Question:
How can we say that there is only one group of Christians who are properly gathered on divine ground, and they only have the Lord in their midst, when there are many godly and devoted Christian groups who meet with sincere motives? It sounds extremely bigoted and sectarian.
Answer:
To teach that the Spirit of God has a gathering center on earth today in Christianity—a place where the Lord has put His name and that the Spirit of God is gathering people there—is probably the most hated point in all these questions that people raise. It may sound bigoted and sectarian, but when you weigh what Scripture teaches in regard to the truth of gathering, the only honest conclusion that one arrives at is that there could only be one divinely owned center of gathering on earth.
In order to answer this question properly, we really need to go back and look at some of the basic principles involved in God's order for Christians gathering together for worship and ministry.
God Desires His People to Be One in Testimony
First of all, the Word of God tells us that it is God’s PLAN in Christianity to “gather together in one the children of God that were scattered abroad” (John 11:51-5251And this spake he not of himself: but being high priest that year, he prophesied that Jesus should die for that nation; 52And not for that nation only, but that also he should gather together in one the children of God that were scattered abroad. (John 11:51‑52)), and that there would be “one flock” (John 10:1616And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd. (John 10:16)). Before going to the cross, the Lord prayed to that end, saying, “Holy Father, keep through Thine own Name those whom Thou hast given Me, that they may be one, as We are.” And again, “ ... that they all may be one; as Thou, Father, art in Me, and I in Thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that Thou hast sent Me” (John 17:11, 2111And now I am no more in the world, but these are in the world, and I come to thee. Holy Father, keep through thine own name those whom thou hast given me, that they may be one, as we are. (John 17:11)
21That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me. (John 17:21)). While these verses in John’s gospel do not directly speak of the truth of the oneness of the body of Christ, but rather, of the oneness in the family of God, they clearly show that God’s desire for His people is that they would be found together in a visible unity on earth.
The Lord first revealed His thoughts of a manifested practical unity among His people in the church in Matthew 18:2020For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them. (Matthew 18:20). It says, “For where two or three are gathered together in [unto] My name, there am I in the midst of them.” He did not want His people to be merely “gathered” where He was in the midst, but to be “gathered together.” Thus, the Lord was indicating that all whom the Spirit of God gathered unto His name, wherever they might be on earth, would be “together” in a visible unity. He did not mean that they should be gathered together in one place geographically (as it was in Judaism—at Jerusalem), but that they would act together in the various localities where the Spirit has gathered them, so as to give a universal expression to the fact that they are one.
Now you might think that I am seeing more in this word “together” than what the Spirit of God intended, and it’s true that if we had only this verse (Matt. 18:2020For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them. (Matthew 18:20)) on the subject of gathering, we might not have grounds to say it. But when we turn to the book of the Acts and to the epistles, and we interpret this Scripture in the light of the whole tenor of the Christian revelation, we can see that the Lord was indicating the truth of the church’s oneness in testimony. It is only hinted at in Matthew 1820For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them. (Matthew 18:20) because the disciples did not have the Spirit yet, and they wouldn’t be able to take in the truth of it (John 14:25-26; 16:1225These things have I spoken unto you, being yet present with you. 26But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you. (John 14:25‑26)
12I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now. (John 16:12)). The Lord did this on many occasions in His ministry, giving but the seed of a certain truth, and then leaving it to be developed through the apostles when the Spirit came.
As the gospel reached many lands and many were converted, there would naturally be many gatherings spread over the earth, but the Lord intended that they would still be one in fellowship and testimony. This is seen in the Apostle Paul’s remark to the Thessalonians: “For ye, brethren, became followers of the churches of God which in Judea are in Christ Jesus” (1 Thess. 2:1414For ye, brethren, became followers of the churches of God which in Judea are in Christ Jesus: for ye also have suffered like things of your own countrymen, even as they have of the Jews: (1 Thessalonians 2:14)). The Lord did not intend for His people to be in independent groups, but that there would be one flock—one universal fellowship of saints on earth. This is the fellowship to which all Christians are called (1 Cor. 1:99God is faithful, by whom ye were called unto the fellowship of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord. (1 Corinthians 1:9)).
