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Scripture Reading: Rom. 12:1-11; Eph. 4:12, 15b-16
In this chapter we will speak concerning some basic items of service so that we may understand why we serve and how to serve. In order for us to have a clearer understanding, we will first speak concerning God’s intention in this age.
Most Christians know that God wants the gospel to be preached to sinners and that He wants His lovers to pursue and serve Him. Hence, Christians have always risen up to meet these needs. This is God’s doing. Before the Lord ascended into heaven, He commanded the disciples to “go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to all the creation” (Mark 16:15). Besides the Lord’s definite command, the Spirit also is always urging and moving us to preach the gospel (Acts 8:29-35; 10:19-22). Therefore, Christians have always been fervent for the gospel.
Likewise, God is always raising up some among His children to love Him, pursue Him, understand His will, and live in His presence. Such spiritual persons abound in the New Testament age. There were not as many lovers of God in the Old Testament age. However, for the past two thousand years a considerable number of believers have risen up to pursue the Lord. Furthermore, the Spirit is working within the believers. We often feel that we are not spiritual enough, that we do not live before the Lord, that we should love Him more, and that we should pursue Him more. Therefore, we listen to spiritual messages, read spiritual publications, and fellowship with spiritual believers so that we may receive spiritual help. This is God’s work within us.
It is not sufficient for God’s children to preach the gospel and to be spiritual; God wants more than this. He has another category of work. The first two categories of His work are for the third and final category, which is to build up His children into His house in every locality. God wants to establish His house wherever His children are. The church in every locality is an expression of God’s house. In this age God wants us to preach the gospel in order to save sinners. He also wants us to lead the new believers to be spiritual for the building up of His house. Preaching the gospel is to gain material for the building of God’s house, and leading believers to pursue the Lord and to be edified deals with the material by making it suitable for the building.
In order to build a house, a person must first gather and then prepare materials, after which the materials can be built together into a house. God raises up believers to preach the gospel so that He may obtain materials for His building. Through the Spirit and His ministers, God then perfects and edifies the new believers so that they may be fit for His building. Therefore, both leading people to be saved and leading believers to grow in life are merely procedures. God’s ultimate goal is the building up of His house.
If the church can be built up in every locality as the house of God, it will meet God’s need as well as man’s need. Such a house reveals and expresses God, gives Him the glory He deserves, and accomplishes His will so that He can have rest. When believers rise up to pursue God, His house can meet their need and give them satisfaction. In this house people can touch God, sense warmth, and find rest. God’s house is the only place that can give man satisfaction. Although a person may have a home, that home cannot satisfy his inner need. It is not until he enters into God’s house that his inner being will be satisfied.
When God builds up the believers in every locality into His house, His children can then tell others that in order to meet God, to know God, to receive peace and rest, to obtain spiritual food and satisfaction, to be enlightened, and to know God’s way, they must come to this house, which is the church of God. If a church in a locality is built up, people will sense that God is present. They will have rest, be fed, hear His speaking, and be in His presence. Furthermore, they will know God. God is omnipresent, but if we want to meet God, we must come to His house. This is what God desires to accomplish in this age. God wants the gospel to be preached fervently, and He also wants the believers to pursue spirituality so that His house, the church, the Body of Christ, may be built up. Preaching the gospel and pursuing spirituality are for the building of God’s house.
As God’s serving ones, we often see only the first two matters. We know the importance of preaching the gospel and of pursuing spirituality, but we do not know the importance of building up the house of God. This may be likened to collecting materials and preparing them without building a house. We often appreciate persons who preach the gospel and pursue spirituality, thinking that this is quite precious, but we do not see the ultimate goal. We do not see that God’s desire is to have a house. This is His purpose. God wants saved and edified believers to be coordinated and built together as His dwelling place.
We are not the only persons who are unclear concerning this matter. Nearly every exposition of the Bible and most spiritual writings cover only the first two matters. Pursuing spirituality and living in the Lord are considered to be the peak of the Christian life. Seldom have believers been told that God wants to obtain an expression of His house in every locality.
