We have now arrived at a point when we can plainly see how the scriptures present the truth as to the church of God.
The church of God consists of all believers at any given time. Like her Lord, she has, if true to Him, the place of rejection in this world. We are told that not many mighty, not many noble are called, that God has chosen the foolish, weak, and base things of the world, " that no flesh should glory in His presence " (1 Cor. 1:2929That no flesh should glory in his presence. (1 Corinthians 1:29)).
Then we learn how supreme the Lord is in His assembly and how the Holy Spirit divides to every man according to His sovereign will.
HOW SAINTS SHOULD BE GATHERED.
With these thoughts before us, as already outlined in this pamphlet, we would look for saints gathering as saints, prepared to take the place of rejection in this world, gathering to the Lord's
name alone, calling themselves by no other name, subjecting themselves to the headship of Christ and the guidance of the Scriptures and the Holy Spirit, recognizing in a practical way the truth of the one body, profiting by the gifts ordained of the Lord, the strong caring for the weak, each one concerned as to the exercise of his or her priesthood-each member of the body of Christ seeking to contribute his or her part to the welfare and happiness of the whole-the body making increase " unto the edifying of itself in love " (Eph. 4:1616From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love. (Ephesians 4:16)).
Some one may exclaim, What an ideal conception! It is the conception of Scripture. It is a glorious idea to think of the one church of God upon earth, true to her rejected Lord, acting in the practical maintenance of the truth of God as set forth in the Scriptures.
But alas! man has failed. We all know that scarcely was the apostolic age over before serious declension set in. Dealing with things with which we are particularly associated we have to-day great and pretentious denominations all around us, and even those who seek to answer the Lord's truth in simplicity divided and sub-divided till their testimony to the unity of the body of Christ has become a byword, a reproach and a stumbling block.
Is there then no path for the Christian amid all the confusion? Surely there is, or else God is defeated, and the Head of the Church is not sufficient for His people. If only two are found answering to the Lord's name they can count on His presence, for He said, " Where two or three are gathered together in My name, there am I in the midst of them " (Matt. 18:2020For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them. (Matthew 18:20)).
A VERY VITAL CONSIDERATION.
We now come to a very vital consideration. We are familiar with assemblies professing to be gathered to the Lord's name, who outwardly have very much in common, but who on inquiry differ in a very fundamental way.
ASSEMBLIES WHICH ACKNOWLEDGE PRACTICALLY THE TRUTH OF THE ONE BODY.
Some who gather to the Lord in simplicity believe in a circle of meetings, as there was at the beginning-the acts and discipline of such meetings affecting and being recognized by the rest. They see the truth of the one body of Christ, and how at the first there was a circle of assemblies, each a part of and having responsible relation to the whole, thus giving expression to the one body of Christ. Of course the circle of assemblies should normally include every believer on the face of the earth.
But if saints depart from this unity, should that rob believers of the privilege of acting according to the truth of scripture?
Of course no circle of meetings to-day can claim to be the church of God.- That scarcely needs saying. But it is open to saints to practically give expression to the fellowship all Christians are called to,
ASSEMBLIES WHICH TAKE INDEPENDENT GROUND.
There are other meetings, who take the ground that each assembly is independent or self -contained, that its acts and discipline are not necessarily binding on other independent meetings. No doubt such a position is an easy one to take, but it has grave disadvantages as we shall see.
Moreover it is not a question of what we like or choose, or deem expedient. We have truly no choice in the matter, if we are subject to Scripture.
THE TRUTH OF THE ONE BODY HAS A PRACTICAL BEARING.
We have heard it urged by one, who holds that assemblies are independent assemblies, that the truth of the one body has little or nothing to say practically to the constitution of the local assembly. Scripture, however, plainly gives the negative to such an assertion.
It was given to the apostle Paul " to make all men see what is the fellowship [administration N. Tr.] of the mystery [that is, the truth of Christ the Head in heaven and believers as members upon earth constituting the one body of Christ], which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ: to the intent that NOW unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places might be known BY THE CHURCH the manifold wisdom of God " (Eph. 3:9, 109And 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 3:9‑10)). Here it is plainly stated that 'the administration of the mystery is to be seen NOW in the assembly. The idea of independent assemblies is the denial of this scripture. Christ is not the Head to each independent assembly, but is the Head to the whole body-the Church of God upon the earth.
