We can apply the above matters practically in the following way. Whenever we fellowship in a home meeting, we must release our spirit every time we open our mouth. Whenever our spirit is released, we are not shy or fearful. We can compare this to a basketball game. Once the players get onto the field, they forget about heaven, earth, and even their own name. The only thing they know is to win the game. By being this way, they will surely win. Likewise, our spirit must be released. Second, before we go to lead a home meeting, we should have adequate prayer so that we will be bold in the release of the spirit. At the same time, we should also exercise to be equipped with the truth. If we exercise well enough, everything will become easy. We all should take heed to this point. Not only the young brothers and sisters but also the middle-aged and older ones should endeavor to exercise. This is the biggest lack in all of Christianity. There are many people who love and seek the Lord, but very few know how to lead others and what to do. This is due to the lack of exercise. I hope we can be strengthened in this matter.
The foremost thing is that we need to know the truth. This is like teaching mathematics; if we are not good in mathematics, it is very difficult to teach it. The truth that we must know is first the truth concerning the church. We should help others to know the church in a thorough way. When we teach others, we need to make everything simple. Again we can compare this to a coach teaching his players. The coach first needs to teach them the basic movements, expecting that they would practice these basic matters thoroughly. When they play on the field, they do not need to perform every move that the coach taught them. They need only to apply them with flexibility according to the real situation with the goal of shooting the ball into the basket. I hope we all understand these two sides. On one side, we need to know and be equipped with the truth; on the other side, we need to speak the truth in a simplified and concise way, presenting it clearly to the new believers.
We can take the meaning of church as an example. The church is God’s called-out assembly. In any place that there are believers like you and me coming together, there is God’s called-out assembly. This is the first meaning of the church. If there is a need to explain the Greek text, we can simply mention that the word church in Greek means the “called-out assembly.” In order to avoid difficulties, however, do not be overly concerned with using Greek. Second, the church is the Body of Christ. Everyone has a body. We all know that our human body is a composition and that it is not a lifeless organization. Rather, it is a living organism. The principle of the Body of Christ is the same as that of the organic members of our body. The key concept is the life within the body. Like our human body, the church as the organic Body of Christ is full of life within. The life of the Body of Christ is the life of God. On the other hand, a person’s body is for expressing him. If a person has only a head but not a body, he has no expression. The body functions with the head to be an expression. The church is the organic expression of Christ. Therefore, the church is the fullness of Christ. Fullness is an overflow. If something does not overflow, it cannot be expressed. Once it overflows, the overflow becomes an expression.
Every saved one should abandon the sects. Sects are parties which are formed into divisions. During earlier years in mainland China, some Christian groups liked to use the word denomination, as in “the Baptist denomination” and “the Presbyterian denomination.” Later the Lord raised up the churches in the Lord’s recovery as a testimony that denominations are a party formed into a sect. Galatians 5:19-20 says that sects are the work of the flesh. Paul condemns sects in 1 Corinthians 1, and God Himself condemns them. Since we “blew the trumpet” concerning sects, mainland China has been affected, and it is still affected to this today. Now many Christian groups no longer call themselves denominations. Although the word denomination sounds good on the surface, in reality it is condemned by many Christians. Therefore, they are not willing to use this term today.
Why should Christians not have sects? First, it is because Christ is not divided. We believe in one Lord. Christ is the unique One in the universe. Christ is the universal One and the eternal One. He is not divided, He cannot be divided, and He should not be divided. Paul asked the divisive ones, “Is Christ divided?” (1 Cor. 1:13). The answer certainly is in the negative: “No, Christ is not divided.” Since Christ is not divided, we who believe into Him also should not be divided.
Second, the church is the Body of Christ. Everyone has only one body; the body of every human is unique. A person with two bodies would be a monster. Likewise, the Body of Christ is also unique. In Ephesians 4:4 Paul said, “One Body,” in which is one Spirit. In this light we see that the Body is unique, and Christ cannot be divided. The Body of Christ, which is the church, is unique. Therefore, there is no ground, and there should be no ground for division.
Third, to divide Christians into religious sects is the work of the flesh. Galatians 5:19 says that the fruit, the works, of the flesh are manifest. Then Paul lists several items, one of which is sects. Where do sects come from? Verse 20 connects three things: factions, divisions, and sects. Initially there are factions and then divisions, which issue in the formation of sects. This is the condition of the whole of Christianity today. Without the shining of the light, people proudly claim that they belong to a certain group. Once the light shines, however, they see that these so-called groups are sects, which are condemned by God.
Sects are indicated in 1 Corinthians 1. The church in Corinth was an early church, raised up around A.D. 50. By the time 1 Corinthians was written, it was already in a condition of division. This means that shortly after this church was established, it was divided into different groups. What was the basis of their divisions? The divisions were according to the persons who led them. Some preferred Paul, so they were “of” Paul; some preferred Cephas, so they were “of” Cephas; and some preferred Apollos, so they were “of” Apollos. Thus, the church was divided into at least three groups. Still others said that those were wrong and that Christ was best, so they were “of” Christ; eventually four groups were formed. In rebuking them, Paul seemed to say, “Is Christ divided? Why do you say that you are of Paul? Was Paul crucified for you? It was not I who was crucified for you; it was Christ who was crucified for you. Or were you baptized into the name of Paul? No, you all were baptized into the name of Christ. Therefore, none of you should be ‘of’ me.”
Then in 3:21-22 Paul seemed to tell them, “Do not say that you are of me. Rather, I, Paul, am yours, for all things are yours, including me.” Paul strictly condemned the sects. In 1:10 Paul said, “That there be no divisions among you,” and in Titus 3:10 he also said, “A factious man, after a first and second admonition, refuse.” He pointed out clearly that we should reject and not encourage or promote factions. As a result, there should not be factions among Christians; that is, there should be no sects.