Quote:
Originally Posted by Witness Lee
"The church is the reproduction of Christ. We can say this because the lampstand in Exodus was one, and the lampstands in Revelation are seven. The one lampstand has been reproduced. The unique lampstand in Exodus became a model, out of which came seven lampstands. The seven lampstands are exactly the same as the unique lampstand in essence, nature, shape, and in every respect...
To say that the church is the Body, the continuation, the enlargement, and the spreading of Christ is not enough. We all have to see that the church is an exact reproduction of Christ. Christ was the unique lampstand, and all the churches are the lampstands in the same essence, nature, model, shape, and function."(CWWL, 1975-1976, vol 2, The Church - the Reprint of the Spirit)
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Spiritually, all the churches are the same, since the corollary in Ephesians 4.4-6 provides us with further description:
There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to one hope when you were called; one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.
Thus, the Bible Baptist Church on the corner is absolutely identical "
in the same essence, nature, model, shape, and function" to the West Park Community Church on the next block because both churches gather in His name and have just "
one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to one hope when you were called; one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all."
Now the mosque around the corner is, of course, quite different, not holding onto any of these items. Who cares if one church leader is called "Pastor" or another "Brother" or even "Mr. Full-Timer" like the LC's. Who cares if one church has "holy communion" or another the "Lord's Supper" or even the "Lord's Table." Who really cares what names are used on the signboard if like Lee says, they are all identical "
in the same essence, nature, model, shape, and function."
The bottom line is simple -- if you can see differences with your eyes -- then they are by definition insignificant -- because the Revelations' lampstands are spiritual, and not physical. As Paul tells us so clearly in II Corinthians 4.18, "We do not focus our attention on the things which are seen, but the things which are not seen, for that which we see with our eyes is temporary, and that which is unseen is eternal."
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Also, this saying regularly quoted in the LC's about the 7 churches in Asia, that they are "
only different in negative things," is poppycock. Read the verses, the Lord praises each church for very different items.