Comment/Question:
For those who wrongly apply the Old Testament principle of “one place” (in complete and intentional ignorance of what is expounded to us in John 4:21-24), have them look at Jeremiah 7:1-15. I'm going to venture a guess that IF (hypothetically, of course) the “assembly” was at one point THE “place,” then it no longer is.
Answer:
Our commenter/questioner objects to the thought that the Lord has a gathering center on earth in Christianity. He accepts that there was one in Old Testament times but believes that John 4:21-24 proves that there is no center of gathering today in Christianity. He says that anyone who does not see this is in “complete and intentional ignorance!”
But does John 4:21-24 say this? In this chapter, the Lord states that there would be a cessation of an earthly geographical center or worship. Earthly centres such as “this mountain” (Gerizim) and “Jerusalem” would no longer be owned of God (Gerizim never was) because a new order of things was coming in. But the Lord did not say that there wouldn’t be a gathering center in Christianity. If this passage says that there is no gathering center in Christianity, then let our commenter/questioner give us the words of Scripture that state it. Since such words cannot be found, it is clear that it is an assumption or a fabrication on his or her part. It is a serious exegetical mistake to infer things into Scripture.
The Lord mentioned three significant things that would mark the change from the old order of worship in Judaism to the new order in Christianity. He said, “Woman, believe Me, the hour cometh, when ye shall neither in this mountain, nor yet at Jerusalem, worship the Father. Ye worship ye know not what: we know what we worship: for salvation is of the Jews. But 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. God is a Spirit: and they that worship Him must worship Him in spirit and in truth.”
Firstly, there would be a cessation of an earthly geographic center for worship—whether in Gerizim (“this mountain”), or in “Jerusalem.” Hebrews 8:2; 9:11, 23-24; 10:19-22, indicate that Christians worship in spirit in the heavenly sanctuary in the immediate presence of God, but it is not mentioned here.
Secondly, there was a new revelation of the Person worshipped. In Judaism, God was worshipped as Jehovah, but now in Christianity He is to be worshipped as “the Father” of the Lord Jesus Christ.
Thirdly, there would be a new character of worship. The worship in Judaism was earthly and tangible, carried out through a system of rituals and ceremonies, but the new order of approach to God in Christianity would be purely a spiritual thing. Believers now worship the Father in “spirit” and according to a new revelation of “truth.”
But notice: in all that the Lord teaches here, He makes no statement that there wouldn’t be a center of gathering in Christianity. He was simply showing that the new Christian way of worship would not be like the old Jewish way, which was aided by mechanical means (music, incense, eating the sacrifices, rituals, ceremonies, etc.). In contrast to those outward things, the Apostle Peter states that our Christian worship would be characterized by “spiritual sacrifices” aided by the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit (1 Peter 2:5; Phil. 3:3).
As mentioned, the new place of worship in Christianity is in the immediate presence of God in the heavenly sanctuary (Heb. 8:2; 9:23; 10:19). The Jews worshipped in Jerusalem in the earthly sanctuary, which was only a pattern of that in the heavens (Heb. 9:23); Christians have the privilege of worshipping in that heavenly sanctuary. Since Christians worship “in spirit and in truth,” they don't need outward mechanical means to aid their worship. They can sit quietly on a chair and the Holy Spirit could produce in their souls, true praise and worship to the Father and the Son. This is true heavenly worship. All Christians—those scattered in denominations and those gathered to the Lord’s name—worship “in spirit” in the heavenly sanctuary! But unfortunately, all Christians do not all meet on earth on the true ground of the Church. This is because there has been a great ruin in the Christian profession and much ignorance of the truth of gathering. There is also an unwillingness to receive the truth among many Christians. The result is that there are hundreds of divisions (Christian fellowships) in the outward testimony of the Church that should not exist.
The One Place of Gathering in Christianity
Our commenter/questioner tells us that to hold that there should be "one place" of gathering for Christians is to be in “complete and intentional ignorance.” But yet, Mr. Darby et al speak of it in their writings. He said, “He [Christ] is the only center 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 Center. 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, today, and forever. ‘Where two or three are gathered together in [unto] My name, there am I in the midst of them.’” He also said, “The great part of the collective conflict is with the wilful misunderstanding of the truth of Christ as the one gathering center ... ” Other quotes could be given. It is hard to believe that someone would call this gifted and spiritual man—who was definitely raised up of God to help the Church—“intentionally ignorant.”
