Assembly

Concise Bible Dictionary:

Besides the use of this word for any collecting together, “as the assembly of the wicked,” it has a special reference in the Old Testament to the children of Israel as “the assembly,” whether they were collected together or not. Several Hebrew words are used, some implying “an appointed meeting,” others a “calling together.” “The whole assembly of the congregation” were to eat the passover (Ex. 12:6), though each family ate it in its own house. They accused Moses of having brought them into the wilderness to kill the “whole assembly with hunger,” (Ex. 16:3); so in many places. When they were especially called together to the feasts it is often called a SOLEMN ASSEMBLY, as in Leviticus 23:36; Numbers 29:35; Deuteronomy 16:8; 2 Kings 10:20; 2 Chronicles 7:9; Nehemiah 8:18.

In the New Testament the word is also used for any gathering of people, as at the tumult in Ephesus (Acts 19:32,39,41). In James 2:2 The word “assembly” is really the synagogue, or place of meeting. In Hebrews 12:23 the words “GENERAL ASSEMBLY” should be joined to Hebrews 12:22, reading “and to the innumerable company of angels, the general assembly:” the word “and” dividing the subjects. The Greek word used in Acts 19:32 is ἑκκλησἰα, and this often occurs in the New Testament where it is translated “church.” It signifies “called out,” and the church is a people called out by God to Himself from the mass of mankind. The church may more accurately be designated by the word “assembly.” See CHURCH.

From Anstey’s Doctrinal Definitions:

The word translated "assembly" (“church” in the KJV) is “eccelsia” in the Greek. It means “called out ones,” and refers to those who have been called together for a purpose. It is mentioned once in connection with the children of Israel, who were a company of people called out of Egypt into a relationship with Jehovah. While they were in the wilderness on their way to the land of Canaan, Stephen called them “the assembly in the wilderness” (Acts 7:38). The word “assembly” is also used once in connection with a company of heathen Gentiles (unbelievers) who were called together to make a decision regarding their trade (Acts 19:32, 41).

Every other reference to the “assembly” in Scripture refers to a special company of persons who have believed the gospel and thus have received the Lord Jesus Christ as their Saviour—i.e. Christians. They have been “called out” from the mass of mankind into a special place of favour and blessing before God in relation to Christ, who is “the Head of the assembly” (Eph. 5:23). The term is used in two ways in connection with Christians:

• Firstly, to describe believers on the Lord Jesus universally. This involves all who will believe on Him and are sealed with the Holy Spirit, from the day of Pentecost to the Rapture (Matt. 16:18; Eph. 1:22; 5:25, 29, 32, etc.).

• Secondly, to describe believers on the Lord Jesus in their local setting (in a town or a city), functioning together as a company assembled for worship and ministry (Matt. 18:18; Acts 11:22; 13:1; Rom. 16:1, 5; 1 Cor. 1:2; Col. 4:15-16; 1 Thess. 1:1, etc.).

It is noteworthy that Scripture refers to the local aspect of the assembly far more often (about 90 times) than the universal aspect (about 20 times). Distinguishing these two aspects simply requires viewing the context of the passage wherein the term in found.

A common misunderstanding in connection with the local aspect of the assembly is to see it as being merely the sum total of all believers in a particular city or town. But this is not right; it would be making the local assembly to be merely a pared down version of the universal aspect. This faulty definition has led to the idea that there is nothing on earth today in any city or town that can be regarded as the local assembly, because the Church in testimony is in irreparably divided state. However, Scripture indicates that there can still be a local assembly in a city or town, even though all believers in that city or town are not present. The first reference to a local assembly in the Word of God clearly shows that it is those who have been Scripturally gathered to the Lord’s name by the Holy Spirit in a given city (Matt. 18:15-20). The Lord said that, in attempting to clear up problems that might threaten the unity of the saints, there may come a point when they would need to "tell it to the assembly," and thus apprise them of the difficulty. After speaking of the authority vested in the assembly to act administratively in the matter, if need be (Matt. 18:18-19), He went on to define what a local assembly is, saying, "For where two or three are gathered together unto My name, there am I in the midst" (Matt. 18:20). Clearly then, the local assembly is the saints gathered to His name. Even if it were but two or three so gathered, it would still be "the assembly" in a particular town or city.

When we look at the other references in Scripture that refer to the local assembly, we see that it is something that comes together and functions practically, regardless of whether all Christians in a given locality are there or not. It comes together to break bread (1 Cor. 11:18-26) and to be ministered to from the Word of God (1 Cor. 14:3-5). Scripture also indicates that the assembly is something that a Christian may not always be in (1 Cor. 14:18-19), and something that a person can actually be cast out of! (3 John 10) In fact, unbelievers could even be found in this aspect of the assembly! (1 Cor. 14:23-24) These things show that the local aspect of the assembly is different from the universal aspect. Hence, while the local assembly, in principle, embraces all true believers in a city or town, it may not involve all believers in that locality practically.

