地方教会的信仰和实行
开头的话
因着询问关于地方教会种种的人（包括基督徒与非基督徒）日益增多，我们谨豫备了这本小册，作为我们信仰与实行的简介。身为光的儿女，我们感谢主，能有这机会公开见证我们所相信、所教导，以及所实行的。我们已经出版了许多书刊，论到圣经中种种重要的主题，包括基督的经历、重生、变化、生命的长大、教会、国度、三一神、神的旨意，以及人的灵；另外也出版了圣经中许多卷书的详细查读。凡诚心愿意明白真理的人，若有任何查询，我们都竭诚欢迎。
我们愿使公众知晓，地方教会中的基督徒绝对持守‘共同的信仰’，（提多一4‘共信之道’原意，）乃是最正统的基督徒。我们接受了主耶稣基督为我们的主和救主；现今祂活在我们里面是我们的生命，祂也是我们的一切。我们爱祂、事奉祂，也尽力引领别人对祂有活的认识。我们在各地方聚集在一起，仅仅是一班蒙血洗净、得了重生，被圣灵充满的基督徒，我们并无任何宗派背景，我们
只求为基督的身体作合一的见证。我们欢迎所有的真信徒，他们是我们在基督里的弟兄和姊妹，我们寻求与他们有交通。我们衷心渴望主在地上的见证能彀扩展，大得加强，使祂的新妇得以豫备好，迎接祂早日回来。求主在这些日子，尊荣并表白祂自己在地上的工作。
我们的信仰
一、我们相信全本圣经是神完整的启示，字字都是圣灵所默示的。
二、我们相信神是独一的三一神，父、子、灵同等，共存，从亘古到永远。
三、我们相信神的儿子，就是神自己，成为肉身，成为人，名叫耶稣，由童女马利亚所生，来作我们的救赎主和救主。
四、我们相信耶稣是真正的人，曾在地上生活三十三年半，使人认识父神。
五、我们相信耶稣是神用圣灵所膏的基督，为我们的罪死在十字架上，流血为我们成功了救赎。
六、我们相信耶稣基督埋葬三日以后，就从死里复活（肉身上和灵性上）；并在复活里成为赐生命的灵，将祂自己分赐到我们里面，作我们的生活和一切。
七、我们相信基督复活后升到天上，被神立为万有的主。
八、我们相信基督升天以后，将神的灵浇灌下来，把祂所拣选的肢体浸入一个身体里；神的灵，也就是基督的灵，今天在地上运行，叫罪人知罪，重生神所拣选的人，住在基督的众肢体里，使他们在生命里长大，并建造基督的身体，让祂得着完满的彰显。
九、我们相信在这世代的末了，基督要回来提接祂的众肢体，审判世界，得着全地，并建立祂永远的国度。
十、我们相信得胜的圣徒要在千年国度里与基督一同作王掌权；并且所有在基督里的信徒，都将有分于新天新地新耶路撒冷里神圣的福分，直到永远。
我们的立场
一、我们持定圣经，但不是按着任何传统的解说，而是遵照神纯正的话语。
二、我们持定基督，祂是活石、基石、身体的头，也是教会的生活和实际。
三、我们持定基督身体的真合一。我们不是结党，不是宗派，不是无宗派，也不是在宗派之间。
四、我们在各地站住所有信徒合一的立场；凡是在基督里蒙宝血救赎，由圣灵重生的信徒，我们都承认他们是当地教会中的肢体。
我们的使命
一、传扬恩典和国度的福音，使罪人得救。
二、供应生命，使信徒在基督里长大。
三、在各地建立教会，使信徒在地方上实际地成为基督团体的彰显。
四、依据圣经释放神活泼丰富的话语，使信徒得着滋养而长大成熟。
五、建造基督的身体，豫备新妇，迎接新郎基督的再来。
我们的盼望
一、我们盼望一切神所命定得永生的人都相信主耶稣。
二、我们盼望一切重生的基督徒都追求生命的长大，而不仅仅追求知识的加增。
三、我们盼望一切寻求主的基督徒都看见教会的异象，进入当地实际的教会生活。
四、我们盼望主得着一班余留的得胜者，好豫备祂的新妇。
五、我们盼望生命长大，催促主的回来，并有分于有福的被提和将来的国度。
关于恢复
我们在地方教会中乃是为着神的恢复，为了使人正确领会我们的见证，我们需要‘恢复’下一基本的定义。
一、‘恢复’一词的意思是某物失而复得，或某事遭受了破坏之后得着复兴，回复到原初正常的光景。说神在恢复某些事，意思就是这些事在教会的已过年代中被遗失了、变质了、败坏了，如今神来使这些事回复到原初的状态或光景中。
二、历代以来教会已经堕落了，所以需要照着神原初的心意得着恢复。说到教会，支配我们异象的，不该是现今的情形，也不该是传统的作法，而该是神原初的心意，以及祂话语里所启示那不变的标准。我们认为新约圣经所启示的教会不仅仅是历史上的前例，也是今日教会实行的典范。
三、神的恢复并非开始于二十世纪。虽然开始恢复的日期很难确定，但将其定于路德马丁的宗教改革时期则最为适宜。自宗教改革以来，神的恢复历经好几个阶段，经过在波希米亚（Bohemia）由辛生铎夫（Zinzendorf）所领导教会生活的部分恢复，以至普利茅斯弟兄们（Plymouth Brethren）揭开许多宝贵的圣经真理，接着推展至真实经历内住的生命，一直达到现今的阶段：建立真正的地方教会，作为基督身体的彰显。
四、今天在主的恢复里，祂在作两件事：一面祂恢复经历基督的丰富，就是享受基督作我们的生命和一切；另一面祂也恢复教会生活的实行。这两件事是并行的，因实际的教会生活乃是享受基督丰富的结果。我们今天在主的恢复里都能见证，基督有追测不尽的丰富，祂是包罗万有的一位，来作我们的享受。不仅如此，我们也见证主给我们负担，照着神纯正话语的启示来实行教会生活。
关于救恩
一、神在基督里已经为人豫备了完满且全备的救恩。这完满的救恩包括了我们全人-灵、魂、身体。在神的救恩里，人的灵得着重生，魂被变化，身体也要改变形状。
二、人要得救，必须对神的儿子耶稣基督的身位及工作有活的信心。凡是真正得救的人都有圣经所说‘共同的信仰’，包括我们得救所必须相信的要项：圣经是完整的神圣启示，完全由神所默示；只有一位独一的三一神│父、子、灵；耶稣基督是神的儿子，道成肉身成为人；基督为我们的罪死在十字架上，流出血来救赎我们；第三天祂的身体从死人中复活；祂已被高举在神的右边，被立为万有的主；将来祂为着属祂的人还要再来，并要在地上建立祂的国度。
三、永远的救恩是本乎恩，藉着信，不是凭我们的行为。
四、人要得救，必须与耶稣基督有活的接触。所以，我们带领不信的人得救时，强调祷告与呼求主的名。根据罗马书十章九节，人要得救，必须心里相信，口里承认。
五、人一旦得救了，便有得救的证实与得救的稳固。我们一次得救，便永远得救。
关于基督徒的生活
一、重生
基督徒的生活开始于重生。重生就是我们藉着基督的救赎，在我们的灵里从圣灵而生，（约三6，）因而神将祂的生命和性情分赐到我们的灵里，使我们的灵因神的生命活过来。
二、分别
真正基督徒的生活必须和这败坏、邪恶的世界有彻底的分别。这样的分别不是根据律法、人为的规条，而是照着那住在我们里面之圣者的生命和性情。我们藉着基督救赎的血，藉着圣灵，在主耶稣的名里，就被分别出来归给神。为了过正常的基督徒生活，我们必须维持这一个分别的地位。我们虽然不属于世界，却在世界上过敬虔的生活。
三、奉献
基督徒的生活是奉献的生活。奉献给主就是将自己完全交给主，不是要为祂作甚么，也不是要成为什么，而是使自己成为一个活祭，合乎祂用，使祂能照着祂的美意，在我们身上，在我们里面作工。我们奉献给主，是因为我们爱祂，并且乐意属于祂。我们也承认我们已经属于祂，因为祂用宝血买了我们。我们在地方教会中不是为自己而活，乃是为着神、为着实现祂永远的旨意而活。
四、爱主
在我们的基督徒生活中，我们也强调爱主。神最巴望的就是我们爱祂。我们能见证我们的主耶稣是全然可爱的一位，祂得了我们的心；我们爱祂，不是用我们自己的爱，乃是用祂先爱我们的爱。
五、神的话
在我们的基督徒生活中，读经占有极其重要的地位。我们鼓励所有在地方教会里的圣徒要规律地读经，甚至一年读一遍。我们阅读圣经、查考圣经，并且藉着祷告，将主的话当作属灵的食物来接受。凡声称有从圣灵而来的教训、感动及引导，都必须用神话语的启示来加以核对。虽然圣经在许多事上启示出神的心意，但对我们而言，圣经主要不是一本道理的书，而是一本生命的书。我们读经不仅仅是为了得知识，而是要藉着祷读经文来接触主耶稣，祂自己就是活的话。
六、祷告
基督徒的生活也是祷告的生活。在祷告中我们享受个人与主甘甜、亲密的交通。藉着祷告我们宣告，我们倚靠神、顺服祂，渴望与祂配合，来实现祂的旨意。我们鼓励所有在地方教会里的圣徒，每天要有一段个人祷告的时间。
七、经历基督
我们从圣经中的启示看见，基督徒的生活实际上乃是基督自己活在我们里面。因这缘故，我们极其着重对基督的经历。根据新约的书信，基督是启示在我们里面，活在我们里面，成形在我们里面，安家在我们里面，在我们身上显大，并且对我们要成为一切，又在一切之内。我们不是照着外面的榜样来效法基督，而是让内住的基督占有我们里面的全人，在日常生活中彰显祂自己，而活出基督，并凭基督而活。
八、钉十字架的生活
身为真正基督徒，我们必须过钉十字架的生活。我们不以基督的十字架为耻，也不从十字架的窄路上退缩。我们若要真正经历基督，并凭祂而活，就需要在我们的生活中天天经历十字架主观的工作。我们已多少看见人堕落的肉体在神眼中是何其丑陋，我们接受神对肉体的审判；不仅如此，我们还看见己和天然的人都是敌挡神的，因此我们欢迎基督的死内里的工作，好叫我们经历基督，并在祂复活生命的大能里凭祂而活。
九、滋养
