth is one, there are many different interpretations because we are complicated. Many different interpretations are produced out of our impure being. A brother who did not get along with his pastor used a message about the pastoral system being improper as his basis, his covering, for opposing and leaving the pastoral system. After a few years he became a prominent pastor, and then he quoted the Bible, saying, “Ephesians 4:11 says that God gave some as pastors.” Although he once opposed the pastoral system, he eventually advocated it for the use of pastors, because he was in a very good position. This is an example of a person using the matter of the church for his own purposes. The church becomes chaotic, complicated, and divided due to the manifestation of the flesh (1 Cor. 3:4). Different doctrinal interpretations of the truth may be an outward reason for division, but often the intrinsic reason is related to the intentions of our flesh.
When we cannot get along with the brothers, we often give a long message on the truth as an excuse. However, is the truth really the issue, or is it just an excuse, a pretext, a covering, for the real source of the problem, that is, our inward intentions that are focused on our own purposes? Whenever we talk about the church, we should not open our mouth or advocate anything if we are not clean and pure inwardly. We should say something only after our inward being has been thoroughly dealt with. We should not use the matter of the church for our own purposes. If a person has a dispute with a pastor, he should not speak loudly against the pastoral system and then later speak in favor of the pastoral system when he attains a pastoral position. This condition of mixture should not exist. Hence, we must strictly examine ourselves to deal with all conditions of mixture.
Fifth, although we reject the denominations, we cannot reject our brothers and sisters. We must acknowledge our brothers and sisters no matter what denomination they are in. We must have fellowship with them as much as possible without discrimination. Sometimes I hear brothers saying, “So-and-so is a brother in a denomination,” and their tone and attitude have a flavor of discrimination. Our brothers and sisters in the denominations are not accursed. With proper discernment we should reject the denominations but not the brothers and sisters in the denominations. Instead, we need to love the brothers and sisters and fellowship with them. I admit that this is not an easy matter, but if we are enlightened and dealt with before the Lord, we will treat our brothers and sisters in the denominations the same as we would treat the brothers and sisters who are meeting with us. We should abhor, condemn, and reject the denominations as divisions, but we should tolerate and receive the brothers and sisters in the denominations. In today’s confused situation we should be fine rather than rough persons so that we can discern clearly and thoroughly.
Sixth, we should detest and reject any division, even though we tolerate and receive the brothers and sisters in a denomination. We must discern these two things and see that divisions and sectarianism greatly offend God and damage the will of God. No one who genuinely cares for the will of God should have any part in a sect or denomination. It is not easy to learn to love the brothers and the sisters in a sect or denomination without supporting that sect or denomination, but we need to learn. How we help our brothers and sisters who are in sects and denominations without supporting the sects and denominations depends on how we conduct ourselves. We need to be fine and never rough. We cannot reject our brothers and sisters because they are in a sect or denomination; if we do so, we are being rough. We also cannot accept a sect or denomination because the brothers and sisters in them need our help and our love. If we do this, we are still rough. This is like eating a chicken — we cannot throw away the meat because of the bones, but we cannot swallow the bones when we eat the meat. This requires us to be fine persons.
Today’s Christianity is in confusion because Christians are divided. Everyone who knows God admits that no one can fully rescue the church from its divided condition; on the contrary, there are more and more divisions of the church. When we started to pursue the Lord thirty years ago in China, there were only a few denominations. Today some places have become a “marketplace of churches” and denominations; this is heartbreaking.
Nevertheless, these divisions manifest those who have been tested and who have been approved (1 Cor. 11:19). We all should learn to walk a clean path, having been shown mercy and having been led by the Lord to the proper ground. On the one hand, we need to acknowledge that those who remain in the sects and denominations are our brothers and sisters, and we should love them. If possible, we should have fellowship with them. On the other hand, we should not accept the sects and denominations that they are in simply because we love them. If possible, we should let them know through fellowship that sects and denominations damage the will of God, but we should not make this a matter for doctrinal debate. Rather, we should be in the right condition and wait for an appropriate time to fellowship with them and render some help to them. We need to be very fine persons because the condition among Christians today is very delicate — some things are right and some are not. Moreover, even the right things have things that are not right, and some things that are not right have things that are right. Each has things of God and things of man. The things of God are mixed with the things of man, and some of the things of man are mixed with the things of God. This situation is very complicated and very delicate. In this matter no one should be so simple as to become a fool.
These six points are very severe tests to us. First, we must maintain the one faith, no more and no less. Second, we must tear down the doctrinal interpretations that are not part of the faith, whether others’ or our own, whether right or wrong. We should not use even a proper interpretation as the basis for being divided from others. Even if we have a proper understanding, we cannot demand that others have the same understanding. We should not use our understanding to measure or limit others. Our views can have a place in us, but they do not have to have a place in others. This is a very strict point. Third, we must reject the denominations and condemn the sects. We can tolerate different doctrinal interpretations, but we cannot tolerate divisions, whether sects or denominations. Mere differences in doctrinal views cannot divide the Body of Christ, but sects and denominations divide the church. Fourth, we should strictly examine our intentions to see if we are in the flesh or if we are pure. Fifth, we should love and fellowship with our brothers and sisters wherever they are, including those in Catholicism, even though Catholicism is severely condemned by the Lord. Sixth, we should not accept the denominations to which our brothers and sisters belong just because we love them; instead, we should have discernment.
The last point related to the church is for ourselves: No matter where we are, we should coordinate with those who pray with a pure heart and serve the Lord together with them. We have no way to serve the Lord on our own, nor do we have a way to live the Christian life independently. Today the children of God are in confusion and division, and some have actually fallen into Babylon. Wherever the Lord leads us in this age, we should learn to seek for those who pray out of a pure heart.
Those who have a pure heart care only for the church and the oneness of the church. They do not want to have their own things or their own pursuits. Rather, they want to live according to God’s intention, stand on God’s side, and be considerate of God’s intention. We need to coordinate with this kind of people to serve the Lord. In this way we uphold the testimony of the church and recover the church ground. However, this must be based on the previous six points. We cannot loosely say, “I think they have a pure heart; therefore, when we coordinate with them, we are upholding the testimony of the church on the ground of the church.” It is not this simple. When we have the previous six points, we will have the seventh point of serving the Lord together with those who have a pure heart. We should not label ourselves as something nor should we form a sect or a denomination. May the Lord have mercy on us so that we may learn to be pure.
