The first, distinct intimation of the church we find in Scripture is Matthew 16:1818And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. (Matthew 16:18). Peter having confessed, “Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God,” and Jesus having owned this as the revelation of the Father to him, He further said, “And I say unto thee, Thou art Peter [a stone], and upon this rock I will build My church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.” Christ, the Son of God, revealed of the Father, was the Rock on which the church was to be built. Peter should be a stone in that then-future building. That this is the clear meaning many other scriptures prove. “For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ” (1 Cor. 3:11). “Jesus Christ Himself being the corner stone” (Eph. 2:2020And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone; (Ephesians 2:20) JND).
Is it not also quite clear that the church was then a future thing? “I will build My church.” Jesus did not say, “I have built,” or, “I am building,” but, “I will build.”
The next reference to the church is in Matthew 18:1717And if he shall neglect to hear them, tell it unto the church: but if he neglect to hear the church, let him be unto thee as an heathen man and a publican. (Matthew 18:17). This also is evidently future; otherwise, surely, while the Lord was with His disciples, the case of an offending brother would have been laid before Himself. “And if he shall neglect to hear them, tell it unto the church: but if he neglect to hear the church, let him be unto thee as an heathen man and a publican.”
There are no other scriptures whatever that speak of the church until we come to the church’s birthday — Pentecost.
We may have to point out many types of the church, as the body and bride of Christ, in the Old Testament, but these could not be understood until it pleased God to reveal the joint body by the apostles and prophets of the New Testament (Eph. 3). No doubt you would like to ask many questions as we go through the Scriptures on this deeply interesting subject; I will anticipate those questions.
What is the meaning of the Greek word “ekkleesia” which we translate church?
In verse 37, “neither robbers of churches,” this word “churches” evidently means heathen temples or buildings. Is it the same word? Oh no, this is quite another word altogether. There is no authority in Scripture for calling a building a church. We should therefore never do so.
You said Pentecost was the church’s birthday. Is this clear in Scripture?
This is a point of such importance that nothing could be made more clear in Scripture. The disciples were to remain in Jerusalem until they were baptized with the Holy Spirit (Luke 24:4949And, behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you: but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high. (Luke 24:49); Acts 1:55For John truly baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence. (Acts 1:5)). It was on the day of Pentecost that “they were all with one accord in one place. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind . . . and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost.” Acts 2 gives a full account of the first day of the church of God. It was the first announcement of the gospel of the crucified and risen Christ ascended up to God’s right hand. And God used this day’s preaching in the conversion of three thousand souls. These were all added, “and they continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers. And fear came upon every soul: and many wonders and signs were done by the apostles. And all that believed were together, and had all things common.” What a wondrous new thing this was, the like of which had never taken place before. “And the Lord added to the church [or, assembly] daily such as should be saved.” All this was entirely of God. The Holy Spirit came down from heaven. The Lord added together. Thus this assembly on the very first day of its existence was God’s assembly. It could not be thus baptized by the Holy Spirit until the Holy Spirit was given, and He could not be given until Jesus was glorified (John 7:3939(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.) (John 7:39)). And Jesus could not, as our Substitute and Representative, be glorified until He had glorified God on the cross. Then the Father must straightway glorify Him by raising Him not only from the dead, but by receiving Him to glory. When all this was done, the church was built. We shall see shortly, in the epistles, how the church is linked with the glory of God.
But were none saved, then, before Christ arose from the dead and the Holy Spirit was thus sent down? And if they did not belong to the church of God, what were they then?
Certainly, all who believed the promise of God were saved, or justified, by faith, but they were and remained saved individuals — saved Jews or saved Gentiles. But now “there is neither Jew nor Greek . . . for ye are all one in Christ Jesus” (Gal. 3:2828There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus. (Galatians 3:28)).
Then if Pentecost was the first day of the church, and it was formed by the Holy Spirit sent down from heaven, what is the subsequent history of “The Acts of the Apostles”?
