Recently a brother who teaches at the National Taiwan University came with his wife to seek fellowship concerning our joining him in a students’ work. I would like to fellowship with you brothers concerning the content of our conversation.
When this brother came to us, he told us that he has no problem with us in regard to our inward condition because we love the Lord, are for the Lord’s purpose, and want to live for the Lord. However, he also indicated that he is not able to have complete and thorough fellowship with us due to the matter of the local ground. He does not consider the local ground to be a serious matter. Moreover, if we were to disregard this matter, he would not have any problem with us. He said that the problem he has with us is entirely due to the matter of the local ground and that it has become a hindrance to our fellowship. In other words, because we find it difficult to participate in a work that does not take the local ground as a prerequisite, he has found it difficult to have thorough fellowship with us. Nevertheless, I felt to openly fellowship with him because he sincerely wanted to have thorough fellowship with us.
I felt to clearly present to him the burden within us. First, I pointed out the need to understand the condition of Christianity today. Intrinsically, we are all in unity and are even one because we are in the Lord and are for the Lord. The problem is not an inward matter; rather, it is in regard to what we want to accomplish outwardly.
There are two aspects related to the condition of Protestantism today. On the one hand, Christian workers have done much for the Lord by spreading the Lord’s name and the Lord’s word to people and by leading people to salvation. Even the Catholic Church has been involved with this temporary matter. However, we cannot deny that there is a negative aspect to their work—their erroneous truths and mixed practices have led believers astray, causing them to go further and further away from God’s purpose. Concerning the matter of fulfilling God’s purpose, much of what the Catholic Church has done is in the nature of destroying and tearing down. We all agree concerning this, and there is no room for debate. However, we should also admit that Protestantism has done much destructive work in relation to God’s purpose.
Under such circumstances, we face a great dilemma. In the work of Christianity, if there were no aspect of destruction or tearing down but only a constructive building up, there would be no dilemma. Since all Christians work for the Lord, surely we should be able to work together. The problem, however, is that in addition to a constructive aspect, there is also a destructive aspect. On the one hand, we want to accomplish the constructive aspect, but on the other hand, we do not desire to be involved in the destructive aspect. As a result, we must have a cautious attitude in our work.
The brother acknowledged that organized Christianity is erroneous and deadened and that in its work there is a destructive aspect in regard to God’s will; nevertheless, he still hoped that we would labor with him. Although the purpose of his work is not to help any Christian organization, there are too many considerations that cause us to hesitate. He is asking us to confirm and even encourage his kind of work, but after much consideration, we believe that his work may bring in much destruction.
We all acknowledge that God in His eternal plan desires to obtain a Body for His Son and a house for Himself. Both the Body and the house show that God has no intention for us to be individual Christians. The Christian life is a corporate life. Both the Christian living and the Christian work are corporate. The practical expression of the corporate life of Christians is their service in coordination.
In the New Testament God set up only one church in each locality as a practical representation and expression of His universal church. We do not question this truth because we strongly believe that it is correct. However, at present the condition of the church in every place is that of confusion and division. Hence, with regard to serving in coordination, it is difficult to know what to do.
If there were not a destructive aspect and only one church in each locality, it would be no problem for Christians to coordinate and work together. However, at present there is a destructive aspect in addition to many different groups. Consequently, when someone wants to work for the Lord, he needs to consider two aspects. On the one hand, he needs to choose the proper group, and on the other hand, he needs to consider whether the work is constructive.
In which group are we? Since we should not be individualistic, with whom should we serve in coordination? If there were only one church in a locality, we would simply work and serve with the believers there. However, in the present confusing situation, we surely need to discern and examine the many Christian groups according to our understanding of the Bible. Once we find the group that is scriptural, we need to work and serve with them. As to whether or not we should participate in any other work outside of this group, we must examine and determine whether that work is constructive or destructive. This examination must be cautious. It is not only a question of whether or not we should participate, but whether or not the work is constructive or destructive. There is a big difference between the two.