Search
Scripture Reading: Gen. 2:9b, 17; 11:4, 9; 1 Kings 12:26-30; 15:34; 2 Chron. 36:5-20; 1 Cor. 1:11-13a; Rev. 17:3-5
In the Bible there are two lines: the line of life and the line of death. These two lines come from the two sources that exist in the universe. One of these sources is God, and the other is the devil, Satan. Furthermore, each of these lines will have a particular issue, result. The line of life begins with the tree of life and ends with the New Jerusalem. The line of death begins from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil and, passing through the great Babylon, ends with the lake of fire. Oneness is on the line of life, originates with God, and issues in the New Jerusalem. Division, on the contrary, is on the line of death, originates with Satan, and issues in the great Babylon and, ultimately, the lake of fire. If we would see the great truth of oneness in the Bible, we need to be clear about these two sources, lines, and results. Then we will know where oneness and division belong.
Many Christians are careless about division because they do not see the seriousness of these two lines. Never regard division as an insignificant matter. Division is extremely serious, a matter of life or death. To be in oneness is to be in life, but to be in division is to be in death. In the previous chapter we pointed out that the essence of oneness is life and light. In this chapter we will go on to see that the issue of division is first Babel, then Babylon, and eventually the great Babylon.
God’s four great acts are related to creation, selection, the new creation, and the New Jerusalem in the new heaven and new earth. Apart from God — the only proper source in the universe — there is another source, Satan, with another element and issue. By the time of the New Jerusalem, this source, element, and issue will all be cast into the lake of fire. Therefore, in the new heaven and new earth God will be the unique source, and only His element and issue will remain. For this reason, in the new universe there will be no division. There will be no more death, no more sorrow, no more crying, no more pain, and no more darkness. We can go on to say that in the new heaven and new earth there will be no more sin, worldliness, flesh, self, or Satan. There will be no negative things whatever. This means that there will be no more division.
Division is all-inclusive. It comprises such negative things as Satan, sin, worldliness, the flesh, the self, the old man, and evil temper. If we are enlightened concerning the nature of division, we will see that it includes every negative thing. Do not think that division stands by itself and that it is not related to such things as the flesh, the self, and worldliness. Division is not only related to all negative things; it includes all negative things.
Just as division is all-inclusive, so, in the same principle, oneness is all-inclusive. It includes God, Christ, and the Spirit. Ephesians 4:3-6 indicates this. In the oneness revealed in these verses, we have God the Father, Christ the Lord, and the Spirit as the Giver of life. This oneness includes such positive things as our regenerated spirit and our transformed and renewed mind. Everything positive is included in the proper oneness.
The New Jerusalem will be the ultimate consummation of oneness and of all the positive things included in it. But the lake of fire will be the ultimate reservoir of division and all the negative things included in it. We may say that the lake of fire will be the eternal dead sea containing every negative thing in the universe. The lake of fire will be the ultimate and universal trash container. The New Jerusalem, on the contrary, will be the ultimate consummation and expression of oneness. This city will be characterized by one throne, one river, one tree, and one street. In the street will flow the river of water of life, and on either side of the river there will be the tree of life. Hence, we may properly call the one street of the New Jerusalem the street of life. This unique street will make division impossible. Division with all the negative things related to it will be found only in the lake of fire.
The first issue of division was Babel. The source of Babel was the tree of knowledge. If Adam had not eaten of the fruit of the tree of knowledge, it would have been impossible for his descendants to build the tower and city of Babel. According to the record in Genesis 3, Adam partook of the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. As he ate of this fruit, the tree of knowledge actually entered into him and subjectively became part of him. The record of Genesis 4 indicates this. In this chapter we see hatred, murder, polygamy, and the invention of weapons used for war. Genesis 6 reveals a worsening of the situation. Man had become flesh (v. 3), and “the wickedness of man was great in the earth” (v. 5). Furthermore, as verse 11 declares, “The earth was corrupt before God, and the earth was filled with violence.” When God looked upon the earth, He beheld its corruption, “for all flesh had corrupted its way upon the earth” (v. 12). As we all know, God judged that corrupt generation with the flood. However, not even this judgment caused man’s nature to be changed. According to Genesis 11, man even dared to fight against God. In Genesis 11:4 they said, “Let us build ourselves a city and a tower...and let us make a name for ourselves.” In seeking to make a name for themselves, they rebelled against God. The issue of this rebellion was division and confusion. This was Babel, the first result of division. As a result of the rebellion at Babel, mankind was divided.
