Where Two Or Three Are Gathered

by David Smith, Ayr, Scotland | Category: General | May 1989

For where two or three are gathered together in My Name, there am fin the midst of them (Mat. 18:20).

In the early part of the last century many dear children of God came together in different parts of the world to break bread on the Lord's day morning solely on the basis of these lovely words spoken by the Lord Jesus to His disciples in Capernaum. The step they took is still applauded as one of faith and obedience, and others are encouraged to gather in the same way. While no one can question the power and comfort of the Lord's words nor the blessing which they provide for the pilgrim on his homeward journey, yet their application may sometimes be called into question.

The assembling or gathering together of God's saints in the New Testament age is embraced by the word church (Greek ekklesia - ek, out of; klesis, a calling), a word which the Spirit of God uses carefully. It clearly attaches to people and never to a material building. The context distinguishes between the two great parallel purposes of God relevant to the present age: "the Church which is His Body" and the Church and churches of God.

It is however significant that the Lord Jesus in all His teaching used the word church only twice; both are in Matthew's Gospel. In chapter 16, with

His disciples at Caesarea Philippi, He unveiled the great purpose of the ages "which in other generations was not made known unto the sons of men", that Jews and Gentiles who, like Peter confess Him to be "the Christ the Son of the living God", are "fellow-heirs and fellow-members of the Body" (Eph. 3:5,6); Such are baptized in one Spirit into "one Body" (I Cdr. 12:13) and can never forfeit that place either by sin or death. Personal conduct and behaviour cannot affect the believer's standing "in Christ". He said, "upon this Rock I will build My church; and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it" (Mat. 16:18) That building commenced with the descent of the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost and will continue until the coming again of the Lord Jesus to the air to take to Himself all His own.

The second instance when the Lord Jesus uses the word church is recorded in Matthew 18, regarding the reconciliation of an offending brother, who was refusing to listen to one or two private witnesses. The matter in question had to be brought before the church, "and if he refuse to hear the church also, let him be unto thee as the Gentile and the publican... For where two or three

are gathered in My Name, there am I in the midst of them" (Mat. 18:17,20). It is obvious that the church which the Lord is here referring to is very different from that mentioned in Matthew 16. While personal attitude and individual faults cannot affect one's place in the former. they could possibly in the case of the latter involve excommunication. That His words refer to a local gathering of saints is also confirmed by the fact that the "Church the Body", because of its universal character consisting of all believers living and dead, could never have any such matter brought before it for consideration or for judgement.

It is true to say that at the time of the Lord's ministry, no churches or assemblies of gathered-together believers existed. But following His ascension to heaven, the company of disciples gathered together in Jerusalem numbered about one hundred and twenty. It was to such that the Holy Spirit came on the day of Pentecost and from among them Peter arose and preached that memorable address which resulted in three thousand souls being saved, baptized in water and added to the one hundred and twenty. Thus they "continued stedfastly in the apostles' teaching and the Fellowship, in the breaking of bread and the prayers" (Acts 2:41,42). That company, to which the Lord added others (Acts 2:47; 5:14), is later identified as the Church of God in Jerusalem (Acts 8:1; Gal. 1:13).

Subsequent upon the dispersion of the saints in the Church of God in

Jerusalem resulting from that "great persecution" (Acts 8:1), instigated by Saul of Tarsus, the testimony spread abroad, and other churches of God came into being in many other places. Afterwards through the ministry of Paul the converted persecutor, churches of God were planted throughout Asia and into Europe (1 Cor. 3:6).

It would be wrong to suggest, however, that the New Testament local churches of God comprised believers coming together under one roof solely on the ground of being believers saved by grace. Rather, as the scriptures clearly show, they came together on one basic foundation: the teaching of the Lord Jesus through His apostles. Therefore Paul could say, "I teach everywhere in every church" and "so ordain I in all the churches" (1 Cor. 4:17; 7:17). What obtained in one church obtained throughout them all. Salvation, baptism and addition were the three basic principles of a church of God, which then operated by continuing in the apostles' teaching, the teaching of the Lord, who had spent the forty days before His ascension speaking to and instructing them on the important matter of the "kingdom of God" (Acts 1:3; Mat. 28:20).

The testimony of God was thus entrusted to His saints gathered within this divine arrangement, but if a brother or sister refuses to conform to that arrangement or resists the authority of the Lord in a church of God, as shown in Matthew 18, they may forfeit their place in an assembly as one sadly did in the church of God in Corinth (1 Cor. 5:13). Thank God their place in the Church which is His Body can never be forfeited.

We would therefore conclude that the two or three "gathered together in My Name" imply two or three of the local church of God. Hence, however few in number a church of God may be when gathered in His Name, it has the right to carry Out His will with regard to righteousness and judgement. But Matthew 18 does not provide a licence for believers, to come together as an independent assembly or church, and for that church to act on its own according to its own judgement, as a self-governing body. Such practice is obviously in conflict with the New Testament pattern for collective testimony. It is alien to the heart of God who seeks a gathered-together people of whom He can say "I will dwell in them, and walk in them: and I will be their God and they shall be My people" (2 Cor. 6:16).

David Smith, Ayr, Scotland | May 1989
General