The subject of a gathering center in Christianity was taken up in our first volume of “Questions.” Perhaps we can make a few more remarks on this subject here for those who are honestly looking for help.
Matthew 18:20—“Where”
The word, “where,” in Mathew 18:20, indicates that there is a place that the Lord has chosen to be in the corporate sense that we have been speaking of. The verse indicates that it is a place of His choosing, where He has set His name and where He gathers Christians. 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 in their midst—the Lord Jesus Christ.
Note: the verse does not say, “wherever”—as the “Phillips Modern English Translation” mistranslates it. Many think that this verse is simply saying that whenever and wherever a group of Christians get together—whether it is at a local coffee shop, or for some recreational purpose, etc.—the Lord is in their midst. Let us be clear about this; such a group would have the Lord’s presence with them—we established this in Chapter Six—but that is not what Matthew 18:20 is speaking about. They are misapplying this verse as far as interpretation is concerned; other verses would be better served to support their point. “Wherever,” makes it a place of our choosing; “where”—which is what Matthew 18:20 says—makes it a place of His choosing. This is why it is often called “the place of His appointment.”
The One Place Where the Breaking of Bread Was Instituted
Luke 22:7-11, indicates that there was a place on earth “where” the Lord had His disciples meet with Him to eat the Last Supper, and it was there that He instituted the Lord’s supper, which we know in Christianity. The point to get here is that He chose the place where they would meet to have the supper. This strongly suggests that when Christianity would be established, the Lord would have a place of His appointment—a gathering center—where believers would gather to remember Him. In Matthew 18, the emphasis is on the Lord's power to gather His own to the place, but in Luke 22, the onus is on believers seeking and finding that place of His appointment.
It is significant that while there were many houses in Jerusalem on that night when the Passover feast was kept, and the Lord's Supper was instituted, there was only one room—one place—that had the Lord’s presence.
Philadelphia—the One Assembly Position That Met the Lord’s Approval
The Lord’s addresses to the seven churches in Asia (Rev. 2-3) indicate that there is one ecclesiastical ground (corporate testimony) on earth that He acknowledges. This would have to be where the Spirit of God would lead exercised believers.
These addresses present a prophetic history of the Church. Each assembly, taken consecutively, represents a stage through which the Church would pass in history. It is significant that the Lord’s coming is mentioned in each of the last four churches, but it is not found in the first three. This indicates that what existed historically in the first three periods has passed off the scene, but what is presented in the last four churches continues until the Lord comes. The last four churches (Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia, and Laodicea) set forth four existing conditions in the Church today.
The assembly at “Thyatira” represents a powerful system that arose in the Church around 580 A.D. known as Catholicism (Rev. 2:18-29). It depicts the period when this ecclesiastical system ruled the Church and the world (in Europe). The word “Thyatira” means, “continual sacrifice,” and refers to the Catholic Mass. “Jezebel” represents the wicked teaching of Catholicism. She called herself “a prophetess” and assumed a role in the Church that God had never given to her. She began to “teach and to seduce” her subjects with her evil doctrines and practices. The Catholic system has legislated its dogmas and forced them on the Christian profession and the world.
Since the Lord’s coming is mentioned in His remarks to Thyatira (Rev. 2:25), we are to understand that what this church represents will continue until He comes—the Rapture. It will actually continue on after the Rapture until the middle of the seven-year tribulation period—under the figure of Mystery Babylon (Rev. 17). This great ecclesiastical system is easily identified in the world today.
The assembly in “Sardis” represents Protestantism, which began in 1529 A.D. (Rev. 3:1-6). The word “Sardis” means “those escaping,” and signifies what happened at that time. Just as Jehu of old was used to break the hold that Jezebel had on the kingdom in Israel (2 Kings 9-10), God raised up the reformers and used them to break the power of Romanism. It allowed many of the saints to escape from its clutches. The two chief things that the reformers insisted on were the supremacy of the Bible over the Church, and that salvation was by faith alone.
