Which Denomination Would Peter, Paul and John Join?
Let us put the whole question of denominational (and non-denominational) church organization another way. Suppose for a moment we could transport Peter, Paul, and John, and some of the others from the early church into our day. Let us suppose that we have brought them fresh from one of their meetings where they have been gathered unto the Name of the Lord Jesus alone (Matt. 18:2020For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them. (Matthew 18:20)); where they have broken bread in remembrance of the Lord as a regular thing each Lord's day (Acts 20:77And upon the first day of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread, Paul preached unto them, ready to depart on the morrow; and continued his speech until midnight. (Acts 20:7)); knowing nothing other than the liberty of the Spirit in leading whomever He would to speak in the assembly in worship and ministry (1 Cor. 14:23-3223If therefore the whole church be come together into one place, and all speak with tongues, and there come in those that are unlearned, or unbelievers, will they not say that ye are mad? 24But if all prophesy, and there come in one that believeth not, or one unlearned, he is convinced of all, he is judged of all: 25And thus are the secrets of his heart made manifest; and so falling down on his face he will worship God, and report that God is in you of a truth. 26How is it then, brethren? when ye come together, every one of you hath a psalm, hath a doctrine, hath a tongue, hath a revelation, hath an interpretation. Let all things be done unto edifying. 27If any man speak in an unknown tongue, let it be by two, or at the most by three, and that by course; and let one interpret. 28But if there be no interpreter, let him keep silence in the church; and let him speak to himself, and to God. 29Let the prophets speak two or three, and let the other judge. 30If any thing be revealed to another that sitteth by, let the first hold his peace. 31For ye may all prophesy one by one, that all may learn, and all may be comforted. 32And the spirits of the prophets are subject to the prophets. (1 Corinthians 14:23‑32)), where they have maintained Scriptural discipline (1 Cor. 5:9-139I wrote unto you in an epistle not to company with fornicators: 10Yet not altogether with the fornicators of this world, or with the covetous, or extortioners, or with idolaters; for then must ye needs go out of the world. 11But now I have written unto you not to keep company, if any man that is called a brother be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner; with such an one no not to eat. 12For what have I to do to judge them also that are without? do not ye judge them that are within? 13But them that are without God judgeth. Therefore put away from among yourselves that wicked person. (1 Corinthians 5:9‑13); 1 Tim. 5:2020Them that sin rebuke before all, that others also may fear. (1 Timothy 5:20); 2 Thess. 3:6, 14-156Now we command you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye withdraw yourselves from every brother that walketh disorderly, and not after the tradition which he received of us. (2 Thessalonians 3:6)
14And if any man obey not our word by this epistle, note that man, and have no company with him, that he may be ashamed. 15Yet count him not as an enemy, but admonish him as a brother. (2 Thessalonians 3:14‑15); 1 Thess. 5:1414Now we exhort you, brethren, warn them that are unruly, comfort the feebleminded, support the weak, be patient toward all men. (1 Thessalonians 5:14); Gal. 6:11Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted. (Galatians 6:1), etc.), where they have endeavored to maintain the truth in practice that “there is one body” in matters of reception and discipline (Eph. 4:3-43Endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. 4There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling; (Ephesians 4:3‑4)), etc. From this, we bring them onto the streets of one of the major cities in North America where they see Christendom in all of its full-blown confusion, with the numerous sects and divisions, the evil and erroneous doctrines, the lavish and ornate buildings for worship borrowed from Judaism, the clergymen interfering with the simplicity of God’s order of worship and ministry, women in the pulpits preaching, women with their heads uncovered, the robed choirs, the orchestras, the world famous athletes testifying of their conversions, the rock concerts, gay persons in positions in church government, etc. We calmly pause and ask the question, “What denomination do you think they would join?” It does not take a great deal of discernment to conclude that they wouldn’t join any of them.
To put the question closer to home, if you walked with the apostles down the streets of one of these cities, having known something of the truth of God's order for the function of the church that Scripture shows, and seeing the confusion that they see as you look with them at these various so-called churches, “Which denomination would you join?”
"Should We Start Up A Christian Fellowship According To These Biblical Principles?"
