The goal of God’s New Testament economy is to gain the new man. The old man failed God, so in His New Testament economy God is going to get a new man. For this purpose Christ died on the cross not only to take away our sins, to crucify our old man, to destroy Satan, and to judge the world, but also to abolish the ordinances, the different ways of living among different peoples, so that He could create in Himself a new man. All the different ways of living and worship were abolished on the cross. We may have realized that sin, sins, the old man, Satan, and the world have been dealt with by Christ on the cross. But not many of us have ever been taught that on the cross Christ has abolished all the ordinances of human living. The Jews, the Greeks, the Japanese, the Chinese, the French, and the British all have their ordinances, their particular ways of living. The British, the Germans, and the French are Europeans, but their ways of living are entirely different, and world history shows us that they have always been fighting with one another.
In 1958 I traveled throughout Europe and visited nearly all the leading nations. When I stayed in England some sisters told me that the British way is the best way to cook fresh, green vegetables. They liked to boil their vegetables until they were very soft. When I went to Denmark, some sisters there told me that their way to cook vegetables was the best. They did not boil their green vegetables into such a soft condition as the British did. This shows us that even in a small matter like cooking green vegetables, the British and the Danish could not be one. These particular sisters were separated by their cooking ordinances. The Chinese and the Japanese would have a hard time accepting one another’s cooking. All different cultures have their particular way to cook, which is related to their way of living, to their ordinances. But we need to praise the Lord that we have heard the good news that Christ on the cross has abolished all the ordinances.
Ordinances do not only create problems between the saints but also between a husband and a wife. A sister from Peking might marry a brother who is Cantonese. After the marriage, they may quarrel over the different types of cooking. The husband may not like the kind of cooking from Northern China, and the sister may not like Cantonese cooking. Our mind needs to be renewed to realize that Christ has abolished all the ordinances, not for us to be forgiven or redeemed, but in order to create in Himself, of two peoples, one new man.
It is not only hard to have the real oneness between two peoples, but even between a man and a wife it is difficult. This is because the husband has his way, and the wife has her way. The male way and the female way are many times entirely different. On this earth among the human race there is much division. One group is divided from another group, neighbors are divided, and even husbands and wives are divided. Today’s trend is one of division. In the world the more different and individualistic a person is, the better. But this is altogether against God’s economy. God’s economy is to gather, to unite, and to make one.
The church is the Body of Christ. No one’s body can be divided or separated. The shoulders of a person’s body cannot divorce the arms. His body is not only gathered or united, but also made one. In like manner, the Body of Christ itself is oneness. The Bible tells us that God does not only want a Body for Christ, but He also wants a new man. The church, which is the Body of Christ, is a new man for God. It is impossible for a man to be divided. Many Christians do not realize that the Body of Christ, the new man, is God’s heart’s desire. This truth needs to be released to all the Lord’s children. Praise the Lord for Ephesians 2:15 which unveils Christ’s abolishing of the ordinances in order to create in Himself, of two peoples, one new man. This is glad tidings, and this is the truth from God’s Word.
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