God Has a Ground on Which He Gathers Christians
Secondly, the Scriptures tell us that God has a PLACE—an ecclesiastical ground—on earth, “where” He would have Christians gathered to express the truth that there is one body. This gathering Center is Christ Himself. The same verse I quoted (Matthew 18:2020For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them. (Matthew 18:20)) says, “For where two or three are gathered together in [unto] My name, there am I in the midst of them.” As mentioned, this place of gathering in Christianity is not a literal geographic center, but a spiritual ground involving Scriptural principles having to do with how Christians are to meet together for worship and ministry. Those on that ground are not gathered to principles, but to a Person—the Lord Jesus Christ.
This gathering center is a place of the Lord’s choosing, where He has set His name and where He gathers believers. Note: this verse says, “where”—not “wherever”—as some Christians would like to read it. Many think that this verse is simply saying that whenever and wherever a group of Christians get together—whether it is for a cup of coffee at a local coffee shop, or for some recreational purpose, etc.—they have the collective presence of the Lord with them. Now it is true that when Christians get together for whatever purpose they have in mind, that the Lord’s presence is with them individually, for He said, “Lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world” (Matt. 28:2020Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen. (Matthew 28:20)). And, “I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee” (Heb. 13:55Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee. (Hebrews 13:5)). But that is not what this verse in Matthew 18:2020For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them. (Matthew 18:20) is speaking about. There is a difference in Scripture between the Lord’s presence with His people individually, and the Lord’s presence with a company of believers collectively, as gathered in assembly for worship, ministry, and to make binding administrative actions. This latter collective aspect is what Matthew 1820For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them. (Matthew 18:20) is referring to.
Context is everything in Bible interpretation. If we look at the chapter (Matthew 18), we’ll see that in the verses leading up to verse 20, the Lord was speaking of the assembly in its administrative capacity in making binding actions. The chapter has to do with the authority the local assembly has for such actions, because the Lord Himself is in the midst. The Lord is there in the midst sanctioning the very existence of those gathered by the Spirit unto His name, and also its administrative actions. Having said that, I hasten to say that the Lord’s presence in the midst of those whom He has gathered does not sanction their state—for it may be terribly low—but the ground on which they meet. “Wherever,” makes it a place of our choosing; “where”—which is what Scripture says—makes it a place of His choosing. This is why it is often called, “the place of His appointment.”
Luke 22:7-107Then came the day of unleavened bread, when the passover must be killed. 8And he sent Peter and John, saying, Go and prepare us the passover, that we may eat. 9And they said unto him, Where wilt thou that we prepare? 10And he said unto them, Behold, when ye are entered into the city, there shall a man meet you, bearing a pitcher of water; follow him into the house where he entereth in. (Luke 22:7‑10) establishes this same point; there is a place on earth (a spiritual ground) “where” God would have believers to gather. The Lord Jesus was about to institute the Lord’s Supper—the breaking of bread (Luke 22:19-2019And he took bread, and gave thanks, and brake it, and gave unto them, saying, This is my body which is given for you: this do in remembrance of me. 20Likewise also the cup after supper, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood, which is shed for you. (Luke 22:19‑20); 1 Cor. 10:16-17; 11:23-2616The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the communion of the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, is it not the communion of the body of Christ? 17For we being many are one bread, and one body: for we are all partakers of that one bread. (1 Corinthians 10:16‑17)
23For I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered unto you, That the Lord Jesus the same night in which he was betrayed took bread: 24And when he had given thanks, he brake it, and said, Take, eat: this is my body, which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of me. 25After the same manner also he took the cup, when he had supped, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood: this do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of me. 26For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do show the Lord's death till he come. (1 Corinthians 11:23‑26)), and He desired that His disciples would do so in the place of His choosing. Things in Israel at that time were in disarray and there was much corruption—from the chief priests and the elders down to the common people. As a result, the Lord was not recognized as their Messiah. In fact, they were preparing to kill Him! (Luke 22:22And the chief priests and scribes sought how they might kill him; for they feared the people. (Luke 22:2)) The people went on with keeping the Passover, but they were rejecting Him who was the fulfillment of the Passover. Hence, there were many houses in Jerusalem that night in which the feast was kept, but there was only one room where the Lord was present—the place that He had appointed for His disciples. Similarly, Christendom is in disarray, and as a result, there are many places where Christians meet today, but the Lord is not there in a collective sense to sanction that ground upon which they meet.
