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Testimony and the Ground of the Church, The

Chapters: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15

The church is the eternal purpose of God and the goal of God’s work in time. Therefore, we must know the church in order to understand God’s plan and work in the universe. The church has a content and function in reality, and it also has an outward appearance and ground in practicality. These two aspects, one inward and the other outward, match each other and are indispensable. According to its content in reality, the church is a mystery that requires a heavenly revelation from God. However, due to the church’s degradation in the last two thousand years, the outward expression of the church in practicality has been changed beyond recognition. As a result, people either are ignorant of or filled with misunderstanding concerning the church. Thus, there is a great need for spiritual insight.

INTRODUCTION _chapter1

Scripture Reading: Matt. 16:16-19; Eph. 1:22-23; 3:9-11, 21; 4:11-12; 5:25-27; 1 Tim. 3:15-16

SECTION ONE _chapter2

THE TESTIMONY OF THE CHURCH
CHAPTER ONE
GOD’S ETERNAL DESIRE— TO EXPRESS HIMSELF IN THE SON
I. THE MEANING OF BEING THE SON
A. The Son Being the One Who Expresses the Father
B. The Son Being the Image of God
C. The Son Being the Effulgence of God’s Glory and the Impress of His Substance
II. THE STEPS IN GOD’S EXPRESSION
A. In Adam
1. Making Man in His Own Image and in His Likeness
2. Forming a Spirit in Adam
B. In the Patriarchs
1. Through Their Actions of Faith
2. Through Their Characteristics
C. Among the People of Israel
1. Through the Law, Ordinances, Rituals, and Regulations
2. Through the Tabernacle
3. Through the Temple
4. Through the Priests, Judges, Kings, and Prophets
5. Through All the Godly Men, the Men of God
D. In Christ
1. Christ Being the Mystery of God
2. All the Fullness of the Godhead Dwelling in Christ
3. Christ as the Only Begotten Son of God Being One with God— God Being Christ’s Substance and Christ Being God’s Expression, thus Christ Being the Temple of God
4. Christ Entering into Glory to Become God’s Firstborn Son That God May Be Completely Expressed through Him
E. In the Church
1. The Church Being the Mystery of Christ
2. The Church Being the Body of Christ, the Fullness of Christ, the Surplus of Christ
3. The Church Being the Many Sons of God United with God—God in Christ Being the Substance of the Church, and the Church in the Holy Spirit Being the Expression of God, thus the Church Being a Dwelling Place of God
4. The Church Composed of the Many Sons of God Entering into Glory for God to Have a Full Expression— the Manifestation of the New Jerusalem

