THE BASE OF THE PRACTICE
OF THE PROPER ONE ACCORD IN THE CHURCH
The New Testament reveals that not only all the saints but even all the churches must be in one accord. As recorded in Acts 15, certain Judaizers came down from Judea to Antioch, teaching the Gentile believers that they had to be circumcised in order to be saved. To make circumcision a requirement for salvation in the New Testament jeopardizes the redemptive work of Christ. Hence, this was a great heresy that concerned all the churches. Thus, the churches came together to find a unique solution to this problem, a solution that could satisfy all the churches and keep the one accord among the churches.
The practice of the proper one accord in the church is based upon the following eight items.
The Identity of the Churches
The Seven Golden Lampstands, Symbols of
the Seven Churches, Being All Identical
In Revelation 1:11-12 and 20, the seven golden lampstands, symbols of the seven local churches in Asia, are all identical in essence, nature, shape, color, appearance, function, and expression. In all these aspects the seven lampstands are identical. This signifies that all the local churches should be the same in essence, nature, shape, color, appearance, function, and expression. The seven lampstands were identical to the point that if they were placed side-by-side before our eyes, we could not discern which is which.
The Seven Churches Differing
in the Business Affairs of Their Administration
Today a certain kind of teaching is being promulgated among the churches encouraging the churches to be different from one another. However, the normal differences among the churches can be only in the business affairs of their administration. Although the Lord did not touch business affairs in the seven epistles to the seven churches, as a rule, according to their practical needs, the churches should be different in the business affairs of their administration. These affairs include such matters as the times of the church meetings, and whether the church purchases property and builds a meeting hall or simply rents a room or a building for its meetings. In matters such as these, there is no need for the churches to be identical. To require all the churches to be identical in these matters would be very awkward.
(Elders' Training, Book 10: The Eldership and the God-Ordained Way (2), Chapter 4, by Witness Lee)