Hebrews 13:1313Let us go forth therefore unto him without the camp, bearing his reproach. (Hebrews 13:13) tells us that this place of the Lord’s appointment—where He is in the midst—is “outside the camp.” The “camp” is a word the Spirit of God uses to denote Judaism and all of its Judaistic principles and practices. Christians generally have missed this point and have carried many things connected with Jewish worship into their places of worship. They have ignored the plain teaching of Scripture which says that the tabernacle is a figure of the true sanctuary into which we now have access by the Spirit (Heb. 9:8-9, 23-248The Holy Ghost this signifying, that the way into the holiest of all was not yet made manifest, while as the first tabernacle was yet standing: 9Which was a figure for the time then present, in which were offered both gifts and sacrifices, that could not make him that did the service perfect, as pertaining to the conscience; (Hebrews 9:8‑9)
23It was therefore necessary that the patterns of things in the heavens should be purified with these; but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these. 24For Christ is not entered into the holy places made with hands, which are the figures of the true; but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us: (Hebrews 9:23‑24)). Instead, they have used it as a pattern for their church organizations. They have erected great temples and cathedrals “made with men’s hands” (Acts 17:24-2524God that made the world and all things therein, seeing that he is Lord of heaven and earth, dwelleth not in temples made with hands; 25Neither is worshipped with men's hands, as though he needed any thing, seeing he giveth to all life, and breath, and all things; (Acts 17:24‑25)), borrowing many things from the Old Testament in a literal sense as a pattern for their worship. To a large degree, they have missed the fact that the true Christian ground of gathering and worship is an entirely new way of approaching God “in spirit and in truth” (John 4:23-2423But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him. 24God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth. (John 4:23‑24); Heb. 10:19-2019Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus, 20By a new and living way, which he hath consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh; (Hebrews 10:19‑20)). It is totally outside of Judaistic principles and practices. Anyone looking for this place of the Lord’s appointment would have to look away from all such places in Christendom—whether it is St. Peter’s in Rome, or the smallest evangelical chapel, because those places all have the trappings of Judaism woven into the fabric of their worship services in varying degrees.
First Corinthians 10:21 tells us that there is such a thing as “the Lord’s table.” It is not a literal table that brethren have in their meeting rooms on which they have the emblems for the Lord’s Supper. It is, rather, a symbolic term that denotes this ground upon which the Spirit of God gathers believers unto the name of the Lord Jesus. It is where the unity of the body is exhibited, and where Christ is in the midst. A “table” in Scripture symbolizes fellowship. In the case of the Lord’s table, it symbolizes the true ground of fellowship God has for all Christians, where the Lord’s authority is recognized and bowed to. This is why it is called “the Lord’s” table.
There is a type of this truth of a divine gathering center in Deuteronomy 124Ye shall not do so unto the Lord your God. (Deuteronomy 12:4), which I alluded to earlier. The Lord had a place in which He gathered His people, Israel. “There shall be a place which the LORD your God shall choose to cause His name to dwell there” (vs. 11). The children of Israel were to “bring” their offerings and sacrifices there (Deut. 12:5-65But unto the place which the Lord your God shall choose out of all your tribes to put his name there, even unto his habitation shall ye seek, and thither thou shalt come: 6And thither ye shall bring your burnt offerings, and your sacrifices, and your tithes, and heave offerings of your hand, and your vows, and your freewill offerings, and the firstlings of your herds and of your flocks: (Deuteronomy 12:5‑6)), hold their yearly feasts there (Deut. 16:2, 6, 11, 15-162Thou shalt therefore sacrifice the passover unto the Lord thy God, of the flock and the herd, in the place which the Lord shall choose to place his name there. (Deuteronomy 16:2)
6But at the place which the Lord thy God shall choose to place his name in, there thou shalt sacrifice the passover at even, at the going down of the sun, at the season that thou camest forth out of Egypt. (Deuteronomy 16:6)
11And thou shalt rejoice before the Lord thy God, thou, and thy son, and thy daughter, and thy manservant, and thy maidservant, and the Levite that is within thy gates, and the stranger, and the fatherless, and the widow, that are among you, in the place which the Lord thy God hath chosen to place his name there. (Deuteronomy 16:11)