The Acts are really the acts of the Holy Spirit — how He acted in gathering the predestined church out of the world. He used a variety of instruments, but you will find, as you read the history of this wondrous assembly, that wherever the Holy Spirit acted, it was to form the one assembly of God. Power, the power of God, not of man, is seen everywhere. In chapter 3, there is a man who could say, “Silver and gold have I none,” but such is the power displayed in the name of Jesus that all Jerusalem is stirred to its center. And though all combined against the holy One of God, yet none could deny the power of God.
The church was the display of the power of God. Let us listen to the voice of prayer at the church’s first prayer meeting recorded in the Acts: “And now, Lord, behold their threatenings: and grant unto Thy servants, that with all boldness they may speak Thy word, by stretching forth Thine hand to heal; and that signs and wonders may be done by the name of Thy holy child [or, servant] Jesus. And when they had prayed, the place was shaken where they were assembled together; and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and they spake the word of God with boldness. And the multitude of them that believed were of one heart and of one soul: neither said any of them that aught of the things which he possessed was his own; but they had all things common. And with great power gave the apostles witness of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus: and great grace was upon them all” (Acts 4:29-3329And now, Lord, behold their threatenings: and grant unto thy servants, that with all boldness they may speak thy word, 30By stretching forth thine hand to heal; and that signs and wonders may be done by the name of thy holy child Jesus. 31And when they had prayed, the place was shaken where they were assembled together; and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and they spake the word of God with boldness. 32And the multitude of them that believed were of one heart and of one soul: neither said any of them that ought of the things which he possessed was his own; but they had all things common. 33And with great power gave the apostles witness of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus: and great grace was upon them all. (Acts 4:29‑33)).
What a scene this was: one assembly, one heart, one purpose — the glory of Jesus! The Holy Spirit was present. Surely it makes one sigh to compare this with the present state of Christendom. How could this assembly withstand the hatred and opposition of the whole world? God was with them — the divine person of the Holy Spirit.
It is of all importance to notice this in the history of the assembly of God in the Acts. The Holy Spirit is always present to guide the assembly — this fact is the foundation of the church’s constitution as seen on earth.
Peter said to Ananias, “Why hath Satan filled thine heart to lie to the Holy Ghost?” Stephen said, “Ye do always resist the Holy Ghost.” The Spirit said unto Peter, “Behold, three men seek thee. Arise therefore, and get thee down, and go with them, doubting nothing: for I have sent them” (Acts 10:19-2019While Peter thought on the vision, the Spirit said unto him, Behold, three men seek thee. 20Arise therefore, and get thee down, and go with them, doubting nothing: for I have sent them. (Acts 10:19‑20)). And after the conversion of the Gentiles and the pouring out of the gift of the Holy Spirit on them, Peter says, “And the Spirit bade me go with them, nothing doubting.” In chapter 13 the Holy Spirit takes the same place of divine guidance in the assembly at Antioch. “As they ministered to the Lord, and fasted, the Holy Ghost said, Separate Me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them. . . . So they, being sent forth by the Holy Ghost, departed.” When a question of great moment had to be settled by the assembly at Jerusalem, the presence of the Holy Spirit was again distinctly recognized: “For it seemed good to the Holy Ghost, and to us” (Acts 15:2828For it seemed good to the Holy Ghost, and to us, to lay upon you no greater burden than these necessary things; (Acts 15:28)). Even the apostles were guided by this divine person: “Now when they had gone throughout Phrygia and the region of Galatia, and were forbidden of the Holy Ghost to preach the word in Asia, after they were come to Mysia, they assayed to go into Bithynia: but the Spirit suffered them not.”
Thus we see the assembly of God, throughout its history in the Acts, under the sovereign guidance of the Holy Spirit. Sad failure as to this was distinctly foretold (ch. 20:28-30). Yea, the Apostle himself failed (ch. 23:34). But the failure of man does not alter the truth of God. Christ is glorified; the Holy Spirit is sent down, and He remains with the church. Oh, how has Christendom utterly failed to own the divine presence and guidance of the Holy Spirit! I beg of you to compare your own condition and associations with the Acts as to this. The church, or assembly, of God is one, as gathered together by the Lord. Sects or divisions are not of God but are carnal and of man.
