The assembly Christ is building is the true assembly: “I will build My church [assembly]” (Matt. 16:18 NASB). This assembly is not a mere human organization. It is the creation of God by the Spirit. Christ’s assembly is the body of regenerated persons; therefore, no one can be on the side of Christianity who is not on the side of the true assembly.

The assembly is one by virtue of the Divine life that binds it as Christ’s body to the one Head. Christ’s assembly has been compared with the figure of a circle. The common relation of each to the center holds every particle of the circumference in relation to all the other particles. Man cannot create this unity and neither can he destroy it. The assembly is one, not that it should be or strive to be one. It is equally one even as God is one. The assembly is one not because there happens not to be more than one but because it can be but one.

The foundation of the assembly’s unity is her nature. There is unity between the Father and the Son (John 17:21) and between the Son and His own (John 17:22). There shall be one flock (not fold) and one shepherd (John 10:16). One body represents the assembly (Eph. 4:4). “The LORD is our God, the LORD is one!” (Deut. 6:4 NASB). As God is one, the Mediator is one, and the Spirit who unites the regenerated to Christ is one. Therefore, the assembly is the one body of which Christ is the Head, the one building of which Christ is the chief Cornerstone, and the one bride of which Christ is the Bridegroom.

Properly speaking, the assembly Christ is building is absolutely invisible. The visible aspect of the assembly is not the reality of the assembly any more than the Christian’s understanding, experience, and interpretation of God’s love is the perfect reality of His love. The visible aspect of the assembly is not consumed in the invisible, and the invisible is not consumed in the visible. The two natures of Christ illustrate the point. Christ has two natures, but one does not swallow up the other.

The truth of God’s assembly and many assemblies does not mean dual actuality. The unity of Christ’s assembly, which is His body, cannot be affected by the ignorance, inconsistency, and sin of her members. The disorders in the Corinthian assembly did not affect the unity God gave (Eph. 4:3). Disorder affects fellowship in the local aspect of the assembly, but it does not affect the unity of the assembly Christ is building.

Factions contribute to the manifestation of unity in the local assembly: “For there must also be factions among you, in order that those who are approved may have become evident among you” (I Cor. 11:19 NASB). Factions that come through the weakness of the flesh and the instigations of Satan are overruled by God as a test of faith of those who are approved before God. Every faction is not a heresy, but every error that subverts the gospel is heretical. Although Simon professed to believe Philip’s preaching, he soon propagated gross heresy (Acts 8:12-24). God allows heresies to come in order that the elect may distinguish truth from error (Rom. 16:17-20). Darkness renders light more visible, and light renders darkness more apparent (Titus 3:10, 11; Gal. 1:6-9). This does not excuse persons by whom heresies come, for woe to them by whom they come. However, false teaching is providentially allowed in order to manifest the elect who are approved. The disorders of the Corinthian assembly prove the members did not understand what the assembly really was. “Do you despise the church [assembly] of God…?” (I Cor. 11:22 NASB). The word “despise” in the Greek means look down on, scorn, or treat with contempt. A person cannot view the assembly, which is Christ’s body, in the abstract any more than he can place monotheism in the abstract above polytheism.

The unity that is presently manifested in the visible assembly will be completely manifested in the kingdom. The degree of its manifestation in the present is determined by the degree of its spiritual growth. The threefold work of Christ regarding His assembly must not be overlooked. (1) He died for her (Eph. 5:25). (2) He sanctifies and cleanses her (Eph. 5:26). (3) He will present her to Himself without spot, wrinkle, or any such thing—holy and blameless (Eph. 5:27).

The eschatological outlook of the assembly does not leave room for a defeated attitude. It is a stimulus to live: “Do all things without grumbling or disputing; that you may prove yourselves to be blameless and innocent, children of God above reproach in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you appear as lights in the world” (Phil. 2:14, 15 NASB). “But you are A CHOSEN RACE, a royal PRIESTHOOD, A HOLY NATION, A PEOPLE FOR GOD’S OWN POSSESSION, that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; for you once were NOT A PEOPLE, but now you are THE PEOPLE OF GOD, you had NOT RECEIVED MERCY, but now you have RECEIVED MERCY” (I Pet. 2:9, 10 NASB). “Beloved, now we are children of God, and it has not appeared as yet what we shall be. We know that, when He appears, we shall be like Him, because we shall see Him just as He is” (I John 3:2, 3 NASB).

The local aspect of the assembly with her organization, officers, and ordinances does not constitute her essence. Organization, officers, and ordinances belong to her earthly manifestation. By her very nature, the assembly has two aspects—invisible and visible, internal and external. Once again the two natures of Christ furnish an illustration.

The two aspects of the assembly do not fully correspond on earth. A certain amount of contradiction always exists between them. Because of the visible assembly’s nature, she never attains a perfectly adequate expression of her earthly form. However, the time is coming when she will. The “mystery of Godliness” (I Tim. 3:16) helps Christians understand the mystery of the assembly (I Tim. 3:15; Col. 1:18-29). Heavenly truth has been committed to an earthly vessel (I Tim. 3:14, 15). Union with the Head by the Spirit of regeneration is experienced in an earthly vessel: “For God, who said, Light shall shine out of darkness, is the One who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ. But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the surpassing greatness of the power may be of God and not from ourselves” (II Cor. 4:6, 7 NASB).

 

Copyright ã   2002

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