The division at Babel involved idolatry. Some historians believe that inscribed on the bricks used to build the tower and city of Babel were the names of idols. Joshua 24:2 says, “Thus says Jehovah the God of Israel, Your fathers dwelt across the River long ago, Terah the father of Abraham and the father of Nahor; and they served other gods.” This verse indicates that before Abraham was called of God, he served other gods in the land of Chaldea. This means that he worshipped idols. Hence, the division of mankind at Babel involved idolatry.
We see from these chapters in Genesis that division includes such negative things as hatred, murder, polygamy, war, corruption, rebellion, and idolatry. The issue of this all-inclusive element of division was first Babel with its division and confusion. The significance of Babel, therefore, is division and confusion.
Although it was necessary for God to give up the created race, He did not give up His eternal purpose with man. Instead, according to His mercy, He appeared to a member of the Adamic race, Abraham, and called him out of his environment. In this we see God’s selection. As we pointed out, in His selection of Abraham God acted according to His nature of oneness. For this reason, He selected one man, not a multitude of men. God charged Abraham to leave his country and his kindred and to go to the land that He would give to Abraham and his descendants.
Eventually, under the Lord’s blessing, Abraham’s descendants, the children of Israel, numbered in the hundreds of thousands. After the children of Israel made their exodus from Egypt, they entered into the good land, the land God had promised to Abraham. According to the book of Deuteronomy, God commanded them not to exercise their own choice regarding the place of corporate worship (ch. 12). Rather, they were to humble themselves before the Lord and accept His choice. By honoring the Lord in the matter of the place for corporate worship and of accepting God’s choice of the unique place, the children of Israel were preserved in the oneness. According to God’s choice, the temple was built on Mount Zion, and three times a year God’s people were to make their journey there. The Holy of Holies in the temple built on Mount Zion was the center of the oneness of God’s people. This center was the place of God’s oracle, and it preserved the oneness of God’s chosen people.
One day, however, the nation was divided into two kingdoms, into the northern kingdom of Israel and the southern kingdom of Judah. Jeroboam became the king of the northern nation, and Rehoboam, the king of the southern nation. After this division was formed, idolatry came in. Jeroboam not only caused division; he also set up idols in Bethel and in Dan (1 Kings 12:29). Having made two calves of gold, Jeroboam said to the people, “It is too much for you to go up to Jerusalem. Behold your gods, O Israel, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt!” (v. 28). The source of these idols was Jeroboam’s selfish ambition. Jeroboam set up another center of worship because he feared the loss of his kingdom. First Kings 12:26 and 27 say, “Jeroboam said in his heart, Now the kingdom will return to the house of David. If this people go up to make sacrifices in the house of Jehovah at Jerusalem, the heart of this people will return to their lord, to Rehoboam the king of Judah; and they will slay me and return to Rehoboam the king of Judah.” To prevent this from happening and to preserve his kingdom, Jeroboam set up idols in a rival center of worship. This clearly indicates that the origin of these idols was his ambition.
We need to apply this principle to the situation among Christians today. The divisions in Christianity are caused by selfishness and ambition. Because certain ones are ambitious to have their own empire, they neglect God’s choice. Their ambition is to have a kingdom to satisfy their own selfish desire. In the Old Testament God’s choice was a unique place: Mount Zion in Jerusalem. In this place the temple with the Holy of Holies as the oracle was built. Nevertheless, Jeroboam, an ambitious, selfish, and self-seeking man, set up another center of worship. Some may defend his action by pointing out that he did not establish a center for worldly entertainment but a place for the worship of God. However, this worship center was actually a cover-up for Jeroboam’s ambition. The same is true today. Because of their selfishness and ambition, many Christian leaders have set up centers of worship. Apparently, these centers are established for the worship of God. Actually, they are set up to fulfill a man’s ambition to have an empire. Hence, in a very real sense, the founders of many Christian groups are today’s Jeroboams. The centers of worship set up by these present-day Jeroboams are actually centers of ambition. For this reason, “idols” can be found in those places.