我们若要过正常的基督徒生活，就需要天天藉属灵的食物和饮料得着滋养。因这缘故，我们强调享用基督作我们属灵的食物和饮料；我们在那灵里面，并藉着主的话，享受祂作生命的供应。就如主自己说过：‘吃我的人，也要因我活着。’（约六57。）主就是那活的粮、生命的粮、神的粮，是从天上降下来赐生命给世界的，（约六33，35，51，）我们每天都靠祂得着滋养。
十、在生命里长大
在地方教会中我们强调一件事，就是在基督徒的生活中，我们该在生命里正常地长大。我们不满意停留在属灵婴孩的阶段。神圣的生命和属人的生命一样，必须有正常的发展，导致成熟。所以，我们既是寻求主的人，便追求生命的长大。我们渴慕成为成长的人来彰显主，有祂的权柄来代表祂，并从事属灵的争战来击败祂的仇敌。
十一、为人生活
我们基督徒也该过着正常的为人生活，不偏激，各面都均衡。我们渴望我们的全人│灵、魂、体都得保守来荣耀神。我们在一切的人际关系上，寻求彰显耶稣的人性；在一切为人的生活行动上，无论在家庭、学校、邻舍间、工作场所，都为耶稣作美好的见证。对我们而言，基督徒的生活和日常的为人生活是不可分的。我们愈在基督里长大，就愈有真实的人性，也愈实际享受耶稣那拔高、变化过的人性。
十二、那灵
基督徒的生活是照着那灵而行的生活。在那灵里而行就是照着那灵来生活为人。所以我们需要将心思放在灵上，并治死身体的行为。（罗八6，13。）我们照着那灵生活行动的时候，神所有义的要求便自然而然成就在我们身上。惟有活在灵里，照着灵生活行动，圣经上所启示神圣的事对我们才会成为实际。因此，我们要作正常的基督徒，就必须认识那灵，活在那灵里，并照着那灵生活行动。
十三、变化
许多基督徒都知道灵的重生和身体的改变形状，但却忽略了魂的变化这件要紧的事。然而圣经说：‘只要心思更新而变化。’（罗十二2，另译。）我们因此承认，魂需要藉着生命之灵内里的工作在性情上有所变化。我们被变化的时候，我们里面就发生了改变。我们的魂被神的素质浸透，就纯洁了、圣别了，因此魂就能尽神所创造的功用，将那住在我们里面重生之灵的主彰显出来。这种魂的变化与我们豫备迎见主的再来有极密切的关系。凡愿住在祂圣别、荣耀面光中的人，不仅必须在地位上得成圣，也必须在性情上有变化。这种变化需要消极方面十字架的运行，以及积极方面生命之灵的工作。
十四、改变形状
最后，到了基督徒生命经历的最高点，我们的身体要改变形状，和主荣耀的身体相似，（腓三21，）圣经称之为身体得赎，儿子名分完满的经历。所以，基督徒的生活开始于重生，经过变化，完成于身体的改变形状。
关于教会生活
一、团体的生活
基督徒的生活就是从我们里面活出作生命的基督，本质上是一种团体的生活。新约圣经中有许多说法都证实这一点：我们是神羊群中的羊，是神建造里的活石，是葡萄树上的枝子，是基督身体上的肢体。虽然我们还是单个的人，但我们不该再过单独的生活，也就是说，不该单顾自己的兴趣、活动，和目标；反之，神巴望我们过团体的生活，有基督身体的感觉，顾念别人的事，关心教会的建造。所以，我们所经历的，不仅是恢复正常的基督徒生活，也是恢复正常的教会生活。
二、基督元首的地位
我们在教会生活中，需要尊崇基督元首的地位。我们是身体，祂是身体独一的头。无人无物可以僭夺基督元首的地位。凡是羞辱基督元首地位的制度、组织、带领，我们都无法容让。我们中间没有永久、职位、组织的带领。此外，也没有阶级制度。我们鼓励身体中所有的肢体，与元首有直接的交通，从祂接受生活行动上一切的指引。在基督和祂身体的众肢体之间，我们不承认有小头、有居间人。
三、交通
我们尊崇基督元首的地位，也享受基督身体的交通。我们确认，我们在基督里不该再过单独的生活。反之，我们极其重视身体上肢体之间的交通。我们何等享受在基督身体中流通的生命之流！我们见证这一个流、这一个交通，乃是有福的实际！
四、合一
在教会生活中，另一件要紧的事就是保守一。主在钉十字架以前祷告说，愿那些信祂的人合而为一，正如祂与父是一一样。所以，我们必须竭力保守基督身体独一的一。地方教会是当地所有的信徒在一的立场上所建造起来的，正是为着彰显这个一。我们必须顾到一，因此我们必须弃绝、憎恶所有的分裂。今天基督徒分门别类的光景实在羞辱主的见证！在教会生活中，我们为基督身体独一的一而站住。为了保持这一，我们信徒在一的立场上聚集，照着共同的信仰接纳所有的信徒，并追求在基督里长大，好叫我们能与祂同在父和父的荣耀里，在此我们就完完全全的合而为一了。我们相信，主在约翰福音第十七章的祷告要在地上得着答应，当我们完完全全合而为一的时候，世人就要相信并知道父差了子来。
五、彼此照顾
在教会生活的实行里，我们实际地照顾圣徒，就是基督里的信徒。我们乐意彼此担当重担、接待客旅、打开家庭作交通之用；也乐意在基督的名里，藉着爱心的服事，解决弟兄姊妹实际的需要。我们彼此鼓励、彼此挑旺、彼此供应生命，并且彼此建造。我们的教会生活不局限于会所的聚会，而是随时随地进行的。
六、良心
在教会生活里，我们也尊重别人的良心；这意思是说，所有相信基督的人都有自由照着各人的良心，以及藉着从神的话所得到神的光来跟随主。并没有外在的控制来塑造、操纵我们的日常生活，也无人有权力漠视我们的良心；没有压制，也没有强迫。反之，我们鼓励众人在神面前彻底对付各人的良心，并且对神对人保持无亏的良心。所以，我们顾到自己的良心，也顾到别人的良心。
七、聚会
教会生活乃是聚会的生活，所以我们通常一星期有好几次的聚会。对我们来说，聚会不是苦事，而是一种享受。在教会的聚会中，我们从主得着供应、教导、加力、激励、光照、感动、装备、建造，及托付。在正当的教会生活中，个人的基督徒生活和团体的聚会生活是平衡的。个人与主同在的时间不能取代聚会，聚会也不能取代个人的时间。我们乐意个人与祂相会，我们更享受团体与祂相会。我们见证，在教会的聚会中，当我们聚集在祂的名里，复活的基督的确与我们同在。
八、众肢体尽功用
在教会生活里，身体上的每一个肢体都能尽功用。我们的功用虽然不同，但我们都有功用，而且每一个肢体的功用都很可贵。我们绝对弃绝圣品与平信徒的制度，这是撒但的策略，要破坏基督身体上众肢体的功用。在地方教会中，我们没有圣品阶级，也没有平信徒；我们都是身体上的肢体，所有的肢体都有权照着自己的度量来尽功用。不仅如此，我们也没有牧师，没有清洁工，所有的圣徒都可以在聚会中分享，都可以有分于整洁服事。
问题
对我们的信仰和实行有兴趣的人，曾向我们题出了许多问题。以下列出其中的一些问题，以及扼要的答覆：
一、你们的教会叫什么名称？
地方教会没有名称，我们所持守、所尊崇惟一的名，就是主耶稣基督的名。教会采用别的名，乃是羞辱主。‘地方教会’不是一个名称，这是描述教会的地方性和显出，就是在一个地方的教会。若是用英文大写字母印出‘地方教会’，那就大错特错了，因为这样会叫人以为我们的名称是‘地方教会’。正如月亮就是月亮，不管它是在什么地方被人看见；照样，教会就是教会，不管她是建立在那一个地方。当教会建立在耶路撒冷，就是耶路撒冷的教会；（徒八1；）建立在安提阿，就是安提阿的教会。（徒十三1。）照样，今天在安那翰，教会实际的彰显就是安那翰的教会。我们是地方教会，在真正一的立场上奉主的名聚集。
二、谁带领你们？
我们惟一的带领人是基督。我们并没有官式、永久、组织化的带头人。此外，也没有任何阶级制度，没有普世的带领人。我们认为没有一个人是绝对正确的，我们并不盲目跟从什么人；反之，我们只随从那些按着神话语的真理来教导并实行的人。那些带头的不是辖管圣徒，而是在爱中牧养他们。照样，带头的人并不控制教会，而是基督的仆人，供应活的话，来服事圣徒。
三、你们的总部设在那里？
每一个地方教会在行政上是独立的，所以没有中央总部。我们不该以为有那一个特定的教会是带头的教会；所有的地方教会在主面前都有同等的地位。
四、你们在聚会中作些什么？
在聚会中，我们祷告、赞美、唱诗、作见证，并供应主的话。每个星期日有擘饼聚会，我们欢迎所有主的儿女都来与我们一同分享饼杯。教会的聚会是公开的，所有的信徒都可自由参加。
五、什么是祷读？
‘祷读’是复合的用词，描述我们用圣经的话来祷告。我们祷读主话，要享受话中所蕴含生命的素质，因而享受圣经作我们的食物。经过多年的经历，我们能作见证，因着祷读圣经中神的话，我们得了造就、加力，和灵感。但是我们祷读圣经，重复经上的话来向神祷告，意思并不是说，我们忽略了平常的读经，以及仔细研读神的话。
六、什么叫作吃主、喝主？
今天这个词冒犯了一些人，正如在主耶稣的时候，冒犯了那些宗教人士一样。主在约翰福音第六章说，我们若不吃祂的肉，不喝祂的血，就没有生命在我们里面；因为祂的肉是真食物，祂的血是真饮料。在我们的经历中，基督是救赎的羔羊和生命树；要凭祂而活，就需要享受祂作羔羊和生命树。不但如此，主也是我们的活水，我们喝祂，就有满足。所以，吃主、喝主，就是在灵里藉着神的话来接受祂作我们属灵的食物和饮料。
七、什么叫作‘神的经营’？
‘经营’这个词来自希腊文oikonomia，意思是家庭管理，也包含管家职分、行政、分赐，就是一种分配的过程。从全本圣经所启示神永远的旨意来看，神的经营就是指神圣的管理，要将祂自己分赐到我们里面，以产生并建造教会。
八、你们对‘三一’持着形态论的观点么？