After learning some of these principles having to do with the church and its order as found in Scripture, someone might ask, “Since we shouldn't be joining a denomination on account of its man-made order, should we then start up a fellowship following the true Scriptural order?” Our answer is no, because we believe that it may be an act of independency. We do not mean that new gatherings should not be formed, but that there is another principle that must be taken into consideration before such a thing would meet God's approval. Christians are to meet together on the ground of the “one body” (Eph. 4:44There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling; (Ephesians 4:4)). To do this, a group of Christians needs to meet together for worship and ministry in fellowship with other assemblies of believers similarly gathered with whom they can express this truth practically, in matters of reception, discipline, letters of commendation, etc. A few Christians, who would seek to meet together in the Lord’s name independently, cannot practice this truth by themselves. To form a fellowship of Christians without this in view is really taking the ground of independency.
The Ground of the “One Body”
Before we speak of what exercised Christians ought to do, we feel it necessary that we establish the importance of the truth of the “one body.” God’s purpose is that the Lord Jesus “should gather together in one the children of God that were scattered abroad,” so that there would be “one flock and one Shepherd” (John 11:51-52; 10:1651And 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)
16And 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)). While these verses actually refer to the oneness in the family, they clearly show that God desires that His people would be found gathered together in a visible unity on earth. Matthew 18:2020For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them. (Matthew 18:20) also indicates this. It says, “For where two or three are gathered together in My name, there am I in the midst of them.” The passive tense (“are gathered”) indicates that a power beyond their own has gathered them together unto the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. This power is that of the Holy Spirit. He is the divine Gatherer. But notice, not only does the Spirit gather believers unto the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, but that He gathers them “together” unto His name. This refers to a practical unity; and we learn from other Scriptures that this practical unity is not just in the locality where those believers meet; it refers to believers in other assemblies who are similarly gathered on that same ground (1 Cor. 1:2; 4:17; 5:3-4; 10:16-17; 11:16; 14:33-34; 16:12Unto the church of God which is at Corinth, to them that are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints, with all that in every place call upon the name of Jesus Christ our Lord, both theirs and ours: (1 Corinthians 1:2)
17For this cause have I sent unto you Timotheus, who is my beloved son, and faithful in the Lord, who shall bring you into remembrance of my ways which be in Christ, as I teach every where in every church. (1 Corinthians 4:17)
3For I verily, as absent in body, but present in spirit, have judged already, as though I were present, concerning him that hath so done this deed, 4In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, when ye are gathered together, and my spirit, with the power of our Lord Jesus Christ, (1 Corinthians 5:3‑4)
16The 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)
16But if any man seem to be contentious, we have no such custom, neither the churches of God. (1 Corinthians 11:16)
33For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace, as in all churches of the saints. 34Let your women keep silence in the churches: for it is not permitted unto them to speak; but they are commanded to be under obedience, as also saith the law. (1 Corinthians 14:33‑34)
1Now concerning the collection for the saints, as I have given order to the churches of Galatia, even so do ye. (1 Corinthians 16:1)). Binding decisions made in one assembly are to be acknowledged and bowed to in the other assemblies, so that the truth of the “one body” will be practically expressed on earth.
If one local assembly should make a binding decision in putting someone away from its fellowship, the body at large is to act in fellowship with that local assembly and recognize the action. They are to bow to the judgment made in that local assembly, so that the person “put away” is regarded as “without” in other gatherings too, not just in the locality where he resides. We see this in 1 Corinthians 5:1313But them that are without God judgeth. Therefore put away from among yourselves that wicked person. (1 Corinthians 5:13), where the local assembly at Corinth was to put away that wicked person from their midst. But 2 Corinthians 2:66Sufficient to such a man is this punishment, which was inflicted of many. (2 Corinthians 2:6) tells us that the “rebuke” was “inflicted by the many.” The “many” here refers to the body at large as J. N. Darby’s Translation footnote indicates, citing 2 Corinthians 9:22For I know the forwardness of your mind, for which I boast of you to them of Macedonia, that Achaia was ready a year ago; and your zeal hath provoked very many. (2 Corinthians 9:2) as an example of its usage and meaning. Hence the offender is made to feel the rebuke by more than just his local assembly. This shows that a binding decision made in one local assembly is really made on behalf of the body at large. What is done in the name of the Lord in one local assembly should affect the whole in practice. It is one of the ways the church is to “endeavor to keep the unity of the Spirit;” and thus, give expression to the truth that there is “one body” (Eph. 4:33Endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. (Ephesians 4:3)).