CHAPTER TWO _chapter3

THE CHURCH’S FUNCTION— TO EXPRESS CHRIST AND TO TESTIFY OF CHRIST
I. THE MEANING OF BEING A TESTIMONY— SPEAKING FORTH GOD, DECLARING GOD, AND EXPRESSING GOD
II. ADAM, THE PATRIARCHS, THE TABERNACLE, THE TEMPLE, THE PROPHETS, AND ALL THE MEN OF GOD IN THE OLD TESTAMENT BEING TESTIMONIES OF GOD
III. THE LAW BEING THE TESTIMONY OF GOD
A. The Law Being Called “the Testimony”
B. The Tablets of the Law Being Called “the Tablets of the Testimony”
C. The Ark Being Called “the Ark of the Testimony”
D. The Law Being a Testimony of God in That It Reveals the Attributes of God and Explains the Kind of God He Is
E. Every Requirement on Man, according to What God Is, Being a Law to Man
F. Only God Himself Being Able to Satisfy the Requirements of the Law, Which Are for Man to Have the Divine Attributes and Be Like God
G. Man Being Able to Spontaneously Fulfill the Requirements of the Law, If He Touches God and What God Is, but Attempting to Keep the Law Because of the Requirements of the Law Being in Vain
IV. THE ENTIRE BIBLE BEING THE TESTIMONY OF GOD
A. As the Testimony of Christ, the Bible also Being the Testimony of God
B. As the Word of God, the Bible Revealing What God Is and Therefore Being the Testimony of God
C. One Needing to Touch God to Be Able to Touch the Reality of the Scriptures; Otherwise, the Scriptures Being Dead Letters or Vain Doctrines
V. CHRIST BEING THE TESTIMONY OF GOD
A. As the Living Word of God, Christ Revealing God and Being the Testimony of God in Reality
B. Man Not Being Able to Know God outside of Christ; Man Being Able to Touch God Only through Christ
VI. THE HOLY SPIRIT BEING THE TESTIMONY OF CHRIST
A. The Holy Spirit, as the Transfiguration of Christ through His Death, Resurrection, Ascension, and Descension, Declaring All the Things of Christ to Men and Glorifying Christ as the Testimony of Christ
B. Apart from the Holy Spirit, Man Being Unable to Know Christ; Man Needing to Be in the Holy Spirit to Be Able to Touch Christ
VII. THE CHURCH BEING THE TESTIMONY OF CHRIST
A. The Church Being the Body of Christ, the Embodiment of Christ, and Therefore the Testimony of Christ
B. The Church Testifying concerning Christ
(1) As the One Who Contains All the Fullness of the Godhead and Is United with Man—John 1:1, 14; 1 John 4:2
(2) As the One Who Has Overcome Satan—John 14:30
(3) As the One Who Is without Sin—2 Corinthians 5:21
(4) As the One Who Has Overcome Death—Acts 2:24
(5) As the One Who Has Overcome the World—John 17:14, 16
(6) As the One Who Is Not Defiled by Idolatry—Matthew 4:9-10
(7) As the One Who Has No Part in Satan’s Kingdom—John 18:36
(8) As the One Who Has Overcome Everything and Thereby Completely Expresses and Glorifies God— John 12:28; 17:1, 4
C. The Testimony of the Church Being to Live Out What Christ Is
D. The Church Carrying Out the Testimony by and with the Holy Spirit
E. The Testimony of the Church Being One and Corporate, Not Numerous and Scattered, Because It Is the Testimony of the Body
F. Through the Testimony of the Church, His Body, Christ Being Expressed before Men, Living before Men, and Testifying to Men concerning the Person of Christ

CHAPTER THREE _chapter4

THE PRODUCTION, EXISTENCE, RELATIONSHIP, AND ISSUE OF THE TESTIMONY OF THE CHURCH
I. THE PRODUCTION OF THE TESTIMONY OF THE CHURCH— BY KNOWING CHRIST
A. As the Christ of God— the Anointed One of God
B. As the Son of the Living God— the One Who Expresses God
II. THE EXISTENCE OF THE TESTIMONY OF THE CHURCH
A. Living in Christ—Being Joined to Christ
B. Receiving the Cross—Terminating the Self
III. THE RELATIONSHIP OF THE TESTIMONY OF THE CHURCH
A. In Relation to Christ
1. Christ Being the Foundation as the Rock
2. The Church Being an Aggregate of Stones Built Together upon Christ
B. In Relation to the Gates of Hades
1. The Gates of Hades Bringing the Church into Death and Holding It There
2. The Gates of Hades Being Plural, Indicating That Hades Affects the Church in Many Ways
3. It Not Being Possible for the Church, Which Is in Resurrection and Which Overcomes Death, to Be Prevailed Against or Dealt With by the Gates of Hades
4. The Church Being Able to Overcome the Gates of Hades, Thus Releasing the Sinners Held by Them
C. In Relation to the Kingdom of the Heavens
1. The Church Being Able to Bring In the Reign of the Kingdom of the Heavens
2. The Church Being Able to Bring People into the Kingdom of the Heavens
D. In Relation to the Cross
1. The Cross Delivering the Church from the Things of Man in the Old Creation
2. The Cross Enabling the Church to Live Out the Riches of Christ
IV. THE ISSUE OF THE TESTIMONY OF THE CHURCH
A. Bringing In the Kingdom of Christ— the Reign of Christ
B. Christ Being Glorified—God Being Expressed