当然不是！形态论是异端。形态论不是教导神格的三者-父、子、灵-永远并存，却宣称这不过是神圣本质暂时的显明。根据圣经，我们相信神在本质上是三而一，又是一而三的。当然，我们承认神格在永远里有‘三’的区别。不过，关于三一，我们不重在道理上对神本质的分析，而重在三一神分赐到我们里面，作我们的生命和一切。在关乎神的道理上，我们的正统决定于我们的教导是否合于神纯正的话语。人若在圣经的光中公平的来看我们对三一神的信仰，就会发现我们所信的既不是形态论，也不是三神论，我们所信的乃是根据神纯正的话语对三一神的启示。
九、你们教导‘人进化为神’么？
这种对我们的指控是完全不实，毫无根据的。我们是根据圣经教导说，神要将自己分赐到人里面，信徒因着被神的素质所浸透，就渐渐变化。我们是神的众子，有分于神的生命和性情，这件事实并不是说，我们成了神自己。不错，三一神已作到我们里面，我们也有分于祂的性情，但我们绝不会进化为神。
十、你们教导‘撒但在人的身体里’么？
人吃了善恶知识树的果子堕落了，撒但的性情│罪│就注入到人的身体里，使人的身体变成了肉体。人的堕落不仅仅是在身外有了过犯，也是在身内受了毒化和污染。根据罗马书第五章至第七章所说，罪实际上就是撒但的人格化，在我们的肢体里活动。所以可以说，撒但成为罪，住在人的肉体里。但这并不是说，在人以外，没有撒但客观的存在，因为圣经明说他是空中掌权者首领。不但如此，圣经也启示堕落的人是魔鬼的儿女，魔鬼是他们的父。（约壹三10，约八44。）作魔鬼的儿女就是有撒但的生命和性情。因着我们的肉体里有撒但的生命和性情，所以我们根据神的话就说，撒但以罪的形态住在人的肉体里面。
十一、地方教会的经济来源如何？
每一个地方教会都是由其成员甘心奉献而得着供给。地方教会的财务隶属于当地教会的行政，其他地方教会不负财务上的责任。地方教会的财务和行政都是独立自主的。我们鼓励众肢体照着从主所领受的托付，将奉献的事行在暗中，不要张扬。在聚会中我们不收取奉献款，也很少题及财物的事。我们有财务收支表可供众肢体查看。就财务而论，地方教会是以非营利宗教团体向政府正式登记的。
十二、你们对于那些有历史、有制度的基督教会存着怎样的态度？
我们是在历史的、组织的、制度化的基督教以外，因为我们认为基督教这一个体系，满了不合圣经的教训和作法。为了真正恢复圣经中所启示的教会生活，我们在地方真正一的立场上，在主的名里聚集。
十三、你们对其他的基督徒态度如何？
我们要特别说明，我们不相信也不教导，人必须在地方教会中才是真基督徒。我们承认在罗马天主教，在基督教的各宗各派和独立团体里面，有许多真正蒙主宝血洗净、由圣灵重生的信徒，我们在主里接纳他们为我们的弟兄和姊妹。我们欢迎所有对主耶稣有得救之信心的人，来参加我们所有的聚会，特别是擘饼聚会，和我们一同见证基督身体的一。虽然为着良心的缘故，我们必须在组织的宗教以外，但我们与基督里的弟兄姊妹并没有间隔。我们向主忠诚，为着主见证的缘故，站在教会独一的立场上。然而我们并不是存着狭窄、排斥、结党的灵来采取这立场；反之，我们是为着整个身体来站住立场；我们接纳所有的信徒，正如主接纳了我们一样。
十四、你们对政府的态度如何？
根据圣经所说，人间的政府是神所设立的，用以确保和平，维持秩序。为着良心的缘故，所有的基督徒都必须服从国家的权柄。所以我们服从政府当局，顺从他们，作国家的好国民。我们随时准备向神所设立的政府尽一切的义务。
见证的话
我们愿意作一点经历基督和实行教会生活的见证，作为结语。我们要对所有的人作见证：主吸引我们恢复对祂起初的爱，带领我们以祂自己作生命和一切。我们认识主耶稣是全然可爱的一位，是千万人中的至美。祂是宇宙中最美丽，最富吸引的一位，祂已得着我们的心，吸引我们热爱祂，奉献给祂。马利亚怎样将玉瓶打破，用香膏来膏主，我们也渴望将自己倾倒在祂身上。有一个教会的弟兄写了一首诗歌，其中一节将这种渴望表露得很贴切：
宝贝主，我将真哪哒香膏，
为你爱，欣然打破倾倒，
我的主，我前来膏你的头，
看哪，主，为你我献上好。
亲爱主，我甘愿为你枉费，
爱着你，我深处就满足。
为着你，贵重油我早豫备，
要将爱从心深处倒出。
我们要见证，我们的心不是被一种教导、一种作法、一种运动所夺。我们乃是被一位奇妙的人物│基督自己│所征服。最重要的是，我们愿意对神、对人、对空中执政的、掌权的作见证：这位可爱的主配得我们一切的所是和所有。我们首要的责任和呼召，就是彰显祂在我们里面的所是，以及祂向我们的所是，藉此来见证祂。愿主带领我们到一个地步，能和使徒保罗一同说：‘我活着就是基督！’随着享受这位追测不尽、包罗万有的基督，我们还有特权有分于实际教会生活的恢复。今天，靠着主的怜悯和恩典，主正带领我们回到起初，回到对基督的享受和教会生活的实行里。
在主恢复里的同工们启
The Beliefs and Practices of the Local Churches
PREFACE
Because an increasing number of people, both Christians and non-Christians, are seeking information concerning the local churches, we have prepared this booklet as a basic introduction to our beliefs and practices. As children of the light, we are thankful for this opportunity to bear public testimony to what we believe, teach, and practice. We have many other publications available on various important Scripture subjects, including the experience of Christ, regeneration, transformation, the growth in life, the church, the kingdom, the Triune God, the purpose of God, and the human spirit. We welcome all inquiries that spring from a sincere desire to know the truth. We want it to be known by all that the Christians in the local churches are absolute for the common faith and are the most orthodox of Christians. We have received the Lord Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior. He is living in us as our life, and He is everything to us. We love Him, we serve Him, and we are seeking to bring many others to a living knowledge of Himself. We are meeting together in various localities simply as blood-washed, born-again, Spirit-filled Christians without any denominational affiliation, because we seek to give testimony to the unity of the Body of Christ. We welcome all true believers, and we seek fellowship with them as our brothers and sisters in Christ. It is our sincere and earnest desire that the Lord’s testimony on this earth may be spread and greatly strengthened in order that His Bride may be prepared for His soon return. May the Lord honor and vindicate His own work on this earth in these days. OUR BELIEF