It is significant that the Lord said to this assembly, “I have not found thy works complete.” What began in the power of the Spirit lapsed into cold, formal, dead orthodoxy. The reformers turned to the State for protection from the persecution of the Church of Rome and established the great national churches in Protestantism that still exist today. The assembly at Sardis represents the condition of things in Christendom after the impulse of the Reformation had passed. It is a description of what the reformers fell into—Protestantism. The reformers came out of Romanism, but unfortunately, Romanism did not altogether come out of them. Hence, the Protestant churches have a lot of Romish principles and practices.
Again, the Lord’s coming is mentioned in Sardis. It is actually His Appearing, which occurs after the Great Tribulation (Rev. 3:3). It means that many lifeless professors who were once connected with Protestantism will continue on, through the Tribulation period, and will be judged at the Appearing of Christ. Like Thyatira, what Sardis represents in the Christian world is also easily identifiable today in the great national Protestant churches and perhaps the dissenting church organizations that have come out of them.
The assembly in “Philadelphia” represents a movement in the Church that began in 1827 A.D. (Rev. 3:7-13). “Philadelphia” means “brotherly love” and signifies the happy state of a remnant testimony of believers who were exercised to return to first principles in regard to assembly order and practice.
In each of the previous churches, the Lord described Himself according to one of the features in which John had seen in chapter 1. But in addressing this church He presents Himself in an entirely new way, and this signifies a new departure. Heretofore, there had been a remnant of faithful believers who walked alone as individuals (Rev. 2:24-25; 3:4), but at this time, the Lord brought into existence a remnant testimony in a corporate sense.
The Lord presents Himself to this church in a three-fold way. In apprehending Him in these characteristics, three great things resulted at that time. First, the Lord said, “He that is holy, He that is true” (Rev. 3:7). Exercised Christians saw the Lord in His true character and understood that to have fellowship with Him, holiness and truth were required of them. This led them through various exercises in regard to separation from evil, which resulted in them breaking all unequal yokes—secular and ecclesiastical (2 Tim. 2:19-22).
Secondly, the Lord presents Himself as having “the key of David.” This is a reference to the Old Testament prophecies concerning the Messiah and the future of Israel (Isa. 22:22). At that time, the Lord opened to the saints an understanding of prophetic subjects, and there resulted a general awakening and interest in prophecy in the Christian profession. In learning prophetic subjects, they discovered that the Church had no part in the future earthly blessings of Israel but had its own distinct and heavenly blessings. They were given to see the true nature and calling of the Church, as well as its practical arrangements for worship and ministry while on earth. The full revelation of Christian truth that was once delivered to the saints (Jude 3) was recovered at this time—including the truth of the Lord’s coming (the Rapture).
Thirdly, the Lord presents Himself to this church as “He who opens and no man shall shut, and shuts and no man shall open” (Rev. 3:7). This points to the fact that what happened at that time was a sovereign movement of God that no man or devil could stop. Apprehending this gave those connected with this testimony the courage to meet together for worship and ministry according to the simplicity of Scripture, and there was no man that could forbid it (compare Acts 28:31).
It is significant that this church is marked by having “a little power.” They had the same spiritual power that the early Church had (Acts 4:33), but it was “little.” Hence, this revival was not a large-scale movement in the world. It had no great worldly status, as did the Catholic Church and the churches of Protestantism. Keeping His “Word” also marked this church. Historically, those connected with this movement were known for being students of Scripture (Acts 17:11). This church is also marked by not denying His “name.” They forsook all denominational names and titles and were happy to meet simply in His name alone (Matt. 18:20).
The seventh and last assembly, in “Laodicea,” represents a condition in the Church that grew out of what took place in Philadelphia (Rev. 3:14-22). What is described in Laodicea answers to the Church’s testimony in its closing days. “Laodicea” means, “the rights of the people,” and it denotes the modern democratic ideas that have influenced the Church in these last days. Churches choosing their elders and nominating their Pastors is what characterizes the so-called “evangelical” churches in Christendom today.
Laodicea is descriptive of a sector in the Christian testimony that is characterized by self-sufficient greatness that imagines itself to be endowed with spiritual riches and powers, but really, it is “wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked.” Instead of the Lord assessing the state of the assembly in Laodicea, as He does with the previous churches, the Laodiceans put Him outside their door and assume His place and assess their own condition as being right and good! This is quite incredible. This church is marked by gross indifference to the claims of Christ and is content to go on without Him. It’s hard to believe that they had the audacity to excommunicate the head of the Church! Such is the pitiful condition that marks modern Christendom in these last days. The state of those in Laodicea was “lukewarm” and so obnoxious to the Lord that He announced that He was “about to spue” them out of His mouth (reject them). This will occur at His coming—the Rapture.
