Question: What does it mean to be gathered in or unto the name of Christ? (Matt. 18:20).
Answer: To be gathered to the name of the Lord Jesus is to be gathered in separation from evil, and in the unity of the Spirit. His name is holy and true (Rev. 3:7). We must therefore seek to walk in holiness, and according to the truth. We are members of His body (1 Cor. 12:12-13). He is our Head and Center, and we are enjoined to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the uniting bond of peace, apart from all divisions of men.
Question: If leaven is a type of evil in Scripture, should the loaf for the Lord’s supper be made of unleavened bread?
Answer: Our care for the bread used at the Lord’s supper is to have it one bread, a piece of dough baked as one. There is nothing said about size or kind.
The bread and wine are only symbols of Christ in death. We know Him as living now for us. We remember Him in His death for us.
The bread in 1 Corinthians 10:16-17, recognizes all the children of God as one body (Eph. 1:4).
Question: What are bishops, deacons, and prophets in the New Testament?
Answer: Bishops, elders, overseers, are the same (Acts 20:17, called elders; vs. 28, called overseers). Their character was to be as in 1 Timothy 3:1-7, and Titus 1:6-9. They were to look after the spiritual state of the assembly. It does not say how many were appointed.
Deacon is a servant to minister to needy ones, and to serve tables, as in Acts 6. Their character was to be as in 1 Timothy 3:12-13. They were chosen and appointed by the apostles or their delegates Timothy and Titus, but not by the assembly. The Scriptures were not completed and collated at that time.
We have no appointment of elders and deacons now. We have no authority to appoint them, and the assembly now is broken outwardly into sects, which the Word of God deplores (1 Cor. 1:12-13; 3:3-5).
A prophet now is only one speaking the truth. Prophesying now is speaking unto men to edification, exhortation and comfort (1 Cor. 14:3,29). We have no revelations now, for the Word of God is completed (Col. 1:25). There is no need therefore of tongues of interpretations. We are now living in the last day, and awaiting the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. Let our loins be girded and our lights burning.