According to the principle in 1 Kings 12:26-30, in many Christian groups there are “idols” set up to attract people and to hold them. These “idols” keep people from God. Following the example of Aaron at Mount Sinai, Jeroboam made two golden calves and told the people that they were the God who brought them out of Egypt. We may wonder why the children of Israel could be so blind as to accept these idols as God. Because we view the situation from afar, we can see it clearly. However, if we had been there, we probably would have followed Jeroboam and would have been one with him.
We need to be clear about the situation in Christianity today. If we are under the shining of the heavenly light, we will realize that in so many Christian groups “idols” have been set up in place of God. These “idols” attract people into those groups and then keep them there.
We have pointed out that the genuine speaking of God was in the Holy of Holies in the temple. Psalm 27:4 expresses the deep aspiration of God’s people with respect to the house of God. This verse says, “One thing I have asked from Jehovah; / That do I seek: / To dwell in the house of Jehovah / All the days of my life, / To behold the beauty of Jehovah, / And to inquire in His temple.” How the psalmist desired to remain in the house of God to behold the Lord!
A similar longing is conveyed in Psalm 84. In verse 2 the psalmist says, “My soul longs, indeed even faints, / For the courts of Jehovah.” In verse 10 he goes on to say, “A day in Your courts is better than a thousand; / I would rather stand at the threshold of the house of my God / Than dwell in the tents of the wicked.” Here we see that the aspiration for the house of God was so strong that the psalmist desired even to be in the courts of the Lord; he was happy simply to stand at the threshold of the house of God.
Psalms 36 and 23 also express a deep desire for the house of the Lord. In Psalm 36:8 the writer says that God’s people “are saturated with the fatness of Your house.” It is in the house of the Lord that they are made to drink of the river of God’s pleasures. Furthermore, it is in the house that they enjoy the fountain of life and see light in the light of God (v. 9). Psalm 23 concludes with the words, “I will dwell in the house of Jehovah / For the length of my days” (v. 6). In Old Testament times the godly ones aspired to be in the temple where God’s presence was.
Such an aspiration repels evil. Simply the desire to be in the presence of God in the house of the Lord repels divisiveness and all the negative things it includes. This desire causes us to be godly, holy, and, eventually, to be one with the children of God.
As the children of Israel were chanting Psalm 133 on the way up to Mount Zion, surely it would have been impossible for them to hate or despise one another. Psalm 133 is a psalm of oneness. This oneness includes all positive attributes and virtues. By keeping the oneness, we spontaneously enjoy all these attributes and virtues. Furthermore, we have God’s presence.
By remaining in the oneness, we have the blessing commanded by God, life forever. However, if any of the children of Israel became divisive and refused to go to the temple on Mount Zion, they would automatically lose all these positive things. By separating themselves from the oneness of God’s people, they would spontaneously become filled with such negative things as pride, hatred, criticism, rumors, and lies. Pretending to still be in fellowship with God, some might establish another center of worship. But, as the case of Jeroboam makes clear, such a divisive action opens the way for idolatry and all manner of evil things to enter in.
According to the record in the Old Testament, the sin of Jeroboam, the sin of division, opened the way for every kind of evil to come in. Eventually, the situation of God’s people was so corrupt that God caused Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, to burn the house of God, to break down the wall of Jerusalem, and to carry away the people to Babylon. Thus, the captivity in Babylon was a further issue of division. Oneness is represented by Jerusalem, but division is represented by Babylon with all its evil.
Before coming into the church life, many among us were rather loose and did things according to our preference. But we can testify that shortly after we came into the Lord’s recovery, our conscience began to function in a proper way. Little by little we dealt with things and discontinued certain practices. However, I know of many cases of those who experienced the very opposite of this as a result of leaving the church life. Their conscience began to lose its function, and the negative and worldly things they had put off gradually returned. Many resumed their former indulgence in worldly entertainments. Gradually, worldly things, even sinful things, returned. This indicates that oneness keeps us from evil, whereas division opens the door to evil.
More than thirty-five years ago a young woman from a wealthy family came into one of the church meetings in Chefoo. She was the very expression of worldliness, with her hair arranged in the form of a tower. Later, she said that she purposely styled her hair in that way as a protest. As she continued coming to the church meetings, her appearance began to change. We said nothing in the meetings about worldliness. We spoke only about loving Christ and the church. No one attempted to regulate the behavior of this young woman. But through coming into contact with the church, her conscience began to function. Spontaneously, without any human direction, she changed her hairstyle and manner of dress.