In the Epistles the apostles wrote that God desires a house. The Epistle to the Romans is concerning the Christian life, but chapter 12 is concerning the Body in coordination. All the saved ones need to become one Body in Christ and be coordinated as members one of another (vv. 4-5). According to man’s view, a believer who is spiritual is one who experiences chapters 1 through 8; that is, after believing, he advances to living in the spirit and walking according to the spirit (8:4). However, after chapter 8 Paul reveals the Body of Christ in chapter 12. In this chapter he exhorted the saints in Rome to consecrate themselves, that is, to present their bodies a living sacrifice, for the realization of the Body of Christ (v. 1). Chapter 12 speaks of the human body and the Body of Christ. It seems as though a believer who is spiritual, because he lives in the spirit and walks according to the spirit, has reached the peak of the Christian life. However, this is still not adequate. He needs to experience consecration. He needs to present himself as a spiritual person, that is, as a person living in the spirit and walking according to the spirit. He needs to present his body so that he can be a member for the building up of the Body of Christ. God is focused on the Body of Christ. His desire is that we present our bodies to accomplish the building up of the Body of Christ.
Some saints live in chapter 8. They are spiritual. They walk according to the spirit, and they live in the Lord. Regrettably, however, they are individualistic; they are spiritual individuals. They do not know the church, and they have not seen the Body of Christ. It is true that they are spiritual, but they do not coordinate with other members. They are spiritual by themselves. Their spirituality is isolated and individualistic. They do not know what it means to coordinate with others, that is, to be members one of another. They feel that it is all right to do everything by themselves. They live before God by themselves, read the Bible by themselves, pray by themselves, fellowship with the Lord by themselves, preach the gospel by themselves, and visit other saints by themselves. It is true that they express the condition in chapter 8. They not only walk according to the spirit, but they also know that all things work together to conform them to the image of God’s Son (vv. 28-29). Hence, they are able to learn precious lessons of life by accepting the outward dealings in their environment. However, they remain in chapter 8 and do not advance to chapter 12.
Such believers have not entered the experience of consecration according to chapter 12. This experience of consecration does not refer to the experience of consecration that they had at the beginning of their Christian life. Rather, it is the consecration of a rather mature and spiritual Christian. We need the experience of consecrating our spirituality and presenting our bodies to God as a living sacrifice so that we may be members living in the Body of Christ.
What does it mean to be members of the Body? Suppose a brother and I are both capable. He can run, and I can run. He can speak, and I can speak. He can do everything, and I can do everything. In this situation neither of us is a member. He is an individual, and I am also an individual. Since we each have a body, we can do everything by ourselves without relying on each other. However, a hand can do only what a hand is meant to do. It must depend on other members to do other things. The hand needs the mouth as well as the feet. Likewise, the mouth needs the hands as well as the feet. Every member needs all the other members.
Being a member is not a matter of doctrine. Being a member is a matter of our seeing and of our consciousness. It is not useful to merely understand the doctrine of being a member. Have we seen that we are a member, and are we conscious of being a member, or do we still consider ourselves to be a body? A body can do everything and knows how to do everything. It can run, it can gesture, it can speak, it can hear, and it can see. A body is all-capable. In contrast, a member can function only according to what it is. The hand is the hand, the eye is the eye, the ear is the ear, and the foot is the foot. First Corinthians 12:21 says, “The eye cannot say to the hand, I have no need of you; nor again the head to the feet, I have no need of you.” This is what it means to be members one of another.
We should ask ourselves whether we sense a need for the other brothers and sisters. Do we feel that we can read the Bible, pray, give testimonies, shepherd others, and even engage in spiritual warfare by ourselves and that we do not need the other saints? Or do we sense that we are merely members who need the other saints, for without them we cannot do anything? There is a great difference in these two situations. If we are truly living as a member of the Body of Christ, we will sense a need for the other saints in everything.
Take reading the Bible as an example. Although a brother can read the Bible by himself, he still may feel a need to read the Bible with the saints. He needs them to be his eyes and his understanding so that he may have a deeper comprehension of the Bible. The same applies to prayer. Although he can pray by himself, and he also knows how to pray, the other saints often utter what he is unable to utter when he prays alone. He may have a sense within that he is unable to express in prayer, but when another brother prays, that sense is expressed. Thus, even in the matter of prayer we cannot be individuals.