15Seven days shalt thou keep a solemn feast unto the Lord thy God in the place which the Lord shall choose: because the Lord thy God shall bless thee in all thine increase, and in all the works of thine hands, therefore thou shalt surely rejoice. 16Three times in a year shall all thy males appear before the Lord thy God in the place which he shall choose; in the feast of unleavened bread, and in the feast of weeks, and in the feast of tabernacles: and they shall not appear before the Lord empty: (Deuteronomy 16:15‑16)), and have their problems resolved by the priests, Levites, and judges who were there (Deut. 17:88If there arise a matter too hard for thee in judgment, between blood and blood, between plea and plea, and between stroke and stroke, being matters of controversy within thy gates: then shalt thou arise, and get thee up into the place which the Lord thy God shall choose; (Deuteronomy 17:8)). It is significant, however, that in all of the many references in Deuteronomy to the place of the Lord’s choosing, we are not told where it is. As Israel’s history unfolds in the pages of the Word of God, we learn that it was Jerusalem (Psa. 78:6868But chose the tribe of Judah, the mount Zion which he loved. (Psalm 78:68); 1 Kings 11:13, 32, 36; 12:20; 14:21; 15:413Howbeit I will not rend away all the kingdom; but will give one tribe to thy son for David my servant's sake, and for Jerusalem's sake which I have chosen. (1 Kings 11:13)
32(But he shall have one tribe for my servant David's sake, and for Jerusalem's sake, the city which I have chosen out of all the tribes of Israel:) (1 Kings 11:32)
36And unto his son will I give one tribe, that David my servant may have a light alway before me in Jerusalem, the city which I have chosen me to put my name there. (1 Kings 11:36)
20And it came to pass, when all Israel heard that Jeroboam was come again, that they sent and called him unto the congregation, and made him king over all Israel: there was none that followed the house of David, but the tribe of Judah only. (1 Kings 12:20)
21And Rehoboam the son of Solomon reigned in Judah. Rehoboam was forty and one years old when he began to reign, and he reigned seventeen years in Jerusalem, the city which the Lord did choose out of all the tribes of Israel, to put his name there. And his mother's name was Naamah an Ammonitess. (1 Kings 14:21)
4Nevertheless for David's sake did the Lord his God give him a lamp in Jerusalem, to set up his son after him, and to establish Jerusalem: (1 Kings 15:4), etc.). It is not mentioned in Deuteronomy because the Lord wanted His people to be exercised about seeking it out when they came into the land. Similarly, in Christianity, none of the passages that we have seen in the New Testament tell us where that place is—it is for each Christian to be exercised about. This is illustrated in Peter and John asking the Lord, “Where wilt Thou that we prepare?” (Luke 22:99And they said unto him, Where wilt thou that we prepare? (Luke 22:9)).
There is a Divine Gatherer Who Leads Believers to the Place of God’s Appointment
Having established from Scripture that God’s PLAN is to gather together the people of God on one ground, and that He has a PLACE where He would have them to be together, Matthew 18:2020For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them. (Matthew 18:20) indicates that He has the POWER to do it. There is a divine Gatherer who leads exercised believers to that place of His appointment—the Holy Spirit.
Who else could the Lord entrust with the gathering of His people together unto His name, but the Spirit of God? While the Spirit is not directly mentioned in this passage, it is clear that He is the divine Gatherer. This is seen in the words, “are gathered together.” The Lord did not say, “Where two or three come together” or “meet together,” as some modern translations render it. “Are gathered” is a passive voice, and this points to the fact that there has been a gathering power outside of the people themselves that has been involved in their meeting together on that ground. This shows that the divine ground of gathering is not a voluntary association of believers. It’s true that there should be personal exercise and energy on the part of those who are gathered by the Spirit to be found there at the place where Christ is in the midst, but ultimately, He is the One who gathers.
The truth of the Spirit’s work in Matthew 18:2020For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them. (Matthew 18:20)—depicted in the words “are gathered”—has been hotly contested. Some who are quite ignorant have tried to tell us that it is only brethren of recent years who teach that these words refer to the work of the Holy Spirit, implying that it is a new idea. This simply is not true. Writings from men of the 19 th century—such as, C. H. Mackintosh, F. G. Patterson, J. A. Trench, etc.— have taught that the words, “are gathered,” do indeed refer to the work of the Holy Spirit. Many more from the 20th century have taught the same. For instance, Hamilton Smith said, “To use a simple illustration, I see a basket of fruit on the table. How did it get there? It was gathered together; it did not get there by its own efforts. The word for ‘gathered together’ in the Greek is ‘sunago,’ which literally means ‘to lead together,’ and could be translated, “are guided together”—all of which suggests a Gatherer.”
