Concerning Divine Authority in the Church
- Obsequious and Blind Obedience or Perfect and Unconditional Obedience and Submission according to the Bible?
The church as Christ's Body is in absolute obedience and submission to the Head. The greatest demand of God in the universe is submission. Some may mistake or pervert this word to mean blind obedience, or being obsequious, so it is important for all to see what is the proper submission and obedience according to the Word. This article aims at cutting straight the word of the truth on the divine authority and divine order in the church, so that all may keep the order in the Body unto its building up in love. READ THE FULL ARTICLE...
- What is the Scriptural Principle of Quarantine Applied to a Divisive Person?
Divisions, heresies, and fornication are three sins that are intolerable to God and require a quarantine by the churches and the saints according to the apostles' teaching. This article presents the scriptural principles of quarantine applied to a divisive person. A person who is divisive, rebellious, and factious is sick with contagious germs that might spread and become detrimental to other healthy members of the Body. Hence, quarantine is the means to preserve both the contagious one and the rest of the Body. May this word serve as a timely reminder for all the saints to choose life and abstain from deadness. READ THE FULL ARTICLE...
- Is There Really No Word for Us to Obey the Elders?
The winds of teaching from the dissenting sister has now intensified beyond challenging the scriptural basis of the need for “sisters to submit to brothers” to questioning the scriptural basis of the need for “the saints to obey the elders” in the church. This article provides an in-depth study of the Scriptures which uphold the necessity of obedience and submission to God’s deputy authority in order to submit to God. The Holy Word as expounded through the ministry of brothers Nee and Lee provides ample support for this, and denounces any form of rebellion against them. It further clarifies the matter of proper discernment and obedience to proper authority as different from “blind belief in authority”, while it casts the one who disobeys authority and espouses such disobedience to be really blind to scriptural revelation on authority. READ THE FULL ARTICLE...
- Residency and Testimony – Truth or Twisting?
For the church to be a proper church, it is important that there are proper elders. A number of prerequisites are listed in the Word for an elder, yet nothing supports the supercilious requirements made repeatedly by a dissenting sister that elders need to reside continually in the locality where they are bishops. While they need to be those who manage their own household well, there is no Biblical requirement that their wives and children must be those who love and live the church life at all times, or else they may be disqualified. This article, while pointing out the errors in the sister’s teaching, also solemnly warns us about the consequences of women teaching with authority to define truths. READ THE FULL ARTICLE...
- Quarantine in the Bible and in Practice
After the letters from the co-workers and elders of Malabon calling for the quarantine of Sister Charing Garcia, some saints have sought clarification about quarantine --- its goal, application, spirit and basis in the Word. To quarantine is not to excommunicate or cut off, but to temporarily segregate a diseased member of the Body to protect the whole Body and the sick member himself. So that the saints may have a clearer understanding concerning the matter of quarantine, we recommend for everyone to read (Quarantine in the Bible and in Practice) published by the Defense and Confirmation Project.
- Who are God’s Delegated Authorities in the Body?
In chapters 7 and 8 of his book Authority and Submission, Brother Nee presented clearly who are the delegated authorities in the church, the Body of Christ, whom he identified firstly as the elders in the church, the elderly saints, men in the church, husbands, other members of the Body, and other members’ function. Since God honors his deputy authorities despite their imperfections, we must learn to honor them and submit to them. Submission to the representative authority is a real test to us. Those who reject God’s deputy authority reject God Himself. The ones who revile God’s delegated authority will lose their spiritual power. READ THE FULL ARTICLE...
- Remember, Obey, and Greet the Ones Leading You
In Hebrews 13, Paul has a threefold mentioning of “the ones leading you”: remember the ones leading you (v. 7), obey the ones leading you (v. 17), and greet all the ones leading you (v. 24). In this article, we review the intention, proper interpretation and application of these three verses vis-à-vis a dissenting sister’s article which, while on the surface bears the title “Obey the Ones Leading You”, is filled with overbearing complaints and baseless accusations against some of the elders, and actuality meant to sow discord and suspicion in readers against the ones who are leading them. READ THE FULL ARTICLE...
- Who are the Shining Stars and the Wandering Stars?
Christ is our Star who shines in the midst of darkness, and we also need to be overcomers who are shining stars in the churches and be saved from becoming or following wandering stars. Such a word from the ministry on shining stars and wandering stars was never meant to be used to subvert God's administration in the church. This article presents the full context of the message that has been deformed and misquoted by a discordant sister and brings readers back to the intent and burden of Brother Lee in unveiling this portion of the Word. READ THE FULL ARTICLE…