Another Scripture bears out the same thought. " Now ye are the body of Christ and members in particular " (1 Cor. 12:2727Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular. (1 Corinthians 12:27)). Evidently the Corinthian saints were not the whole body. of Christ, but locally they bore that character, for they were members of that body in particular. Could they be said to be " body of Christ " if they were viewed as an independent assembly? Surely not!
It greatly helps if we look upon all believers on earth at a given time, abstracting them in our minds from all their denominations and associations, and thus behold them as one body of Christ, the one assembly where God dwells upon the earth.
But they cannot all meet together. Numbers and distance preclude this. So we find many assemblies in many places and in many countries.
A BROKEN STATE OF THINGS.
Of course in the present broken state of affairs, and indeed from the first time the true saints of God fell into division, no circle of meetings can arrogate to itself the place of being the body of Christ, for there are many Christians outside any circle of meetings, who do not belong to it.
But it is surely still open for Christians to take the ground, which is in character that of the church of God, and which is open scripturally to all Christians, and thus to give expression to the only fellowship Christians are called to, and to do this without presumption of any kind.
THE CHARTER OF INDEPENDENT ASSEMBLIES.
Those who believe in independent assemblies clearly assert their views. As one reads them one is struck how the true idea of the church is lost sight of, and expediency governs their thoughts. Here are one or two samples.
" It formed no part of the commission which the risen Savior gave the apostles to execute that they should form all those of whom they trade disciples into one visibly connected community... so soon as there were other churches planted in addition to the first church formed at Jerusalem believers ceased to form in all respects one community. We read afterward accordingly not of one church or religious community but of numerous distinct communities independent of each other"
Again: " We own no other body of any kind or description, nor is there any unity of meetings in the name of the Lord only and under the rule of the Spirit only... Thus if there be no corporate relation there can be no corporate action of the churches. Each has its distinct organizations, functions and actions. God has therefore limited the action of our judgment to our immediate' sphere in order that we may not be continually clashing and striving with one another."
Note the expediency of the above extract. This idea of independent assemblies is to avoid "continually clashing and striving with one another." This leaves room for all sorts of confusion, and brings in practical disunity. It produces a great lack of effective discipline. Man's expediency in the things of God, leads to a great lowering of things, and ultimately to greater confusion than it seeks to avoid. God is wiser than men.
Again we read. " Each church was a self-contained unit, responsible alone to Christ the risen and glorified Head. "
Can any Christian studying the Scriptures come to the conclusion that the church at Corinth or Antioch or Ephesus was a self-contained unit in order to avoid " continual clashing and striving with one another? " This is a very low conception of the Church of God, as revealed in Scripture. Fancy the Lord being the Head of " a self-contained unit," and one unit acting professedly in dependence upon the Lord, and yet other assemblies not being responsible in any way to recognize its actions.
Again we read: -
" The local church is ' the pillar and ground of the truth ' sustaining indeed the truth common to all, but responsible in itself for the maintenance of a witness for God, and answerable only to Christ the Head."
What right has the writer of the above extract to alter Scripture? 1 Tim. 3:1515But if I tarry long, that thou mayest know how thou oughtest to behave thyself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth. (1 Timothy 3:15) speaks of " the church of the living God " being " the pillar and ground of the truth.". Why does the writer add the word local? Being obsessed by the idea of independent assemblies, " self-contained units," he clearly shows the bias of his mind. It is the case of making Scripture fit a human idea, rather than Scripture forming our ideas.
It is true that now and again a writer, who is connected with an independent assembly, will claim that the discipline of one assembly should be respected and upheld by other assemblies. In palpable matters it would clearly be so. For instance if a drunkard is put out of fellowship at A, if B and C etc. know him to be a drunkard they would not receive him.
But that ought to be true if a drunkard sought fellowship with any body of Christians, whether among the big denominations or anywhere else.
THE NEED OF LETTERS OF COMMENDATION.