Some have tried to go into the Greek text to prove that "are gathered" is not a reference to the Spirit's work. However, as H. Smith has shown, the Greek does support it. Strong’s states that the word “sunago” (#4863) means “to lead together” or “to collect.” Vines states that “sunago” means “to gather or bring together” (p. 482).
J. N. Darby said, “He [Christ] is the only centre of gathering. Men may make confederations amongst themselves, having many things for their object or aim, but the communion of saints cannot be known unless each line converges towards the living Centre. The Holy Ghost does not gather saints around mere views, however true they may be, upon that which the church is, upon that which it has been, or that which it may be on earth, but He always gathers them around that blessed Person, who is the same yesterday, to day, and forever. ‘Where two or three are gathered together in [unto] My name, there am I in the midst of them.’”
Luke 22:7-107Then came the day of unleavened bread, when the passover must be killed. 8And he sent Peter and John, saying, Go and prepare us the passover, that we may eat. 9And they said unto him, Where wilt thou that we prepare? 10And he said unto them, Behold, when ye are entered into the city, there shall a man meet you, bearing a pitcher of water; follow him into the house where he entereth in. (Luke 22:7‑10) supports the fact that there is a divine Gatherer. It says, “When ye are entered into the city, there shall a man meet you, bearing a pitcher of water: follow him into the house where he entereth in.” The Spirit of God is seen here in the figure of “a man” bearing a pitcher of water. Many times, in Scripture, the Spirit of God is seen as an unnamed man working behind the scenes. This is because it is not the object of the Spirit of God to draw attention to Himself (John 16:13-1413Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will show you things to come. 14He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall show it unto you. (John 16:13‑14)), and it’s the reason why He is not directly mentioned in Matthew 18:2020For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them. (Matthew 18:20). He does not take a place of prominence in Christianity, but works behind the scenes guiding exercised souls to that Scriptural ground where Christ is in the midst of those thus gathered. In this case, He led the disciples to the place of the Lord’s appointment where they could be with Him for the supper. “Water,” in Scripture, often signifies the Word of God (Eph. 5:2626That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, (Ephesians 5:26)). Thus, we learn that the Spirit of God uses the principles of the Word of God to guide believers to the place of the Lord’s appointment.
The best-intentioned men have sought to gather the Lord’s people together and have made a thorough mess of it. Being ignorant of the truth of gathering in the Scriptures, they have shunted believers into man-made denominational sects and groups and have encouraged them to go to “the church of their choice.” The result is that Christians have been scattered in a thousand directions. This surely is not the work of the Holy Spirit.
The Logical Scriptural Conclusion
Now let’s put these things together and let the Scriptures give us the answer.
Firstly, God desires that all Christians would be together in one practical testimony, even though they may be in many different locations on earth.
Secondly, God has a place and a way—an ecclesiastical position or ground—where He would have Christians express that unity in meeting together for worship and ministry, and for administrative actions.
Thirdly, there is a divine Gatherer (the Spirit of God) who exercises believers about these Scriptural principles of gathering and leads them to that place of the Lord’s appointment.
The only logical conclusion that we can draw from these principles is that the Lord’s presence (in the collective sense of which we have been speaking—Matt. 18:2020For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them. (Matthew 18:20)) could only be in one place. If this is true, then He couldn’t be in every place where Christians gather—even though they may be well meaning. It is quite simple; if the Lord gave His presence to the many places where Christians meet in the way in which we have been speaking, He would be condoning those false positions. The respected Bible teacher, Mr. W. Potter, said, “Suppose the Lord gave His presence now to the different denominations, what would He be doing? He would be sanctioning what is contrary to Him. He can’t do that.” Mr. Potter also said, “You don’t mean to imply that the Lord is not in the midst of any others in the same sense? Decidedly He is not.”
Now this may sound extremely narrow and exclusive, but if you are honestly seeking the truth, you don’t want to argue with the Word of God. Remember, these are not my ideas; it’s the only sober conclusion that Scripture leads us to. If you think that the truth of gathering is too exclusive, let me ask you this: “How many ways are there to get saved?” One. Would you say, “Oh, that’s so exclusive; it’s so narrow; I can't accept that?” No, you wouldn't because you know that it’s the truth. The very nature of Christianity is exclusive; there is only one way to be born again, only one way to be justified, and only one way to be reconciled, etc. All I can say is that you had better get used to the exclusivity of Christianity, because it is, so to speak, "the nature of the beast." The whole Christian revelation of truth is exclusive, and we don’t make apologies for the truth—it is what it is.
