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In the Gospel of Matthew the Lord Jesus spoke of the church twice, first referring to the universal church, the Body of Christ, and later referring to the local church, the expression of the universal church in a locality. In leading new believers to know the church, we must first use 16:18, which speaks of the universal aspect of the church. Then we can use 18:17, which speaks of the local aspect of the church for our practice.
In order for us to lead new believers to know the truth, there are several matters that require our attention. We first need to be trained in the way that we speak. When speaking the truth or conversing with others, we should have a proper demeanor and attitude. Often we are like students answering a teacher’s questions. This training is to enable us to work, to serve, to minister the word to others, and to open their understanding. Therefore, when we speak concerning the truth, we must avoid the flavor of a student answering questions.
When we speak with others concerning spiritual matters, we must also give them a deep impression so that they can see a vision. We must lead them out of Jerusalem with its religious atmosphere to Caesarea Philippi, where the atmosphere is clear. We must impress the new believers that even though they do not know the truth, they can enter into the truth through our speaking. During the past eleven years we have had twenty-two Life-study trainings in America. After each message there is a time for sharing and also for testing. Sometimes the saints do not understand what I have said from the podium, but during the sharing everyone becomes clear. The saints who still do not understand become clear when the message is repeated during the testing. This is the way that the Lord uses the speaking of the brothers and sisters to enable everyone to see a vision.
When we speak the truth, we should not be afraid of repetition; rather, we should be afraid of digressing to different points. If we digress, the listeners will not be able to follow our point. When we speak on a certain truth, we should remember to focus only on that truth.
The Lord mentioned the church in the Gospels only twice, yet He presented both the universal aspect and the local aspect of the church in a wise way. The universal aspect of the church is seen in Matthew 16. According to this chapter, in order to see the vision of the universal church, we must have revelation. However, in order to have revelation, we must break away from the atmosphere, background, air, and flavor of religion; we must leave Jerusalem and come to Caesarea Philippi. Only when we are in Caesarea Philippi can we receive revelation to know who Christ is and what He has accomplished. Through the knowledge that we receive, we can experience Christ for the producing of the church. In verse 18 the Lord said, “I also say to you that you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it.” Based on our knowledge of Christ, we can become a living stone, and the Lord will call us “Peter,” which means “stone” in Greek. Moreover, the Lord will build His church on this rock, that is, the revelation we have received concerning Christ. In verse 19 the Lord spoke of the kingdom: “I will give to you the keys of the kingdom of the heavens.” The kingdom is always related to spiritual warfare, and the result of warfare is the defeat of the gates of Hades. These words are simple, but they present the universal aspect of the church, which is the Body of Christ.
If we had only Matthew 16 without chapter 18, the truth concerning the church would be incomplete because it would lack the local, practical aspect of the church. In chapter 18 the Lord showed the disciples how to maintain a good relationship among the brothers in the local church. This chapter deals with the expression of the church in a locality. When a problem cannot be resolved between two brothers, it must be told to the church. If the church does not have an expression in a locality, there will be no way for the brothers to be reconciled. The church being expressed in different localities is similar to the one unique moon being seen in many places on earth.
The relationship among the brothers is the background of the Lord’s speaking in chapter 18. Today we are in the local churches. If the relationship among the brothers is not normal, there will be problems. The relationship among the brothers must be right for a local church to have a proper expression. If the relationship among the brothers is not right, there will be problems in the expression of a local church. In summary, the expression of the universal church depends on our knowledge and experience of Christ, whereas the expression of the church locally depends on our maintaining a normal relationship with one another. If we do not have Christ as our life, we are not regenerated, and if we do not have any knowledge and experience of Christ, it will be impossible for us to grow as members and constituents of the universal church. This is the truth in chapter 16. Chapter 18 says that even if we are in the universal church and know and experience Christ, without a proper relationship between the brothers in our locality, we are like Gentiles and tax collectors.
In chapter 18 the Lord shows how to maintain a proper relationship with the brothers in a local church. If this relationship is not maintained, we will not be in the local church life. With respect to the divine life, we are still in the universal church, but with respect to our relationship with the brothers, we will not be in the local church. The expression of the universal church in a locality depends on our maintaining a loving and honoring relationship among the brothers and the sisters. Eighty or ninety percent of this relationship depends on our saying, “I am wrong. Please forgive me.” We need to confess our mistakes to one another and forgive one another. If there is no confession, there will be no forgiveness, and the local expression of the church will fall apart.
In the church life some amount of friction among the saints is inevitable. If as a result of this friction we become offended and do not confess our mistakes, we will not have the practical living of a local church. The local church life is maintained by confessing to one another, forgiving one another, and forbearing one another. This is the proper church life. The Lord is very wise in His words. He said that the universal church depends on our receiving revelation and experiencing Christ, and the local church depends on our maintaining a proper relationship between the brothers and sisters.