We believe that the Holy Bible is the complete divine revelation verbally inspired by the Holy Spirit. We believe that God is the only one Triune God-the Father, the Son, and the Spirit-co-existing equally from eternity to eternity. We believe that the Son of God, even God Himself, became incarnated to be a man by the name of Jesus, born of the virgin Mary, that He might be our Redeemer and Savior. We believe that Jesus, a genuine man, lived on this earth for thirty-three and a half years to make God the Father known to men. We believe that Jesus, the Christ anointed by God with His Holy Spirit, died on the cross for our sins and shed His blood for the accomplishment of our redemption. We believe that Jesus Christ, after being buried for three days, resurrected from the dead physically and spiritually and that, in resurrection, He has become the life-giving Spirit to impart Himself into us as our life and our everything. We believe that after His resurrection Christ ascended to the heavens and that God has made Him the Lord of all. We believe that after His ascension Christ poured down the Spirit of God to baptize His chosen members into one Body and that the Spirit of God, who is also the Spirit of Christ, is moving on this earth today to convict sinners, to regenerate God’s chosen people, to dwell in the members of Christ for their growth in life, and to build up the Body of Christ for His full expression. We believe that at the end of this age Christ will come back to take up His members, to judge the world, to take possession of the earth, and to establish His eternal kingdom. We believe that the overcoming saints will reign with Christ in the millennium and that all the believers in Christ will participate in the divine blessings in the New Jerusalem in the new heaven and new earth for eternity. STANDING
We stand on the Holy Scriptures, not according to any traditional interpretation, but according to the pure Word of God. We stand on Christ, the living rock, the foundation stone, the Head of the Body, and the life and reality of the church. We stand on the genuine unity of the Body of Christ. We are not sectarian, nor denominational, nor nondenominational, nor interdenominational. We stand on the ground of the oneness of all believers in each locality; we recognize all the blood-redeemed and Spirit-regenerated believers in Christ as members of the one church in each city. MISSION
To preach the gospel of grace and of the kingdom to sinners that they may be saved. To minister the life supply to believers that they may grow in Christ. To establish the church in each city that the believers may become a local corporate expression of Christ in practicality. To release the living and rich word of God from the Holy Scriptures that the believers may be nourished to grow and mature. To build up the Body of Christ so that the Bride may be prepared for the coming back of Christ as the Bridegroom. HOPE
We hope that as many as are ordained by God to eternal life will believe in the Lord Jesus. We hope that all regenerated Christians will seek the growth in life, not the mere increase of knowledge. We hope that all seeking Christians will see the vision of the church and come into the practical church life in their locality. We hope that the Lord will have a remnant of overcomers that His Bride may be prepared. We hope that the coming back of the Lord will be hastened by our growth and that we may participate in the blessed rapture and in His coming kingdom. CONCERNING THE RECOVERY
