There are few of my readers who need to be told that the meaning of the word “Church” is, simply, “Assembly.” And yet it would deliver us from a good many wrong thoughts just to remember this. And the uniform translation of the word by “assembly,” in our common version, would set aside some strange interpretations of, peculiar texts., Thus, for instance, “the church in the wilderness”, would surely cease to be quoted as a proof of the identity between the Jewish Assembly and the Christian, if the technical word “church” (which from the habitual use and application seems to justify it) were seen to be the same word by which even the riotous, heathen crowd at. Ephesus is designated in Acts 19:3232Some therefore cried one thing, and some another: for the assembly was confused; and the more part knew not wherefore they were come together. (Acts 19:32). Anybody may understand what perplexity it would create in the mind of the reader, if he found it there written of that heathen mob, “the church was confused,” or what an absurdity it would naturally appear for anybody to argue the identity of the crowd of idolators there with the, Christian “Church,” because the word for “church” was used in their case, Yet, people who should know better use exactly the argument in favor of the Jewish “church in the wilderness,” which they would be ashamed, to use, (although they might as well do so) in behalf of the crowd of worshippers of “Diana of the Ephesians.” The definition of the Christian assembly, by which it mays be known from any other assembly whatever, is plainly given in the heading to this paper. It is the “body of Christ,” the company of His members, formed by the uniting action of the Spirit of God, for “by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body.” (1 Cor. 12:1313For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit. (1 Corinthians 12:13))
I propose in this paper some brief enquiry as to this “body of Christ,” and what the, duty of believers is with regard to it. For that some obligation flows, from the connection with it, I may be permitted for the present to assume.
In the first place, then, as I have already stated, and as Scripture in so many words assures us, the Church is the “body of Christ,” the company of all His real members. This “membership” is the only one acknowledged in the word of God. It has become a current phrase to speak of “members of this or that denomination.” Scripture speaks of but one body and one membership in it; Christians, therefore, everywhere “members one of another.” Anything narrower than this would be treated by it as plain sectarianism. Nor do we find the expression even, “members of the Church;” that might allow the idea of membership being some more external thing, but there is none outside of the real “body,” the body of Christ.”
We become members of this body, too, by no external act or deed, by no will or choice of our own. The custom is for people to say, “I am not a member, I have never joined.” It is no question joining in this way, but of being joined, and that by the Divine act alone, the baptism of the Spirit: “by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body?” This is by no external ordinance, water, baptism, or aught else. It is that operation of the Spirit of God, peculiar to Christianity, which began first at Pentecost and has been continued ever since. It is undeniable, however much the Spirit worked (and He did work) in days preceding — the baptism of the Holy Ghost was announced for the first time, and as a future thing, by John the Baptist: “He shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost.” To that promise the Lord distinctly referred after his resurrection, when “being assembled together” with His disciples, “He commanded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the Father, which, saith He, ye have heard of Me: for John truly baptized with Water, but ye shall be baptized with the. Holy Ghost not many days hence.” (Acts 1:4, 54And, being assembled together with them, commanded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the Father, which, saith he, ye have heard of me. 5For John truly baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence. (Acts 1:4‑5).) Pentecost for them fulfilled that promise. And what took place then was not merely therefore a display of miraculous power, such as has long since ceased, but (as the text in 1 Cor. 12 assures us) the formation of the body of Christ then began.
Hence, nowhere before this do we find even a hint of the existence of the body of Christ at all. The Old Testament know nothing of it. Indeed, there was as yet no Head in heaven. Only when God “raised Christ from the dead, and set Him at His own right hand in the heavenly places,” was it that He “gave Him to be the Head over all things to the Church which is His body.” (Eph. 1:20, 2320Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places, (Ephesians 1:20)
23Which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all. (Ephesians 1:23).)
The thought is indeed rooted strongly in the mind of Christians generally, that the Church is the whole company of the saved. To deny the place of the saints of Old Testament times to be in the Church which is Christ’s body, is with them almost equivalent to denying their participation in salvation. But it is not at all so. They are not only sharers with us in the blessedness of salvation, but also in being children of God and partakers of heavenly glory. These, things only the force of constant habits of thoughts has connected together. They are really and widely separate.
