One Body or Lord's Name

From: Questions and Answers on Scripture: From the Bible Treasury

Ephesians 4:4; Matthew 18:20 • 1 min. read • grade level: 8

Question: Eph. 4:4⁴There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling; (Ephesians 4:4); Matt. 18:20²⁰For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them. (Matthew 18:20). Do we meet as Christians on the ground of the one body, or as gathered to the Lord’s name? What about 1 Cor. 12:14¹⁴For the body is not one member, but many. (1 Corinthians 12:14)? J. C. L.

Answer: I see no right reason to regard any one of these and other like scriptures exclusively. None can be forgotten or overlooked without loss. The others treat of the essential and abiding truth of God’s assembly; whereas the word 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) supplies the resource given by the Lord to assure of His presence, if we are gathered to His name as the center, in times however difficult or disastrous. Those so gathered in faith of His presence may not be intelligent as to the church’s privileges or the Spirit’s action therein; but they could not be thus gathered truly, if they resisted the truth by indifference or by independency. They might need and would welcome instruction in the truth, so clearly revealed and deeply concerning God’s honor and their own obedience; but they could not, if dependent on the Lord, oppose God’s will, and they would humble themselves and correct their fault, if they mistook through haste, influence, or error of any kind. Departure from the unity of the Spirit is fatal; and refusal of just discipline is rebellion against the Lord.

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