We in the local churches are for God’s recovery. A basic definition of what we mean by recovery is necessary for an accurate understanding of our testimony. The word “recover” means to obtain again something that has been lost, or to return something to a normal condition. “Recovery” means the restoration or return to a normal condition after a damage or a loss has been incurred. To say that God is recovering certain matters means that in the course of church history they have been lost, misused, or corrupted and that God is restoring them to their original state or condition. Because the church has become degraded through the many centuries of its history, it needs to be restored according to God’s original intention. Concerning the church, our vision is governed not by the present situation nor by traditional practice, but by God’s original intention and by His unchanging standard as revealed in His Word. We regard the New Testament revelation of the church not merely as a historical antecedent, but as the norm for church practice in the present day. God’s recovery did not begin in the twentieth century. Although it is difficult to fix an exact date for its beginning, it is convenient to set it at the time of the Reformation. The recovery has gone through several stages since the Reformation, passing through the partial recovery of the church life in Bohemia under the leadership of Zinzendorf, moving on to the unveiling of the many precious Bible truths through the Plymouth Brethren, and then going on to the genuine experience of the inner life. Now it has reached its present stage with the establishment of genuine local churches as the expression of the Body of Christ. In His recovery today the Lord is doing two things. He is recovering the experience of the riches of Christ, that is, the enjoyment of Christ as our life and our everything, and He is recovering the practice of the church life. These two matters go hand in hand, for the practical church life is the issue of the enjoyment of the riches of Christ. We in the Lord’s recovery today testify that Christ is unsearchably rich, that He is the all-inclusive One for our enjoyment. Furthermore, we testify that the Lord has burdened us for the practice of the church life according to the revelation of the pure Word of God. CONCERNING SALVATION
In Christ God has provided for man a full and complete salvation. This full salvation includes our whole being: spirit, soul, and body. In God’s salvation, man’s spirit is regenerated, his soul is being transformed, and his body will be transfigured. In order to be saved, one must have a living faith in the Person and work of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. Every genuinely saved one has what the Bible calls the “common faith” (Titus 1:4), which includes what we must believe in order to be saved: we must believe that the Bible is the complete divine revelation wholly inspired by God; that there is a unique Triune God, the Father, the Son, and the Spirit; that Jesus Christ is the Son of God incarnated to be a man; that Christ died on the cross for our sins, shedding His blood for our redemption; that on the third day He was bodily raised from the dead; that He has been exalted to the right hand of God and made the Lord of all; and that He is coming again for His own and to set up His kingdom on earth. Eternal salvation is by grace through faith, not by our works. In order to be saved, one must have a living contact with Jesus Christ. Therefore, in bringing unbelievers to salvation, we emphasize prayer and calling on the name of the Lord. According to Romans 10:9 and 10, if a man is to be saved, he must believe in his heart and confess with his mouth. Once a person has been saved, he may have both the assurance of salvation and the security of salvation. Once we are saved, we are saved forever. CONCERNING THE CHRISTIAN LIFE