Is that clearly revealed in the Word of God?
Nothing can be more so. Read 1 Corinthians 1:10-13; 3:15: “For ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions [or, sects], are ye not carnal, and walk as men?” Oh, let us own the exceeding wickedness of sectarianism, and let us return unto our God with confession and humiliation. How fearfully has Christendom departed from that beautiful scene when “the multitude of them that believed were of one heart and of one soul”! One object — the glory of Christ — and all filled with the Holy Spirit. Compare this, say, with a so-called Liberation meeting! But enough — can God approve of this wicked strife?
What do the epistles teach as to the church?
They address the children of God now as the one assembly of God: “Unto the church [or, assembly] of God which is at Corinth.” “Unto the church of the Thessalonians which is in God the Father.” This wondrous assembly we find was chosen of God in Christ before the foundation of the world and blessed of God with all spiritual blessings in Christ Jesus. “To the praise of the glory of His grace, wherein He hath made us accepted in the beloved. In whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace.” All this is more fully unfolded, the eye being fixed on Christ, in Ephesians 1. There we see Him raised from among the dead and placed, as the risen man, “far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come: and hath put all things under His feet, and gave Him to be the head over all things to the church, which is His body, the fullness of Him that filleth all in all.”
But had He not always this glory?
Doubtless He had in His own eternal Godhead. As the eternal Son He had glory with the Father before the world began. But now as man, the second Adam — the man who died for our sins, according to the Scriptures — the Substitute forsaken of God on the cross — having glorified God there, having finished the work given Him to do, God has given Him, as man, this highest place above all things — the universe under His feet. All this is “to usward who believe,” in connection with Him as head of the church, His body.
We have seen the person of the Holy Spirit in the Acts, in His own divine sovereignty, as the foundation of all church constitution on earth. We now look up and see the Lord of glory, the head of the church, far above all, in heaven.
Surely, then, only the most worthy of mankind can form the church of God!
If you read Ephesians 2, you will be amazed to find the opposite of this to be the case. “And you . . . who were dead in trespasses and sins” —“children of wrath, even as others.” These are the very persons whom God has quickened together with Christ and has given to them the wondrous place of oneness with Him, in all that exalted glory. This is altogether of God — God’s new creation. Yes, the assembly of God is God’s new creation. And the once-rejected Jesus, now Lord of all glory, “is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things He might have the preeminence” (Col. 1:1818And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence. (Colossians 1:18)). Mark, He is head of the body, not the different bodies, not the different regiments of Christendom nor the religious bodies of the so-called churches. No, all this is not in Scripture, not of God; it is entirely of man, or Satan, who never ceases to deface the assembly of God, the one body of Christ. Do not help him a bit in this work.
This wondrous display of richest grace is far beyond all human thought. Just think of these words, with the discernment of the Spirit: “For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is Christ” (1 Cor. 12:12). Is not this wondrous? Just as all the members of the human body are joined to the head and form one man, or one body, so also all who believe are joined to Christ, raised from the dead far above all, and form the one Christ!
But do you say that all who are saved now on earth form the one body of Christ and every case of true conversion to God — is it possible that all the saved belong to this one body? What, we all?
Let Scripture speak: “For 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 Cor. 12:13). This is the church of God as found in Scripture. And this is the church of God, because it is entirely of God. Read the next verses, verses 14-27. “God [hath] set the members every one in the body, as it hath pleased Him.” “That there should be no schism in the body.” “God hath tempered the body together.” “Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular.”
Let us with all lowliness of mind own all this. “There is one body, and one Spirit, . . . one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all.” Carefully study the context of these words (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)). The effect is marvelous when the soul gets hold of this great fact (long lost, but true), that there is one body, even as there is one Lord and one God, and that in Scripture two or more bodies cannot be found. And above all that, this one body is of God — God’s workmanship. Then it is found that all sectarianism is direct opposition to God.