The last two churches describe two ecclesiastical positions in Christendom, but they also describe two spiritual states among Christians. This means that it’s possible to be connected with Philadelphia’s ecclesiastical position but be in a Laodicean state. Laodiceanism is holding truth recovered in Philadelphian times (or parts thereof) nominally, or intellectually, without it having a moral bearing on one’s life. True Philadelphians are not occupied with themselves and their testimony; they are occupied with the Lord.
It is significant that Philadelphia is the only church of the four last churches in which there was nothing to judge. Unlike the other churches, there was not one word of condemnation given to them. They are not called to “repent,” as was the case with the other churches, because they were already in a state of repentance. They felt the broken and ruined state of the Church and confessed their part in its public failure (compare Daniel 9).
Since what Philadelphia represents goes on to the Rapture we can rejoice that there is an ecclesiastical position, or entity in Christendom today, that meets the Lord’s approval. But note: There are not two or three of these church positions the Lord approves of—there is only one. If He has chosen to put His name somewhere on earth, and He is gathering Christians there, as stated in Matthew 18:20, Philadelphia would have to be it. We cannot think that the Spirit of God would lead people anywhere but to that which meets the Lord’s approval. This is not to say that the gathered saints are without failure; it is not the state, but the ground on which they are gathered that He approves of. We must not confuse these two things. Nor do we wish to convey that WE are Philadelphia. It has often been said that the moment we say we are Philadelphia; we have just announced that we are Laodicea. Our point here is that there is something that answers to Philadelphia today in the Christian testimony. It is for the exercise of every Christian to be identified with it.
Jerusalem—a Type of the One Gathering Center in Christianity
The Lord told the children of Israel that He had chosen a place in the land of Canaan where He wanted them to bring their offerings and worship (Deut. 12). He marked out the place for king David by causing fire to fall from heaven on the spot (1 Chron. 21:22–22:1). The place was Jerusalem (2 Chron. 3:1; 6:6).
We cannot think that the divine center of gathering in the Old Testament has no counterpart in the New Testament; it is a type of the spiritual gathering center in Christianity. The Scriptures we have looked at already in the New Testament confirm the veracity of this remarkable type. It is significant that the characteristics that marked the place of God’s appointment in the Old Testament are the same in principle of the place of the Lord’s appointment in Christianity. Some of these corresponding features are:
Jerusalem was the place the Lord had “chosen” for Israel to gather—the people didn’t choose it (Deut. 12:5; 2 Chron. 6:6). Similarly, the ground that the Lord has chosen in Christianity for Christians to meet together on, is not wherever they choose to meet, but “where” He has chosen to gather them (Matt. 18:20; Luke 22:7-10).
Jerusalem was the place where the Lord put His “name” (Deut. 12:5, 11). Similarly, the Lord has set His name as the center of gathering today—“where two or three are gathered together unto My name” (Matt. 18:20).
Jerusalem was the place where the Lord’s presence would be known—“His habitation” (Deut. 12:5). Similarly, the Lord is “in the midst” of Christians whom He has gathered by the Spirit (Matt. 18:20).
Jerusalem was the place where the Israelites were to offer their sacrifices to God and not in any other place (Deut. 12:6, 11-14; Lev. 17:1-9). Similarly, Christians are to meet together for worship at the place of the Lord’s choosing (Matt. 28:16-17).
Jerusalem was the place where the Israelites were to have happy fellowship with their brethren (Deut. 12:7, 12, 18; 14:26). Similarly, the center of gathering today is a place for “fellowship” (1 Cor. 10:16-17 – W. Kelly’s Trans.; Acts 2:42).
Jerusalem was the place where Israel held their yearly feasts (Deut. 16:2, 6, 11, 15-16). Similarly, all assembly meetings are to be held on the same ground of gathering (1 Cor. 5:4).
Jerusalem was the place where administrative, binding decisions were made (Deut. 17:8-13). Similarly, those at the center of gathering in Christianity have authority to act in the Lord’s name in making binding decisions (Matt. 18:18-20; 1 Cor. 5:4).
