Ⅳ
Sanctification through the word of the truth results in oneness by dealing with the factors of division; truth sanctifies, and sanctification issues in oneness—John 17:14-24:
A
The Lord Jesus, the Son, is the truth; the Spirit is the Spirit of truth; and the Father’s word is the truth—1:14, 17; 14:6, 17; 17:17; 1 John 5:6:
１
The Father is embodied in the Son, the Son is realized as the Spirit of truth, and the Spirit is one with the Word—Col. 2:9; John 14:17; 16:13; Eph. 6:17-18.
２
Whenever we come to the Word with an open heart and an open spirit, we immediately touch both the Word and the Spirit as the truth.
B
The sanctifying word, the sanctifying Spirit, the sanctifying life, and the sanctifying God are all one; therefore, if we are being sanctified, we are one spontaneously because all the factors of division are taken away.
C
In John 17:17-23 we see that sanctification issues in the genuine oneness because this sanctification keeps us in the Triune God; verse 21 says, “That they all may be one; even as You, Father, are in Me and I in You, that they also may be in Us”:
１
In order to be one, we need to be in the “Us,” that is, in the Triune God.
２
The only way to be in the Triune God is by the sanctifying truth that deals with all the factors of division.
３
By being kept in the Triune God, we are one, but whenever we are out of the Triune God, we are divided immediately.
４
We need to contact the Lord every morning, touch the living Word, and have the divine reality infused into our being; as we contact the Lord in this way, the factors of division are overcome.
５
When the factors of division in us are put to death by the sanctifying truth, we are brought into the genuine oneness, for sanctification keeps us in the Triune God.
６
Sanctification through the word of the truth results in the oneness of the Body of Christ, which is the enlarged oneness of the Triune God—v. 21.
Ⅴ
There are four factors of division:
A
The first of these factors is worldliness; as long as we love the world in a certain aspect, that aspect of worldliness becomes a cause of division—vv. 14-16, 18; 1 John 2:15-17; 5:19.
B
Another cause of division is ambition; when we contact the Lord through the Word and allow Him to infuse Himself into us, the truth thus imparted into our being kills our ambition— cf. Isa. 14:13.
C
A third cause of division is self-exaltation; we should be willing to be nobody and to exalt Christ as the only Somebody, the One who has the universal preeminence—Col. 1:18; 2 Cor. 4:5; 3 John 9-11.
D
The fourth factor of division is opinions and concepts; we should not hold on to our opinion but simply pursue the Lord’s goal: the recovery of Christ as life and as everything for the building up of the church—Matt. 16:21-24; cf. Rev. 3:14.
Morning Nourishment
John 17:20-21 And I do not ask concerning these only, but concerning those also who believe into Me through their word, that they all may be one; even as You, Father, are in Me and I in You, that they also may be in Us; that the world may believe that You have sent Me.Sanctification through the word of truth results in oneness. The sanctifying word, the sanctifying Spirit, the sanctifying life, and the sanctifying God are all one. Therefore, if we are being sanctified, we can be nothing else but one. We are one spontaneously because all the factors of division are taken away. (CWWL, 1978, vol. 3, “Truth Messages,” p. 328)
Today’s Reading
The first of these factors is worldliness. As long as you love the world in a certain aspect, that aspect of worldliness becomes a cause of division. It separates you from the brothers and sisters…. Such worldliness is like a wolf.Another cause of division is ambition,… [which] is like a gopher that works underground in a hidden way to cause damage. Ambition undermines from within. We all must admit that we are ambitious. What can kill our ambition? Rebuking does not avail…. However,…when we contact the Lord through the Word and allow Him to infuse Himself into us, the truth thus imparted into our being kills our ambition…. DAY by day the sanctifying truth kills the element of ambition within us.
In John 17:17-23 we see that sanctification issues in the genuine oneness because this sanctification keeps us in the Triune God…. In order to be one we need to be in the “Us,” that is, in the Triune God. The only way to be in the Triune God is by the sanctifying truth that deals with all the factors of division. By being kept in the Triune God, we are one. But whenever we are out of the Triune God, we are divided immediately.
A third cause of division is self-exaltation, which usually accompanies ambition. Some people, however, are ambitious but do not seem to exalt themselves. Others are ambitious and are consumed with the desire to have preeminence and to be exalted. Such self-exaltation is like a serpent; it causes division among the saints. Therefore, in order to keep the genuine oneness, we must learn not to exalt ourselves.
If you are an elder or a leading one, you should not boast about this. Do not claim that you are somebody. It is better to be nobody…. If you want to be somebody, you should not come to the church, for this is not the place for you….In the Lord’s recovery everyone is brought low. But praise the Lord, we are willing to be nobody and to exalt Christ, who has the universal preeminence! Christ is the only Somebody. We like to be nobodies, because by being nobodies, we are truly one. In the crucified life self-exaltation is defeated…. In God’s economy the preeminence belongs to Christ alone! It pleases the Father to give Him the first place in all things (Col. 1:18).
The fourth factor of division is opinion and concept. Opinion is like a scorpion. We should not hold to our own opinion but simply pursue the Lord’s goal: the recovery of Christ as life and as everything for the building up of the church. Those who have been with me throughout the years can testify that I do not insist on anything except Christ as life and as everything to us for the church. We should all be for this, not for our opinions and concepts regarding other things.
The four factors of division—worldliness, ambition, self-exaltation, and opinion—can be dealt with only by the sanctifying truth. Do you think that if you contact the Lord every morning, touch the living Word, and have the divine reality infused into your being, you will still be divisive?… As we contact the Lord in this way, the factors of division are overcome. What I am sharing here is not a mere teaching; it is my own experience. When the factors of division in us are put to death by the sanctifying truth, we are brought into the genuine oneness, for sanctification keeps us in the Triune God. (CWWL, 1978, vol. 3, “Truth Messages,” pp. 328-331)
Further Reading: CWWL, 1978, vol. 3, “Truth Messages,” ch. 7