I grant this is a tremendous discovery — that so much that we have been proud of is sin and rebellion against God. But evidently it is so. In deep humiliation let us own it. The one assembly of God is also presented in Scripture as the bride of Christ, the wife of the Lamb. Grace beyond all human thought! Here we find the outflow of the affections of Christ as man. And though this mystery of divine love was kept hid until revealed to the apostles and prophets of the church, fully stated in Ephesians 3, yet many were the precious figures of this that went before.
As early as in paradise, God said, “It is not good that man should be alone; I will make him an help meet for him.” God in His own love would give Adam an object on which his love might be placed. And thus, in this figure of Him that was to come, God sets forth His own eternal purpose to build the church, the one body, the bride, that the Man up there in the glory shall not be alone but shall have an object in which the infinite love of His own heart shall have its eternal delight. And was not the way in which God formed the woman most significant? Adam was laid in deep sleep — type of the depths of death to which Jesus must descend to redeem His bride. Of that dead rib, in figure, the living woman was built. It was to that awakened or risen Adam that the woman, one with himself, was presented. “And Adam said, This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh.” There were many beautiful creatures in paradise, but only one was made meet for the affections of Adam. God only built one Eve; God only builds one bride for Christ.
Oh what a thought, what a fact, that “Christ also loved the church, and gave Himself for it; that He might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, that He might present it to Himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.” “Christ is the head of the church.” “For we are members of His body, of His flesh, and of His bones” (Eph. 5).
It is blessed to gaze on Christ, the object of the believer’s love, but that is not the thought here. The assembly of God, the bride of Christ, is the object of His love, of His delight. Have you passed from death unto life? Then you form part of that one body, one assembly of God, bride of Christ, object of His love. Think —object of the love of Christ!
In the call of Rebecca also we have a striking illustration of the bride of Christ. Isaac must first be offered up and received in figure from the dead. Sarah, the Jewish economy, must be set aside. Then the father Abraham sends Eliezer from Canaan to the far country to fetch a bride for Isaac, the risen son from the dead, in figure. Jewels first are given to Rebecca, and raiment, then she gladly leaves all to go to meet the bridegroom, whom not having seen, she loves. Then the meeting. And then is she the possessed object of Isaac’s love. Again there is one bride. Just so when God had actually received His beloved Son from the dead, offered up for us and could not be spared, and received Him to “Canaan” (heaven), then God the Father sent the Holy Spirit to this far country (earth) to fetch a bride for Christ. Jewels first — the righteousness of God established by the death on the cross — and then raiment — Christ raised from the dead our righteousness — and all given to and put upon the believer. Then farewell — separation from all below. And, like Eliezer, the Holy Spirit leads the bride along to meet the heavenly bridegroom. The church of the Scriptures is found waiting and looking for Christ, the second time unto salvation. And, oh, the meeting! As Isaac lifted up his eyes, so the loving eyes of Jesus are looking for us, His bride. And we shall soon, like Rebecca, lift up our eyes. We shall see Him as He is and be like Him. This joyful theme I leave until we arrive at the third part of our subject — the destiny of the church.
Another interesting figure in the Old Testament is Ruth. God is pleased by these, His own figures, to give us understanding of this great reality, the church, the bride of Christ. Here is one who by nature was a stranger to the covenant and promise; death also was written upon her house. She was a Moabitess and her own husband was dead. Most touchingly does her history illustrate the grace of Christ in bringing a soul to Himself. She is brought by Naomi in bitterness of soul to the fields of Boaz. You may remember the bitterness of those days in which you were led by the Spirit to repentance. But oh, how welcome she is in the fields of Boaz! Is she thirsty? Let her drink. Is she hungry? Let her eat. Does she glean? Let fall handfuls of purpose for her. Such is the grace of our precious Lord. Are you but a gleaner, lately bowed in bitterness at the sense of your own lost condition? Ah, how welcome to Christ! Are you thirsty? Welcome to the water of life. Are you hungry? Welcome to the bread of life. Has He not let handfuls fall on your path on purpose? But far more than this was to follow: “My daughter, shall I not seek rest for thee?” And now she is identified with Boaz in the figure of death — she lay at his feet, and what the other kinsman could not do Boaz did. He redeemed her to be his bride. And all the elders bare witness. Once she was the object of the gleaning kindness of Boaz; now is she the object of his bridal love. A welcome stranger, now she has the most honored place on earth — the loved bride of Boaz and the mother of David.
