Recently a brother from Hong Kong came to Taiwan to have fellowship with us. He wants to carry out a students’ work in Taiwan. Because this matter has involved a number of brothers, we feel that we should have serious fellowship with all the churches concerning the ground of the church and our attitude toward the work. We have written to the responsible brothers in the church in Hong Kong and also want to have thorough fellowship with all of you.
This brother came to Taiwan and told us that he is associated with an American group involved in a students’ work. He considers that the work of many groups among students is too superficial, lacks a foundation, and does not bear a strong testimony. He believes that this is the reason they are unable to fulfill the Lord’s desire. He feels that if we were able to raise up a “students’ fellowship” among the college students, it could bear a strong testimony for the Lord. Moreover, it would be the best students’ work. When he speaks of raising up a students’ fellowship, he is seeking our support in contacting and gaining students. He also said that the person who carries out this work needs to be genuinely one with the Lord and able to gather these students into an independent group not affiliated with any denomination.
In order for this matter to be accomplished in the Far East, he feels that it needs to be carried out in cooperation with those in the local church. According to his observation, in order to have a college work that is effective and that meets God’s requirement, the leading role would surely need to be taken by the saints in the local church. He feels that if the saints in the local church do not join in this work, it cannot be carried out in a solid way. According to his feeling, we are closest to God’s will, and he wants to do a work similar to ours. Therefore, he is very desirous to fellowship with us. I cannot repeat what he said word for word, but this is the essence of his words with me.
When he finished speaking, I asked him if he had spoken with other Christian groups regarding this matter and whether or not he was willing to work in alliance with them. He said that the burden and commission he senses is to work among the college students in alliance with Christians in general. Then he asked me how I felt concerning his burden and if the brothers would think that his work is wrong. This is the main purpose of his fellowship with me.
Today the matter of the church’s expression on earth is very complicated and difficult to make clear; hence, I shared only a few points with him.
First, I told him that according to the revelation in the Scriptures, the proper expression of the church, which God desires to gain in this age and in every place, is entirely different from the present condition of Christianity. In other words, the condition of Christianity is altogether not according to God’s intention. According to the biblical revelation, there is and can be only one expression of the church in each locality. This unique expression within a locality is the representation in that locality of the one universal church, and its purpose is to carry out the proper function of the Body of Christ. However, today the condition of Christianity is absolutely not according to God’s intention. Hence, we truly hope that we will be able to accomplish this matter for the Lord.
Second, we feel that God raised us up in the Far East, especially among the Chinese-speaking population, for the purpose of gaining the expression of the church that He desires. When we say this word, we are cautious and fearful, because we deeply sense that in uttering such a word, we may seem to be proud. Actually, we realize that we are so small and unworthy that we hardly dare to say such a word; nevertheless, based upon the desire in our heart and the truth, we feel that we must speak this word.
Third, because we have this feeling, for the past thirty years we have been in fear and trembling lest we neglect God’s intention. For this reason, although there are many things that other people like to do and have the boldness to do, we dare not do them. This is not due to a desire to show that we are different but because of a forbidding, fear, and uneasiness within us that causes us to be unable to adopt the same attitudes and actions as others. On our part, we should never care simply for doing things properly, while ignoring whether or not God even desires these things.
Fourth, in these years we have encountered one thing that strongly provokes us; that is, many in Christianity, including the so-called orthodox ones and those who are zealous for the gospel, focus on promoting alliances and cooperation among believers. In order to obtain these alliances and cooperation, they sacrifice the Lord’s truth and authority. Regarding this kind of action, we inwardly disagree and cannot praise these so-called alliances and cooperation. We do not value this kind of alliance and cooperation; we would rather sacrifice this kind of alliance and cooperation in order to maintain the testimony for which the Lord wants us to stand. It seems that when we say this we are professing to be different and higher than others. Nevertheless, we have no alternative. It is not at all our intention to profess to be different or higher than others.
Fifth, we feel that what we are doing is not only for ourselves but for all Christians, for the entire Body of Christ. We deeply realize that in this age God needs some to take the lead to follow Him with all their heart so that He can present a testimony that is pure and of a high standard. We dare not say that we are able to do such a thing, but we truly feel that this burden is upon us, constraining us to carry it out. Whether or not we can accomplish this matter depends upon God’s mercy to us and whether we are faithful to Him.
Sixth, we are quite provoked by the past history and present condition of Christianity. Therefore, it is difficult for us to trust the works and activities of Christianity as well as the organization of its groups. The history of Christianity and the existing practices in Christianity cause us to lose faith in this kind of alliance. Although a good number of its works and activities, as well as the organization of its groups, may appear to be good and pure, if we investigate them further and look at them from other angles, we will see that these works and activities still involve a number of impure factors. As a result, because we believe that the Lord raised us up for the purpose of maintaining a high standard for His testimony, we should not be involved with such impure factors and lower the Lord’s standard.
Seventh, due to the above reasons, we do not encourage the brothers and sisters to participate in any work or activity in Christianity or to be involved with any organized Christian group.
Eighth, we confess that our Lord is great and that He is sovereign. Under His sovereignty, He can use many saints who have a ground that is different from ours to do a good work for Him. We acknowledge that the Lord uses many, even those in the Catholic Church. This fact is clearly proven by history, and no one can deny it. Even though we strongly criticize the Catholic Church, we do not deny what history has proven. The Lord is so great that even Nebuchadnezzar, a king of Babylon who greatly opposed Him, was His servant and was used by Him.
As those used by the Lord, we need to consider what category we are in. Not all whom the Lord uses are pleasing to Him, and not all of their works are according to His will. Nevertheless, they are under the Lord’s sovereignty for His interest. Hence, although we do not approve of or encourage the brothers’ and sisters’ participation in any work or activity in Christianity or their involvement with any organized Christian group, we do not oppose these groups, because we are afraid that we will damage or hinder the sovereign work that God is doing for Himself.
Ninth, the brothers’ and sisters’ attitude toward the work and activity in Christianity, as well as its organized groups, is a matter that we leave entirely up to the brothers and sisters and the leading that they receive from the Lord. We do not approve, encourage, or interfere. We cannot and do not want to control anything.