In the Lord’s service, the first lesson that we need to learn is to drop our opinions. It is a precious thing to have no opinions. Nevertheless, in the service of the church it is very difficult to genuinely have no opinions, that is, to have no complaints and not to speak critical words. It is good to hear messages concerning taking Christ as our person. However, when we exercise to practice this, we will see that even in small matters related to the service, our opinions come forth, exposing the fact that Christ is not our person.
The members of a body do not have opinions. If my hand had an opinion, it would cause a problem. Similarly, my eyes and ears do not have their own opinion. My eyes and ears are directed by my body. Neither our eyes nor our ears have opinions. The ears hear things and the eyes see things according to the direction of the body. If my body directed my eyes to look in a certain direction, it would be a terrible thing if my eyes said, “After some consideration, I do not feel that I should look in that direction.” In such a situation my body would not be able to move.
Even though the younger saints should honor the older ones, we must learn to submit to one another. If an eighteen-year-old brother is taking the lead in cleaning, I should listen to his instructions on how to clean. If he tells me to use a dry cloth, I should use a dry cloth; if he tells me to use a wet cloth, I should use a wet cloth. Some sisters have difficulty receiving instructions from others. If a sister is told to clean the benches in a certain way, she may quit rather than follow the directions. She may say in her heart, “I have many servants at home, and I never have to clean benches. My being here and cleaning the benches is a great honor to you. Who are you to give me directions? I will never come again.” No matter what our social status is, we should submit to one another in the church service. If we submit to one another without any opinion, the life in the church will grow, and our preaching of the gospel will be powerful because we love one another in oneness.
When we love one another in oneness, unbelievers will know that we are the Lord’s disciples and that the Lord was sent by God (John 13:35; 17:21-23). Thus, it will be very easy for them to believe. At the same time, when we help a new believer, it will be easy to lead him to grow in life. The most edifying thing for a new believer is to see all the brothers and sisters submitting to one another. If, as serving ones, we argue with one another and accuse one another, new believers will not see any difference between the church and society, and they will not receive any supply of life.
Today, if the church is truly the kingdom on earth—in which all the saints have no concept of position, all the saints have no opinions, and all the saints love one another, submit to one another, and serve together in oneness—unbelievers will be greatly impacted, and the saints will be abundantly supplied. We should not think that the Lord needs spiritual giants to revive His work on the earth. He does not need spiritual giants, revivalists, evangelists, or dignitaries. A famous evangelist in America holds large gospel campaigns, but even though many names are taken of those who have received the Lord, it is hard to know how many of these have actually been gained.
Today the Lord’s recovery is borne simply by the saints, none of whom are spiritual giants. However, when we are joined and coordinated in harmony with one another and when we love and submit to one another, there is a strong testimony that subdues unbelievers and edifies believers. This is what we need in the church life. This must become the controlling factor in our service; it must fill our service in the church. The success of the service of the church does not depend on carrying out certain things but on the manifestation of life, and this manifestation of life depends upon loving one another, being in one accord with one another, and submitting to one another. We do not have position or opinions; we have only the Lord Jesus. This is the church service that we need.