Chapter two of Ephesians concludes with the matter of the building. In verse 21 we see the universal building, and in verse 22, the local building. Verse 21 says, “In Whom all the building, being fitted together, is growing into a holy temple in the Lord.” The phrase “all the building” denotes the universal building, the church throughout the universe. The words “in Whom you also” in verse 22 denote the local building, the building among those in the city to which this Epistle was sent. The building, therefore, has a universal aspect and a local aspect. It is significant that this chapter of Ephesians concludes with the building of the church in these two aspects.
For centuries, this matter of the building has been neglected. Very few servants of the Lord have given it adequate attention. Beginning in 1938, among us the Lord began to emphasize the importance of the building. Message after message has been given on this crucial subject. Among them are the messages printed in The Vision of God’s Building. The messages in that book cover God’s building as revealed from the beginning of the Bible to the end.
If we would be built up universally and locally, we must forsake all ordinances. To hold to certain ordinances is to build without a proper foundation, that is, without Christ as the unique foundation. Many Christians are not clear about Christ as the unique foundation, and they do not know God’s building. Therefore, they have spent years wandering from one denomination or Christian group to another. Such believers may be stones for God’s building, but they have not yet been built in. Some church-traveling Christians may claim that the reason for their wandering from group to group is a sense of dissatisfaction. However, the underlying reason is ordinances.
Ordinances may be related to our natural disposition. Some have a quiet disposition and prefer Christian meetings where the believers worship in silence. They wander from group to group in quest of a meeting to match their disposition. They may think that a particular group suits their taste, only to learn that certain practices there do not match their disposition. Such Christians are not satisfied with any group. They cannot find a group that is fully in accord with their disposition.
If we have seen a clear vision of God’s economy and know what the recovery is, we shall be willing to forget our disposition, to deny our taste, and to care only for the Lord’s recovery. The recovery is not based on any practice; it is based on Christ who is our peace, our foundation, our cornerstone, and our everything. The vision of God’s economy must control us, direct us, and restrict us. Such a vision will surely cause us to stand on Christ as the unique foundation. Then instead of being wandering stars (Jude 13), we shall be those who can be built up with others. We shall be eternally settled in God’s economy. Those who have seen this vision and are governed by it can be built up with others on the unique foundation of the all-inclusive Christ. They will not allow any ordinances to become their foundation.
Once again I wish to use pray-reading as an example. We thank the Lord for pray-reading. Although we have not made pray-reading an ordinance, some have left the church life simply because they did not care for this practice. Do you think that someone who leaves the church for such a reason has truly seen what the church is? I do not think so. One who has seen the vision of the church will never leave.
Some Christians have criticized us not only for the practice of pray-reading, but also for praising the Lord loudly, for calling on the name of the Lord Jesus, and for allowing believers to be baptized again, that is, to be “buried.” Others have criticized us for emphasizing the fact that Christ is versus religion. If we in the local churches have something related to idols, immorality, division, or the denial of the deity of Christ, we should be criticized. However, it is wrong to criticize us for such things as pray-reading the Word or calling on the name of the Lord Jesus. If believers are helped spiritually by these practices, what right have others to criticize them? Those who do not follow these practices should nevertheless be one with those who receive benefit by following them. Suppose a certain brother is convicted of his oldness and deadness and is led of the Lord to bury himself in the waters of baptism. After his burial, he is refreshed, renewed, and living. He may even praise the Lord in a loud, excited way. Should he be condemned because he was baptized a second time or because he praises the Lord with a loud voice? Certainly not! Nevertheless, some believers may criticize such a one because they still have ordinances related to baptism or to loud praises.
Many years ago there was a certain Presbyterian pastor who was the top theologian in China. As a Presbyterian, in his teaching he should have opposed the practice of immersion and favored sprinkling. However, as he was praying one day on a mountain, he experienced the outpouring of the Holy Spirit. As he was running down the mountainside, he saw a pool of water and threw himself into it. After that experience, he became a different person, very living in the Lord. Those who hold to ordinances may criticize him. But the Lord does not honor ordinances. In Christ neither circumcision nor uncircumcision avails anything, only a new creation (Gal. 6:15).