III. A CONCLUDING WORD
A. Divisions Testing and Approving the Believers
First Corinthians 11:19 says that divisions are unavoidable that the approved ones might be made manifest. The kind of turmoil and rebellion that we are now experiencing always sifts the congregation. In such a situation, some are sifted and some are manifested as being approved.
1. Not a Matter of Being Right or Wrong but
a Matter of Keeping or Not Keeping the Oneness
Most people pay their attention to the matter of being right or wrong. However, in today’s situation, it is not a matter of right or wrong; it is a matter of whether we are divisive or not.
2. To Remain Neutral Not Being Good
for the Building Up but for the Destruction
of the Body of Christ
Being neutral does not build up (2 Cor. 13:8, 10) but destroys the Body of Christ. Being neutral may come out of a good heart, but it is the wrong way.
3. To Keep the Truth Needing
the Overcoming of Personal Affection
To keep the truth, we need to overcome personal affection with the vow of a Nazarite. In Numbers 6:6-7, the Nazarites were charged not to be contaminated by any kind of death, even by the death of their blood relatives. Therefore, we must be careful about anyone who is "dying" or who is spreading death. If we realize that one who is near us is "dying" or is spreading death, we must keep ourselves away. Otherwise, if we remain near such a person, we will be contaminated by the germs of death. This will nullify our vow, and we will have to begin our vow over again (Num. 6:9-12). In some cases, to avoid the contagion of death, we need to overcome our personal affection, especially for those with whom we are well-aquainted. Leviticus 10:6-7, Exodus 32:25-29, and Deuteronomy 33:8-9 all stress the need of the overcoming of our personal affection in the service of our priesthood. Both Exodus 32:25-29 and Deuteronomy 33:8-9 tell us that when the children of Israel worshipped the golden calf, offending the Lord to the uttermost, Moses spoke the word asking all the Levites to kill their relatives and those who were close to them. They obeyed, and as a result they obtained the priesthood. The Urim and Thummim were with them, meaning that they had the revelation; they had the vision of the Lord’s oracle because of their faithfulness to God’s person. God hates to see His people worship anyone besides Him. So, He demands that His faithful people "kill" all the idol worshippers. One of these worshippers might be our father, and one might be our sister. In order to be faithful to the Lord, we must overcome our personal affection.
(Elders' Training, Book 10: The Eldership and the God-Ordained Way (2), Chapter 6, by Witness Lee)