To the writer's knowledge many of these independent assemblies receive individuals to the breaking of bread, otherwise unknown to them, on their own recommendation without a letter of commendation. Letters of commendation were evidently the custom of the early church as seen in 2 Cor. 3:1,1Do we begin again to commend ourselves? or need we, as some others, epistles of commendation to you, or letters of commendation from you? (2 Corinthians 3:1) when a saint went from one locality to another so that fellowship might be upheld.
The writer remembers calling the attention of a member of an independent assembly to this loose and unscriptural practice of receiving strangers on their own recommendation, saying, " You know that if a stranger walks into your meeting, and asks to break bread, he is allowed to do so on his own recommendation."
The brother replied, " It is enough for a stranger to walk into our meeting room. We don't even ask his name or if he is a Christian."
It says little for the unknown Christian presenting himself for fellowship that he has not taken the trouble to procure a letter of commendation.
AN UNSCRIPTURAL CUSTOM.
It would not do to assert that every independent assembly receives strangers on their own recommendation, but this unscriptural practice obtains in very many places, for the writer has the personal testimony of many Christian friends, who have been present on a Lord's day morning at an independent meeting, and, without one question being asked, the intimation has been made that they may break bread, if they wish. What is to prevent a man of impure life, or one holding evil doctrine, from breaking bread?
And when those, who belong to independent assemblies, are challenged as to the danger of allowing unknown persons breaking bread on their own recommendation, the stereotyped reply is this, " If unworthy persons break bread with us that is their responsibility, not ours."
CARE NEEDED IN RECEPTION.
But is that so? Take an extreme case, an unworthy person-the incestuous man-was breaking bread at Corinth. Was that his responsibility and not that of the assembly? It was his responsibility surely, but it was most emphatically the responsibility of the assembly. Solemnly they are told, " A little leaven leaveneth the whole lump " and they are exhorted to " purge out therefore the old leaven that ye may be a new lump as ye are unleavened " (1 Cor. 5:6,76Your glorying is not good. Know ye not that a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump? 7Purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, as ye are unleavened. For even Christ our passover is sacrificed for us: (1 Corinthians 5:6‑7)). The unworthy person had to be solemnly excommunicated, not merely put away from the privilege of breaking bread, but put away from among themselves.
A LOW CONCEPTION OF THE CHURCH OF GOD of God, and the holiness that becomes God's house the following quotations show.
" No individual in any church was held responsible for evil existing in it, either doctrinal or practical, simply because he was one of the worshippers."
And yet John the apostle of love, could warn a, Christian lady not to receive into her house one who brought not " the doctrine of Christ " (2 John vs. 9-11), and solemnly warns her that one who does so, bidding him God speed " is partaker of his evil deeds." Is this not the flat contradiction of the above and following quotations.
" Firstly, believers ought not to have fellowship with the defiled; and secondly they do not become defiled by such fellow- ship, but only by receiving and holding or practicing that which defiles. Hence it follows under no pretense of defilement are believers to be rejected who have been in contact with false teachers without imbibing their doctrine... It also follows a fortiori that meetings of believers cannot be defiled by the allowance of false teaching in them."
Can it be believed that such crude and unspiritual teaching was part of the propaganda that brought into existence multitudes of independent assemblies? It is said that the constitution of things has changed. We fail to see that it is so. To be clear of a. false start is to publicly renounce the very grounds on which these assemblies have been built up.
For if these quotations mean anything they mean this: one may sit next an adulterer or a drunkard week after week, pass the bread and wine to him, or receive them from him, and not be defiled, so long as one's life is clean and sober. One may sit next to a man holding evil doctrine, affecting the very fundamentals of the Christian faith, pass the bread and wine to him, or receive them from him and not be defiled, provided one does not receive the evil teaching.
Carry this principle to its legitimate end. Sinners as such may be in heaven itself, and heaven be not defiled by their unholy presence. Surely such ideas are very far removed from the truth of Scripture.
We gladly grant that there are large numbers of dear devoted Christians in these independent assemblies, who would be shocked if they knew they were in fellowship with meetings that began on such teaching as we have quoted. Such teaching is bearing evil fruit to-day, though we gladly acknowledge that some independent assemblies exercise more care than others.
