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A FOUNDATION GUIDE FOR THE ASSEMBLY
By R. DeWitt, 6/07
[A few thoughts from another paper to help Christians not reared within a scriptural assembly]
The Gathering Place according to the scriptural order for the church, is probably not like anything one has known from the various Christian gatherings in the world, who often take a name, have leaders, follow rituals and creeds, embrace the world, have entertainment and activities, programs, innovations, etc. That is man's ideas rather than true to the Word of God. One needs to decide if they want to be a part of a scriptural assembly as a worldwide fellowship, and as a local expression of that, or follow traditions and the popular ideas of men. A true believer ought to seek to know church truth, church history, talk with the elders associated with the gathering, be baptized, pray much, and be an observer for a time before asking to be received into the fellowship. Reception is not dependent on knowing all the Scripture, and one should come simply in faith as a learner. One should come with the thought of "unity of the faith" and in truth.
The Word Of God should be our only authority for the Christian faith, not rules, creeds, the reasoning of men and personal preferences. One should study the Word, seek counsel from sound teachers, and pray earnestly.
The Assembly Life concerns happy fellowship and the various meetings and function as in Acts 2:41-42 and the Epistles, a Godly spirit, and the care and fellowship for all the saints. One should stand apart from various sects and appreciate the truth of expressing the "one body" of Christ as given for the church, rather than the independent ways or mergers of the various religious sects of men. Mergers are not scriptural.
The Holy And Royal Priesthood is a precious truth given all saints and something different than one will find in the various sects and systems, where the liberty and gifts of God's calling and participation is not allowed. One should study this.
The Order And Government Of God speaks of the scriptural form of the collective meetings, unity worldwide, a Godly spirit, discipline, honor to God, and God's mind and purposes for His testimony from the beginning of the church.
The Honor And Glory Of The Lord ought to be paramount among the saints in our personal life and the assembly, rather than pleasing men with their religious ideas.
The Collective Worship And Ministry speaks of the Lord's table and the supper as worship in both a collective and personal way; and the ministry shared in Bible studies, books, and in messages delivered among the saints.
[It is important to appreciate that in all this it is speaking of God's testimony in the world after His order. There is no such thing in the Holy Scriptures as "a church of your choice", so one ought to seek to find what God intended for the church, rather than look for a popular place of con-venience and entertainment. One cannot speak for others, and surely each child of God ought to pray earnestly to find God's mind for one's pathway. This writer can help. - RLD
APPRECIATING CHURCH TRUTH
The church is the precious bride of Christ, and by definition church truth speaks of her and her relationship with the Lord. It speaks to saints of a principle, and it is essentially about faithful compliance and conformity to what God intended in Acts 2:41-42 at the beginning of the church, and then in the Epistles. It speaks of obeying and honoring God collectively without innovations, though no believer is perfect. One who is saved (Jn. 3:16) ought to seek to follow the Word (see Jn. 14: 23-24; Jn.17:17; Titus 1:9; Phil. 2:2); including baptism, the gathering of saints, the collective testimony; and obedience, Godly walk, the Lord's glory and honor, etc. - R. DeWitt, 12/07
It is important for true believers to see that the universal church (God's
testimony worldwide and in local assemblies) should be unified, rather
than divisive and sectarian. Believers have an individual relationship with their Lord, and are then called to a collective testimony in the world to express the "one body" in Christ, and for ministry, study, prayer, worship of the Lord "in the midst", etc. It is all about honoring and obeying our Lord. Believers should ask fundamental questions about the church, seek the truth of the Word of God, and be ready to lay aside all tra-ditions, religious ideas, religious associations, and yield to the leading of the Holy Spirit taking "all the counsel of God" (Acts 20:27). Some
foundation subjects we ought to seek to embrace are such as follows:
a) understanding the church in general from the Scripture, not man's
ideas;
b) seeing essential church history from reliable sources;
c) appreciating the "one body in Christ" in the universal and local
aspects;
d) studying and esteeming the Word of God as our only authority for
the church and the Christian faith;
e) holding to Christian unity in truth, not mergers nor independency;
f) knowing the gathering place by God's appointment;
g) being baptized according to Scripture;
h) distinguishing the Lord's table and the Lord's supper;
i) remembering the Lord in worship according as He requested and
directed;
j) defining ministry and ministers;
k) bowing to God's government as shown;
l) helping the saints and the testimony.
The difference between a scriptural assembly and man's religious gather-
ings is essential for faithful saints to see:
BIBLICAL, NOT IDEOLOGICAL
- true to the Word of God, not after some religious rationale and concepts
of the reasonings by men;
SCRIPTURAL, NOT SOCIAL
- not for entertainment and activities, nor compromising the Word to favor
every idea of convenience, every professor of Christianity, family and
friends, etc.;
DEVOTIONAL, NOT PROMOTIONAL
- worship of the Lord Jesus Christ as God's Son and the Savior of all who
will receive Him; and honoring Him rather than following after schemes to
be popular and attract in greater numbers;
SPIRITUAL, NOT TRADITIONAL
- holiness before God, rather than traditions of rituals, ceremonies,
creeds, programs;
PERSONAL, NOT POPULAR
- not being afraid to stand separate from the popular majority in
Christendom with their innovations; rather being with those few faithful
saints elsewhere who hold the Word;
INCLUSIVE, NOT EXCLUSIVE
- not being an exclusive sect with man-made rules, doctrines, and
reasonings, but being an inclusive scriptural fellowship worldwide, of all
those souls who are faithful and true;
HOLDING, NOT FOLLOWING
- not following others to be accepted, enjoying man's organizations,
methods, and associations, but seeking the truth and holding fast God's
Word;
HONORABLE, NOT DISHONORABLE
- bringing honor on the Lord in His testimony before all men by keeping
His Word, loving all souls, and helping the saints to go on well rather
than after the ways of men; ever maintaining God's holiness in the
assembly as well as our own life.
This does not speak fully of individual spiritual life, but important church truth, I believe, according to the teachings by the Word of God; and if one is prayerful, a serious seeker, and wants to honor God and have the leading and blessing of the Holy Spirit, they may find that universal fellowship which is holding and practicing these things 'til our Lord comes again. - RLD