The Exercise For Every Believer Now is to Seek The Fellowship of the Existing Testimony to The Truth of the One Body
We find in Scripture that when the Spirit of God began a work in some in regard to the truth of gathering, He was careful to link them together with others on the same ground, so that the “unity of the Spirit” would be kept in expressing the truth of the “one body.” It says of the Thessalonian saints, “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 Thessalonians followed on after the assemblies in Judea, being linked to them in practical fellowship, even to partaking of the sufferings of the gospel. It was not that the assemblies in Judea were more important or more spiritual than the Thessalonians; it was simply that the Spirit had begun His work of gathering souls to the name of the Lord Jesus Christ first in Judea. As others were saved they were linked on in practical fellowship to what the Spirit of God had already begun.
This principle is borne out in Acts 8:4-244Therefore they that were scattered abroad went every where preaching the word. 5Then Philip went down to the city of Samaria, and preached Christ unto them. 6And the people with one accord gave heed unto those things which Philip spake, hearing and seeing the miracles which he did. 7For unclean spirits, crying with loud voice, came out of many that were possessed with them: and many taken with palsies, and that were lame, were healed. 8And there was great joy in that city. 9But there was a certain man, called Simon, which beforetime in the same city used sorcery, and bewitched the people of Samaria, giving out that himself was some great one: 10To whom they all gave heed, from the least to the greatest, saying, This man is the great power of God. 11And to him they had regard, because that of long time he had bewitched them with sorceries. 12But when they believed Philip preaching the things concerning the kingdom of God, and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women. 13Then Simon himself believed also: and when he was baptized, he continued with Philip, and wondered, beholding the miracles and signs which were done. 14Now when the apostles which were at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent unto them Peter and John: 15Who, when they were come down, prayed for them, that they might receive the Holy Ghost: 16(For as yet he was fallen upon none of them: only they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.) 17Then laid they their hands on them, and they received the Holy Ghost. 18And when Simon saw that through laying on of the apostles' hands the Holy Ghost was given, he offered them money, 19Saying, Give me also this power, that on whomsoever I lay hands, he may receive the Holy Ghost. 20But Peter said unto him, Thy money perish with thee, because thou hast thought that the gift of God may be purchased with money. 21Thou hast neither part nor lot in this matter: for thy heart is not right in the sight of God. 22Repent therefore of this thy wickedness, and pray God, if perhaps the thought of thine heart may be forgiven thee. 23For I perceive that thou art in the gall of bitterness, and in the bond of iniquity. 24Then answered Simon, and said, Pray ye to the Lord for me, that none of these things which ye have spoken come upon me. (Acts 8:4‑24). Many in Samaria had come to believe on the Lord Jesus through Philip's preaching, yet the Spirit of God did not own them as being on the ground of the “one body” until they had practical fellowship with those whom He already gathered unto the Name of the Lord Jesus in Jerusalem. In seeking to keep the “unity of the Spirit,” two representatives came down from Jerusalem and laid hands on those in Samaria (an expression of practical fellowship—Gal. 2:99And when James, Cephas, and John, who seemed to be pillars, perceived the grace that was given unto me, they gave to me and Barnabas the right hands of fellowship; that we should go unto the heathen, and they unto the circumcision. (Galatians 2:9)), whereby the Spirit of God identified Himself with them. C. H. Brown said, “God did not permit the Samaritans to get official recognition as belonging to the church (assembly) until they got it from these emissaries that came down from Jerusalem.” We see here that great care was taken by the Spirit of God to link these believers to those in Jerusalem so that there would be one practical expression of the “one body” on earth.
When the Apostle Paul came across a group of believers at Ephesus who were unaware of others with whom God had worked, he found that the Spirit of God had not owned them as being on the divine ground of the assembly (Acts 19:1-61And it came to pass, that, while Apollos was at Corinth, Paul having passed through the upper coasts came to Ephesus: and finding certain disciples, 2He said unto them, Have ye received the Holy Ghost since ye believed? And they said unto him, We have not so much as heard whether there be any Holy Ghost. 3And he said unto them, Unto what then were ye baptized? And they said, Unto John's baptism. 4Then said Paul, John verily baptized with the baptism of repentance, saying unto the people, that they should believe on him which should come after him, that is, on Christ Jesus. 5When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. 6And when Paul had laid his hands upon them, the Holy Ghost came on them; and they spake with tongues, and prophesied. (Acts 19:1‑6)). They were not recognized as being on the ground of the "one body" until there was practical fellowship (the laying on of hands) with those whom the Spirit had already gathered. In reference to this group of believers C. H. Brown said, “They needed something. They had to be brought into the same unity that already existed. They could not be owned as occupying a different ground to the rest of them. Paul could not say, 'You folks are not on the same ground as the folks up at Antioch, or at Jerusalem, but you have a lot of truth, and I will just go on with you.' Oh no. He is going to see that they are brought onto the same ground as the rest. They were brought into the same thing that had been formed before they ever heard of it.” Again we see the care and wisdom of God in maintaining “the unity of the Spirit” so that there would be one practical expression of the truth of the “one body.”