Another thing has tended to confirm this view of the matter. The baptism of the Holy Ghost has been confounded with new birth; and therefore it would naturally be supposed that being born again was the entrance into the Church. Thus, either Old Testament saints were not born again (which would be certainly contrary to the truth), or the Church of God must include these.
But the baptism of the Holy Ghost is not the same as new birth. The disciples were already born again when the Lord spoke to them of this baptism as what they should receive. And while men had been born of the Spirit all through the old dispensation the baptism of the Spirit began at Pentecost. Attention to these points will, I believe, clear the mind of a confusion, well nigh universal, as to this.
The New Testament is full of a gift of the spirit peculiar to the present dispensation, and a thing super added to new birth. Thus in John 7 where the Lord declares of the one who believes on Him, that “out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water,” it is added (verse 39), “But this spake He of the Spirit, which they that believe on Him should receive; for the Holy Ghost was not yet [given], because that Jesus was not yet glorified.” Now, there again, we most distinctly find that after the completion of the work of the Lord Jesus, there was a reception of the Spirit by believers, such as never had been before. “The Holy Ghost was not yet,” is the real language used, which shows it was a personal presence of the Spirit Himself, which was predicted as a distinct thing from anything known before.
Yet He had been working among men, as we know, from the beginning. He had been “in” the prophets why testified of the coming salvation. And to the restored remnant of Israel had Haggai announced the gracious word of Jehovah, “My Spirit remaineth among you, fear ye not.” (Hag. 2:55According to the word that I covenanted with you when ye came out of Egypt, so my spirit remaineth among you: fear ye not. (Haggai 2:5).) In view of this men reasonably ask, what is the difference between the Spirit in prophets and the Spirit in Christians now of, the Spirit remaining in the midst of Israel, and the abiding presence of the Spirit now?
The first question, he who speaks of the Spirit in the prophets answers, making broad distinction between the Spirit of Christ testifying prophetically in them of things now preached, “and the Holy Ghost sent down from heaven.” (1 Peter 1:11, 1211Searching what, or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ which was in them did signify, when it testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ, and the glory that should follow. 12Unto whom it was revealed, that not unto themselves, but unto us they did minister the things, which are now reported unto you by them that have preached the gospel unto you with the Holy Ghost sent down from heaven; which things the angels desire to look into. (1 Peter 1:11‑12).) There is no difficulty in understanding the difference between the Spirit of prophecy bearing witness of coming salvation, and the Holy Ghost sent down to make good the reality of it in the souls of believers now.
And as to the second question, the Spirit remaining in the midst of the remnant of Israel was a very different thing from the Spirit abiding in the believer himself and making his body His temple; a very different thing also from His baptizing believers into “one body,” and that the body of Christ.
Scripture, it is evident, makes a grand and broad distinction between these things. All former presence of the Spirit is so to speak ignored, or presented only as contrast to this marked and striking peculiarity of the Christian dispensation. “The Holy Ghost was not yet,” is decisive. And when the Lord Himself, in His last discourse with His disciples prior to His crucifixion, speaks of the coming of the Comforter, it is to put it again in the strongest possible contrast with anything that had been before. Speaking of His own presence with them He had said long before, “Verily I say unto you, that many prophets and righteous men have desired to see the things that ye see, and have not seen them, and to hear the things that ye hear, and have not heard them. (Matt. 13:1717For verily I say unto you, That many prophets and righteous men have desired to see those things which ye see, and have not seen them; and to hear those things which ye hear, and have not heard them. (Matthew 13:17)). Yet now He says of His departure from them, and of their loss of that great blessing of His personal presence: “It is expedient for you that I go away.” And why? “For if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send Him unto you,” (John 16:77Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you. (John 16:7)) What a wondrous thing must have been that coming of, the Spirit for, which it was “expedient” to lose the, actual bodily presence of the gracious Lord and Saviour! We look back to those times, and our longing hearts, say, O to have seen Him then! But He says Himself, “you are more blessed in the presence of the Holy Ghost the Comforter, than if, you had seen me then with your bodily eyes on earth.” And, Oh, brethren, do we believe it? Do we realize the precious portion that is ours?