For the children of Israel, the temple was the center of oneness. Hence, it was extremely serious for any of God’s people to be wrong with the temple. Those who were right with the temple and who thereby maintained the oneness enjoyed God’s presence, the blessing of life, and every other positive thing. But those who were wrong with the temple through divisiveness opened the door for all manner of evil. The same is true among Christians today. Many talk about holiness, victory, and spirituality. However, if we would have these virtues, we need to be in the proper oneness.
Consider again the experience of the children of Israel. Holiness, victory, and spirituality were not the result of their effort. These virtues were theirs simply because they were right with the temple, with the Holy of Holies, and with the Ark. When they remained in the oneness by being right with the temple, there was no need for them to try to be holy, victorious, or spiritual. Spontaneously, as part of the blessing of being in the oneness, they had these virtues. The reason many Christians have no victory, holiness, or spirituality is that they are wrong with the church and with the Ark, Christ, in the Holy of Holies. If we would be holy, spiritual, and victorious, we must be right with Christ and the church. In other words, we must remain in the proper oneness. It is the oneness that gives us access to all positive virtues and attributes.
When I was on the mainland of China, Brother Nee was the target for attack and opposition. Many of those who attacked and opposed him claimed that he, the churches, and the elders were wrong. When I first heard of such attacks and opposition, I wondered about the situation. Perhaps Brother Nee, the elders, and the churches were wrong. Eventually, however, I learned that every opposer of Brother Nee or the churches or the elders was even more wrong. I noticed that everyone who attacked the Lord’s recovery underwent a spiritual decline. I do not know a single case of one who opposed or attacked the church who has improved spiritually. On the contrary, they have damaged themselves, and their condition has gradually worsened.
The only thing that can preserve us spiritually is the oneness. If we remain in the oneness, all positive things are ours. But if we take the way of division, we will be visited by all manner of evil things: hatred, jealousy, despising, and perhaps even such things as idolatry and fornication. Sooner or later, the divisive ones are carried away to “Babylon” as captives.
Revelation 17 also indicates that evil is related to division. This chapter presents a vision of Babylon the Great. According to verse 5, Babylon the Great is called “THE MOTHER OF THE HARLOTS AND THE ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH.” Verse 4 exposes the fact that although this woman has a pleasant appearance, evil is concealed within her: “The woman was clothed in purple and scarlet, and gilded with gold and precious stone and pearls, having in her hand a golden cup full of abominations and the unclean things of her fornication.” Outwardly, Babylon the Great is clothed in purple and scarlet and is gilded with gold, precious stone, and pearls. Furthermore, she has a golden cup in her hand. But this cup is full of abominations and the unclean things of her fornication. This is a picture of Christendom today. Christendom may have the golden cup, but the contents of the cup are idolatry, fornication, and every kind of evil. This is the element, the composition, of division. The ultimate issue of division is Babylon the Great, which is unveiled in Revelation 17.
Today’s Christianity is altogether in a state of division. This division has opened the way for idolatry and spiritual fornication. In many cases, it has even opened the way for literal idolatry and physical fornication. As we have pointed out again and again, this is the issue of division.
When we turned to the way of the Lord’s recovery and came into the church life, the negative things associated with division were spontaneously set aside. However, as we have pointed out, those who forsake the proper oneness automatically become subject to the very evil things that once were put away from them. This should cause us to see that division is an extremely serious matter. Nothing is more dreadful than division. Satan knows that even the thought of division is sufficient to undermine our Christian life. It is like a termite that eats away at the very structure of a house. Therefore, even the thought of division must be repudiated.
When we are in the oneness, we are in life, and we enjoy every positive virtue and attribute. Furthermore, our spiritual condition gradually improves. However, simply by accepting a divisive thought, the way is opened for evil to enter in once again.
We should never think that the church ground is not a matter of life. The ground of the church is the very base of our experience of life. To remain in oneness is to remain in life. Apart from the ground of the church, it is vain to talk about holiness or spirituality. Such things are directly related to oneness. It is marvelous to stay in the oneness, but it is terrible to be involved in division. Many of today’s Christians have lost the Lord’s blessing and grace simply because of division. This must be a warning to us in the Lord’s recovery. Let us not repeat the history of the divisiveness of Christianity. May we all look to the Lord that He may preserve us in His oneness. We need to loathe even the thought of divisiveness. Praise the Lord for the oneness! May the Lord keep us in His presence by keeping us in this oneness.