J. N. Darby said, "It is clear that the Christians of a certain place, being gathered together, were truly the assembly of that place, but it was not only the assembly that owned God, but that which God owned, and which enjoyed exclusively the privileges He could vouchsafe unto it, as being His assembly" (Collected Writings, vol. 1, p. 260). W. Kelly said, "Where there are but three meeting upon God's principles (that is, church ground), it is, if I may so say, church, if not the church. If there were three thousand real saints meeting, but not on God's principles, they would not be the church" (Lectures on Matthew, p. 327). Hence, while most Christians in a given city or town are not gathered to the Lord's name, those that are on the true ground of the assembly in that town or city are owned of God as such by the presence of Christ in their midst according to Matthew 18:20.

Having established this point, we hasten to say that it is certainly out of keeping with the whole character of Christianity for those gathered to the Lord's name to formally call themselves "the assembly" of such and such a place. How unfitting it would be in a day of ruin for those so gathered to proclaim that they are the assembly in a particular city or town, even though they may believe that they are truly on that ground morally. J. N. Darby said, "It is clear that if two or three are gathered together, it is an assembly, and if Scripturally assembled, an assembly of God; and if not, what else? If the only one in the place, it is the assembly of God in the place, yet I do object practically to taking the title, because the assembly of God in any place properly embraces all the saints in the one place; and there is a practical danger for souls in assuming the name, as losing sight of the ruin, and setting up to be something. ...but if there will be one such, and another is set up by man's will independent of it, the first only is morally in God's sight the assembly of God, and the other is not at all so, because it is set up in independency of the unity of the body" (Letters of J. N. Darby, vol. 1, p. 424).

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As to the time frame of the calling and forming of the assembly in its universal aspect, Scripture indicates that it began with the descent of the Holy Spirit from heaven on the day of Pentecost (Acts 2:1-4). It was a new "beginning" in the ways of God (Acts 11:15). It was not a revival in God’s dealings with Israel, as was the case in Hezekiah's and Josiah's day, but an entirely new thing in the ways of God. This new thing—the Church or Assembly—was formed by the baptism of the Holy Spirit (Matt. 3:11; Mark 1:8; Luke 3:16; John 1:33; Acts 1:5; 11:16; 1 Cor. 12:13). (See Baptism of the Holy Spirit.) Scripture clearly indicates that the Church was not in existence before that inaugural moment when the Spirit of God came to dwell in the believers gathered in the upper room. It, therefore, could not have existed in Old Testament times, nor could it have existed in the days of the Lord's earthly ministry. The following four points are proofs of this:

• CHRIST'S MINISTRY—In the days of the Lord's earthly ministry, He taught His disciples that He would build the Church at some future time. He said, "Upon this rock I will build My Church" (Matt. 16:18). Clearly, it was not in existence at that time.

• CHRIST'S DEATH—Ephesians 2:14-16 states that one of the things that characterizes the Church is that "the middle wall of partition" between believing Jews and Gentiles has been done away with, and the "enmity" that existed between them has been slain. This, Paul says, has been done in Christ's death on "the cross." This means that the Church could not have been in existence before Christ died.

• CHRIST'S RESURRECTION AND ASCENSION—Ephesians 1:20-23 and Colossians 1:18 indicate that before the Church could be brought into existence, Christ, who was destined to be its Head, first had to rise from the dead and ascend into heaven (John 7:39).

• CHRIST'S SENDING OF THE HOLY SPIRIT—1 Corinthians 12:13 states that the Church was formed by the coming of the Holy Spirit to dwell in this new company of believers. This did not happen until Pentecost.

The Church can be seen in Scripture in at least twelve different figures, depicting its various aspects. They are:

• A BODY—the oneness that exists among the members (Rom. 12:4-5; Eph. 4:1-16).

• A HOUSE—the public testimony of God’s character (1 Tim. 3:14-16; 1 Peter 2:5-9).

• A TEMPLE—the holy dwelling place of the Lord (Psa. 93:5; 1 Cor. 3:16-17; Eph. 2:21).

• A FLOCK—The divine gathering Center (Christ) (John 10:16; Acts 20:28; 1 Peter 5:2).

• A BRIDE—Christ’s love and affection for it (Eph. 5:26-31; Rev. 19:7-9; 21:2, 9).

• A WIFE—Heirship over the inheritance (Rom. 8:17; Rev. 19:7-9; 21:9).

• A TREASURE—The preciousness of each individual to Christ (Matt. 13:44).

• A PEARL—It’s value and collective beauty to Christ (Matt. 13:45-46).

• A HUSBANDRY—It’s service (1 Cor. 3:5-9).

• AN INN—It’s love and care for others (Luke 10:30-37).

• A CANDLESTICK—Local assembly privileges and testimony (Rev. 1:12, 20: 3:22).

• A CITY—It’s administration in the world to come (Rev. 21:9-22:5).