CHAPTER FOUR _chapter5

THE IMPORTANCE OF THE BUILDING OF THE CHURCH FOR THE TESTIMONY OF THE CHURCH
I. THE BUILDING OF THE CHURCH BEING RELATED TO THREE PAIRS OF THINGS
II. THE BUILDING OF THE CHURCH BEING A WARFARE
III. THE BUILDING OF THE CHURCH BEING A GREAT MATTER
IV. THE BUILDING OF THE CHURCH BEING A SEVERE TEST
V. THE NEED OF BEING BUILT

CHAPTER FIVE _chapter6

THE NATURE OF THE TESTIMONY OF THE CHURCH
I. BEING OF REVELATION
II. BEING OF RESURRECTION
III. BEING OF THE NEW CREATION
IV. BEING SPIRITUAL
V. BEING HEAVENLY
VI. BEING ETERNAL

SECTION TWO _chapter7

THE GROUND OF THE CHURCH
SECTION TWO
THE GROUND OF THE CHURCH
CHAPTER ONE
THE ONENESS OF THE CHURCH
I. THE ESSENCE OF THE ONENESS
A. Being the Spirit Himself
B. Being Oneness, Not Unity
II. THE REALITY OF ONENESS
A. One Body, One Spirit, One Lord, and One God
B. One Hope, One Faith, and One Baptism
III. THE INDIVISIBILITY OF THE ONENESS
A. Dividing on the Basis of Spiritual Giants
B. Dividing on the Basis of the Person Who Is the Instrumentality of Our Salvation
C. Dividing Because “I Am of Christ”
D. Dividing Because of Differences in Doctrinal Views
1. Doctrinal Views Not to Be Considered as the Basic Faith
2. To Practice Differently Based on Doctrine and to Be Divided from Others Being a Fleshly Act
3. The Scriptures Requiring Us to Receive Those Who Eat Only Vegetables and Those Who Observe Days
4. The Scriptures Allowing Us to Have Doctrinal Differences but Not Permitting Us to Be Sectarian, Divisive, because of Such Differences
E. Dividing Because of Racial Differences
F. Dividing Because of Differences in Nationality
G. Dividing Because of Differences in Social Rank
H. Dividing Because of Spiritual Weakness or Mistakes

CHAPTER TWO _chapter8

THE FELLOWSHIP OF THE CHURCH
I. ACCORDING TO THE REALITY OF ONENESS
II. BEING A FELLOWSHIP OF ONENESS, NOT A FELLOWSHIP OF BEING DIVIDED YET UNITED NOR A FELLOWSHIP OF BEING INDEPENDENT YET IN MUTUAL CONTACT
III. BEING THE FELLOWSHIP OF THE BODY, NOT THE FELLOWSHIP OF A “LOCALITY”
IV. BEING OF LIFE
V. BEING OF THE HOLY SPIRIT
VI. CONDITIONS FOR BEING REMOVED FROM THE FELLOWSHIP
A. Having the Sin Spoken of in 1 Corinthians 5
B. Going beyond the Teaching of Christ
C. Any Other Failure, Weakness, Mistake, or Wrong Doctrinal View Not Being Sufficient to Constitute a Condition for Being Removed

CHAPTER THREE _chapter9

THE GROUND OF THE CHURCH
I. BASED UPON THE FELLOWSHIP IN ONENESS
A. To Lose the Oneness, the Fellowship, of the Church Being to Lose the Ground of the Church
B. Any Ground outside of the Fellowship in Oneness Not Being the Ground of the Church
II. THE FELLOWSHIP OF ONENESS BEING UNIVERSAL BUT EXPRESSED IN LOCALITIES
A. In Every Locality There Being Only One Fellowship, One Ground
B. The Fellowship in Each Locality Needing Also to Be Universal

