We’ve been so caught up in the worship wars over style that we’ve nearly forgotten that worship should be built on a theology of the assembly.
And one of the colossal errors that many churches make is to overlook what is actually happening in the assembly, what is actually being said, and what is actually being experienced.
You see, God may allow a guitar or tambourine, but to what end? He may allow four-part harmony, but again, to what end? And there are several false ends — false purposes — that often masquerade as serious theology.
The prosperity gospel teaches that Christians can do magic. If you do the right things — give tithes, have faith — you can compel the God of the Universe to do good things for you, like make you rich.
The First Century Greeks and Romans would have understood. This is how they envisioned their idols. It’s called “magic” or “paganism.”
The therapeutic gospel teaches that Christians can gain good mental health through worship. The preacher will help build our self-esteems and help us overcome depression and bad relationships. If we’ll just go to church and apply the lessons that we learn there, we can, by God’s power and the magic of self-help, live an abundant life — and we’ll be happy.
Like all false gospels, there’s an element of real truth here, but when our worship is focused on making the members happy, well, we’ve moved Jesus from the center and put ourselves in his place.
The legal gospel teaches that we can earn our way into heaven. The assembly is there to remind us of the rules and give us the opportunity to confess sins by coming forward. We can have atonement every Sunday morning at 10:00 AM!
But the true gospel gave us atonement when we were baptized. The assembly was not designed as a confessional booth, nor were the church leaders appointed to grant forgiveness in the assembly.
This is not to treat confession in the assembly as out of place. It’s very much in place. It’s just not the central purpose of the assembly.
The sacramental gospel teaches that you must take communion every week to be right with God. The assembly thus becomes a duty, a ritual of obedience to earn another week’s worth of grace.
Indeed, the sacramental gospel makes the assembly itself into a sacrament. If you miss, you fall from grace.
The sacramental gospel further tends to turn all acts of worship into holy sacraments, so that an elaborate theology of how to sing or how to conduct communion is generated to make certain that we do these things right and so earn God’s favor by our precise obedience. But the true gospel teaches continuous salvation based on faith in Jesus.
The political gospel confuses the United States of America with the Kingdom of Heaven. We thus attend church to honor patriotism, military service, and conservative political principles — as true salvation comes from gaining control of the Supreme Court.
The friends gospel teaches that you join a church to find friends and build social connections. You go to church to be with and enjoy your friends. And to plan the next softball game against the Baptists. And to drink coffee and shop for books with fellow believers.
The fortress gospel teaches us that the gospel must be defended against all false teaching, and so the preaching endlessly repeats the doctrinal distinctives of the denomination — sometimes forgetting to cover the elements we all agree on, such as faith in Jesus.
The evangelistic gospel teaches that the members don’t matter and instead directs the entire service to visitors — preaching an easy atonement, all for the low, low cost of baptism and a confession. It’s the Biblical equivalent of a used car salesman, with sermons carefully describing only the easy and nice parts of the gospel, ignoring the high cost that we pay only after we’ve made the purchase.
So how do we do the assembly right? Well, we start with finding the true purpose of the assembly.
We start in Hebrews —
(Heb 10:19-23 ESV) 19 Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus, 20 by the new and living way that he opened for us through the curtain, that is, through his flesh, 21 and since we have a great priest over the house of God, 22 let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. 23 Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful.
The author is speaking of Jesus acting as our high priest in the heavenly temple. In some sense, we are also able “to enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus.” We enter the temple through the work of Jesus.
Just as the Jews drew near to the Holy of Holies, the author urges, “let us draw near.” What do Christians draw near to? BDAG says the word translated “draw near” refers to entering the presence of deity.
Just as the Jews had to be ritually cleansed to enter the temple courts, we Christians are cleansed by the atoning work of Jesus and baptism. Therefore, we can come close to Jesus.
But Jesus lives in heaven. How do we draw near to Jesus before we die? Well,
(Mat 18:20 ESV) 20 “For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them.”
This promise is hardly limited to the assembly, but it applies with special force there, because this is where we are all assembled. Indeed, when the entire church is gathered, we become the ekklesia of God, his children gathered to hear his word and to renew our covenants with him. Of course, he’s there!
And the Spirit is there, too, because the Spirit indwells not only the individual Christian but each congregation.
(1Co 3:16 ESV) 16 Do you not know that you [plural] are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in you [plural]?
Thus, the assembly is a place where the Trinity has a special presence. Because God is near to us there, we are near to him. And we have confidence in his promises, because God walks in our midst.
And yet, in the Churches of Christ, the idea of God’s special presence in the assembly has nearly been forgotten. No, the assembly is about following the pattern or generating an emotional response in the members, but not necessarily the realization of God’s presence in the camp, his direction, and his encompassing love. We don’t really preach or feel that. What a shame.
(Lev 26:12 ESV) 12 And I will walk among you and will be your God, and you shall be my people.
Jay,
We have missed a lot of loving that the other denominations have had and enjoyed. So has many of our children, but that will not be so for our grandchildren.
We can sure see the change happening.
To kindle a love for God and not the law alone is a blessing for us older COC members.
