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Additional Quotes about the Local Church by Witness Lee and Watchman NeeIf we impose any conditions of fellowship beyond these seven—which are but the outcome of the one spiritual life, then we are guilty of sectarianism, for we are making a division between those who are manifestly children of God. If we apply any test but these seven, such as baptism by immersion, or certain interpretations of prophecy, or a special line of holiness teaching, or a so-called Pentecostal experience, or the resigning from any denominational church—then we are imposing conditions other than those stipulated in the Word of God. All who have these seven points in common with us are our brothers, whatever their spiritual experience, or doctrinal views, or so-called church relationships. Our oneness is not based on our appreciation of the truth of our oneness, nor on our coming out from all that would contradict our oneness, but upon the actual fact of our oneness, which is made real in our experience by the indwelling Spirit of Christ. (Watchman Nee, Collected Works, Set 2, Vol. 30, 80-81) From the very beginning of the Lord’s recovery, we have seen very clearly that the practice of the local churches depends upon two things—the teaching and the eldership. The New Testament shows us clearly that the building up of Christ’s Body is based upon the apostles’ teaching (Acts 2:42). (Witness Lee, Eldership (2), 153-154) Acts 2:42 says that all the newly saved ones were together to continue their life in the apostles’ teaching. The apostles’ teaching became the very sphere and element of the building up of the church. Ephesians 2:20 says that the church is being built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets. The revelation the apostles and prophets received concerning Christ is considered the foundation upon which the church is built. The building of the church upon Christ as her foundation is according to the apostles’ and prophets’ revelation. (Witness Lee, Eldership (2), 155) The basic need for the building up of the Body of Christ is the apostles’ teaching. We should have no particular teaching other than the teaching of the apostles, which is the teaching concerning Christ’s person and redemptive work and concerning God’s economy in faith (2 John 9-11; 1 Tim. 1:3-4; Jude 3; Titus 1:4). First Corinthians 14 is also a part of the apostles’ teaching. This chapter reveals that the church meetings are meetings of mutuality, not meetings with one person speaking and the rest listening. All the attendants in the meeting should be speakers. Where can such a thing be seen today? Without the practice of Ephesians 4 and 1 Corinthians 14, how could the Body of Christ be built up? We must hold and practice the entire teaching of the apostles, without selection according to our preference. (Witness Lee, Eldership (2), 155-156) We can see from the Epistles that the Body of Christ, expressed through the local churches in many localities, is built upon the revelation of Christ. The apostles’ teaching is the revelation. If we only had the four Gospels and Acts without the Epistles of the apostles in the New Testament, our knowledge concerning Christ would be limited. The Gospels tell us about Christ in His incarnation, human living, crucifixion, resurrection, and ascension. The Epistles go on to tell us about God’s economy and His eternal plan to have the Body of Christ. (Witness Lee, God-Ordained Way, 20) First, if a church is really standing on the ground of locality as set forth in the Bible, she must receive all whom the Lord has received. Romans 15:7 says, “Therefore receive one another, as Christ also received you to the glory of God.” Here we see one thing: The receiving of a Christian is based upon the receiving of Christ—that is, we should receive one another as Christ has received us. In other words, we cannot refuse those whom Christ has received. If a sinner has been received by Christ, we must receive him as a brother. If we do not receive a man whom Christ has received, immediately we are a sect, not the church. What is a church? A church receives all whom Christ has received in one locality. (Watchman Nee, Collected Works, Set 3, Vol. 56, 271-272) "Him who is weak in faith receive,..for God has received him” (Rom. 14:1, 3). Suppose someone is a vegetarian. We may consider that he is very weak. However, the basis for receiving is whether or not God has received him, not whether he is strong or weak. Perhaps he is a weak brother, but we still must receive him. God already has received him without regard for his strength or weakness; therefore, we must receive him as well. The fundamental fellowship of a church in a locality is based upon the fellowship of God. We must receive a brother whom God has received. We cannot have any reason to refuse him; otherwise, we are a sect, not a church. The church in a locality is based on a receiving that is as broad as God and also as strict as God: Whomever God receives, we receive; whomever God does not receive, we do not receive. The universal church receives all whom God has received in the whole world; a local church receives all whom God has received in a locality. No matter how different a brother is from us or how far short he is of our standard, there is only one requirement for us to receive him—that is, has God received him? If God has received him, we must receive him. Therefore, a local church—we must be very clear about this—must take the life of Christ and faith in God as the basis for receiving believers. Apart from this we do not have any other demands. If we make other demands as certain requirements, we are a sect just like any other sect. A sect is condemned and is therefore a very serious matter. (Watchman Nee, Collected Works, Set 3, Vol. 56, 272-273) | ||||