Now, if we think that Christians who come together for worship and ministry in their various divisions in Christendom have been led by the Spirit to do so (as stated in Matthew 18:2020For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them. (Matthew 18:20)), then we are really saying that the Spirit of God is the Author of those divisions. If that is so, then He is to blame for the divided state in the Christian testimony! Surely no sober Christian would charge the Spirit of God for creating the sad and divided state of the Church’s public testimony. Hamilton Smith said, “Is the Holy Spirit gathering all the various divided and independent companies who seek to appropriate this promise [in Matt. 18:2020For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them. (Matthew 18:20)]? Such an assumption necessarily involves placing the blame for the existing deplorable and Christ-dishonouring divisions and independency upon the Holy Spirit. Are these multi-centers seen in the professing Church due to the work of ‘the Spirit of Truth’ who came to glorify Christ? Far be the thought!”
Someone might say, “But you’re teaching that there is only one right group of Christians, and all the others are wrong. It sounds like you think that you’re the only right ones!” But wait a minute; I didn’t say that. I’m saying that Scripture teaches that there is a divine ground of gathering—only one ecclesiastical position on earth that the Lord sanctions with His presence. I didn’t SAY that those with whom I fellowship are on that ground, though I BELIEVE that the Spirit of God has led us to that place. The truth of gathering is not about the people; it’s about the Lord having a gathering center. There is always a danger of shifting the focus from the Lord in the midst, to the people whom the Spirit of God has gathered there, and then, saying that they have the Lord’s table. This is a mistake; our focus should be on Christ in the midst. Remember, our gathering together is “unto Him” (Heb. 13:1313Let us go forth therefore unto him without the camp, bearing his reproach. (Hebrews 13:13)).
God’s way to produce unity among His people has always been to establish a gathering point (center) to which His people would rally.
In Old Testament times the Lord had a place where His presence would be, to which His people were to come (Deut. 12:5-75But unto the place which the Lord your God shall choose out of all your tribes to put his name there, even unto his habitation shall ye seek, and thither thou shalt come: 6And thither ye shall bring your burnt offerings, and your sacrifices, and your tithes, and heave offerings of your hand, and your vows, and your freewill offerings, and the firstlings of your herds and of your flocks: 7And there ye shall eat before the Lord your God, and ye shall rejoice in all that ye put your hand unto, ye and your households, wherein the Lord thy God hath blessed thee. (Deuteronomy 12:5‑7)),
In each dispensation the center is always the Lord Himself. For sake of illustration, suppose there was a giant spoked wheel where the Lord was at the hub of the wheel and each believer was sitting on a spoke out by the rim. In that position each believer would be at some distance from each other and the Lord. But if each person were to slide down the spoke he or she was sitting on toward the hub, the closer they would get to it the closer they would be to one another. So it is in the ways of God; He produces unity among His people by establishing a gathering point to which He gathers His people.
Sad to say, there may be some among the gathered saints who have had somewhat of an arrogant spirit and have given the impression that we are “the only right ones.” This only proves that it’s possible to be in a right position (ecclesiastically), but in a wrong condition (spiritually). As mentioned earlier, pride of position is one of the reasons why the Lord has reduced His people at the divine center numerically (Zeph. 3:10-1110From beyond the rivers of Ethiopia my suppliants, even the daughter of my dispersed, shall bring mine offering. 11In that day shalt thou not be ashamed for all thy doings, wherein thou hast transgressed against me: for then I will take away out of the midst of thee them that rejoice in thy pride, and thou shalt no more be haughty because of my holy mountain. (Zephaniah 3:10‑11)). But it doesn’t change the fact that God has a gathering center; it just means that some of those at the center may be in a wrong state, and they could be sifted out.
