We must discern what ground is the ground of division and what ground is the ground of oneness, what ground is right and what ground is wrong. If we have a clear discernment, we should forsake any ground that is wrong and return to the one ground, the right ground. If we love the Lord with a pure heart, we will be delivered from being on the wrong ground and freed from the responsibility for any division.
Today as God’s children, we should not say, “As long as I believe in the Lord and love the Lord, it is good enough.” Once we believe in the Lord, we become living stones and are members of the Body. As such, we cannot be independent Christians. Rather, we need to be Christians in the church in coordination with all the brothers and sisters. But the church today has been divided into many different sects and denominations. Originally, there was only one church, the unique church, so that the moment a person was saved, he was in this church. It was very simple, but today it is complicated. Before our eyes, there is the Catholic Church, and there are also different Protestant sects and denominations. Now when we are saved, to which church should we belong? On one hand, it is impossible for us not to be a Christian, and as a Christian, we need to be in the church and cannot be alone. On the other hand, the church has been divided into many different groups. To which one should we belong? Brothers and sisters, we cannot be ambiguous and indifferent in this matter. Since we desire to be those who follow God, who please God, and who walk on the earth according to God’s will, we must pay attention to this matter and exercise careful discernment.
Brothers and sisters, how can we not be discerning? From a larger view, can we admit that being Catholic is right? Are we willing to be Catholic? I believe that every one of the brothers and sisters would say, “I do not want to be a Catholic.” Why do you not want to be a Catholic? Do Catholics not say that they are the church? If we say that the Catholic Church is wrong, then I would ask, which church is right? Are the Protestant churches right? There are many Protestant churches before our eyes. Are they right? We cannot be careless, nor can we speak according to our desire, saying, “This place suits my taste. The preaching is not bad, and the brothers and sisters are very warm when we shake hands. Moreover, I have acquaintances here. Therefore, I will simply stay here.” Perhaps someone would say, “This place gives me no opportunity to show my talent. No one asks me to preach or to take the lead. I am going to another place where I can be active.” Anyone who fears God and seeks the Lord with a pure heart knows that these attitudes are wrong and these intentions are a mistake. The church is not a place to suit our taste, much less a place to show our talents or to become leaders. The church is the house of God, the dwelling place of God, the Body of Christ, the place where God finds rest, and the place where Christ is expressed. If we want to please God and be those who care for with God’s will in this age, we need to have a clear discernment so that we may see what kind of church is the right church. Originally, the church was one, but subsequently it was divided. Previously, the church was not in confusion, but later it fell into a state of confusion. What is before us today is no longer the unique church. Instead, there are different kinds and forms of “churches.” Since we are saved and know that God desires to gain the church, and since we are destined to serve God in the church, we should be clear concerning the church that God desires. Dear brothers and sisters, concerning this matter, we must have a careful consideration and clear discernment. In this message the Lord is giving us a measuring stick of truth to measure the so-called churches. The Lord is giving us a measure according to the Scriptures which can be used to measure the Catholic Church, the Protestant churches, and even our meetings. Any group that conforms to this measure, any group that is according to the Word of God, is acceptable to God, and any group that does not conform to this measure is rejected by God. This is the unequivocal truth.
Previously we have seen that the church being unique and one is an unalterable principle. No one should divide the church; to divide the church is wrong. According to the Scriptures, the mistake of dividing the church is identified as being “sectarian” or “factious.” Speaking bluntly, it is being schismatic, divisive; speaking nicely, it is sectarian, factious. However, today God’s children have some knowledge of this, and even the term sectarian is a condemning word. If we say to someone today, “Your group of Christians is sectarian,” he would immediately feel condemned. This is true because in reality they are sectarian.
To be sectarian means to be schismatic, divisive. It is to be divided into sects and denominations. To be sectarian means to not be one. The church is one. There is one Body with one Spirit, one Lord, and one God; furthermore, there is one faith, one baptism, and one hope. Altogether there are seven ones. All that the church has is one, not two. Everything of the church is one; the church should never be made into something that is not one. But today the church is no longer one; rather, it has been divided into many sects, many divisions. The church is one and cannot be divided; once it is divided, there are sects, divisions.
How is a sect constituted? What makes a group a sect? There are conditions which constitute a sect. When a group is according to these conditions, it is a sect. This is as certain as any written articles of law.
According to the truth and the facts, six possible conditions constitute a sect; any one of these conditions will constitute a group as a sect. Now we need to look at these six conditions.
The first condition which constitutes a sect is having a special name. The church, whether universal or in a locality, is a unique entity. We know that anything that is unique does not need a special name. The moon, for example, is unique and does not need any other designation. The moon is the moon; it does not need to be called by another name. In like manner, the church is the church; therefore, it does not need a special name as its designation. Once it has a special name, it becomes a sect. Since a name denotes a realm, a circle, a special name places a group of believers within the circle of that name, thereby separating them from other believers. Look at the situation of division in today’s Christianity. The most obvious thing is having special names. Some of the “churches” are named after individuals, such as the Lutherans and Wesleyans. Some are named after countries, such as the Anglican (Episcopalian) Church and the Chinese Christian Church. Some are named after a belief, such as the Justification-by-faith Church and the Holiness Church. Some are named by their system of administration, such as the Presbyterian Church and the Congregational Church. Some take their names from their rituals, such as the Baptists. These many different names are used to separate different groups of believers and encircle them in various special groups, thus dividing the church. Therefore, each of these groups are a sect.
We should never treat the matter of a name lightly. The name is a great matter. We believe in the Lord and are saved by calling on His name (Rom. 10:13). We are also baptized into the name of the Lord Jesus (Acts 19:5) and into the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit (Matt. 28:19). When Paul asked the Corinthians why they said they were of him, he asked, “Were you baptized into the name of Paul?” (1 Cor. 1:13); his meaning was, “Into whose name were you baptized; to whom do you belong?” Since they were baptized into the name of Christ, they should belong only to Christ, not to Paul.
Furthermore, when Christians meet, we gather into the name of the Lord (Matt. 18:20). This is the meaning in the original language. We should meet in the name of the Lord, not in any other name.
Before the Lord Jesus’ departure from the world, He prayed for us, saying, “Holy Father, keep them in Your name, which You have given to Me, that they may be one even as We are” (John 17:11b). The words of the Lord show clearly that the oneness of the church is in the Father’s name, which was given to the Lord. Therefore, whenever Christians have another name besides the Lord’s name, they divide the church. But look at the signs on the street indicating this Christian church and that Christian church. It seems that simply having the name of Christ is not sufficient, but that there is a need to add other names. These additional names are all special designations. Having any one of these names constitutes a condition of being a sect, and any group of Christians in such a condition makes itself a sect.