397. Respect for the Church

“But if I am delayed, I write so that you may know how you ought to conduct yourself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth.” 1 Tim. 3:15.

The church has been redeemed by the precious blood of Christ. It is impossible for anyone to serve in the right way in the church unless he is a sacrifice, just as Jesus was. Therefore we read that we are to present our bodies to God as an acceptable sacrifice, which is our spiritual service. Rom. 12:1. No servant of Christ has the right to please himself, nor does he have the right to compare himself with others or measure himself by them, because that is unwise. It is Christ who is the Head of the church, and the church is to grow up to this head. Therefore it is absolutely vital that anyone who speaks in the church is led by the Holy Spirit. We know that the Spirit wars against the flesh, so it is quite natural that the new and living way—the one that was made through the veil, which is His flesh—is made clear. The ministry of a taskmaster or disciplinarian is totally excluded because it never leads to the Spirit, the water, or the blood, which is the testimony of Jesus. All jesting and frivolous preaching must be banished from the meetings and conferences. The older brothers who are accustomed to serving the church in their local fellowships must also be prepared to serve during the conferences. But those brothers who are not considered to be servants in the church ought to have fear and respect for the church and not waste precious time on talk that does not lead to the goal. The more the church grows toward perfection, the more necessary it is to observe this. The conference days are few, and the time must be used in the best possible way. Right now the fact is that the older ministering brothers are often silent, and that should not be the case. They must be prepared to serve. When it is time for testimonies, then there is an opportunity for all those who have come to faith in Jesus Christ to say what is on their heart.

“God’s manifold wisdom shall now be made known by the church to the principalities and powers in heavenly places.” Eph. 3:10.

Christ is the wisdom of God, and he who has an ear to hear is able to hear what the Spirit is saying to the church. Only with such listening ears can everything in the church be done to edification, and he who hears should always be allowed to speak. However, the one who does not hear should not speak. Paul says, “For what shall I profit you unless I come to you with a teaching or a revelation?” When everything in the church goes according to the laws of the Spirit, God’s manifold wisdom is revealed to the principalities and powers in heavenly places. Angels and powers and authorities in heavenly places have never been subject to sin the way we humans have, and they have never been subject to the laws of sin and death or the power of Satan. They do not see the church from the inside; they can only see it from the outside. The church, by God’s grace and power and by the blood of Christ, grows up to Him who is the Head of the church, who is also Lord over these powers. This is a very powerful testimony to God’s manifold wisdom and goodness.

It is not only the good powers that are able to see God’s wisdom by the church; it is also the evil powers. “For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.” Eph. 6:12.

In a church meeting there are many brothers present who are all at various stages of development in the body of Christ. Many of them are babes in Christ, carnal and untried. They have no sense of discernment between the precious and the vile, between what is natural and what is spiritual. Satan is also present in the church of the living God, and he is trying to gain access as an angel of light wherever human nature and the flesh are active. In these areas the spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places will be confronted by God’s manifold wisdom. This takes place because the older brothers remain awake and refute all human reasoning and everything that is presented in a carnal way. Jude 10. Consequently, the church becomes like a living stone, irrefutable and unassailable by all the spiritual hosts of wickedness. However, if it is to be like this, the younger brothers, those who are less spiritual, must also be watchful and respect what the older ones say to them. And if anyone thinks that he knows anything, he knows nothing yet as he ought to know.

Since all this has been planned by God, we need to conduct ourselves carefully in the church of the living God, which is the pillar and ground of the truth. Do not be quick to utter words before God’s face; remember that He is in heaven, and we are on earth. Love the brotherhood and let love rule. Keep the fellowship of the Spirit, and be wide awake, so that sin in the flesh never gains power.