Serve in Oneness

It is not easy for Christians to understand what the real service is that we render to the Lord. The natural thought is that anything we do for the Lord is a service. The word service has even been damaged in Christianity today. People speak of the Lord’s Day morning meeting as a “service,” and in the evening they also have an “evening service.” What they mean by service is simply a Christian gathering. In the Bible, however, service has a much different meaning. The best portion to see the proper understanding of the service is in 1 Peter 2. Verse 5 says, “You yourselves also, as living stones, are being built up as a spiritual house into a holy priesthood.” In the original Greek of the New Testament, there are two words translated as “priesthood” in English. One word is used in Hebrews 7, referring to the priestly service, the service of the priests (vv. 11, 12, 24). The other, used in 1 Peter 2:5 and 9, refers not to the priestly service but to the group of priests, the priestly body. The spiritual house in verse 5 is the priesthood, the priestly body, and this priesthood is the spiritual house. Both the spiritual house and the holy priesthood are being built up. Verse 5 continues, “To offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.” To offer is to serve; the offering up of spiritual sacrifices is the real service. The true service which we render to the Lord is an offering by a built-up body of priests, and this built-up body is the spiritual house. By this we can see that the genuine, proper service depends upon the building. If there is no building, there can be no house, and if there is no house, there can be no priesthood. The building is the house, and the house is the priesthood, the priestly body.

Today we speak of “service groups” in the church. This is a good term. In the biblical language, the service groups are the priesthood. “Service group” is simply a modern way to refer to the classical, or scriptural, term priesthood.The service of arranging chairs is a chair-arranging priesthood, and the cleaning service group is a cleaning priesthood. We also have the junior high, nursery, and clerical priesthood. The word priesthood should remind us that our service groups are the building up of the priests. If we are not serving as priests in this way, what we have is not a service group. Those who arrange the chairs in the meeting hall are not merely chair arrangers; they are priests. This means that they not only arrange the chairs; they render a service to God. Chair arranging is not their business, duty, or service. Their service is something holy and spiritual. In itself, chair arranging is not holy or spiritual; it is not a service. Our chair arranging is different. It is a holy and spiritual service rendered to God.

The first test of our service is whether we are serving as priests. The second test is whether we are serving as individual priests or as the “hood,” the corporate priesthood. Those who arrange the chairs are priests, but this is not enough. They should serve not as individual priests but as the priesthood. Priests are many, but the priesthood is one and unique. In the service groups there is only one priesthood, which is composed of the many priests. This implies the building up. The genuine service in the church has the nature of being priestly and of being built up. If our service is not of this nature, it is not genuine; it is a counterfeit and an imitation. Our service is a priesthood.

form: “Serving in Oneness as the Holy Priesthoold to be Built Up as a Spiritual House” by Bro. Lee. Available at lsm.org

 

Turn, Turn; Why Will You Die?

Man is on the pathway of death. The fall of the first ancestor of the mankind brought man to the way of death. Since that time, the entire human race has been on the pathway of death. as soon as a man is born, he is on the way of death. Hence, man’s life, from beginning to end, is on the pathway of death.

Death means: to depart from God, turn your back on God, be inclined to sin and evildoing  and yet have no feeling. Even if there is some feeling, it will be too feeble to stop you from what you are doing. This is the meaning of death, and these are also the conditions of death.

 Ezekiel 18:23

“Do I take pleasure in the death of the wicked, declares the Lord Jehovah; therefore turn and live.”

The result of walking on the way of death. Death comes from sin. Death also leads to judgement and hell. If a man is walking on the pathway of death, he will eventually be led to judgement and hell.

“There is a death waiting for everyone who is walking on the pathway of death, and this death will be a final verdict, forever.”

The call of God’s love. Although man is not thinking about God, God is thinking of man. Man forgets God, but God remembers man. God’s love causes Him to call those who are walking on the pathway of death. You have totally forgotten about God, but today He is calling you: “Turn, turn; why will you die?”. When you are in darkness, doing evil things, dancing, playing cards, or even trying to commit suicide, He will be calling you again and again: “Turn, turn; why will you die?”

This calling will continue throughout your lifetime, until you receive Him. Maybe at that time you are about to die, He will be still calling you:  “Turn, turn; why will you die?”

How to turn? To turn is to receive God’s call of love. To repent and confess your sins. And to pray and receive Jesus as your Savior.

 2 Peter 3:9

“The Lord does not delay regarding the promise, as some count delay, but is long suffering toward you, not intending that any perish but that fall advance to repentance.”

Take note: It is easier for those who are hearing the gospel for the first time to be saved.