CHAPTER FOUR _chapter10

THE MATTER OF SECTS
I. GOD’S DESIRE
II. THE DIVISION OF THE CHURCH
III. THE RESPONSIBILITY OF DIVISION
IV. THE NEED FOR DISCERNMENT
V. THE CONSTITUTION OF A SECT
A. Having a Special Name
B. Having Special Articles of Belief
C. Having a Special Fellowship
D. Having a Fellowship That Is Isolated and Not Universal
E. Having a Separate Administration in the Same Locality
F. Having a Background of Belonging to an Organization

CHAPTER FIVE _chapter11

THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE UNIVERSAL CHURCH AND THE LOCAL CHURCH
I. THE UNIVERSAL CHURCH BEING THE SUM TOTAL OF THE LOCAL CHURCHES
II. EVERY LOCAL CHURCH BEING THE EXPRESSION OF THE UNIVERSAL CHURCH IN A LOCALITY
III. THE NATURE AND PRINCIPLE OF THE UNIVERSAL CHURCH BEING THE NATURE AND PRINCIPLE OF THE LOCAL CHURCH
A. The Nature of the Church in the Universe Being of God and the Nature of the Church in Every Locality Also Being of God
B. The Church Being Uniquely One in the Universe and in Every Locality
C. The Local Church Being a Miniature of the Universal Church
D. The Universal Church and the Local Church Being the Body of Christ and the Dwelling Place of God
IV. THE LOCAL CHURCH BEING THE UNIVERSAL CHURCH IN PRACTICALITY
A. The Universal Church Being Built through the Building of the Local Church
B. The Local Church Being Necessary for Carrying Out the Administration of the Universal Church
V. THE UNIVERSAL CHURCH BEING ABSTRACT AND THE LOCAL CHURCH BEING REAL AND TANGIBLE TO THE WORKERS AND BELIEVERS
A. The Workers’ Work Being Carried Out in the Local Church
B. The Believers’ Corporate Life and Service in Coordination Being Realized Also in the Local Churches
VI. TOUCHING THE LOCAL CHURCHES BEING THE ONLY WAY TO TOUCH THE UNIVERSAL CHURCH

CHAPTER SIX _chapter12

THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN LOCAL CHURCHES
I. THE ADMINISTRATION IN EACH LOCALITY BEING LOCAL AND BEING INDEPENDENT— THE LOCAL ADMINISTRATION
II. THE ONE FELLOWSHIP AMONG ALL THE LOCALITIES BEING UNIVERSAL— THE FELLOWSHIP OF THE BODY
III. ALL THE CHURCHES LIVING DIRECTLY BEFORE THE LORD AND BEING RESPONSIBLE DIRECTLY TO CHRIST, THE HEAD, NOT FORMING A FEDERATION OR HAVING A HEAD CHURCH
IV. ALL THE CHURCHES BEING THE SAME IN THEIR ACTIONS

SECTION THREE _chapter13

THE DEGRADATION AND THE RECOVERY OF THE CHURCH
CHAPTER ONE
THE ORIGINAL CONDITION OF THE CHURCH
I. THE BELIEVERS BEING IN MUTUAL COORDINATION AND SERVING TOGETHER WITHOUT HIERARCHY
A. The Believers All Being Brothers without Distinctions in Rank
B. The Believers Being Members of the Body of Christ, Coordinating Equally and Each Fulfilling His Function
C. The Believers All Being Priests to God, Without an Intermediary Class or Distinctions between Clergy and Laity
II. COMPLETELY SEPARATED FROM THE WORLD— IN THE WORLD YET NOT OF THE WORLD
III. COMPLETELY FORSAKING IDOLS
IV. COMPLETELY ALLOWING GOD TO SPEAK
V. EACH LOCALITY HAVING ONLY ONE EXPRESSION— ONE CHURCH, ONE FELLOWSHIP, ONE GROUND
VI. THE CHURCHES BEING ONE IN FELLOWSHIP, BUT EACH BEING INDEPENDENT IN ADMINISTRATION AND THERE BEING NO HEAD CHURCH OR FEDERATION
VII. LETTING CHRIST BE THE HEAD AND LETTING THE HOLY SPIRIT HAVE THE AUTHORITY