REGENERATION: The Christian life begins with regeneration. To be regenerated is to be born of the Spirit in our spirit (John 3:6) through the redemption of Christ and thereby to have the life and nature of God imparted into our spirit. This makes our spirit alive with the very life of God. SEPARATION: The true Christian life requires a proper separation from this corrupt and evil world. This separation is not according to legalistic, man-made rules; it is according to the life and nature of the holy One who dwells within us. We are separated unto God by the redeeming blood of Christ, by the Holy Spirit, and in the name of the Lord Jesus. In order to live a proper Christian life, we must maintain such a separated position. Although we are not of the world, we nevertheless live a godly life in the world. CONSECRATION: The Christian life is a life of consecration. To be consecrated to the Lord means that we are utterly given to the Lord, not to do something for Him nor to become something, but to make ourselves available to Him as a living sacrifice so that He may work on us and in us according to His good pleasure. We consecrate to the Lord because we love Him and delight to belong to Him. We also recognize that we already belong to Him because He has purchased us with His precious blood. We in the local churches are living not for ourselves, but for God and for the fulfillment of His eternal purpose. LOVING THE LORD: In our Christian life we emphasize loving the Lord. Above all else, God desires that we love Him. We testify that our Lord Jesus Christ is the altogether lovely One, that He has won our -hearts, and that we love Him, not with a love of our own, but with the very love with which He first loved us. THE WORD OF GOD: The Bible occupies a very important place in our Christian life. All those in the local churches are encouraged to read the Word in a regular way, even to read it through once a year. We read the Word, we study the Word, and we take the Word by prayer as spiritual food. All teachings, inspirations, and guidance which claim the Holy Spirit as their source must be checked by God’s revelation in His Word. Although the Bible reveals the mind of God concerning so many, matters, to us the Bible is not primarily a book of doctrine; instead, it is mainly a book of life. We come to the Word not merely for knowledge, but, through a prayerful reading of the Scripture, to contact the Lord Jesus, who is Himself the living Word. PRAYER: The Christian life is also a life of prayer. In prayer we enjoy sweet, intimate personal communion with the Lord. By prayer we declare our dependence on God, our submission to Him, and our desire to cooperate with Him in the fulfillment of His purpose. All those in the local churches are encouraged to have a time of personal prayer every day. THE EXPERIENCE OF CHRIST: We have seen from God’s revelation in the Bible that the Christian life is actually Christ Himself living in us. For this reason, we lay great emphasis on the experience of Christ. According to the New Testament Epistles, Christ is revealed in us, is living in us, is being formed in us, is making His home in us, is being magnified in us, and is becoming all in all to us. Instead of imitating Christ according to an outward pattern, we seek to live out Christ and to live by Christ by allowing the indwelling Christ to occupy our whole inward being and to express Himself through us in our daily living. A CRUCIFIED LIFE: As genuine Christians, we are to live a crucified life. We are not ashamed of the cross of Christ, and we do not shrink back from following the Lord along the narrow pathway of the cross. If we would truly experience Christ and live by Him, we need to experience daily the subjective work of the cross in our lives. We have seen something of the ugliness of man’s fallen flesh in the eyes of God, and we agree with God’s judgment upon it. Moreover, we have seen that both the self and the natural man are opposed to God. Therefore, we welcome the inward working of the death of Christ so that we may experience Christ and live by Him in the riches of His resurrection life. NOURISHMENT: If we would live a normal Christian life, we need to be nourished daily with spiritual food and spiritual drink. For this reason, we emphasize the partaking of Christ as our spiritual food and drink. In the Spirit and through the Word, we enjoy Him as our life supply. As He Himself said, “He that eateth me, even he shall live by me” (John 6:57). The Lord is the living bread, the bread of life, and the bread of God who came down from heaven to give life to the world (John 6:33, 35, 51), and we are nourished by Him day by day. THE GROWTH IN LIFE: In the local churches we emphasize the fact that in the Christian life we should grow normally in life. We are not content to remain spiritual infants. The divine life, like the human life, must have a normal development leading to maturity. Therefore, as seekers of the Lord, we pursue the growth in life. We desire to be a full-grown man to express the Lord, to represent Him with His authority, and to engage in spiritual warfare to defeat His enemy. HUMAN LIVING: As Christians, we also live a normal human life, free from extremes and balanced in every way. We desire that our entire being, spirit, soul, and body, be maintained for the glory of God. We seek to express the humanity of Jesus in all our relationships and bear a worthy testimony of Him in all walks of human life: at home, at school, in our neighborhoods, and at our places of employment. To us, the Christian life cannot be divorced from our daily human life. We find that the more we grow in Christ, the more truly human we become, and the more we enjoy in a practical way the uplifted, transformed humanity of Jesus. THE SPIRIT: The Christian life is a life of walking according to the Spirit. To walk in the Spirit is to have our living and our being according to the Spirit. Therefore, we need to set our mind on the Spirit and put to death the practices of the body (Rom. 8:6, 13). When we walk according to the Spirit, all the righteous requirements of God are fulfilled in us spontaneously. Only by living in the Spirit and walking according to the Spirit will the divine things revealed in the Scriptures become real to us. Hence, to be a normal Christian we must know the Spirit, live in the Spirit, and walk according to the Spirit. TRANSFORMATION: Many Christians know of the regeneration of the spirit and the transfiguration of the body, but they neglect the crucial matter of the transformation of the soul. Nevertheless the Bible says, “Be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind” (Rom. 12:2). Therefore, we recognize the need to be dispositionally transformed in our souls by the inward working of the Spirit of life. As we are transformed, an inward change takes place in our very being. As our soul is permeated with the element of God, it is purified and sanctified. It can thereby fulfill its God-created function to express the Lord who dwells in our regenerated spirit. This transformation of the soul is intimately related to our readiness to meet the Lord at His coming. Those who would dwell in His holy and glorious presence must not merely be positionally sanctified, but be dispositionally transformed. This transformation requires the operation of the cross negatively and the working of the Spirit of life positively. TRANSFIGURATION: Finally, at the culmination of the Christian experience in life, our body will be transfigured and made like the Lord’s glorious body (Phil. 3:21). In the Bible this is called the redemption of the body, the fullness of sonship. Therefore, the Christian life begins with regeneration, passes through transformation, and consummates with the transfiguration of the body. CONCERNING THE CHURCH LIFE
