History tells us, however, that God’s enemy, Satan, comes in to undermine God’s work in many ways. The most obvious way is to bring in divisions in the church. Today no matter where we are, we see that the church is divided. No matter where we are, we see that there are many Christian sects. This is the undermining work of the enemy. According to God’s intention there should be only one church in each locality. In the early days in Jerusalem, although many thousands of people were saved and were meeting separately in numerous homes, there was only one church. Similarly, in Antioch there was one church, and this was also the case in Rome. In Ephesus there was one church, as well as in Corinth. It is true that due to their being fleshly the believers in Corinth were divided into parties. They said that they were of Paul, of Apollos, of Cephas, or of Christ. Nevertheless, they were still one church; they were not divided into four churches. At that time there were not four churches in Corinth.

However, after the apostles passed away, Satan gradually began to do an undermining work in the church by dividing the church in each locality into many sects and denominations. Consider Taipei as an example. How many “churches” are here? There is a “church” here, and there is another “church” there. I do not like to speak about such things; however, I would like God’s children to see that God’s desire in the church age is to build up His church in each locality. Since the church is uniquely one in the universe, its appearance in each locality should also be one. In every locality God has only one house; He cannot have two houses in one locality. In each locality God can have only one church. Therefore, today God’s building of His church is altogether in the principle of one church for one locality.

Since the church is already in such a state of desolation and confusion, what should we do as as the children of God? Simply speaking, we need to have a certain amount of discernment. We need to discern according to God’s intention and God’s ordination. In this time of confusion we need to find the proper way and put ourselves into it.

Due to the present confusion it is not easy for Christians to have proper discernment concerning the church. Therefore, some Christians simply refuse to talk about the matter of the church. They would rather just talk about personal spirituality. This is not a proper attitude. We should not be wandering Christians. I have heard someone say that So-and-so is a “guerrilla” believer. Such a one does not belong to this “church” or that “church.” Since he does not belong to any “church,” he can go and meet with any “church.” Hence, he is a “guerrilla” believer. I was amazed when I heard this. This is really a new invention. There is no such thing in the Bible. Neither the divisive situation nor the “guerilla” believers can be found in the Scriptures.

Someone else once told me, “I am ‘trans-denominational.’” He meant that he was transcendent and did not belong to any denomination or sect. However, Christians cannot be without the church. We should not be floating Christians; we must be firmly established in the church.

As the children of God we must allow Him to open our eyes to see that in the church age the building that God desires is the building of His church in every locality. Although the church today is desolate and divided, the proper way ordained by God for the church is clearly set forth in the Word of God. We cannot take care of the many divisions and confusions. We should care solely for the intent of God’s heart. We want to see from the Word of God what God’s intention and ordination really are. We must take the way of recovery according to this ordained will of God. Thus, we are unable to take care of so many people who are in divisions. This is the same as the situation in the Old Testament. After God’s people were carried away to Babylon, a small number of people who cared for God’s intention and knew that according to His ordination the temple had to be built in Jerusalem rose up and returned to Jerusalem. Although the majority of God’s people remained in Babylon, not caring for God’s desire, a small number of God’s people were willing to return to Jerusalem with Ezra and Nehemiah. They returned to the original foundation on which they would build the holy temple and holy city according to the determination of God’s desire. The majority of the Jews still sojourned in confusion in a Gentile land. However, a small number of people represented the entire people of God and returned to Jerusalem for the building of the temple of God.

This is a type of the present recovery of the building of God among us. Today the church is in desolation. The children of God are in captivity and have lost their original position. Although the majority of them are in confusion, we cannot neglect the intent of God’s heart just because the situation is this way. Like the small number of the children of Israel, we should rise up and return to the original ground to raise up the testimony of God in every locality according to what God has determined in His heart. Regardless of how confusing the situation is among today’s Christians, we must act according to the intention of God by building the church in every locality.

In the midst of so many sects and denominations we need to discern the way ordained by God according to His heart’s intention. It is only according to this way that we can be joined to the believers in our locality to be built together with them. We should not continue to remain in the confusion of the sects and denominations. Neither should we be individualistic, caring only for our own interests as a “guerilla” believer or a “transcendent” believer.
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