CHAPTER TWO _chapter14

THE DEGRADATION OF THE CHURCH
I. HAVING HIERARCHY
II. BEING IN UNION WITH THE WORLD
III. HAVING IDOLS
IV. NOT LETTING GOD SPEAK
V. HAVING DIVISIONS
VI. HAVING ORGANIZATION FOR UNIFICATION
VII. USURPING THE HEADSHIP OF CHRIST AND ENCROACHING ON THE AUTHORITY OF THE HOLY SPIRIT

CHAPTER THREE _chapter15

THE RECOVERY OF THE CHURCH
I. THE RECOVERY WITH THE PROTESTANT CHURCH— IN THE FIRST PART OF THE SIXTEENTH CENTURY
A. Recovering the Open Bible
B. Not Separated from the World
C. Forsaking Idols
D. Not Eliminating the Intermediary Class
E. Having Even More Divisions
F. Not Putting Away the Organization for Unification
G. Not Allowing Christ to Have Absolute Position Nor Allowing the Holy Spirit to Have Absolute Authority
II. THE RECOVERY WITH THE MORAVIAN BRETHREN IN UNITY— IN THE EARLY PART OF THE EIGHTEENTH CENTURY
A. Obeying the Lord’s Word— the Bible
B. Separated from the World
C. Not Defiled by Idols
D. Removing Distinctions in Rank and Stressing the Fellowship and Coordination of the Brethren
E. Endeavoring to Keep the Oneness by Abandoning Differences in Doctrinal Views
F. Removing Formal Organization for Unification
G. Allowing Christ to Be the Head and the Holy Spirit to Rule among Them
III. THE RECOVERY WITH THE BRETHREN— IN THE EARLY PART OF THE NINETEENTH CENTURY
A. Absolutely Obeying the Lord’s Word— the Bible Becoming an Opened Book
B. Absolutely Separated from the World and Absolutely Forsaking Idols
C. Absolutely Eliminating Hierarchy and Being Brothers Together and Members One of Another with Special Emphasis on Mutual Love and Fellowship
D. Absolutely Eliminating Sectarianism and Maintaining the Testimony of Oneness
E. Absolutely Freed from Any Organization
F. Completely Allowing Christ to Be the Head and the Holy Spirit to Rule among Them
IV. THE FAILURE OF THE BRETHREN— BEGINNING NOT LONG AFTER THEIR RECOVERY
V. THE RECOVERY IN THE EAST— BEGINNING FROM 1922
A. Accepting the Lord’s Word—the Bible— as the Highest Authority
B. Being Freed from All Sects and Denominations and Recovering the Oneness of the Church
C. Abandoning All Rank and Systems and Recovering the Position of All the Saints Being Brothers to One Another
D. Being Separated from the World and Staying Away from Idols
E. Completely Taking Christ as the Head and Allowing the Holy Spirit to Rule
F. Taking the Locality as the Boundary of the Church— Each Locality Having Only One Church
G. The Church’s Administration Being Local and Its Fellowship Being Universal
H. Not Having Any Organization for Unification but Having Only the Spiritual Fellowship
I. Emphasizing the Universal Priesthood
J. Emphasizing the Body’s Coordination in Service
K. Emphasizing the Practical Church Service
VI. OUR PRESENT PRACTICE AND ATTITUDE
A. Our Practice
B. Our Attitude

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