X. NO HIDDEN CONNECTIONS WITH OTHER ORGANIZATIONS

In this section of chapter fourteen, Witness Lee comes to an essential test of the genuineness and purity of a local church. Witness Lee states that any hidden connection to another organization introduces mixture, causing such a group to fail the biblical test of the genuineness and purity of a local church. The book of Revelation presents the local churches as pure, golden lampstands as well as a crystal-clear city. The local churches must remain pure and transparent.

One other factor is a test of a genuine local church. There may be a Christian group that has no particular name, no particular fellowship, and no particular teaching. Their fellowship is universal, not isolated, and they do not have a separate administration. Although they pass all these tests, do not be quick to say that they are a true local church. It is still possible that this group has a hidden connection with another organization. They are like a kite in the air: someone on the ground is holding the string. How high the kite flies does not depend upon the kite; it depends upon the one holding the string. In the past we were cheated by people like this, and we suffered as a result. One group said, “We are exactly the same as you. We have no particular name, particular teaching, or particular fellowship. Our fellowship is universal, and we do not insist upon having a separate administration.” When we heard this, we thought it was wonderful. However, we eventually learned that this group was connected to an organization in England. The kite was flying in China, but the one who held the string was in England.

The church is a pure golden lampstand, but any group that has a hidden connection with another organization is not pure. Rather, it is cloudy, opaque. The church, on the contrary, must be transparent and crystal clear. The New Jerusalem is a transparent city. (194-195)