One well-known writer taking independent ground, and contending earnestly for it, commenting on 2 Tim. 2:19-2119Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are his. And, Let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity. 20But in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and of silver, but also of wood and of earth; and some to honor, and some to dishonor. 21If a man therefore purge himself from these, he shall be a vessel unto honor, sanctified, and meet for the master's use, and prepared unto every good work. (2 Timothy 2:19‑21) teaches that the " vessels to dishonor " cannot mean persons, but must indicate doctrines. It therefore follows, if this be true, that a Christian is not called upon to withdraw from persons, however faulty their teaching may be, but to withdraw or purge himself from evil doctrines.
It is passing strange how an unscriptural idea leads good men often to twist Scripture. Here is a case in point. This writer—contends that the word, vessels, is a metaphor and to make it indicate a person is to confuse the metaphor chosen.
But a " vessel " is that which contains something. A doctrine contains nothing, a doctrine is something A man may contain something in the sense of holding or believing doctrine.
Scripture itself flatly contradicts this writer when it says, " If a man purge himself from these [vessels to dishonor] HE shall be A VESSEL unto honor, sanctified and meet for the Master's use, and prepared unto every good work " (2 Tim. 2:2121If a man therefore purge himself from these, he shall be a vessel unto honor, sanctified, and meet for the master's use, and prepared unto every good work. (2 Timothy 2:21)). Here the man is called a vessel, hence the vessels he purges himself from are clearly men. Why did not the writer referred to not read more carefully verse 21, and so save himself from a palpable blunder?
PRINCIPLES BEFORE PERSONS.
There is an important principle to guide the believer in a day of ruin found in 2 Tim. 2:2222Flee also youthful lusts: but follow righteousness, faith, charity, peace, with them that call on the Lord out of a pure heart. (2 Timothy 2:22). We read, " Follow righteousness, faith, charity, peace with them that call on the Lord out of a pure heart." Here principles are put before persons. We have known attractive persons who led saints away from divine principles, simply because they were attractive. It was not a question of principle at all. Such attractive persons are gifted, and pious in their walk, but have traveled into associations not consistent with the Word of God. Principles are to be followed, and principles cannot be followed save as they are practiced. Righteousness is the first thing, then faith, then love, then peace. Not peace at any price, but peace consistent with righteousness. And others will be found following these principles and will be characterized as saints calling " on the name of the Lord out of a pure heart," and with these we can happily walk.
INDEPENDENCY LEADS TO INDIVIDUALISM.
In truth the idea of independent meetings" self-contained units "-leads to independent assemblies being formed of independent individuals. This is the legitimate and inevitable result of the system.
The following quotation shows this to be the case:-
" One assembly cannot settle for another its course of action. One assembly has no authority to excommunicate another assembly or to pass judgment upon it in any matter [Italics added]. Not that things are not to be seen wrong in another assembly, but because God has not invested any assembly with jurisdiction or authority to judge another. It is not a court nor has it the judicial ability or apparatus to sit in judgment over another Church of God."
Notice one assembly has no right to pass judgment on another assembly " in any mailer." If this be true, what right had Martin Luther then to sever himself from the Church of Rome? What right had the author of this quotation to be separate from the great denominations all around him? Absolutely none. The above extract is the stultification of Scripture. It is the negation of 2 Tim. 2:19-21,19Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are his. And, Let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity. 20But in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and of silver, but also of wood and of earth; and some to honor, and some to dishonor. 21If a man therefore purge himself from these, he shall be a vessel unto honor, sanctified, and meet for the master's use, and prepared unto every good work. (2 Timothy 2:19‑21) and would forbid a man the right of purging himself from " vessels to dishonor."
Let us complete the quotation:—" Let us suppose
TWO COMMON CASES
" A brother visiting a new country worships with an assembly in a certain town. He then seeks to do so with another assembly in another town. Now it happens that the assembly in the latter believes much allowed in the former to be unscriptural, and therefore some would refuse the brother because he went to it. But two questions of liberty arise. Who made the second assembly the judge of the first? And who made it a judge of the brother's liberty to go where he will before the Lord? Elders may guard their own flock from error and evil and possibly consider carefully how far the coming brother brings evil with him, but they are no court to sit do judgment upon the liberty of either the brother or the assembly."