Suppose a brother has been visiting a weak saint, and no matter what the brother does, the saint’s condition remains the same. The brother may know and understand the saint’s problem and be willing to help solve the problem, but nothing changes. If this brother would be willing to take another brother with him, however, the weak saint would be released. We need other members when we visit the saints.
To know the Body of Christ is to realize that we are only members and that we cannot do anything without others. When I was a young Christian, I felt quite capable, but now I cannot do anything apart from the brothers and sisters. I often have the feeling to ask a brother to pray with me. Even when I give a message, I desire to have four brothers standing next to me—not sitting in chairs but standing with me. For instance, suppose we have a gospel meeting, and eight thousand people come to listen to the gospel. We can have fifty brothers standing on the podium. When one brother is speaking, the other forty-nine brothers are supporting him. One brother says, “Jesus is Lord,” and forty-nine brothers say, “Amen!” One brother says, “Repent and believe in Jesus,” and forty-nine brothers say, “Amen!” Such a gospel meeting would be full of impact. This was the situation when the apostles preached the gospel at Pentecost.
When the church gathers together to pray, a sister’s prayer can touch others. However, if the same sister prays by herself, her prayer will not have so much inspiration. She might run out of words after three or five sentences. It is amazing that when she prays with other saints, words pour forth. This is the supply of the Body. This is the mutual supply among the members.
When I give messages from the podium, it seems as if I am the one speaking. However, I can speak because the saints are here. The words that I speak come from the Body and are through the Body. If no one were in this room, I surely would not be able to continue after speaking five sentences. It is because of you that I am able to speak continually and unceasingly. Hence, even in giving messages we need the brothers and sisters.
Every believer is but a member. You may be as small as a little finger, or you may be as big as an arm. No matter what you are, you are simply a member, and as such, you need to be coordinated with other members. Every believer must mature to the extent that he cannot be separated from other believers.
Some brothers pray for the subject of a message. A subject obtained in this way is not the issue of prayer; it is actually “dug out” from the mind. This is not God’s way. Paul did not pray for a subject before he wrote the Epistles to the Corinthians, nor did Peter or John pray for a subject before writing an Epistle. The Epistles were not written in this way. Paul wrote the first Epistle to the Corinthians because he was in contact with the church in Corinth and knew their problems. These problems became the source of his subject. For example, there were divisions and strifes among the Corinthians (1:10-11), so he wrote to them concerning Christ, saying, “Is Christ divided?” (v. 13). He also said, “If there is jealousy and strife among you, are you not fleshly and do you not walk according to the manner of man? For when someone says, I am of Paul, and another, I of Apollos, are you not men of flesh?” (3:3-4). This example shows that the believers were the source of Paul’s Epistles.
Whenever I do not have a subject for a message, I fellowship with some brothers and ask, “Brothers, how are you? What is the situation of the saints? How are the meetings in your district?” From what they say, I receive a subject for a message. As a result, the saints feel that the messages are relevant and practical. Little do they realize that they have supplied my subject and my words.
God’s intention is for us to be members one of another and thereby become one Body. God does not want people merely to be saved or to be spiritual. He wants much more. He wants people to become members of the Body of Christ and of His household. He wants people to be saved and believers to be spiritual so that they may become the Body, which is also His house. The church is the Body and the house of God. To Christ, the church is His Body; to God, the church is His house. This is what God desires. We must see this in order to have the consciousness that we are merely members who need other saints. We need to be coordinated together. We cannot be independent Christians, nor can we be individualistic. God wants a house, and we need this house. Christ wants a Body, and we need this Body. We must have such a clear vision of this need and a strong consciousness of this need.
Many saints are not satisfied with their local church. Some have said, “Since the condition of the church is so poor, I do not need to go to the meetings anymore. I will read the Bible and pray by myself.” This sounds reasonable, but those who stop attending the meetings eventually fall away. It seems as though the church meetings are of little profit and that it is better to read the Bible and pray alone. However, a short while after they stop attending the meetings, they stop reading the Bible and praying as well. Eventually, they end up watching movies instead. Even the weakest meeting is a help to us. At the very least, it can keep us from falling. We need to see that a Christian cannot be alone. We must remain in the church. We must know this fact and have this consciousness.
Here are a few points concerning the way to practice this fellowship.
