In terms of typology, the four Gospels speak about the Ark, and Acts speaks about the tabernacle. Having the Ark itself is not enough. There is the need for the tabernacle as its match. However, the revelation of the Bible does not stop there. A thoughtful person would surely ask, “Now that we have the Ark and also the tabernacle, that is, Christ and the church, what kind of people are the components of the church?” If we say that they are the standing boards that are made of wood overlaid with gold, this person would surely continue to ask, “What kind of wood is it? How is it overlaid with gold?” The answer to these questions is in the Epistle to the Romans, the book immediately following Acts.
The book of Romans gives us a portrait of man. The beginning of Romans shows us that a person who does not know God and who rejects God commits all kinds of sins. Chapter two tells us that such a person, after being put under the law and living under his conscience, still commits sins. Chapter three shows us that this man, who is under God’s condemnation, eventually is justified by believing in the Lord Jesus. In chapter four we see that this man is accepted by God through faith. Chapter five shows us that this man who was formerly in Adam is now in Christ. Chapter six tells us that through Christ’s death this man has come out of Adam and through Christ’s resurrection has been transferred into Christ. Chapter seven shows us that in the flesh this man can never please God. Chapter eight shows us that this man needs to live in the Holy Spirit and to walk according to the spirit that he may have life and peace, be pleasing to God, and eventually be conformed to the glorious image of God’s Son. Chapters nine through eleven, which form a parenthetical section, speak concerning God’s selection. Chapter twelve shows us that these ones who are living in the Holy Spirit and being conformed to the image of God’s Son become components of the glorious church, which is a corporate man. These persons are like the standing boards of the tabernacle. They are the many members of the Body of Christ, joined together and coordinated with each other. Chapter thirteen to the end of the book speaks about the practical living of this Body in detail. Therefore, Romans explains to us what kind of people are the components of the church.
Up to this point, everything has been quite clear. However, this matter is not so simple. Those who are the components of the church may still be under the control of the flesh and the influence of the world. Thus, it is still possible for problems to arise and for the building of the church to be damaged. Therefore, after Romans, 1 Corinthians shows us that there are two major factors that damage the church. One is the flesh within us, and the other is the world outside of us. For instance, concerning the problem of division in the church in Corinth, chapter one says, “Each of you says, I am of Paul, and I of Apollos, and I of Cephas, and I of Christ” (v. 12). Paul told them that the fact that they were divisive proved that they were fleshly and that they had been contaminated by the world and were walking according to the manner of man (3:3-4). Not only so, in the church in Corinth there were also the problems of fornication and of things sacrificed to idols. There was even a problem concerning spiritual gifts. Among them, some despised a particular gift, while others highly regarded that same gift. Both groups insisted on their own views. Please remember that these problems in the church in Corinth were typical. Some churches today have the same kinds of problems. Therefore, Paul in his Epistle asked the Corinthians, “Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you?” (1:13). In 3:5-7 he said, “What then is Apollos? And what is Paul? Ministers through whom you believed, even as the Lord gave to each one of them. I planted, Apollos watered, but God caused the growth. So then neither is he who plants anything nor he who waters, but God who causes the growth.” Moreover, he said, “So then let no one boast in men, for all things are yours, whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas or the world or life or death or things present or things to come; all are yours, but you are Christ’s, and Christ is God’s” (vv. 21-23). The gifts may be different, but they are all for the building up of the church of Christ. We must not because of the flesh appraise one gift higher than another, prefer one gift over another, or think more highly of our gift than others’ gifts.
One day I gave a word of fellowship to the elders of the church in Taipei. I said that we should thank the Lord that today there is no one among us in whom the gift of healing has been especially manifested. Suppose that such a brother were raised up among us so that when he lays his hands on people and prays over them, their cancer is cured, their high blood pressure is lowered, the blind see, and the lame walk. If this happened, then all of us would have to give way to him and let him go everywhere to lay his hands on people to heal them! I believe that many brothers and sisters would follow him from Taipei to Hualien and then on to Tainan. Everyone would be amazed at this brother, and he himself would feel that he is something marvelous. The saints would be excited and unable to calm down. Eventually, the brothers and sisters would be unable to do anything else besides singing hallelujah, and we would have to give up any hope of building the church. In the end, a factor of division would be brought into the church. Then I asked the brothers what they would do if this kind of situation arose. Thank the Lord that in the first Epistle to the Corinthians, Paul not only pointed out the factors of division in the church on the negative side, but also spoke on the positive side concerning the way to nullify the factors of division. That way is Christ and His cross. As long as the church accepts the cross, the flesh will be dealt with. Then there will be no division in the church, and Christ will have the preeminence in the church.
One time a brother came to me and asked, “Brother Lee, a certain responsible brother in our home meeting said and did certain things. Do you think it is all right?” Then I turned the matter around and told him, “What that responsible brother said or did is secondary. Please calm down first and consider whether your speaking just now, including your intention, attitude, and tone, was in the Holy Spirit or in the flesh.” He very honestly told me, “I know my speaking was in the flesh.” Then I said, “Brother, as long as you are in the flesh, you have no ground to speak about anything. As long as we are in the flesh, we fall into the hand of Satan.” He asked me again, “Then does this mean that I should not speak anything again?” I said, “I am not saying that you should not speak. What I am saying is that you should ask yourself where you are when you speak. Are you speaking in the flesh or in the Holy Spirit? If you are in the flesh, then you need to receive the cross of Christ. After you have received the cross, then you will know whether or not you should speak and to what extent you should speak.” After a few days, this brother came back to tell me, “Brother Lee, thank the Lord that now I know how to speak!” Remember that Christ and the cross nullify the divisive factors within the brothers and sisters. This is what 1 Corinthians shows us.