Paying the Price for the Local Church

Additional Quotes about the Local Church by Witness Lee and Watchman Nee

Do you know why many of God’s people remained in Babylon instead of making the long journey back to Jerusalem? The reason was they were settled comfortably in Babylon and did not want to pay the price to return to the good land. The same holds true of many Jews in the United States today. They may be very devoted to the nation of Israel, but they find it inconvenient to move there to be part of that nation. Having a settled place in American society, they may prefer to be American Jews. This indicates that they are not willing to pay the price to stand on the unique ground. Sorry to say, the same thing is true of many Christians. A number of them have seen something of the truth of oneness. But the problem is they are not willing to pay the price. Returning to the ground of oneness would cause many to lose their position, name, reputation, or popularity. By the Lord’s mercy, we have chosen to take the narrow way of the cross and to stand on the ground of oneness. We have no choice except to take the Lord’s choice, even though we may be defamed, despised, and criticized. We must pay the price to stand on the ground of local oneness no matter what evil things others may say about us.

(Witness Lee, Genuine Ground, 146)

We need to be caught, captured, by these points concerning the vision of the church. By the Lord’s mercy I can testify that since I was caught by this vision more than thirty years ago, I have never changed my tune. From the first day until now, my tune has been the same. But those who are not willing to take the way of the ground of the church often change their tune. For example, several years ago I was told by a particular group that they were the same as we are—a local expression of the church. In their writings they even used the words “local church.” But now they oppose the matter of the church ground. Another example concerns a brother who, in response to our question of whether his meeting was on the ground of the church, said, “I cannot say that the meeting here is on the church ground, but we are working toward this goal.” Now this person, who has been exposed as being two-faced, is absolutely opposed to the church ground. This is not the way for the children of God to conduct themselves. Our yes should be yes, and our no should be no.

Regarding the church, we need to have a clear vision, and then we must be ready to pay the price for it, even the price of our life. Then from the beginning to the end we will not change our tune. If we are willing to take the proper way concerning the church, our tune will always be the same. But those who are not willing to take this way will change their tune. They may talk about the church, but eventually they will give up the church and may even oppose it.

(Witness Lee, Heavenly Vision, 23-24)

According to Romans 16:3-5, Aquila and Priscilla were such people. This couple was absolute for the local churches. Their only interest was the church, and they were willing to be martyred for it. They risked their necks for the Apostle Paul and for the churches. Because Aquila and Priscilla risked their necks for the churches and were interested only in the churches, they were undoubtedly a drink offering; they were ready to be poured out.

(Witness Lee, LS of Genesis, Vol. 5, 1151)

Romans 16:4

Who risked their own necks for my life, to whom not only I give thanks, but also all the churches of the Gentiles;

Romans 16:41

Prisca and Aquila were absolute for the local churches. Their only interest was the church, and they were willing to risk their necks, to be martyred, for the apostles.

(Witness Lee, Footnotes, 670)

Main

Progressive Revelation

Three Elements

Boundary

Paying the Price

Bibliography

Links