DWELLING TOGETHER IN ONENESS
The last psalm we shall consider here is Psalm 133. Verse 1 says, "Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in oneness!" (Heb.). This verse speaks of the goodness and pleasantness of dwelling together in oneness. According to verse 2, such a dwelling together in oneness "is like the precious ointment upon the head, that spread upon the beard, even Aaron’s beard: that went down to the skirts of his garments" (Heb.). Notice that this verse speaks of ointment, not just of oil. Ointment spreads more slowly than oil does. In the church life the ointment does not run; rather, it spreads slowly, gradually, and gently. The precious ointment spreads from Aaron’s head even to the skirts of his garments. This indicates that it comes down from the Head to the entire Body.
In verse 3 the dwelling in oneness is likened to the dew of Hermon and to "the dew that descended upon the mountains of Zion." Hermon, a high mountain, signifies the heavens, from which the dew descends. The mountains are the local churches, and the dew is the grace of Christ. This dew that descends upon the local churches is very refreshing. We can testify that the refreshing element of Christ descends upon us in the local churches. Praise the Lord for the heavenly dew that descends upon the local churches for our enjoyment!
The ointment and the dew bring in life. Verse 3 says, "For there the Lord commanded the blessing, life forevermore" (v. 3, Heb.). Note that this verse does not say, "The Lord gave the blessing"; it says, "The Lord commanded the blessing." In the church life as the house of God, we enjoy the commanded blessing of life.
Even in Old Testament times, when God’s people came to a material temple, they enjoyed a wonderful life in the house of God. They gathered together around the temple and offered the top portion of the rich produce of the good land. Then they enjoyed these offerings with God and in the presence of God. This was their life, their living, and their worship. They worshipped the Lord through enjoying the riches of the good land. Because this was their living, they were planted and flourished in the house of the Lord. This is a picture, in typology, of what can happen on the ground of oneness.
GOD’S REQUIREMENT
The ground of oneness is not simply a matter of one city, one church. The ground of oneness is deeper, richer, higher, and fuller than this. We all must learn that in this universe God has chosen only one place, and that place is the church. God requires us to go to this place He has chosen. Spiritually speaking, we must destroy every place other than the church and every name other than the name of Christ. This means that we must destroy our culture and religious background. You were born in a particular region of this country. You need to destroy the influence of that place. Perhaps you had a religious background in a particular denomination. Now you must destroy that denominational place within you. The places that we must destroy include our disposition, temperament, and habits. We must destroy everything that damages the oneness of the one new man.
According to Colossians 3:11, in the new man "there cannot be Greek and Jew, circumcision and uncircumcision, barbarian, Scythian, slave, freeman, but Christ is all and in all." The church with Christ is the unique place of God’s choice. In order to fulfill the word of Colossians 3:11, every other place must be utterly destroyed. We must destroy everything that is not the church with Christ. Then we shall simply be in the church life enjoying Christ as the riches of the good land. As we enjoy Him with God, we shall be planted in the house of the Lord, we shall grow, and we shall flourish. This is the proper way to have the Christian life and the church life. This is the ground of oneness.
On this ground it is not possible to have division, for the basis of division has been destroyed. Our temperament, disposition, natural characteristics, and preferences have all been eliminated. Our religion, culture, and particular ways have also been destroyed. Having destroyed all the pagan places, we simply go to the place of God’s choice.
The church life has been weakened because of the lack of willingness to destroy the heathen places. Deuteronomy 12 has great spiritual significance for us today. In our human life and culture there are many places that remain to be destroyed. We must destroy them all and then go to the unique place of God’s choice, the church. In the church there cannot be anything other than Christ. Christ must be all and in all. It is easy to say this, but it is not easy to practice it in a definite way. Nevertheless, we have no excuse for not practicing this principle.
In every place that is to be destroyed there is a dedicated pillar, a symbol, or image. This means that even in our character or disposition there may be such pillars, symbols, or images. Therefore, we must destroy all the places with their pillars, symbols, and images. Do not preserve any place. Rather, destroy them and go to the place of the Lord’s choice. As we have pointed out again and again, this place is the church. Having come to the church, we should have nothing other than the Person of Christ and the unique way of the cross. Then we shall enjoy Christ in the church as the top portion of the rich produce of the land. As we enjoy Him before God, this enjoyment will become our worship, our church life, and even our Christian daily living. Then we shall grow and mature on the ground of oneness.
(The Genuine Ground of Oneness, Chapter 5, by Witness Lee)
