The third epistle was written to Pergamos, and the Lord mainly dealt with two things: the teaching of Balaam and the teaching of the Nicolaitans. “I have a few things against you, that you have some there who hold the teaching of Balaam, who taught Balak to put a stumbling block before the sons of Israel, to eat idol sacrifices and to commit fornication. In the same way you also have some who hold in like manner the teaching of the Nicolaitans” (vv. 14-15).
We all know who Balaam was. He was a prophet but not in a good sense. He was a prophet who for money was hired to speak the word of God. He was hired to say something for God. At first, this was a deed, but eventually a teaching was produced out of it. Thus, there is the teaching of Balaam. In today’s Christianity there is still this teaching of Balaam with the system of hired preachers, ministers, or pastors to speak the word of God. Balaam was a prophet who was hired to speak something for God. We should never have this in the local churches.
In past years on the mainland of China, many so-called gifted Christian brothers came to contact Brother Watchman Nee. More or less, they tried to make a deal to see what position they could obtain among us. Sometimes they asked frankly, “Brother Nee, if I leave the denomination and turn this way, what kind of position will I receive?” Brother Nee answered, “I do not even know what my position is. I would even ask you what position would you give me?” This happened not only once but several times. You could not say that they did not see the way. They saw something, but they wanted a position.
In the local churches we all must hate the teaching of hired prophets. Why is it that many so-called servants of the Lord dare not speak frankly? It is because of their job. They must play the part of worldly Balaam, because the money is in the hands of Balak. They must say something to please him. This brings in spiritual fornication and idolatry. If we trace the history of today’s Christianity, we will see why so much spiritual fornication and so many idols have been brought in. It is simply because of the hired prophets having to please the Balaks who hold the money. If money becomes an influence in the local church, the church is gone.
By His mercy the church here in Los Angeles can boast to the whole universe that we never talk about money. To talk about money is simply to hold the teaching of Balaam.
Pergamos also had the teaching of the Nicolaitans. This word, according to the Greek, is a compound word. Nico is the first word, and laitans is the second. Laitans is of the same root as that of laity, which means “the ordinary, common people.” Nico means “to subdue, to conquer, or to rule over.” Therefore, Nicolaitans means “to conquer the common people.” In Christianity some have become the conquerors, and the majority have become the laity. This is today’s system of the clergy and the laity. In the local churches we do not have any clergy, and we do not have any laity. We must hate both. We are all priests in the local church. We must not bring this satanic system into the local churches.
The clergy-laity system is a religious system. It is so easy to be religious, to organize a Christian church and hire some professionals who have graduated from Bible institutes or seminaries. They are professional. They have the education to do the job. It is quite scientific, because today in the twentieth century, everyone must be professional. An electrician is professional, a lawyer is professional, a medical doctor is professional, and a pastor is also professional. This is abominable in the eyes of God.
Six years ago I was told that it would be rather difficult for every Christian to function in the church, because it must be something professional. This is satanic! Many people say, “We must work five days a week, but the weekend is the time for rest. That is the time for the preachers to do their job.” It sounds logical, but it is really satanic. This paralyzes the Body of Christ and kills the functions of the members of the Body.
Could my two hands say to my body, “Because we work five days a week, we need a time to relax during the weekends. The weekend is the time for the mouth to do his work”? When I am speaking with my mouth, I still need my two hands. The whole Body is meeting in the local church, not just the mouth. The church is not an organization of any society or of any kind of religion. The church is the organic Body of Christ. Everyone must function in a living way. If we are in the local church and for the local church, we must function. There is no excuse. We must chase away the satanic system of the clergy and the laity by functioning as members of the Body of Christ.
When a group of us went to the Far East in 1968, nearly all the functioning ones left for this trip. Many wondered what would happen to the church in Los Angeles, but I said, “Do not worry. If they function, they just function. If they do not function, just close the door.” So we went, and, praise the Lord, we received some letters in Taiwan saying that the meetings in Los Angeles were even more living. Everyone was functioning. This then is the local church.
All the brothers and sisters are priests of God and members of Christ. So in the local church everyone serves and functions. The local church has no laity and no clergy. We all function and serve together as members of Christ and priests of God. We must hate these two kinds of teachings: the teaching of Balaam and the teaching of the Nicolaitans. What we must have in the local church is the life of Christ ministered by the priesthood.
I am so grateful and thankful to the Lord for the situation here in the local church in Los Angeles. There are so many serving ones. We do not like to have any churchgoers, those who only come to attend the eleven o’clock service on Sunday. We all must be the practical serving and functioning ones. Praise the Lord! We have a good coordination among us in the church. Everyone functions and serves. We not only function in the meetings, but we all serve in many different aspects. This is the local church.