I think we overlook Paul’s description in 1 Corinthians:
“When you are assembled in the name of our Lord Jesus and I am with you in spirit, and the power of our Lord Jesus is present…” (1 Corinthians 5:4)
I have been one to downplay the importance of the assembly, yet it is presented as a time when the power of Jesus is present with us.
Jay:
While I have issues with part of what you write (and you probably know what those are), I appreciate your highlighting the importance of thinking about the work of God in our assemblies. That is exactly what should catch our attention in Ephesians 5:18ff. Paul reveals one of the ways the Spirit works to renew us.
In Christ,
Bruce Morton
Katy, Texas
To find joy in the assembly would be a blessing to all. By this, I mean that deep joy that is associated with the fruit of the Spirit – and that is found among the angels in “joyful assembly” (Hebrews 12:22, NIV). Angels rejoice over a sinner who repents. How long does that joy last? Does it continue as the sinner, now a saint, passes 50 or more years of service in the kingdom? I suggest that it does in a post here that I wrote more than 2 years ago on the purpose of the assembly.
Perhaps one challenge would be to excise the definite article in this case. What if we stop talking about “THE Assembly” and begin looking at just being together. When we limit our understanding (and our emphasis) to the traditional Sunday 10:30 AM event, it clouds our understanding of the dynamics of being together. This is not to bash that particular meeting, but if that really is THE Assembly, we will always be disappointed that it does not accomplish all that God would like to accomplish in our togetherness.
Sometimes, our centering on THE Assembly actually keeps us from letting it function effectively. It becomes like a Swiss Army knife: a tool for every purpose and not any one tool very good for its individual purpose. Assembly IS confessional… but a meeting of 900 people isn’t. Assembly IS worshipful… but not during announcements and in the middle of Brother Agag’s 19-part study of Deuteronomy. Assembly IS fellowship… except when everybody has to shut up so we can start. Assembly IS communion… except when we are trying very hard to act like nobody else is there while we do it.
Assembly IS valuable; we are the Body at its best when we are together. I like the idea one brother had of taking a bit of the KJV as modern literal language. “Do not forsake the assembling of yourselves together…” Indeed, God is “assembling us”, putting us together – not just calling us to a 90 minute religion session- and we should hang on to that reality.
IMO, trying to fix “THE Assembly” so as to get all these things right is misguided and hopeless. Trying to hear God and grasp the power of “assembly” is, OTOH, not only worthwhile but essential.
Jay,
You said –
“In the Churches of Christ, the idea of God’s special presence in the assembly has nearly been forgotten. No, the assembly is about following the pattern or generating an emotional response in the members, but not necessarily the realization of God’s presence in the camp, his direction, and his encompassing love. We don’t really preach or feel that. What a shame.
Amen!
You quote (Mat 18:20 ESV) 20 “For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them” and say –
Indeed, when the entire church is gathered, we become the ekklesia of God, his children gathered to hear his word and to renew our covenants with him. Of course, he’s there!
I am not convinced, however, that as you use it, Mat 18:20 speaks to the legitimacy of the assembly I believe that if ONE is there, He is there in the midst. I believe that passage, in the context of Matthew 18, is saying the following –
When you go to do your disciplining to expel the sinning brother from the church, there I am in the midst when his sin has been confirmed in the mouth of two or three witnesses… What you do as I church – I do.
I appreciate your taking us back to the Word to discover God’s purpose for the assembly. I am of the view that God’s purpose for the assembly is rooted in his purpose for the church. I believe we need to understand the church and its mission on earth; otherwise we will be caught up in the “false purposes — that often masquerade as serious theology” – those that you have enumerated. As such, I have asked myself and answered the following question –
What is the Church?
In Ephesians 2:19 Paul referred to the church as “God’s people and members of God’s household.” In every sense, the church is God’s family. Paul wrote –
If I am delayed, you will know how people ought to conduct themselves in God’s household, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and foundation of the truth (1 Timothy 3:15).
Often, it is said that people know God through his word. While that is true, primarily, God is known through his church – his place of residence on earth.
As you pointed out, Paul wrote –
Don’t you know that you yourselves are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit lives in you? (1 Corinthians 3:16)
The temple is God’s dwelling place; his address.
The author of Hebrews describes the church as “the city of the living God.” He wrote –
22 But you have come to Mount Zion, to the heavenly Jerusalem, the city of the living God. You have come … to the church of the firstborn, whose names are written in heaven. You have come to God, the judge of all men … to Jesus the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel.” (Hebrews 12:22-24)
Accordingly, the church is God’s house. It is where God lives. Yes, he lives in heaven, but his church is his place of residence here on earth. So yes, there is something very special about the assembly of God’s household.
The words of Matthew 6:9 gives us insight pertinent to understanding God’s principal relationship to his household –
“Our Father in heaven “
He is father and head of his home; and his household’s most important responsibility is to submit to his directives. Scores of texts indicate the same. For example; the Hebrew writer continues –
25 See to it that you do not refuse him who speaks. If they did not escape when they refused him who warned them on earth, how much less will we, if we turn away from him who warns us from heaven? … Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe, 29 for our “God is a consuming fire.” (Hebrews 12:25-29)
In another example, Jesus says –
“All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you… (Matthew 28:18-20)
Jesus rules in the lives of his people. His rule is what causes their character to conform to his. The shaping of their character is what causes their transformation, and transformation of the citizens reflects obedience to God.
