All the churches should be the same also in acting together. This is indicated by Paul’s word in 2 Corinthians 8:18 and 19. “We sent together with him the brother, whose praise in the gospel is throughout all the churches; and not only this, but who has also been appointed by the churches as our fellow traveler in this grace which is being ministered by us to the glory of the Lord Himself.” In choosing someone to take care of the offerings, conveying them from one place to another, the churches acted, moved, together. Therefore, the churches should be the same in receiving the teachings, in practicing the church life, and in acting.
All the churches should be identical, like the seven golden lampstands as the symbol of the seven churches (Rev. 1:12b, 20b). The sign of the lampstands in Revelation 1 indicates that the churches should be identical in essence, appearance, and expression. The golden substance of the lampstand signifies God the Father. The definite shape, or form, of the lampstand signifies Christ the Son, since Christ is the embodiment of God. The seven lamps of the lampstand signify the seven Spirits of God (Rev. 4:5) as the expression of God. Therefore, the golden lampstands signify the churches as the embodiment and expression of the Triune God. Every local church should be such an expression. This means that the substance of every church should be God the Father, and the form, the appearance, of every church should be Christ, the embodiment of the Triune God. The churches should not have an appearance other than that of the all-inclusive Christ.
The fact that all the churches are identical means that they all should have the same color and flavor. However, the saints from a certain region may have a special color or flavor. There should not be such a difference in color or flavor among the churches. Although the saints are of different races and nationalities, the churches should nevertheless be identical, for we all have been saved and regenerated and we are being sanctified and transformed. Regarding essence, appearance, and expression, all the local churches must be identical.
Chapters two and three of Revelation indicate that only in their degradation do the seven churches bear their different characteristics respectively. Yes, there are differences among the seven churches, but these differences are only in negative things. The Lord Jesus pointed out the differences between the seven churches, but He pointed them out in a negative and rebuking way. Actually, all the differences are contrary to the one testimony of Jesus. Hence, the differences among the churches in their degradation do not justify us but condemn us. The Lord Jesus has no intention of preserving these differences. Instead, He wants to eliminate them. For example, Thyatira was the only church in which there was Jezebel, an extremely negative item (Rev. 2:20). This illustrates that the differences among the churches are not on the positive side but on the negative side.
In Revelation 1 the standard is that all the churches, as golden lampstands, must be the same in God’s nature, in Christ’s shape, and in the Spirit’s expression. In the gold, in the shape, and in the seven lamps, all the churches should be identical. However, because the churches picked up many negative things from their localities, they actually were not identical. Instead of being identical, they had differences which the Lord Jesus needed to judge and deal with.
If in our church there is a difference that makes us distinct from the other churches, we are wrong. The church is a lampstand, golden and pure. If all the churches are golden and pure, there will be no differences among them. Any differences, any distinctions, must be dross, some mixture or impurity, not gold. It is possible for our opinions or practices to be dross. Therefore, we need to learn how to be purified and become altogether golden, not having our own opinion or practice. If all the churches are purified in this way, they will be identical.
Home | First | Prev | Next