“Where two or three are gathered together in My name, there am I in the midst of them” (Matt. 18:20).
There is a truth of great importance connected with the name of Jesus, which is much ignored, even by so-called fundamental Christians. It is the precious truth of gathering together in the name of the Lord Jesus alone.
Many realize the importance of the name of Jesus as the only name whereby the sinner must be saved. And they realize too that we ought to pray in that name. Yet they give little heed to the truth of gathering together in that precious name.
To gather in His name means to own His rights and to give Him His place in the assembly. It means to accept His way of gathering together as an assembly and to go by His directions and instructions. When Christians gather thus, they are “holding the head” (Col. 2:19) and have the promise of the Lord’s presence in the midst.
We do not gather around principles; we gather around the Person of the Lord Jesus. But we do desire to gather according to His Word in order that we may have His collective presence in the midst.
In these dark and confusing days, we must contend earnestly for the truth of gathering together as members of His body, depending on the leading of the Spirit for worship, prayer and ministry.
When there is failure, our gracious Lord does not disown an assembly, but labors with it in love, seeking to set those gathered there right. An assembly does not cease to be an assembly as soon as evil manifests itself, but it ceases to be an assembly if it refuses to judge the evil.
“Everything, whatever ye may do in word or in deed, do all things in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father by Him” (Col. 3:17 JND).
H. Brinkmann