If we have seen God’s desire and sense our need, we must resolve to place ourselves in the church. We should settle this matter once and for all. Whether or not the church is strong, we must put ourselves in the church. This must be our determination and decision. Some saints do not have such a resolve, and as a result, their spiritual condition will not be healthy. If we want to pursue spirituality, to serve God, and to preach the gospel, we cannot be individualistic; rather, we must be in the church. We must have a determination to be in the church.
We need to learn the lesson of submitting to the headship of Christ. This lesson requires a thorough consecration in which we recognize the Lord as our Head and acknowledge His authority and position in all things. Ephesians 4:15 says that we should “grow up into Him in all things, who is the Head, Christ.” In order for us to be in a proper condition in the church, we must be under the authority of the Head. Without a proper relationship with the Head, we cannot have a proper relationship with the other believers in the church. This is not a matter of doctrine. We must learn the serious lesson of maintaining a proper relationship with the Head, Christ, by being ruled by Him in all things, that is, letting Him be the Lord in all matters, whether great or small. If we are willing to submit to the headship of Christ in this way, those who come into our midst will sense that Christ is our Head. No one in the church can take the place of Christ. Everyone needs to honor Him as the Lord and take Him as the Head.
Not only should we have a proper relationship with the Head, but we must also maintain a proper relationship with the brothers and sisters. Not only should we submit ourselves to the headship of Christ, but we must also be fitly joined together with the brothers and sisters. This requires that we learn the lessons of being broken. I can coordinate with any responsible brother and with any elder. I have no problem coordinating with the co-workers as well as with the saints. It does not matter whether a person is elderly or young; I can coordinate with him. I have a proper relationship with the Head and also with the saints. In order to have a proper relationship with the Head, we need to submit to the authority of the Head, but in order to have a proper relationship with the saints, we need to be willing to be broken.
If we are not willing to be broken in relation to a particular matter, sooner or later we will have problems with the saints in that matter. Therefore, we need to learn serious lessons. A person who is broken will depend not only on God but also on the saints. This is not referring to depending on the saints in financial matters or general matters. We need to learn to rely on the saints in spiritual matters. We need to rely on the saints in order to live before the Lord and to serve Him. We must have the consciousness that we cannot serve God by ourselves; we must be joined to the saints and rely on them. This is not doctrine. It must be our experience.
We need to learn to live before God. On the one hand, we need to depend on the saints, and on the other hand, we should learn to live before the Lord, to read His Word, to pray in fellowship with Him, and to fear Him. We should not say, “There are many brothers and sisters. Some of them give messages, and others administrate the church. I will run errands and let them take care of the spiritual matters.” This is not right. Every saint needs to draw near to the Lord, to pray, to read His Word, and to fellowship with Him, always living in the shining of His face.
We do not have enough experience. The authority of the Head is not adequately expressed through us. The position of the Head is not sufficiently manifest among us. Hence, we lack the element of submitting to the Head. We have not fully learned the lessons of being broken. Sometimes we criticize the saints, the elders, and the responsible ones. Criticisms prove that we are not broken. A believer who is broken does not have anything to say, even if the elders are wrong or the saints are somewhat undesirable. A believer who is broken does not have opinions. Rather, he is submissive to God. Such a believer feels that he is short and seldom notices others’ mistakes.
We do not depend on one another as members of the Body, because we are not broken. Being confident in ourselves and not needing the other members in order to visit the saints or to give a message are the expression of death, not life. Being confident in ourselves is a tearing down of the Body, not the building up. It issues in spiritual heroes who can do everything but who do not have God’s presence.
When we submit to the authority of the Head and accept the breaking, we will realize our need to rely on the saints in all things. Those who give messages will rely on the other brothers. The sisters will depend on one another for spiritual matters. Then when people come into our midst, they will sense that God is among us. The Spirit will move in our midst, and God’s intention will be fulfilled.
As we depend on one another, we will also learn to fear God, to live in His presence, and to have a private life of reading the Bible and praying, and we will learn the lessons of being broken. As a result, we will not be confused; rather, we will each walk before the Lord and express Him.
The church will be strong, bright, rich, and glorious. The gospel will be powerful, and the saints will be edified. Every meeting and every aspect of service will have the Lord’s presence so that when people enter, they will declare, “This is God’s house!” They will receive rest, be nourished, and meet God. This is the building that God desires.