Pentecost was the time of the coming of that Comforter, as we have seen. And how plain it was no question of miraculous gifts, which have long-passed away! The very fact that they have passed away, is a sufficient proof of the distinction, for the Lord tells us concerning the Holy Ghost, the Comforter; “He shall abide with you forever,” (John 15:1616Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you. (John 15:16)).
The results of that coming, which those miracles at Pentecost were only tongues to proclaim, it is not my intention now to enter into. The baptism of believers into one body is that which alone we are now speaking of, and we have seen that Scripture speaks of it as a new thing at Pentecost. We have seen too, that it was needful for Jesus to be risen and ascended before the Holy Ghost could be given upon earth, and we can now well understand that necessity in order to the formation of the “body” upon earth, as it was as a risen and ascended, man that the Lord actually took the place of “Head over all things to the Church, His body.”
Pentecost, then, saw the beginning of this. It is well, however, to remember that it is not to the 2nd chapter of Acts we are to look for the doctrine as to it. The Apostle Paul distinctly tells us that the “mystery, hid from ages and from generations,” was committed to him, in order “to fulfill [or complete] the word of God,” (Col. 1:25, 26,25Whereof I am made a minister, according to the dispensation of God which is given to me for you, to fulfil the word of God; 26Even the mystery which hath been hid from ages and from generations, but now is made manifest to his saints: (Colossians 1:25‑26) and comp. Ephesians 3:1-101For this cause I Paul, the prisoner of Jesus Christ for you Gentiles, 2If ye have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God which is given me to you-ward: 3How that by revelation he made known unto me the mystery; (as I wrote afore in few words, 4Whereby, when ye read, ye may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ) 5Which in other ages was not made known unto the sons of men, as it is now revealed unto his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit; 6That the Gentiles should be fellowheirs, and of the same body, and partakers of his promise in Christ by the gospel: 7Whereof I was made a minister, according to the gift of the grace of God given unto me by the effectual working of his power. 8Unto me, who am less than the least of all saints, is this grace given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ; 9And to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ: 10To the intent that now unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places might be known by the church the manifold wisdom of God, (Ephesians 3:1‑10)). It pleased God in His wisdom not to reveal this mystery at once, but after a certain preparation for it; and it is nowhere save in Paul’s writings, that the doctrine of the “body” is taught. All that we see in Acts is that there did then begin an “assembly” to which the Lord daily added those He was saving. And the gift of the Holy Ghost, the characteristic peculiarity of the dispensation, in the first-place following baptism, and bestowed by the laying on of the Apostles’ hands, marked distinctly what was connected with this manifest display of Divine power. It was not till the first Gentile was brought in — Cornelius — that there was any exception to this order of things. He received both, apart from baptism, and apart altogether from Apostles’ hands. Thus began the present order of things, if I may so say, now that Apostles have long been absent from the Church.
Thus then began the existence of the Church of Christ on earth. It still continues; and its endowment with the Spirit continues still. Miraculous powers are indeed gone; the Holy Ghost, is not; the Lord’s own words guarantee the abiding presence of the “Comforter” with His disciples.
It is now time for the question, which the hearts of many, it may be, have anticipated, “Where is this ‘Church, which is Christ’s body,’ in the present day?”
Ready enough will be the answer, doubtless, too. I shall be reminded of my own statements, perhaps, that this Church is the company of all true believers, and be told that I shall find them scattered throughout the various denominations of Christians.
That is all true — too true. But then if I turn to Scripture, I find there another thing altogether from members of Christ scattered through other bodies, whatever they may be. I find these members united together as such, and the body of Christ, the common union of the whole, a body visible, wherein each single member had his recognized place, relation and office, as regards all the rest. The “body of Christ” was the only Church in existence among Christians. It was the one “organization,” — the one and only “denomination” anywhere. “Churches,” or “assemblies,” there might be, and were; but these were no otherwise separate from each other, than by the necessity of space and distance. The “Church of God in Corinth” could not be locally present with the Church in Thessalonica or in Ephesus. But these were not different organizations, or denominations, or even “bodies.” There was but 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)), even as them was but the “one Spirit;” — a body God made and not man made, — where everyone had his place, not of self-appointment, neither of human appointment, but of Divine.