Has not God thus dealt with us? He would not have us be merely welcome gleaners in the fields of Christ, but one with Him and bride of the Lamb. There was but one Ruth; there is but one church, one body, one bride.
May I ask, then, if all Christians have to leave the different churches of men, such as Romanism, Anglicanism and Wesleyanism, to form one church, and so make one body, one assembly?
Many have thought so, but it is a most unscriptural mistake. As we have already seen, the church of God is not a thing of man’s making. It is wholly of God. Eve did not make herself. It is remarkable that at Corinth, where there was most failure and division, in that very epistle we learn that all believers are baptized into one body. Let this great truth be only received in faith that all believers now are baptized into one body and that this is of God. The effect is sure to be that instead of fleshly boasting, we shall be deeply ashamed of sectarianism. And the believer who receives this truth can no longer belong to a sect, cost what it may. Only let the Word of God have its authority, then how can I deliberately do that which is in direct opposition to God?
In the Acts of the Holy Spirit, then, we have the history of how God set up the church in the beginning of its days. Then in the epistles we have the wondrous revelation of what the church is.
Before we look at its ministry, there are two things found in Scripture I desire to call your attention to. The Lord’s supper is one of them. “The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the communion of the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, is it not the communion of the body of Christ? For we being many are one bread, and one body: for we are all partakers of that one bread” (1 Cor. 10:16-17). Is not this the perfect communion of the one body of Christ — each believer introduced into the same fellowship of divine blessing? And does not this separate us from the world? “Ye cannot drink the cup of the Lord, and the cup of devils: ye cannot be partakers of the Lord’s table, and of the table of devils.”
This communion is further explained, as received by Paul from the Lord, in chapter 11. What impresses me in this distinct, full explanation of remembering the Lord Jesus and showing His death until He comes is this: It is the act of the whole, one assembly of God. There is neither a priest with his mass nor a minister with his sacrament. Either the one or the other would entirely set aside the very act of communion. The Romish priest, the ritualist with all his imitations of Rome, and the presiding minister at his sacrament — all this is not in Scripture, and we must admit that it is all of human origin. Not one bit of Scripture can I find for a shred of it. Oh what sad human interference; yea, what assumption for any man thus to act without the word of the Lord!
The second thing I would notice is this: Does the Scripture foretell the failure of the church of God on earth in outward testimony? There are sad and abundant proofs that failure did set in even during the lives of the apostles. (See 1 Corinthians 11:18-21.) Shameful evils, divisions and drunkenness resulted in the Lord’s hand in judgments, because they had not humbled themselves. In Titus, unruly, vain talkers are found and silenced. Terrible failures in 2 Peter 2 and in Jude are spoken of. But this is not all. The Spirit accurately describes the fearful apostasy of the last days of this church time or period (2 Tim. 3). “This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come.” Read the description of these days.
If God set up the one assembly of God, one church, one body, then is not the church of Rome that one church, and ought we not all to belong to her?
If the church of Rome is the church of God as found in the Scriptures, then undoubtedly we ought to be connected with her. But is this the case? I am not aware of one single particular in which the church of Rome is the same or like the church of God as found in Scripture. Professing Christendom, as was foretold by the Lord, has become a great tree, and evil men lodge in its branches. It has become the great house of 2 Timothy 2.
If this is so, what instruction has the child of God for his path in these last days? Is he to remain in fellowship with all this evil, or is he to separate himself from the evil?
Hear the answer of God: “The Lord knoweth them that are His. And, Let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity. But 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. If a man therefore purge [or, separate] himself from these, he shall be a vessel unto honor, sanctified, and meet for the Master’s use” (2 Tim. 2:19-21). And again, “From such turn away” (ch. 3:15). The path of the obedient Christian need not be more plain. Hatred and persecution it must bring (vs. 12), as all have found who have obeyed these divine instructions for our days.
I now return to the church of God as found in the Scriptures.