Here is a statement, which, whatever it lacks, lacks nothing in clearness. A meeting is no
judge of another meeting in any matter. A meeting is no judge of an individual wishing to break bread. The individual may go where he likes and do what he likes as before the Lord, and no meeting to which he comes has the right to judge him.
The last few lines of the quotation are really farcical. Elder brethren may consider carefully the case, may seek to guard their flock from error and evil, but have no right to sit in judgment upon the liberty of the individual or the assembly. In plain language they may talk and not act-they may deliberate and come to a judgment, but their judgment cannot be carried into effect, and is simply an empty farce. Such are the lengths to which independency carries its adherents.
BINDING AND LOOSING.
It is in the functioning of the assembly that the truth of the one body is seen in a practical way. It is in connection with discipline we get the verse, " Verily I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever ye shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven " (Matt. 18:1818Verily I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever ye shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven. (Matthew 18:18)). That is to say, if an assembly binds or looses its acts are bound or loosed on earth and bound 'or loosed in heaven. Surely if Corinth put out the wicked person their act to be bound on earth would take in every assembly in the world. It would be monstrous to say that Corinth's act was bound in heaven, and not binding on 'Ephesus and Colosse and Rome and Athens &c. That a wicked person is put away at Corinth and not in all assemblies where saints are gathered to the name of 'the Lord, is a denial of the truth: " There is one body and one Spirit " (Eph. 4:44There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling; (Ephesians 4:4)).
The whole trend of Scripture shows how the members of, the one body are looked at as members of the one body though necessarily found in various local assemblies. " Whether one member suffer, all the members suffer with it; or one member be honored, all the members rejoice with it. Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular " (1 Cor. 12:26,2726And whether one member suffer, all the members suffer with it; or one member be honored, all the members rejoice with it. 27Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular. (1 Corinthians 12:26‑27)).
AUTHORITY AND NOT INFALLIBILITY.
But this brings us' to an interesting point. The assembly is not infallible, but it has authority. This is seen in ordinary government. The judges of our law courts have authority, but they are not infallible. Without authority they could not act. But being fallible there are higher courts-courts of appeal-in which doubtful cases can be reviewed, and if necessary the decisions of the lower courts can be reversed.
The assumption of infallibility by the head of one great system in Christendom is an offense to all right-minded Christians. So any claim to infallibility on the part of the Christian assemblies would be the proclamation of crude ignorance and blasphemous assumption.
But the assembly has authority to bind or loose. So much is clear. What then has to be done if an assembly acts clearly in an unwise way, and comes plainly to a wrong decision? Have we no precedents in Scripture to guide us?
When the Corinthian assembly was puffed up and retained in its midst a wicked person, did the apostle Paul take the ground that there was no court to sit in judgment upon the. liberty of the assembly at Corinth? Did he not write them an inspired letter that brought them to a changed and chastened frame of mind, and that led them to alter their judgment to what was right and becoming to the holiness of God's house?
And to-day would it not be right for elder brethren of another meeting to approach and reason with an assembly, which, they believed, had acted wrongly in any matter? Is (there not room for expostulation patience and grace?
And better still is there not room for brethren feeling such difficulties to cry earnestly to the great Head of the Church-the blessed Lord-to come in and give searchings of heart and light in the matter. And an assembly, who finds it has clone something wrong, is surely within its province in reversing a hasty and ill-advised judgment, whether of binding or loosing.
CONCLUSION.
It is not surprising that independent meetings are made up of independent individuals, and degenerate into mere gospel missions with the breaking of bread thrown in. Individuals connected with such have acknowledged to the writer the lack of discipline, the lack of church teaching and the lack of worship found in such surroundings.
As to the gospel we prize it beyond words, but we believe the gospel gains and does not lose in power when found in a circle where the truth of the Church of God is held in a practical way.
In this pamphlet we have sought not to attack individuals, we have suppressed as 'far as possible, all names, and contented ourselves with the description of movements to be tested by the Word of God.
Without bitterness, with true love, we trust, to our fellow-believers wherever found, we -are at least justified in bringing to the test of the Word of God the claims to Christian Fellowship put forward in one form and another, and to seek to get a clear idea of, and to practice the fellowship all Christians are called to.