Into this body, no men, or number of men, admitted, or had power to admit. The members of it “received one another,” just as, and because “Christ had received” (Rom. 15:77Wherefore receive ye one another, as Christ also received us to the glory of God. (Romans 15:7)). This was the condition of fellowship. They “received one another” upon that recognition of a mutual relationship towards each other, which Divine grace had brought them into. They dictated no terms upon which they would receive one another; they ordained for each other no code of religious law, no ritualistic service, to which all members of Christ were to subscribe or give adhesion. They were members of one family, bound in love and in duty to one, another, — but with One only Master, even Christ, and all else, brethren.
This was the Church of God, as he made it, — the church, Christ’s body. It was a body in practical, real, working order; not an invisible thing or a theory, which could be laid upon the shelf to make way for any more practicable invention of men’s minds. There was no room for any other church. It claimed absolutely every one of the members of Christ. None was left free to join anything else according to his own taste or inclination; by the very fact that he was a Christian, he belonged of necessity to the “one body,” the Church.
There were also means instituted for making known this oneness. The “assembly” was an assembly: they assembled themselves together; and not only for exhortation and edification, though surely for that; but they had a table also spread, around which they gathered, where the bread which they brake was not only “the communion of the body of Christ,” the body given for them upon the Cross, but where they affirmed, that “we, being many, are one bread, one body; for we are all partakers of that one bread,” (1 Cor. 10:1717For we being many are one bread, and one body: for we are all partakers of that one bread. (1 Corinthians 10:17).)
But, you say, I shall find these members of the body of Christ scattered throughout the various denominations of Christians! It is too true; and what has scattered them Judaism had done so; and the Apostle John tells us that Christ died, that (among other things) “He might gather together in one, the children of God which were scattered abroad,” (John 11:5, 25Now Jesus loved Martha, and her sister, and Lazarus. (John 11:5)
2(It was that Mary which anointed the Lord with ointment, and wiped his feet with her hair, whose brother Lazarus was sick.) (John 11:2)). It is no use to say, therefore, that the real unity of Christians subsists still, and the multiplicity of, denominations does not disturb it. It is no use, again; to speak of a unity of affection, of interests of hopes, &c., which abides still. However much that may be true, it was true also in the days of Judaism, as well as now; yet, says the Word of God, the children of God were “scattered” then, and Christ died to gather them together. But, according to your own confession, they are “scattered” still.
And some, yea, many, openly approve of this as if it were most manifestly superior to the Divine plan. Though few would be so bold as to attempt to show us that Paul or Peter established different denominations, or that Episcopalianism, had its representation at Ephesus, Presbyterianism in Crete, and Congregationalism at Corinth; yet they really speak as if it were an improvement now that these things should be. The “many men, many minds,” can thus be accommodated. But what of God’s mind? His He none? And dose Christianity, which legislates about a covered or uncovered head (1 Cor. 11), leave men’s minds to them own wanderings, or subject them to God’s? It is surely not hard to give the answer.
The Church of God exists. Thank God, it does. And it exists, “one body” still, not many, bodies. Reader, if you he Christ’s, I ask you to consider, with His word before you, is there any other religious body, which He owns as His, save this one Church we have been speaking of? And then, what claim have other bodies, which do not even represent the Church of God, upon your or my obedience?
I merely state the principle now. I leave it to every “honest and good heart” to apply it for itself. Certainly, if the Church of God abides, and we belong to it, we have duties which spring necessarily out of that relationship. God’s word too abides, the simple test and judge of all. May the coming Lord he able to say to you and me, reader, what He could say to the Church in Philadelphia: “Thou hast a little strength, and hast kept My word, and hast not denied My Name” (Rev. 3:88I know thy works: behold, I have set before thee an open door, and no man can shut it: for thou hast a little strength, and hast kept my word, and hast not denied my name. (Revelation 3:8).)