The church is the mustard seed that grows into the huge tree. The church is that which “everyone” is forcing his way to, because God is growing what he is ruling! (Acts 2:47; 1 Corinthians 3:6)
The world and members of the church experience God’s love by way of his church.
So assembly is the gathering of God’s family together to hear and receive his directive and to experience his “all encompassing” love through each other.
In the church, God rules in the hearts of people.
One day, Jesus’ disciples came to him and said, “Lord teach us to pray” (Luke 11:1). He responded with this –
“This, then, is how you should pray:
“‘Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven (Matthew 6:9-10).
Some have suggested that the words, “your kingdom come” is a petition to God for the sending of his kingdom. They say, given that the kingdom had come subsequent to Jesus instructing his disciples to pray in this manner, Hence, this is NOT how one should pray today.
I could not disagree more.
The prayer is not a petition for the kingdom to come. Jesus is telling his disciples to pray that at the coming of the kingdom, its citizens who dwell on earth (God’s household), do God’s will on earth as his will is done in heaven.
The kingdom is here, the prayer is relevant, and it accurately describes the essence of the kingdom God:
The kingdom of God is the community in which and through which God’s will is done on earth – as it is done in heaven.
The kingdom represents God’s way and God’s rule in heaven and on earth (1 Chronicles 29:11; Matthew 28:18, Ephesians 1:10; Philippians 2:10; Colossians 1:16, 18).
Having been asked when the kingdom of God would come, Jesus replied –
“The kingdom of God does not come with your careful observation, nor will people say, ‘Here it is,’ or ‘There it is,’ because the kingdom of God is within you.” (Luke 17:20-21)
What we learn from this passage is you are a carrier of the kingdom of God. Its characteristics are manifested through you. It ought not to be found hidden behind the walls that separate the church from the state. People are compelled by it as they observe the behavior of God’s family (1 Peter 3:1,2). Permit me to requote a passage you cited –
(Lev 26:12 ESV) 12 And I will walk among you and will be your God, and you shall be my people.
The decline of the church is critical. Decline speaks volumes about our relationship to our Father. As you said, “What a shame.”
Charles,
I agree about the article. I think some of it comes from the fact that we so often misquote the KJV’s rendition of Hebrews 11:25. Most people think it says, “do not forsake the assembly,” when it actually says “do not forsake the assembling.”
One talks about “the next designated time”; the other is any time Christians come together.
Grace and peace,
Tim
Hebrews 10:25, I mean.
Clyde wrote,
Hmm …
I agree that Jesus is promising to be present when someone is confronted for sin, per the previous verses.
We need to also add —
(Mat 28:19-20 ESV) 19 “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”
The notion of Jesus’ continuing presence — the END of the age, not just until the last apostle died — hardly makes a dent in our theology and thought.
Hmm …
But I can’t see Jesus’ words in Matt 18 being read as removing the “two or three together” from the text —
(Mat 18:20 ESV) 20 “For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them.”
“Them” makes the text broader than just the apostles. And Jesus was just speaking of taking the dispute before the “church.”
The rabbis taught that God had a special presence in the synagogue, which required at least 10 male Jews.
I think Jesus was following in the rabbinic tradition, but reducing the minimum to two of any gender (it’s a subtly egalitarian passage). But, of course, Matt 28:20 isn’t limited to a gathering of two! After all, some of the greatest mission work done was by an apostle or other disciple alone.
Was Phillip without Jesus’ presence when he preached to the Ethiopian eunuch?
I think it’s like charcoal. If you light charcoal on fire, it burns hotter when the coals are piled together. The closer you pile them, the hotter the fire.
One coal can be on fire, but it burns slowly and at a low temperature. To heat it up, you have to rake back into the pile for a while.
That, to me, is the assembly. We each have the fire. But only the few on whom the Spirit blows most powerfully can maintain the fire for long alone. Those are people with a special empowerment for a special mission. For most of us, the fire grows dim unless we spend time together.
Jesus’ presence is most intense when we are together. Why? In part, because Jesus is in all of us, and as we gather, his presence is enhanced. But it’s enhanced exponentially. Like fire.
Jay,
Thank you for responding.
Perhaps I was not clear with my comment. I was not suggesting that Jesus’ presence in his church ended with the death of the last apostle. I’m not sure which part of my remarks gave the idea that I believe that since I certainly do not hold that view. I agree with what you have said, in your previous post and in your response to my comment. My point is if we use Mat 18:20 (ESV 20 “For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them.”) to justify the assembly, then the same passage must imply that when ONE is there, then God is NOT there – that I do not believe. From your comment, it is obvious that you do not believe it either – so we agree on the everything but the use of that passage to make the point.
I appreciate your incredible work brother
Clyde
Clyde wrote,
Sorry. I never intended to imply otherwise. I was just thinking through the texts outloud, inspired by your insightful comment.