Christ has only one Body, which is the universal church, and a local church is an expression of the Body of Christ in a certain locality; the unique Body of Christ is expressed in many local churches in the divine oneness. Hallelujah!
In regards to the truth concerning the church, it is twofold: there is the universal church and there are the local churches, and both need to be real to us, that is, we need to partake of both.
We can’t say we’re in the universal church, but we don’t belong to any local church – we just “enjoy God and the church” but we don’t meet with the local church.
Similarly, we can’t say we’re in the local church and we don’t need the universal church, for the local church is the Body; this is to be in division.
We need to have both aspects of the church in our experience today.
The Bible emphasizes the universal aspect of the church, speaking a lot concerning the church as the Body of Christ; this, however, does not discard the fact that this universal church is expressed in many local churches, one church in each locality, who are the local expressions of the one unique universal Body of Christ.
May we return to the divine revelation in the Word of God concerning the church so that we may be recovered to the proper practice of the church life according to the Bible.
May we be delivered from any old concepts, old theologies, and personal opinions and feelings, and may we simply allow the truth in the word of God to shine on us and set us free. Amen!
The first thing we need to know concerning the church is that the church is in the Triune God – the church is in God and of God, and the church is in Christ and of Christ.
The church is not only composed of the believers in Christ as the structure of the church; the element and intrinsic essence of the church is God Himself in Christ as the Spirit.
To say that the church is in God means that we, the many believers in Christ and part of the church, are no longer only human but born of God – we are children of God, men who have God as their life and nature.
To say that the church is in Christ means that we are no longer Gentiles or Jews but we are God-men, members of Christ; furthermore, it means that whatever we are in the natural man, the flesh, the self, and the old creation, it all has been terminated, buried, and now we live in resurrection with Christ, being one with Him.
Hallelujah, we believers in Christ are members of the church of God, and this church is in God and of God, in Christ and of Christ!
Yes, the church is composed of the believers, and the church is expressed as the many local churches – one church in each locality – but the intrinsic view of the church is that the church is God and in Christ.
The Unique Body of Christ is expressed in Many Local Churches in the Divine Oneness
We praise the Lord for the church, the universal church; how about the local church – what is a local church, and what’s the relationship between the local churches and the Body of Christ, the universal church?
A local church is nothing else but an expression of the Body of Christ in a certain locality (1 Cor. 1:2; 10:32, 17; 12:12-13, 20, 27).
In 1 Cor. 1:2 Paul writes to the church of God which is in Corinth; on one hand, the church is of God (God is the very essence and element of the church, and the church belongs to God), and on the other hand, the church is in Corinth, being expressed locally in that locality as the church in Corinth.
There’s no “doctrine” of the local churches in the New Testament, but the principle and revelation of a local church is an expression of the Body of Christ in a certain locality is clearly seen.
The unique Body of Christ is expressed in many local churches in the divine oneness as it is with the Triune God and in the divine nature, essence, expression, function, and testimony.
There are many churches, yet all these churches have one divine nature, one divine element, one divine essence, one divine expression, one divine function, and one divine testimony; the reason for this is that all the local churches are one Body – they are one (Rev. 1:11; John 17:11, 21, 23).
The basis for us to practice the oneness and the one accord in the local church life is the oneness in the Body of Christ; this is the oneness of the Divine Trinity which has been enlarged to include us.
Without this oneness, there’s no practice of the one accord in the church life.
The Lord prayed for this oneness in John 17:21, “That they all may be one, even as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You.” The Triune God wants to bring us into this relationship of us being in Him and Him being in us so that we may be one, even as the Triune God is one.
The Body of Christ is one and unique; Christ has only one Body, but this one Body is expressed in many local churches in the divine oneness.
In Matt. 16:18, the first mention of the church, we see the universal church; Christ said that He will build His church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it.
However, in Matt. 18:17, just a few chapters later, refers to the local church, the expression of the unique Body of Christ in a certain locality where we can bring our problems and can fellowship.
We need both of these aspects: we need the universal church and the local churches.
We do not depreciate the local church, for we have to be in the local church if we want to be in the Body of Christ, the universal church.
For example, for us to be in the United States of America, we need to be in one of the States, otherwise, we are not in the USA. Some say that they are in the universal Body of Christ but they are not in any local church – it’s just them, God, and the universal church; this is not good.
We live at a certain location, in a particular locality, so we should meet with and as the local church in that locality as the local expression of the unique universal Body of Christ.
The one universal church – which is the Body of Christ – becomes the many local churches, which are the local expressions of the Body of Christ (Rom. 12:4-5; 16:16).
The question is, which comes first – the universal church or the local church?
We may think that we first touch the local church, and then by means of the local church we enter into and touch the Body of Christ, the universal church, so the local church is first.
However, in God’s view, the universal church is first, for the Body of Christ is expressed locally as the many local churches, the local expressions of the Body of Christ.