It is true that these two examples cited from the book of the Acts are cases where the people did not yet have the Spirit, and therefore were not yet properly on Christian ground. But as brother Brown has shown, they give us an important principle upon which God works in respect to maintaining the practical expression of the truth of the “one body.” And thus, by them, the mind taught of the Spirit will learn God's thoughts in these collective assembly matters.
This point is typically illustrated in Ezra 7-10. God had begun a fresh work in bringing His people back from Babylon to the divinely appointed center of that day which was Jerusalem (1 Kings 11:32; 14:2132(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)
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)). Some 42,000 returned under Zerubbabel and Jeshua (Ezra 1-3). However, about 68 years later, others were similarly stirred up to return to Jerusalem (Ezra 7-8). When they returned they found that God had been working in a similar way with others long before they were exercised about such things. And when they got to Jerusalem they did not find a perfect group of Jews there (Ezra 9), but they knew that it was the only right place for God's chosen people to worship, so they identified themselves with the already existing testimony in Jerusalem. There was no thought of establishing an independent testimony apart from that which was already there.
We believe that this gives us an answer to the question as to whether people should start up a Christian fellowship. Since God’s objective is to gather His saints on earth together in one unto the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ on the ground of the “one body,” we do not believe that the Spirit of God would lead persons to go out and practice these truths on the ground of independence. We realize that some are doing it; but we do not believe that it meets the Lord’s approval, for in doing so it is only furthering the outward division that should not be in the Christian testimony.
What we need to understand is that the Spirit of God has already begun a work in the Christian testimony in the early 1800s in gathering believers out of the denominations unto the Name of the Lord Jesus. He is still working with Christians to that end today. We believe that He is willing and able to guide those whom He has shown the truth, into fellowship with that which He has already begun. We believe that the Spirit of God would not be satisfied until He completed His work in not only showing believers the Scriptural way to gather, but also in associating them practically with those whom He has gathered so that they too could be on the ground of the “one body.”
Should there be a group of Christians under such exercise in an area where there is no gathering of Christians on the ground of the “one body,” they still should not take the ground of independence, forming an independent assembly. They need to get in contact with those who are on the ground of the one body, so that the Lord’s table could be spread in that locality. In doing so, the “unity of the Spirit” would be kept. From the principles of Scripture given above, we believe that this is the way new gatherings should be established. When the Lord's table is spread in a new locality it should be done in fellowship with other assemblies already on the ground of the “one body.”
Another Sect?
Perhaps someone might say, “If we did all that you say, and began to meet with those who meet on Scriptural ground, wouldn’t we just be joining another division or sect in the church?” The simple answer to this is that obedience to God's Word can never be schism. It is what Christians should have been doing all along. If Christians meet together in obedience to the Word of God, according to the truth of the one body, they can never be a sect, even if there were only two or three that took that ground. If they are gathered by the Spirit around the Lord Jesus they are not on the ground of sectarianism: they are at the divine center, for Christ is the gathering center of His people (Gen. 49:1010The sceptre shall not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet, until Shiloh come; and unto him shall the gathering of the people be. (Genesis 49:10); Psa. 50:55Gather my saints together unto me; those that have made a covenant with me by sacrifice. (Psalm 50:5); Matt. 18:2020For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them. (Matthew 18:20); 1 Cor. 5:44In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, when ye are gathered together, and my spirit, with the power of our Lord Jesus Christ, (1 Corinthians 5:4)).
"You People Think You Are the Only Right Ones!"
Sometimes we are faced with people asking us, “Will you come to our church with us?” It is hard to refuse them, knowing that they mean well, and especially when they do not understand the force of our conviction. When we answer, “No, we do not believe that it would be the Lord's will,” they are often offended. Sometimes we are charged with bigotry and exclusiveness. They say, “How is it that you don't mind us coming to your meetings, but when we ask you to come to ours, you refuse? You people think you are the only right ones! You don’t love the other members of the body of Christ!”