When leading new believers to know the church, we first should let them know that Christ is the life and nature of the church. When we were regenerated, the Lord entered into us to be our life and our nature. Some believers do not understand why we say that we are the church. Whether or not we are the church depends on whether Christ is our life and nature. The church is Christ. In reference to the church as the new man, Colossians 3:11 says, “There cannot be Greek and Jew, circumcision and uncircumcision, barbarian, Scythian, slave, free man, but Christ is all and in all.” In the new man, which is the church, there is no Jew, no Greek, no high culture, no low culture, no slave, and no free man. In the new man there is only one constituent, Christ. Christ is the constituent of all the members of the new man. He is not only in all the members; He is the members. In the new man Christ is you and Christ is me; Christ is everyone.
When we lead new believers, we need to bring them step by step from knowing Christ to knowing the church. As they receive revelation and gain knowledge and experiences of Christ, they will be transformed from clay into stones for the building of the church. Concerning the church, we first must speak to them about Matthew 16 so that they may know that the church is universal and that it is the Body of Christ. Then we should go to Matthew 18 and speak concerning the local church and concerning the living of the church life in every locality as the expression of the universal church. In our practice of the church life, we must maintain a proper relationship with the brothers.
We must help new believers to see that the element, constituent, nature, and essence of the church are Christ. Christ is also the life of the church. At this point we can quote Ephesians 5:23-32 concerning the church being the wife of Christ and Christ being the Husband of the church. We can also use Genesis 2:21-24 to show that Adam and Eve were of one flesh; Eve came out of Adam. Adam’s essence was Eve’s essence, and Adam’s life was Eve’s life. Eve was a part of Adam; hence, the two were one. In God’s eyes these two persons were one. Adam is a type of Christ, and Eve is a type of the church. Just as Eve was built out of Adam’s rib, so the church is produced by the living water of life that flowed out of the side of Christ when He was crucified (John 19:34). Just as Eve came out of Adam, so the church comes out of Christ. The church is the Body of Christ.
The body implies fullness. Ephesians 1:23, referring to the church in verse 22, says that it is “His Body, the fullness of the One who fills all in all.” If Adam were a bachelor, he would have no fullness, for he would be like a head without a body. When God built Eve out of Adam, he obtained a fullness. Just as Eve was Adam’s fullness, so the church is the fullness of Christ. The church comes out of Christ, and the life and nature of the church are Christ; hence, the church is Christ’s Body. After we are saved, we become members of this Body; and all the members are one Body, which is the fullness of Christ to express Him, just as Eve was Adam’s fullness to express Adam.
In summary, the life and nature of the church are Christ, the church is Christ’s Body, the church is the fullness of Christ, and the church is the expression of Christ. This is the light that the Lord has shown us during the past thirty years.
After leading a person to salvation, we should not immediately speak to him concerning the church. This can be compared to giving meat to a newborn baby. We first should lead a new believer to pray, to contact the Lord, and to confess his sins to the Lord. It is too soon to lead a new believer to know the church within the first three months of his salvation.
If an unbeliever has questions concerning the church, we should not be quick to answer him. Rather, we should first determine whether or not he is saved. Then we should turn him from the matter of the church to salvation, leading him to be saved. It is easy for him to misunderstand us if we speak to him about the church before he is saved. He may think that we are condemning everyone except ourselves. As a result, he will be unreceptive to our speaking and may even become negative. Hence, we should not speak concerning the church; instead, we should minister to him regarding salvation. If the Lord touches him, later it will be easy for him to receive what we say about other matters, such as the church.
When we speak about the church, we should never debate doctrine. We are not arguing who is right or who is wrong; neither are we boasting about our “merchandise.” We should always supply others with life. If we can always give others spiritual help, they will be impressed with us; they will also be grateful to us and appreciate us. Then, when we speak to them concerning the church, they will receive what we say.
We all have the flesh; hence, we should avoid debates. Whether we are preaching the gospel, leading new believers in the experiences of life, or speaking concerning the church, we should try our best to avoid debates. Once the person we are speaking with harbors a negative feeling toward us, it will be difficult to continue the conversation. No one likes to be wrong, and debates close the door to future conversations. We must not give new believers the impression that we are condemning others’ faults or criticizing their shortcomings. We desire to lead the new believers in life. In order to give people the gospel and the light of the truth and to help them abide in the Lord and grow in life, we should learn to always avoid debates. We should speak only as much as people can receive so that they will receive the supply and be left with a good impression. Then it will be possible to have further contact and to preach the truth to them.
We should never tear down the work done by the Protestant denominations or any other group. In 1937 I was assigned by the work to labor in northern China. The brothers told me that I had a good knowledge of the truth, and that this truth, which is the light that the Lord has given to us, is not only for us but also for the brothers and sisters in the denominations. I traveled from Shantung to Hopeh, Suiyuan, Shansi, Shensi, and Honan and discovered that the Catholic Church had done much work. Although there were many mistakes and the work was leavened, the gospel had been preached to people. People had been taught to know the God who created heaven and earth. They had been told that Jesus is the Son of God; He is the true God. They also had been told that Jesus Christ is the Savior of mankind. Hence, while laboring in these provinces, I never denied this work.
We need to be fair and not annul the work that others have done. In this way the people whom we contact will receive what we minister; they will be able to receive further help from us.
