THE TEMPLE AND THE CITY ARE EQUALLY CRUCIAL
Our work is to help people understand what it means to have the mingling of God with man and to be under divine authority. Without the mingling and the authority of God, there can be no building. Without the temple, there is no habitation; without the city, there is no protection.
In other words, if we know God's presence without knowing His authority, we have neither the city nor the temple. God's presence will eventually be lost because there is no protection. We must have both God's presence and His authority in order to have protection.
Building always involves warfare. Ephesians 2 speaks of building, and chapter six speaks of spiritual warfare. The battle is related to the city, not to the temple. The battle is for God's authority, not merely for His presence.
When Nehemiah returned to build the city, he encountered warfare (Neh. 4:7-8). It seems that the enemy was not as concerned with frustrating the building of the temple as he was with the building of the city. This is because the city involves God's authority. The enemy knows very well that if there is no city, the temple can be easily destroyed; thus, his attacks are aimed at matters of authority and order. Without the city, the temple has no protection.
Satan knows that God's presence can be easily destroyed when there is no order and no authority in the church. Every worker of the Lord must understand the meaning of building the church. Building the church means building God's authority into it.
If a church in a city has only zeal, cordiality, and mutual love, but lacks order and authority, it is in error. It has no protection. Although it may seem fine today, the lack of protection can cause it to collapse tomorrow.
Loving one another does not necessarily mean having God's presence, for it can stem from natural human affection and lack God's mingling. Even if we have the mingling of God, if we do not have His authority, there is no protection. Authority must be established in the church.
A church will be very weak if, when situations arise, the brothers have differing opinions. Instead of having a building, there will only be a pile of stones. A strong church is full of God's presence and His authority, thus having both the temple and the city.
It is difficult to find God's authority in institutionalized Christianity. Most groups are full of human opinions. They boast about being democratic, but are filled with human opinions and lack God's authority. This was the situation of the church in Laodicea. This is why deacons argue with elders and elders argue with pastors.
Our intention is not to criticize others but to reveal the truth that if we disregard God's authority and emphasize human opinions, the result will be endless debate.
The church of God is both a temple and a city. In God's church, there is the temple and the city—God's presence and His authority. We must consider what kind of work we are doing. Are we building the church or institutionalized Christianity? We must first know whether we are under God's authority and whether we are maintaining our place in His planned order.
Few people understand that building the church means building God's presence and authority. From now on, however, we must realize that building the Body of Christ is building the mingling of God with man and building God's authority over man. This is the work we must carry out.
Being built in God means allowing Him to work in us and mingle with us in everything. If we are built by God and are subject to His authority, we can then help others by carrying out a work of building in them.
When we work on others, we first add God to them so that they may have His presence in their daily walk and living. In this way, they become the temple of God.
We must then carry out another work in them so that they may know God's authority. This corresponds to building the wall in them. In this way, they will have both God's presence and His authority. They will be people built up no matter where they go. They will know what it means to have God's presence and mingling, as well as His authority and order. They will have been built.
Some may be zealous but do not have God's temple or His city. They may have a measure of His presence but do not understand His authority. There is a measure of Ezra's restoration, but nothing of Nehemiah's restoration. Yet there are others who have both the temple and the city. They have God's presence and His authority. In everything, they have the mingling of God and are under His authority. They maintain order and are under authority. They also reign because they have divine authority. In other words, they possess the city of God. Having the city of God within us provides protection for our spiritual condition.
Enjoy more: Hymn 217
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