It takes divine revelation through much prayer over the Word of God for us to see this view of the church, so it is good to tell the Lord,
Lord Jesus, unveil us to see that a local church is an expression of the Body of Christ in a certain locality. May we realize that the unique Body of Christ is expressed in many local churches in the divine oneness. Hallelujah, the Triune God is one by dwelling in One another, and we believers in Christ are brought into this mutual indwelling to be part of the enlarged oneness of the Triune God! Amen, Lord, we want to practice the local church life in the oneness of the Body of Christ. We give ourselves to You to grow in life and build up the church as the Body of Christ as we live the local church life in one accord with all the saints in our locality. Thank You, Lord, we have the oneness of the Spirit in the Body – we can just keep the oneness, practice the local church life, and build up the universal church as the Body of Christ!
The Universal Body is the Source of the Local Churches, and Christ has a Part of Himself in every Local Church, which Together Constitutes the Body
A good illustration of understanding the relationship between the universal church and the local churches is a father with his children.
The universal Body is like the father to all the churches, and all the local churches are like the children to the father (Rom. 12:4-5; 16:4).
If we don’t have a father, we are orphans, and we don’t receive the profit and benefit from a father, so we suffer a lot. But if a man doesn’t have any children, he also suffers.
But praise the Lord, the Body of Christ is like a father producing the local churches and providing benefits and blessings to the local churches, and the local churches are like the children to the father.
For example, we may live in a local church, but we may not have been saved in that church but rather, in another locality, but the local church receives the benefit from the Body. The Body of Christ is the source of the local churches (Eph. 1:22-23; 2:21-22).
When we speak of the spread of the church and the birth or establishing of a local church, we may have a group of saints who live and meet in a certain city, but what is it that makes them the church in that city?
We may have 10-15 saints in a city, but are they the church in that city? Is it a numerical requirement or do they need to have elders? It is a hard question to answer.
We need to realize that the bringing forth of a local church is an organic matter, it is a birth; a group of believers may define themselves as being the church, they may incorporate themselves to be the church in that city, they may buy a meeting hall and put a big sign in front of it that they are the church, but none of these makes them the church in that locality.
A local church is produced by the Body of Christ, the universal church; the Body knows, has a sense, and acknowledges a local church.
Just like a woman who knows who is about to give birth, so the Body is clear when a church in a locality is produced, for that church is in the Body and is produced by the Body. It is organic, so it is mysterious yet so real and wonderful.
Every local church is part of the unique, universal Body of Christ, for it is a local expression of this Body (Eph. 4:4; 1 Cor. 1:2; 12:27).
Universally, all the local churches are one Body; locally, every local church is a local expression of the universal Body.
Therefore, a local church is not the Body (the whole Body) but only a part of the Body, an expression of the Body; it takes all the local churches to have the fullness, the Body of Christ.
The universal Christ has a part of Himself in every local church, for every local church is part of Christ, and all these parts constitute the Body (Eph. 1:23; 2:22).
Each local church is only a part of the universal church.
We read of the churches in Syria and Cilicia (Acts 15:41), the churches in the Gentile world (Rom. 16:4), the churches in Macedonia (2 Cor. 8:1), the churches in Galatia (Gal. 1:2), and the churches in Asia (Rev. 1:4).
There are many local churches, and together these local churches are considered as one universal church.
When we meet with the saints in the local church, we see Christ; when we blend with other local churches, we see more of Christ, for Christ is increased and manifested.
We all are members of Christ, part of Christ, and we as local churches provide a partial expression of Christ; all the local churches, put together, give us a full view of the Body of Christ, for all the local churches are the one Body of Christ, the fullness of the One who fills all and in all.
Lord, cause us to realize that there is one Body in the universe, and we express it here on earth in the many local churches. May we see that the universal Body is like the father to all the churches, and all the churches are like the children to the father. Amen, Lord, bring us into the intrinsic and organic view of the church as the Body of Christ. May we see that the local church we are in is a part of the unique, universal Body of Christ, being a local expression of this Body. May we realize that each local church has a part of Christ, and together all the local churches constitute the Body of Christ to be His fullness. Hallelujah for the local churches, and praise the Lord for the one Body of Christ.
References and Hymns on this Topic
- Sources of inspiration: the Word of God, my enjoyment in the ministry, the message by Mark Raabe for this week, and portions from, Collected Works of Witness Lee, 1984, vol. 4, “Vital Factors for the Recovery of the Church Life,” pp. 488-490, as quoted in the Holy Word for Morning Revival on, Vital Factors for the Lord’s Recovery of the Church Life (2021 ITERO), week 3, The Factor of the Church Being in the Triune God, the Local Churches Being Expressions of the Body of Christ, and the Believers Practicing the Church Life in the Consciousness of the Body.
- Recommended further reading: The organic and unique Body of Christ expressed in many local churches, via, ministrybooks.
- Hymns on this topic:
– In Revelation two and three, / The seven local churches see: / The lessons there for you and me / Are for the Lord’s recovery. (Hymns #1274)
– The churches are the Body / Of Christ on earth today. / They are His testimony, / That He may have a way. / They are the golden lampstands / In cities far and wide. / They are His fighting army, / And His beloved Bride. / The churches, the churches, / Upon the earth today; / Lord, stir our hearts for Thy desire, / And build us, oh, build us, / Lord, we pray. (Hymns #1265)
– One Body universal, / One in each place expressed; / Locality of dwelling / Her only ground possessed; / Administration local, / Each answ’ring to the Lord; / Communion universal, / Upheld in one accord. (Hymns #824)
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