God would have us to act on our convictions as led by the Lord. “Let every man be fully persuaded in his own mind” (Rom. 14:55One man esteemeth one day above another: another esteemeth every day alike. Let every man be fully persuaded in his own mind. (Romans 14:5)). For myself, I believe that the Lord is in the midst here, but I will not boast of being gathered at God’s center, for it would be wholly out of keeping with the spirit of Christianity. True grace and humility would not put the people forward as being something; those whom the Lord has gathered are nothing in themselves. It’s not presumption or pride to believe the truth and to act on it; it is faith.
Divisions Among Those Who Hold the Truth as to How Christians Should Gather
We might ask, "What about those who have been at the divine center of gathering, but have divided off into another fellowship of meetings? They still meet as we do as far as function is concerned; are they then gathered to the Lord’s name and have His presence in their midst in the collective sense that we have been speaking?"
The short answer is no. Those who go out from the center of gathering in a division could no longer be gathered to the Lord’s name. Even though they might outwardly look the same as those at the center (in the way in which they meet), this in itself is not enough to have the Lord’s sanction. It’s possible to meet according to the Scriptural pattern for Christians, but to do it in self-will. Such a division among God’s people does not have the Lord’s approval any more than a denominational church. In fact, those who would go out from the divine center of gathering and organize a division would be more responsible for their actions than those in the church denominations, because they have had considerably more light. Men may make more than one expression of the truth of the one body by setting up a schismatic table, but the Spirit of God would not lead them to do it. Christ does not have one body in fact, and many bodies in testimony. The Apostle Paul asked, “Is the Christ divided?” (1 Cor. 1:1313Is Christ divided? was Paul crucified for you? or were ye baptized in the name of Paul? (1 Corinthians 1:13) – J. N. Darby Trans.) “The Christ” is a term used in Paul’s epistles that denotes the mystical union of Christ and the members of His body. Paul was indicating to the Corinthians that this union cannot be divided in actuality, and it shouldn’t be in testimony—which is what was happening in Corinth.
Therefore, in the light of what Scripture teaches, we do not believe that the Spirit of God would gather Christians into various federations of meetings without those groups being in practical fellowship with each other—even though they outwardly looked the same. If He did, it would be a contradiction of the very truth He is seeking to lead Christians to walk in. W. Potter said, “The Spirit of God doesn’t gather in separate meetings; if He gathers you and me, the next thing is that we are in fellowship one with another.”
At the Ottawa General Meetings (April 1987), the following illustration was given. “If we were to go back to the beginning—to the day of Pentecost—when the Spirit of God came down and united the 120 into one body, and all of them are gathered together to the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ; suppose Peter has a quarrel with John, and they decide that they are going to set up separate fellowships. Then there would be a company that would follow Peter and a company that would follow John. Could we say that the Spirit would lead some to go to one, and some to the other? And, that the Lord would be equally approving of both? We do not believe that the Lord would sanction both fellowships with His presence in their midst, for in doing so, He would be condoning practical division in the Church. If He did, He would be the Author of confusion.” J. N. Darby said, “If there will be one such [local assembly], 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.”
Many Christian groups will profess to be gathered to the Lord’s name. Some will even put a sign out front of their meeting place proclaiming that they are the saints whom the Lord has gathered. But does this mean that they are? Mr. Potter said, “People say, ‘We are gathered to the Lord’s name.’ Let us see if you are. How came you to be gathered to the Lord’s name?” If you put schismatic groups among so-called “brethren” to the test, you’ll find that there is a reason why they are where they are. Mr. Potter said, “If there are dozens of gatherings [in a city], we must go back to the origin of the meeting.” He said, “What is the origin of such and such a meeting? Why are they meeting in separation from others? Is their position a scriptural one?”
We have noticed that each divergent group that leaves the gathered saints in a division discards the truth of there being a divine gathering center; they have had to do so in order to justify their divergent position. As an example, when Samuel Ridout (who went out in a division) was asked why the brethren he was with supported Grant in that division, he said, “In 1884 many of us, before the division, had the common thought that WE had the Table exclusively, and must not allow it to lapse a single day. This we think had something to do with the haste of breaking bread, without intermission, at Craig Street, Montreal.” A few months later, he wrote another letter on what he believed constituted and characterized the Lord’s Table—saying that “no one company can claim the exclusive possession of it.” Here, Mr. Ridout admits that they used to hold the truth of the one Lord’s Table but have since given it up. Notice also: Mr. Ridout said, “The common thought ... ” He unabashedly admits that the truth of the one gathering center was commonly held among brethren. He mistakenly thinks that brethren in general (himself included) were wrong in their belief of the one Lord's Table, and it wasn’t until he and his party went out in division that they learned the truth!