A CORPORATE LIFE: By its very nature the Christian life, which is the living out of Christ as life from within us, is a corporate life. Many expressions in the New Testament confirm this: we are sheep in God’s flock, we are living stones in God’s building, we are branches in the vine, we are members of the Body of Christ. Although we remain individuals, as Christians we should no longer live individualistically, that is, caring only for our own interests, activities, and goals. On the contrary, God desires that we live a corporate life, conscious of the Body of Christ, mindful of the things of others, and concerned for the building up of the church. Therefore, we are experiencing a recovery not only of the normal Christian life, but also of the normal church life. THE HEADSHIP OF CHRIST: In the church life we all need to honor the headship of Christ. We are the Body, and He is the unique Head of the Body. No one and nothing can presume to usurp Christ’s headship. We cannot tolerate any system, organization, or leadership that insults the headship of Christ. Among us there is no permanent, official, organized leadership. Rather, all the members of the Body are encouraged to have direct fellowship with the Head and receive from Him all directions concerning their life and movements. We recognize no subheads, no intermediaries between Christ and the members of His Body. FELLOWSHIP: Even as we honor the headship of Christ, we also enjoy the fellowship of the Body of Christ. We recognize that, in Christ, we should no longer live in an individualistic way. On the contrary, we greatly value the fellowship among the members of the Body. How we enjoy the flow of life that circulates through the Body of Christ! We testify that this flow, this fellowship, is a blessed reality. ONENESS: Another vital concern in the church life is the keeping of the oneness. Before He was crucified, the Lord prayed that those who believe in Him would be one even as He and the Father are one. Therefore, we must diligently maintain the unique oneness of the Body of Christ, which is expressed in local churches established on the ground of oneness with all believers in a locality. We must care for the oneness; therefore, we must repudiate all division and abhor it. What a shame and a reproach to the testimony of the Lord is the divisive state of today’s Christians! In the church life, we stand for the unique oneness of Christ’s Body. In order to maintain this oneness, we meet as believers on the ground of oneness, we receive all believers according to the common faith, and we seek to grow in Christ so that we may be with Him in the Father and in the Father’s glory, where we are perfected into one. We believe that the Lord’s prayer in John 17 will be answered on earth and that as we are perfected into one, the world will believe and know that the Father has sent the Son. MUTUAL CARE FOR ONE ANOTHER: In the practice of the church life, we care for the saints, the believers in Christ, in a practical way. We delight to bear one another’s burdens, to extend hospitality to visitors, to open our homes for fellowship, and to meet the practical needs of the brothers and sisters through loving service in the name of Christ. We encourage one another, refresh one another, minister Christ as life to one another, and build up one another. Our church life is not limited to meetings in our place of meeting; it goes on all the time. THE CONSCIENCE: In the church life we also honor the conscience of others. This means that all the believers in Christ have the liberty to follow the Lord according to their conscience and in the light they have received from God through His Word. There is no external control molding and manipulating our daily lives, and there is no authoritarian disregard of our conscience. There is no coercion nor compulsion. Rather, all are encouraged to deal thoroughly with their conscience in the sight of God and
