Having our possessions in common and keeping the principle of equality strongly shows that we have overcome the usurping power of enticing and deceiving riches (1 Tim. 6:9-10, 17-19; Matt. 13:22). Riches are very enticing and deceiving. However, through Christ in His overcoming life as our victory, we can overcome the usurping power of enticing and deceiving riches.
We should not only obey the church in our locality and meet with the church; we should also serve in the church. The service in the church consists of four main aspects: (1) Some saints serve as elders. The elders were appointed by the apostles according to their maturity of life in Christ. These ones were charged by the apostles to care for the leadership and shepherding in their churches. (2) Some serve as deacons and deaconesses. They serve in a local church under the direction of the elders by taking care of the many practical matters. (3) Some serve as prophets and teachers. Prophets and teachers speak God’s word to release the divine revelation and teach the saints; they are very much needed, especially in the meetings of the church. The prophets speak for God and speak forth God by God’s revelation; the teachers speak God’s truths according to the apostles’ teaching and the prophets’ revelation. (4) All should serve as the good stewards of the varied grace of God. In the church, all the believers should be good stewards of the varied grace of God, ministering such grace to one another. This is the way for all the believers to function in the church meetings.
The proper church life should be unique in two matters: in mutuality and in speaking for the Lord. The way of meeting by speaking in mutuality is the way ordained by God. The meetings of the church should be open to all who attend so that all may function. Whenever we come together, each one has a psalm, a teaching, a revelation, a tongue, an interpretation, and we must let all things be done for building up. These five items should focus on Christ as God’s center for our portion and on the church as God’s goal for our aim. Whatever we do in the church meetings should be done for the building up of the saints and the church. Prophesying, which is to speak for the Lord and speak forth the Lord, that is, to minister Christ to others with a word of wisdom and knowledge, is the main focus in the church meetings. This is the excelling gift for the building up of the church.
Furthermore, we should also grow in the church. This is to have the real growth in life, which is the increase of the element of God, the increase of the measure of the stature of Christ, and the gaining of ground within us by the Holy Spirit. The church is God’s cultivated land, and the believers are God’s plants, planted in the church. The more we experience and enjoy Christ in the church, the more we grow in the divine life. Not only so, in the church life the saints should have their possessions in common. This is to share our abundance with those who lack. We should be willing to give to others according to what we have so that those who gather much have no excess, and those who gather little have no lack. This is the principle of equality, God’s heavenly way of balancing the supply among His people. This strongly shows that we have overcome the usurping power of enticing and deceiving riches.