A DEFINITE GOAL
Some may say that since the churches are all-inclusive, we need many things. Yes, the churches are all-inclusive, but with a meaning and a definite goal. They should be just like the Bible—all-inclusive, but having a definite goal. The Bible covers everything, but everything is not the goal. I could sacrifice my fingers or my toes, but I could never sacrifice my head! You can take away some of my fingers or some of my toes, and I can still live. But if you try to take away my head, I will die right away. If I lose my head, I lose my life. To remove some of my toes is comparatively insignificant, but I could never allow you to take off my head. This is why we can sacrifice some things, but life and building we can never sacrifice. This is the goal of the Bible.
THE LOCAL BUILDING
Ephesians 2:22 says, “In whom ye also are builded together into an habitation of God in spirit,” after verse 21 has said, “In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord.” Using verse 21, some say that Ephesians is for the universal church, for it says that we all are built together spiritually, no matter where we are physically. You may be in London, I may be in Jerusalem, and another may be in New York, but we are all the building fitly framed together. I do not contend with this, but we must also read verse 22. Paul says, “Ye also.” He is speaking of the saints in that locality. The local saints must be built up together into a habitation of God in spirit. This is not the universal building; this is the local building.
Now we must speak practically. Perhaps we agree that our destiny is to be a stone for God’s building. Then I would ask, “With whom are you built up in the locality where you are?” Do not say that you are built up with the Apostle Paul. You need to be built up with the brothers in your place, and with the saints with whom you serve. Surely the twelve Apostles were built up, for they became the twelve layers of foundation stones for the New Jerusalem.
GOD’S CENTRAL GOAL
Our destiny is just to be stones for the building. Many Christians today have been asking why the Lord has not come back. It is because there is no building. He has no way to come back unless there is the building. In the Catholic Church, in the denominations, and in the free groups, there is absolutely no building. Among all the seeking Christians today, where is the building? We all have liberty to do something for the Lord. Many would ask, “What is wrong with doing something for the Lord? Why do I have to work together with you? You have the liberty to do something for the Lord, and I do too. You go your way, and I go mine. What is wrong with what I am doing?” There may be nothing wrong, but where is the building?
Others would say that they have the Lord’s blessing in what they are doing. I do not deny this, but we have to realize that even the devilish Catholic Church has some of the Lord’s blessing. The Lord is not so small. He is bigger than the universe. He would use any kind of way. You were saved in one way, but He has a thousand ways for people to be saved. Just because the Lord is so great does not justify us or mean that what we are doing is on His heart. To do what is on His heart is another thing. Thousands of pagans have been brought to the Lord through the devilish Catholic Church, yet we can hardly believe that the Catholic Church is on the Lord’s heart. The Lord can use it, but only to a small extent.
What the Lord is after today is someone to fulfill His purpose and to heed His goal, and by the Lord’s mercy that is why we are here. We are here for the Lord’s goal of life and building. So we should never be distracted by anything else. We must absolutely give ourselves to this one thing—life and building. I can assure you that this is what the Lord is seeking today. Our destiny is just for His building. The Scriptures show clearly that we need the growth and transformation in life for the building. The growth in life is for the building; the transformation in life is for the building.
I am so happy that in the past years I have seen the growth among the saints and also the building up. We need to check ourselves by the growth in life and the building up. There is no other way to fulfill the Lord’s purpose, and this is why these are the main things in the Lord’s recovery. Many things may be helpful, but they are not the central goal of God’s purpose. The central goal of God’s purpose in the Bible is life and building. May the Lord open our eyes that we may see it.
(Life and Building as Portrayed in the Song of Songs, Chapter 15, by Witness Lee)
