In 2:13-22 we see a contrast between ordinances and the Spirit. Christ on the cross abolished the ordinances in order to produce the church. Now that the ordinances have been abolished, the Spirit comes in to replace them. If we have ordinances, we do not have the Spirit. But if we have the Spirit, we shall not have ordinances. The cross abolished the ordinances in order to give place to the Spirit in whom we have access unto the Father. Hence, the Spirit is the replacement of all ordinances. In the meetings we should not have an ordinance regarding shouting or quietness. As long as we are not in the Spirit, anything we do is an ordinance.
The church is neither an organization nor a religion, but the Body of Christ produced by the mingling of the divine Spirit with the human spirit. In the meetings we should not have rules and regulations; we should simply care to be in the Spirit. Do not be concerned about the arrangement of the chairs or about whether or not the sisters wear a head covering. To arrange the chairs in a particular way or to wear a head covering may be fine when done in the spirit. But to insist on these things is to make them ordinances. Anything we do in the meetings becomes an ordinance if we are not in the Spirit.
When Christ abolished the ordinances, He broke down the middle wall of partition (2:14). Now the separating wall of ordinances no longer exists. When I was young, I was strong in the matter of ordinances. But today I realize that God cares only for the divine Spirit in our human spirit. In 2:18 Paul speaks of the Holy Spirit and in verse 22, of the human spirit.
Ephesians 2:22 says that God’s dwelling place is in our spirit. For God to have such a dwelling place, there must be the practical building up of the Body. But if we still hold to certain ordinances, we cannot be built up with other believers. Ordinances are always divisive. If some sisters make an ordinance out of head coverings, they will be divided from the sisters who do not wear a head covering. Those who advocate head covering may be very strong, using 1 Corinthians 11 as their scriptural ground. But if they are strong in the way of ordinances, they will be divided from other sisters. However, if all the sisters are in the Spirit, not caring for ordinances about head covering, they will be built up together.
In today’s Christianity seldom is a message given on the building. What most Christians care for is individual edification, not the building up of the Body. To edify someone usually means to educate him, to give him a spiritual education. Although many care for such education, they are not concerned about the building up of the Body of Christ. In the Lord’s recovery we are not for personal edification, but for corporate building up. In 2:22 Paul says, “In Whom you also are being built together into a dwelling place of God in spirit.” How can we be built up together in our locality if we still hold on to ordinances? It is impossible. Just as we all have different faces, so we all have different ordinances. We praise the Lord that no matter how different our background may be, we have one life and one Spirit! Therefore, in the church life today we do not care for ordinances, but we focus on the mingled spirit.
In 4:14 Paul speaks of a second negative thing that causes damage to the church life: “That we may be no longer babes tossed by waves and carried about by every wind of teaching in the sleight of men, in craftiness with a view to a system of error.” Here Paul speaks of teaching or doctrine. In any religion there are not only ordinances, but also doctrines. Notice that in verse 14 Paul does not speak of heresy, but of doctrine, of teaching. Although doctrine seems good, it can cause us to be carried away from Christ and the church. No matter how positive a particular doctrine may seem to be, if it distracts you from Christ and the church, you must be careful about it and not take it in. Do not accept even the best doctrine if it distracts you from Christ and the church. It is the Spirit, not doctrine, that produces the church. Nevertheless, in today’s Christianity there is doctrine upon doctrine. There sermon upon sermon is given on doctrine. However, the mere doctrine without life in the Spirit damages the church life.
In chapter four of Ephesians there is a contrast between doctrine and the reality of Christ. The reality of Christ is the Spirit of reality. If you cling to doctrine, you will automatically let go of the Spirit of reality. But if you take care of the Spirit of reality, you will let go of doctrine.
Christians today are divided either by ordinances or by doctrines. The denominations are established according to ordinances or doctrines. Without ordinances or doctrines, there would be no divisions. If ordinances and doctrines were removed, all genuine Christians would be one. We thank the Lord that no matter how diverse our backgrounds may be, we in the Lord’s recovery are truly one. Even the evil angels recognize our oneness. The divisive elements of our backgrounds have been set aside, and we have come together to be one in the Lord.
Throughout the years we have learned to drop our opinions in order to keep the oneness. A number of times we have held different opinions, but by the Lord’s mercy we have been willing to drop them for the sake of the oneness. The Body comes out of the Spirit. Certainly doctrinal dissension could never build up the Body. When we hold on to our doctrinal opinion, we are through with the reality of Christ, which is nothing less than the life-giving Spirit.