On our part, we believe that it could not be the will of God to desert Scriptural ground for unscriptural man-made order. Therefore, it is not the want of love for souls in these denominations that keeps us from going with them to their services, but the fear of sin.
We wonder if these people have ever weighed what bigotry really means. Mr. Kelly said that it is “the unreasonable attachment, without solid divine warrant, to one's own doctrine or practice, in defiance of all others.” We ask then, “Is it bigotry to give up one's associations with the denominational churches to go with those who desire to meet together for worship and ministry according to the Word of God?” If indeed these denominations are marked by the confusion and departure from the Word of God as we have described in the earlier part of this book, then how could anyone expect us to be so inconsistent with our convictions as to go with them to these so-called churches from which we have separated? “If I build again the things which I destroyed, I make myself a transgressor” (Gal. 2:1818For if I build again the things which I destroyed, I make myself a transgressor. (Galatians 2:18)).
Mr. Kelly also said, “Surely he is a bigot or worse, who would urge or expect me to join him against my positive conviction, that in so doing I should sin against God. Sin is a man doing his own will, or another's, which is not God's. If you ask me to depart from what I know to be the will of God, it would of course, be sin in me to comply.”
This reminds us of the old prophet of Bethel (1 Kings 13). He attempted to get the prophet from Judah, who was sent by the Lord to cry against the unscripturalness of the worship at Bethel, to have fellowship with him in the very place which he cried against! The old prophet did this, so that his conscience might be eased, because then he could say that other prophets were there with him. When the prophet from Judah complied with his wishes, a lion met him in the way and killed him. We take this as a warning for ourselves.
As we have said, very often there is animosity on the part of those who reject God’s order toward those who want to obey God's Word. To choose to remain in a man-made system of worship in Christendom is one thing, but surely one cannot rightly fault a person for wanting to be among Christians who want to practice God's order. After all, they are only doing what is in the Word of God!
If a Christian desires to remain in a man-made system of church order, and if he is going to try to use the Word of God for the support of such an order, he will have to infer things into the plain statements of Scripture. For instance, he will have to infer that the Old Testament tabernacle is indeed the pattern for Christian worship; that head coverings were only for women in the local church at Corinth; that women preached in the church gatherings; that hands were laid on those that were ordained, etc.
On the other hand those who simply accept the things of Scripture as God has written it, will have the quiet confidence that they are doing God's will. This is because there is a peace that comes from doing God's will that is known only to those who walk in it. To return to simple Biblical Christianity without all the frills of modern Christianity is a privilege indeed!
An Appeal
As the reader has seen, we have presented a different order for Christians meeting together for worship and ministry from what is traditionally accepted in the so-called churches. What more needs to be said in regard to the differences? We have sought to prove from the Word of God that the order in the denominational churches in general is simply not Scriptural. We have shown that there is a simple pattern in God’s Word for Christians meeting together for this purpose. And that faith and obedience are necessary to practice these Scriptural truths. If we call ourselves Christians and claim that the Bible is the Christian's guide, then why not go by the Bible when it comes to the subject of Christians meeting together for worship and ministry?
Having completed our examination and exposure of the unscripturalness of traditional church order, and have presented God’s order for Christians meeting together for worship and ministry, our prayer and hope is that the reader will not misunderstand our purpose in this book. We have not sought to criticize the various church denominations in the Christian profession just for the sake of criticism, but to faithfully—and we trust lovingly—point out the error of the whole thing. From the outset our desire has been to make known the truth, so that all God's people may know true Biblical Christianity, if their hearts are willing.
We trust that through all the many things we have touched on, that there can be seen a genuine love and concern for the whole family of God. We also realize that regardless of how many loving words of grace that we couch in the presentation of these truths, it will not be enough for some. They still will reject it because they think it is unkind and unfair. Sad to say, it appears that the real reason is that their will is at work, and they simply don’t want it. It would be useless to try to tone down these things to suit such people. They simply do not want anything that will touch their consciences. With such, we can only leave them with the Lord.
We now appeal to the reader to heed the truth herein compiled. Our prayer is that each Christian that reads the material in this book will be honest, spiritual, and mature enough, to see and acknowledge the truth as it has been presented. May God give us the grace to do His will.
B. Anstey
5th Edition – August 2018