Thirdly, all the work of the apostles and prophets was practically in the local churches and for the local churches. Without the local churches, it is rather difficult to have a practical work to edify the saints. The Apostle Paul said, “I teach every where in every church” (1 Cor. 4:17). Without the local churches, Paul simply did not have a place to work or teach. He taught in every church.
Without the local churches, the Lord’s work is impractical. Paul said that he ordained or commanded the same thing in all the churches (1 Cor. 7:17). In other words, without the local churches, it is rather difficult for the apostles and the Lord’s servants to do anything to fulfill the Lord’s purpose. The practical work is in the local churches.
The last point is the coordination of the church. Without the local churches, how could we as members be practically coordinated together as a Body? If we would have the Body life, the church life, in a practical way, we must be coordinated with one another. Therefore, we need the local churches. Suppose the brothers in Los Angeles did not have the local church, how could they be coordinated? It is impossible. You may talk, teach, and write very much about the coordination of the saints in the Body life, but without the local churches, it is impractical.
We do praise the Lord that in these past few years, we have really experienced the practicality of the church life. We do have something practical with coordination and building together. We thank the Lord that there are local churches with a real submission and a good order. This is something practical, not just a teaching. We do have the practicality of the Body life in coordination. However, we are not satisfied. We are always pressing on.
To have a practical church life, we need the local churches. I would say one thousand times to all the brothers and sisters that you need a local church! Do you not agree that you need a local church? First Timothy 3:15 says that we need to know how to behave ourselves in the house of God, which is the church of the living God. This could only be practical in a local church. I do believe the Lord is going to recover the real and practical church life to prepare His Bride for His return.
In closing this chapter, we must read Ephesians 2:21-22. The following is the best translation: “In whom all the building, fitly framed together, groweth into an holy temple in the Lord. In whom ye also are being builded together into an habitation of God in spirit.” The Apostle Paul added verse 22 as a kind of repetition. It seems that verse 21 is quite adequate: “In whom all the building fitly framed together, groweth into an holy temple in the Lord.” Why does he need verse 22? “In whom ye also are being builded together into an habitation of God in spirit.” What is mentioned in verse 21 is the so-called universal church, the whole Body of Christ. But Paul mentions the local church in verse 22. “Ye” refers to the saints of the local church in Ephesus. “Ye also are being builded together for an habitation of God in spirit.” Is the habitation of God in verse 22 different from the temple in the Lord in verse 21? No, the habitation of God in verse 22 is a part of the temple in the Lord in verse 21. One is local; the other is universal.
Bible teachers have always said that the book of Ephesians is not about the local church, but the universal church. They are right in that this book covers the universal aspect of the church, but it still deals with the local church. “In whom ye also are being builded together....” This is the building of the local church. Do not say that as long as we have the universal church it is good enough. Regardless of how much we have the universal church, we still need “In whom ye also...”! We still need the local church, for without it, there is no practicality of the church.
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