Some groups do not have a name, but they have a particular teaching that produces a particular fellowship. For example, some groups believe that all the saints will be raptured before the great tribulation. Anyone who does not hold this concept must repent of his doctrine before he can fellowship with this group. By this we see that the group insisting on the belief in the pre-tribulation rapture does not have just the common faith (Titus 1:4). In addition to the common faith, they hold to the belief in the pre-tribulation rapture. This particular teaching produces a particular fellowship, and this particular fellowship constitutes a division.
Other Christian groups insist upon foot-washing and head covering. When some Christians come to the Lord’s table, they always wash one another’s feet. If you are not willing to participate in this foot washing, you have no right to join them in their holy communion. Hence, they also are a division. Some Brethren groups insist that all women wear a head covering. For a woman to have her head uncovered indicates that she does not agree with their belief. These Brethren have the common faith plus the belief in head covering. This results in a particular fellowship, a factor that makes them a division. Therefore, a name, a particular fellowship, and a particular teaching are causes of division.
Nearly every Christian group has a particular teaching or doctrine. The Baptists have a strong teaching on immersion; the Seventh Day Adventists, on the sabbath; and the charismatic groups emphasize the manifestation of gifts, especially speaking in tongues. All these special teachings constitute these groups sects, divisions.
Thus far, we have seen three causes of division—a particular name, a particular fellowship, and a particular teaching. Just one of these items is sufficient to constitute a group a division. As long as you have either a particular name, a particular fellowship, or a particular teaching, you are a division.
We who are standing here as the church do not have a particular name. Do not think that the term “local church” is our name. This is not our name. It is right to say that we are the local church, but it is wrong to say that the “local church” is our name. This term describes the nature of the church. Do not give people the impression that our name is the local church. The local church in a city should consist of all the believers in that city. But we say with sadness that many dear saints are far away from their home in the church. We do not have any name. For the sake of communication and for registration with the government we may say that we are the church in Anaheim. But not even this should be construed as a name. Do your best to avoid using terms that may be misunderstood as being our name. We do not need a name, and we do not want to have one.
In the Lord’s recovery we do not have any particular teaching. Some may say, “Brother Lee, have you not emphasized the matter of the church over the years? Isn’t your teaching about the church particular?” Certainly not. Although I have repeatedly ministered regarding the church, my teaching concerning it is not particular. My speaking about the church is like telling people that they must breathe—it is common and not particular. We only emphasize things that are common, not things that are particular. I could say over and over again that you must believe in the Lord Jesus and that you must live by Him. Although I may tell you a thousand times that you need to live by Christ, this is not a particular teaching. However, if I insist upon immersion and that only our immersion avails, that would be a particular teaching. Also, if I required you to speak in tongues and taught that unless you did so, you did not have the baptism of the Spirit, that would be a particular teaching. To say that we need the church is not to teach a particular doctrine. It is like saying that we all need a home. You cannot wander in the street—you must have a proper life in your home. To tell people that they all should have a home is not a particular teaching. However, to say that you must cut your hair in a certain way is to give a particular teaching. I hope that we all can make this differentiation.
No teaching in the Lord’s recovery is particular. Rather, we say that the Bible is the holy Word verbally inspired by the Holy Spirit. Is this a particular teaching? Of course not. We also say that our God is triune—the Father, the Son, and the Spirit—that the Son of God became flesh to be our Savior, and that He died on the cross for our redemption. I have been preaching these things for more than forty-five years. They absolutely are not particular teachings. Furthermore, we tell people that today the Lord Jesus Christ is our life in our spirit and that we must love Him, live by Him, and walk according to Him. We also say that everyone who has been reborn has the life of the Lord Jesus and is a member of His Body. We teach that God’s intention is to have a proper church life on earth to express His Son for His glory. These are not particular teachings. However, teachings such as foot-washing, head covering, immersion, and pre-tribulation rapture are particular teachings.