God’s Eternal Purpose Being Realized through the Local Churches

Additional Quotes about the Local Church by Witness Lee and Watchman Nee

In addition to this, God desires to build all these regenerated children of God together as one in Christ. Thus, these dear ones should not be individual, separated, and scattered, but should be gathered together in their localities to be the local churches (Rev. 1:11).

We may think that the local churches are the goal of God’s economy. However, they are not the goal, but the procedure God takes to reach the goal of His economy.

(Witness Lee, Practical Points, 9)

The measurements of the tabernacle show that the covering as the roof also covers the sides of the tabernacle. Thus, from the outside, nothing can be seen except the covering. The boards and the contents of the tabernacle cannot be seen from the outside. This means that when people look at the local church from without, they must see Christ and only Christ. Then when people come into the church, they should see the mingling of Christ with human beings. Whenever people contact us, they should have the realization that there is something of Christ within us. From without people should see nothing but Christ. From within people should see nothing but Christ wrought into human beings. This is the real church life.

(Witness Lee, Content of the Church, 48-49)

The church is the embodiment of the Triune God dispensed into us and blended within us. It is the Triune God dispensed into humanity and blended in humanity as one single entity (Rev. 22:17a). There is no separation. This is the Spirit as the consummation of the Triune God, reaching His redeemed, and this is the consummation of the divine dispensing in this age.

(Divine and Human Spirit, 177)

What is the difference between the church and the Body? We need to see that the church of God is the frame and the Body of Christ is the organism. We can use an apple tree as an illustration. The tree is the frame, and the apples are the very organic essence of this tree. If you have only the tree, that does not mean much. The tree is for the apples. We do not eat the tree; we eat the apples. Apples come out of the tree. The church is the frame, like the apple tree, and the Body of Christ is the very organic essence of the church, just like the apples are the very organic essence of the apple tree. These two are one. The church is the frame for existing. The Body of Christ is the very organic contents for people’s satisfaction.

We have encountered much opposition due to one thing. We are here not just for the gospel to save souls. We are here to carry out God’s eternal economy, with the purpose of gaining a Body for His Son, Christ, and this Body has to be consolidated into the local churches. In this country there have been a number of spiritual giants, but no one would care for the church. They care only for saving souls, but where are those millions of souls today? Where is God’s economy? Where is the church for the Body? Where is the “apple tree” and where are the “apples” today? As far as God’s economy is concerned, there is very little on this earth for the fulfilling of God’s intention according to His heart’s desire. But I have the full assurance that the recovery we are taking care of today, by His mercy and grace, is absolutely of the Lord. The strongest evidence of this is the Lord’s speaking. Through many years the Lord’s oracle on this earth has been and still is in the recovery.

(Witness Lee, Issue of the Dispensing, 91-92)

In order to practice the church life in God’s economy, we need to meet as a proper local church (Acts 8:1; 13:1; Rev. 1:11). Christians are not like butterflies. Every butterfly is very individualistic and beautiful. We Christians are like bees and like sheep. Bees like to be grouped together. When they move, they move together. Sheep also like to be flocked together. When they follow their shepherd, they are together in a becoming and orderly way. The Lord Jesus called us the little flock (Luke 12:32). Peter exhorted the elders to shepherd the flock of God (1 Pet. 5:2). Paul also exhorted the elders in Ephesus to shepherd the church of God (Acts 20:28). As the flock of God, we must learn to meet regularly. Christians are meeting people.

(Witness Lee, Satanic Chaos, 118-119)

God’s Purpose

Corporate Body

Displaying God’s Wisdom

Satan’s Defeat

Expressing God through Sonship

Heading Up All Things

Bibliography

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