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Additional Quotes about the Local Church by Witness Lee and Watchman Neei. God Delegates His Authority For the purpose of administration in the local churches, God has delegated His authority to those in office. In the following quotes Watchman Nee and Witness Lee explain and illustrate this matter: God’s government in the universe depends on God’s authority. In the same way, the church’s government also depends on the church’s authority. The New Testament shows us clearly that the authority of the church is entrusted to the elders and is completely in the hands of the elders. Although the elders are appointed by the apostles, God has not entrusted the authority of the church to the hands of the apostles. The Apostle Paul could set up elders in the church, but when the matter of excommunication was to be carried out, Paul did not have the direct authority to excommunicate others. The authority of excommunication was in the hands of the elders in Corinth. (Witness Lee, Elders’ Management, 19) 1 Timothy 5:21 I solemnly charge you before God and Christ Jesus and the chosen 1angels that you keep these things without prejudice, doing nothing by way of partiality. 1 Timothy 5:211 The elders in a local church are God’s deputy authority. Dealing with the elders is a solemn thing before God. Hence, the apostle solemnly charged Timothy before God, Christ, and the angels to carry out such a dealing, that the chosen angels, the good angels with God’s authority, might see that His authority was established and was being maintained among His redeemed people on earth. (Witness Lee, Footnotes, 987) How should authority in the church be assigned? God has appointed the elders and apostles to be the authority in the church. In each respective church, God establishes elders; among all the churches, God establishes apostles. The authority of apostles is for overseeing all the churches, while the authority of elders is for overseeing each respective local church. In order to manifest His authority in the church, God appoints elders in each of the local churches to represent His authority. Another name for elders is overseers, which bears the connotation of authority. The Bible tells us to submit to these ones because they represent authority. All authorities are there to represent God. Therefore, the authority of the elders is for representing and expressing God’s authority. (Watchman Nee, Collected Works, Set 2, Vol. 22, 19-20) A local church is under the authority of Christ as the Head, represented by the elders. Hence, the saints in a local church should obey the elders (Heb. 13:17). (Witness Lee, Eldership (2), 106) The authority of the local church is in the hands of the elders, whereas the authority of the work is in the hands of the apostles. (Watchman Nee and Witness Lee, Resumption, 594) There are a few cardinal laws in the Body. Fellowship is one, and love is another. But another great law is submitting to the Head in conjunction with other members of the Body. A member by himself does not have any authority; the authority is with the Head. It is wrong for any member to say that he has authority. A member does not have direct authority; he can only derive authority from the Head. This authority is not a matter of position but a matter of life; it does not come by “appointment” but by one’s “being.” If a member is not an eye, the Body cannot appoint him to be the eye. If a member is not the hand, the Body cannot appoint him to be the hand. Because a member sees, he has the authority of seeing. Because a member can function, his function becomes a help to others. In the church it is wrong to consider authority as a matter of position instead of life. It is wrong to make an appointment based on a person’s social status rather than on his spiritual condition. God’s Word shows that authority is in life, not in position. Authority lies in one’s living, not in his appointment. A man has authority in the church not by his position but by being dealt with in his experience and in many concrete matters. He has learned something before the Lord which others have not learned. As a result, the Lord gives him authority in life. In the Body of Christ, all authority is in life. God has made some appointments in a local church, but these are not according to position but according to life. When life and appointment are joined together, there is the need for submission. If one does not submit, life will stop, and he will be detached from the Body; this is the meaning of “not holding the Head” (Col. 2:19). If there is a problem between you and the members, your relationship with the Head will not be normal. If you are at odds with other members, you may still have your doctrine and work, but the word of life will be gone from you. Brothers and sisters, you may have been a believer for three years, but how much genuine growth have you gained? It is a pity that while your manner and knowledge seem to have improved, the life of the Body of Christ has not increased. In the church you should learn to submit to one another. If the members do not submit to one another, the life spoken of in Romans 8 can never be manifested. You will feel like a deflated tire, and it will be difficult for you to advance. Those who see the Body of Christ will spontaneously see that submission is a joyful thing. The case in Acts 8 shows us the principle of the Body. At that time the church in Jerusalem suffered the first great persecution. The apostles did not leave Jerusalem, but the brothers were all scattered. The scattered ones went everywhere to preach the word. Philip was not an apostle. His ministry was to care for the food. Yet because he had life, he went down to Samaria to preach Christ and performed miracles; he cast out many unclean spirits and healed many paralyzed and lame ones. The whole city of Samaria was filled with the gospel. The Bible says, “And there was much joy in that city” (v. 8). This shows that many in the city of Samaria had believed. The Lord used Philip. But if Philip had been proud, he could have said, “In Jerusalem Peter saved many. In Samaria I saved many.” He could have considered himself a marvelous man in history. Philip preached the gospel in Samaria, but the experience of the ones saved in Samaria was different from the experience of the ones saved in Jerusalem. In Samaria the Spirit did not descend upon anyone. The Samaritans had genuinely believed, and they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. Yet the Spirit did not descend upon anyone immediately. When the apostles heard this, they sent Peter and John to Samaria. When the two arrived, they prayed for the Samaritans to receive the Spirit. After the apostles laid hands on them, they also received the Spirit. (Watchman Nee, Collected Works, Set 2, Vol. 36, 487-489) | ||||