Jerusalem was the place where the Israelites brought their tithes. These were material gifts to the Lord (Deut. 26). Similarly, the “collections” of the saints are to be made on the first day of the week and included in the worship offered to the Lord (1 Cor. 16:1-2; Heb. 13:15-16).
Jerusalem was the place where Israel was to gather to hear and learn the truth of God’s Word (Deut. 31:11-13). Similarly, the Lord would have believers to be together to learn “the Apostles doctrine” at the place of His appointment (Acts 2:42; 1 Tim. 4:13).
Jerusalem was the place where prayer was made (1 Kings 8:28-29). Similarly, in Christianity we are to have prayer meetings at the place of His appointment (Acts 2:42; 4:23-31).
This clear correlation with the Old Testament place is too plain to deny.
The Fact That There is a Divine Gatherer Means That There is a Gathering Center
In John 16:13, the Lord said, “When He, the Spirit of truth, is come, He will guide you into all truth.” “All truth” would include assembly truth. Hence, every exercised Christian desiring to be instructed in the truth of the assembly, and how God would have us to gather for worship and ministry, can count on the Spirit of God to teach them. As mentioned earlier, Matthew 18:20 implies that the Holy Spirit is the divine Gatherer. Since this is true, would He lead Christians to different centers that are in division from one another? If He does do this, then the Spirit of God is to blame for the Christ-dishonouring divisions in the Church’s testimony! He would be the Author of the divided state in Christendom! Surely no sober Christian would charge the Spirit with such a thing.
Hamilton Smith said, “Is the Holy Spirit gathering all the various divided and independent companies who seek to appropriate this promise [in Matt. 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!”
Now, if God has a divine Gatherer, then He has a gathering center to which the Gatherer is leading Christians. Understanding this, we can see why those who oppose the truth of a gathering center in Christianity want to get rid of any thought of there being a divine Gatherer. It seems that they labour night and day looking for ways to prove that Matthew 18:20 doesn’t refer to the Spirit’s work of gathering. But “the Scripture cannot be broken” (John 10:35).
A Hypothetical Illustration
At the Ottawa General Meetings (1987), the following illustration was given. “I think we need to go back to the very beginning of things—to the day of Pentecost. On that day the Spirit of God came down, and He united about one hundred and twenty by one Spirit into one body. They were all gathered there, gathered to the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ. But suppose now that Peter has a quarrel with John, and they decide that they are going to set up separate [fellowships]. Then there would be a company gathered with those who followed in fellowship with John, and those who followed Peter. Could we say that the Spirit of God would equally lead to one place or the other, and that it would make no difference? Wouldn’t that be a denial of what we are reading in this Scripture [Eph. 4], that ‘there is one body and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling?’” “Is the Spirit of God gathering in division? Is He saying, ‘This group of Christians should gather in this company, and this group of Christians should gather in another company?’ That would be denying the fact of what the Spirit of God is actually doing here, in gathering out a bride for Christ, in raising up a testimony to the truth of the one body and exhorting us to keep ‘the unity of the Spirit.’” “We must always recognize that the Spirit of God is not gathering to two centers. I believe, just as in the Old Testament—the Lord chose a place where He would put His Name there, and there was His presence, and there was His authority. So, it is also true today; it is not a particular spot on the earth like Jerusalem was, but it is a Person, and gathered on the ground of the one body. His presence is His approval of the manner in which we gather ... .Let us not deny the fact that the Spirit is gathering to Christ, and that Christ is the Center. His presence is what makes the Place and gives authority for the action in that Place.”
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.” If Christians choose to meet on other principles that were divergent to that of the one body of Christ, would the Spirit of God own such fellowships?
Where is 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 each exercised Christian to search out. God wants us to be exercised about it and to seek the Lord’s mind for guidance, just as Peter and John asked the Lord “where” that place was in their day (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. 25:2).
Summary:
There is nothing wrong with applying the Old Testament type of the one gathering center (Jerusalem) in Christianity, because the New Testament supports the fact that there is one ground of fellowship upon which the Lord gathers Christians. The center today, of course, is not a geographic center, but a spiritual ground of principles upon which the Spirit gathers Christians. If God has a gathering center on earth, then it could only be in one ecclesiastical position. If the Lord were in the midst of all Christian groups, sanctioning their position in a collective or corporate sense (Matt. 18:20), then He would be authorizing or sanctioning the many 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—which is Christ Himself.