And again, a quotation from a Grant publication (“The Gleaner”) in 1914 says, “But perhaps the biggest item on the credit side of our ledger, if one may be permitted to compare, when all is so precious and vital, is the truth that no company of Christians, not even ourselves, can claim a monopoly of the Lord’s Table, or of gathering in the Name of the Lord. Had this truth been known thirty years ago, perhaps division might have been averted.” Here again we have an acknowledgement of individuals once holding the truth of the one gathering center but having given it up. Having abandoned the truth of the one gathering center, they call the error that they have adopted a great “truth.”
Napoleon Noel (after going out in division) states in his book (“The History of the Brethren,” vol. 2, p. 658), “No company of Christians can have exclusive possession of the Lord’s Table, any more than they can claim exclusive possession of the Lord Himself. Such a claim is plain bigotry.” Many such quotes could be added here, but it would be redundant.
As a case in point, let us ask, “Can you find a person among those who divided off in the Perth division (1992) who holds that there is one divine gathering center on earth, and that the Lord’s Table could only be in that one place?” Apart from the Raven fellowship—which holds blasphemous doctrines—I don’t think that there is a division among brethren that holds that there is a divine gathering center. It comes down to this simple fact—there cannot be two (or more) Lord’s tables. There cannot be two (or more) fellowships of Christians on the earth that the Lord identifies with as being on the divine ground of gathering, even though they may outwardly meet in a similar way. If He did, He would be condoning division in the public testimony of the Church.
For those who have been gathered to His Name, there is always a danger of being led away from that ground by the enemy; and when this happens, those who leave are usually the bitterest opponents of the truth of gathering. Prior to his death, J. N. Darby detected a general eroding of the holding of the truth of the one gathering center among brethren, and said, “The great part of the collective conflict is with the wilful misunderstanding of the truth of Christ as the one gathering center. No one is a more bitter opponent of this truth than the one who knows it but doesn’t walk in it.”
The Truth of the One Place is Not a New Doctrine
These things regarding the one gathering center are not new ideas that have come out recently (as some would like to say). I have purposely quoted from brethren of other generations to show that these things are not new. Brother Potter lived in the last century and in the century before that! So did Hamilton Smith. J. N. Darby lived before them. These things are what brethren gathered to the Lord’s name have held and practiced for over 150 years.
H. A. Ironside notes in his book ("A Historical Sketch of the Brethren Movement") that before the Bethesda division—i.e. in the late 1830s and early 1840s—the brethren "were not backward in claiming in some instances the exclusive possession of the Lord's Table." Like S. Ridout, Mr. Ironside repudiates it, but nevertheless, this shows that the Brethren held this truth pretty much from the beginning—from the earliest days when the truth was recovered. There is simply no truth to the idea that it was invented recently.
If we are not comfortable with these principles on which the “gathered saints” meet, we need to ask ourselves why we are with them. Please don’t misunderstand me, we’re not trying to send anyone away; we’re just stating the fact that some are terribly inconsistent to have taken a position with the gathered saints, and yet, they do not believe the truth of the Spirit’s work of gathering to the one Center—Christ Himself.
God’s Center of Gathering on Earth Today
So then, is there a divine center of gathering for Christians on earth? Yes, Scripture teaches that there is. Where is it then? Now that is for you to search out. The answer as to who has the Lord’s table is—the Lord! It is His table, and He is leading exercised believers to it. God wants us to be exercised about it and to seek the Lord’s mind for guidance, just as Peter and John asked Him “where” that place was in their day (Luke 22:99And they said unto him, Where wilt thou that we prepare? (Luke 22:9)). “It is the glory of God to conceal a thing: but the honour of kings is to search out a matter” (Prov. 25:22It is the glory of God to conceal a thing: but the honor of kings is to search out a matter. (Proverbs 25:2)).
Summary:
If God has a gathering center on earth, then it could only be in one place—in one ecclesiastical position. If the Lord were in the midst of all Christian groups, sanctioning their position in a collective sense (Matt. 18:2020For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them. (Matthew 18:20)), then He would be the Author of the many sad divisions in the Church’s public testimony. This is something that He would not do, for it would be a denial of the truth that there is one divine center of gathering—Christ Himself.