NOTE: 
A word of caution: I reccommend that you carefully consider the material presented below, using discernment wherever opinion or undocumented claims may occur. I do not condone or agree with any brother in Christ who stands in judgement of or corrects the Holy Bible. Any criticisms, corrections, or suggested improvements of the KJV (AV 1611) are the author's. Please disregard any and all 'changes', 'corrections', 'criticisms', and so-called 'impovements'.
 
 
 

Based upon these facts, the assemblies reject all outside interference with the internal affairs of the local assembly. The Scriptures are relied upon to provide all necessary instruction on matters of doctrine and practice, and are accepted as being absolutely authoritative.

The absence in the New Testament record of any church officials with jurisdictional authority extending beyond the local assembly militates against the notion of an organizational union of churches. And the fact that the Apostle Paul always employs the plural form

churches" in referring to a number of assemblies in a given area emphasizes the independent character of each local assembly, cf.: churches of Galatia," 1 Cor. 16.1; "of Asia," 1 Cor. 16.19; "of Macedonia " 2 Cor. 8.1; "of Judaea," Gal. 1.22.

In the opening vision granted to the Apostle John on the Isle of Patmos the autonomous nature of the churches is illustrated and exemplified. In Revelation 1-3 we have the vision and the letters to the churches recorded. The vision has already been considered in chapter 2 in its relation to the subject of the Lord in the midst. These further thoughts are worthy of careful consideration:

1. It was "the seven churches which are in Asia," 1.11 ,that were seen, not "the Church of Asia."
2. They were represented by seven golden lamp stands, undoubtedly signifying the churches in testimony in the world, and in responsibility before God.
3. There were seven lamp stands, each representing a local church, not a seven-branched candelabrum as in the Tabernacle, Ex. 25.31-40.
4. There was an "angel" for each church 1.16,20; 2.1, etc. but none for all the churches.
5. Each church was individually addressed, commended, censured, and counselled,.chps. 2-3, and none was held accountable for the actions or condition of any of the others. It was clearly a local matter with each one, and no general instructions were given.

This link of spiritual fellowship expressed itself in a practical way in:

1. The receiving of all those whom Christ had received, Rom. 15.7.
2. The acceptance and support of gifted servants of Christ, 1 Cor. 16.9-12; 2 Cor. 11.8,9; Phil. 4.15,16; 3 John 5-8.
3. Letters of commendation for travelling Christians unknown at their destination, Rom. 16.1,2; 2 Cor. 3.1.
4. Financial assistance to the needy in other assemblies Rom. 15.25-27; 2 Cor. 8.1-4; 9.1,2.

I have laid the foundation and another buildeth thereupon . . . but let every man take heed how he buildeth . . . gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble . . . the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is. 1 Cor. 3.10-17.

Good and godly men have, in the past, erred in making the precious truth of the One Body the ground of gathering, rather than the Name and Person of the Lord Jesus Christ. This has resulted in the formation of circles of assemblies, exclusive in nature, with a measure of centralized jurisdiction; and this, in turn, has led to the exclusion of true believers and scripturally gathered assemblies. This is regrettable, as it has resulted in the attaching of honored names to parties in these Exclusive assemblies, in spite of Paul's denunciation of such practices as being a sign of carnality and spiritual infancy.

And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ . . . For ye are yet carnal . . . For while one saith, I am of Paul, and another, I am of Apollos, are ye not carnal and walk as men? 1 Cor. 3.1-4.

Now this I say, that every one of you saith, I am of Paul, and I of Apollos; and I of Cephas; and I of Christ. Is Christ divided? was Paul crucified for you? or were ye baptized in the name of Paul? 1 Cor. 1.12,13.

But these examples of human failure in practice do not furnish a valid excuse for abandoning divine principles.

1. A name or designation, especially one of a class of things.
2. A class or kind of things or persons distinguished by a specific name .
3. A religious group usually including many local churches, often larger than a sect.

1. A distinguishing name.
2. A union of several local churches.
3. A human leader or head.
4. An earthly center or headquarters.

Any suggested organizational union between local assemblies has also been shown to be unacceptable.

There is no place on earth that is recognized as a central headquarters.

No individual, past or present, has ever been recognized as the human head of the assemblies.

Because these things are common practices in the church world, and are taken for granted by the majority in Christendom, there needs to be constant vigilance lest they creep in unnoticed. Because the principles and practices of the assemblies are unpopular and are costly to follow, there needs to be continued instruction in them that successive generations of believers may continue to maintain the scriptural pattern . The tragic history of Israel may well serve as a warning. In Judges 2 we read:

And the people served the Lord all the days of Joshua, and all the days of the elders that outlived Joshua, who had seen all the great works of the Lord that He did for Israel. And Joshua the son of Nun, the servant of the Lord, died . . . And also all that generation were gathered unto their fathers: and there arose another generation of them, which knew not the Lord, nor yet the works which He had done for Israel. And the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the Lord . . . ,2.7-11.

Restless under the close connection of church and state in 19th century England and Ireland and opposing the stereo-typed forms of worship in the Established Church, groups of Brethren began to meet for quiet fellowship and prayer. They had no connection, in the beginning, with the Brethren sects in Germany but took their name from the Scriptures; at one time or another they were also called Christians, Believers, or Saints. The largest meeting was held at Plymouth, England-hence the name Plymouth Brethren.

These Plymouth Brethren set up their meetings on strictly New Testament lines. They recognized no division of clergy and laity, inasmuch as they held that they were a "priesthood of believers." They put strong emphasis upon the imminent rapture of the church-to be expected momentarily-insisted upon the full deity and real humanity of Jesus, and denied fellowship to all who were not "fundamentally sound as to doctrine and godly in walk."

The reference in the above quotation to "the Brethren sects in Germany" raises the question which should be faced, "Are the assemblies a sect?" Elmer T. Clark certainly thinks so, for in his book, The Small Sects in America, he includes them in a chapter titled, "Legalistic and Objectivist Sects," pp. 181-184. The chapter title is quite intriguing, and he explains the term "objectivist" in these words:

Among Christians the "objectivist" type of mind demands something tangible as a medium through which to approach God, and this is found in acts which have a scriptural basis.

To be called by others a sect, 24.14, and that sect to be everywhere spoken against, 28.22, nowise provides valid evidence that those thus referred to are, in fact, a sect.

In modern English usage the word "sect" is often employed as a synonym for "denomination," usually of one of the smaller ones. Sometimes it is applied to heretical groups, possibly through the influence of the Greek word, hairesis, cf. Acts 24.14.

The preceding refutation of the charge that assemblies who meet in the Lord's Name alone are a denomination applies with equal validity to the charge that they are a sect. However, to adopt an unsectarian position is not enough, there must be constant vigilance to maintain an unsectarian condition. The heart must be filled with love for all God's people, even while the feet walk a narrow path of scriptural separation. This is not an easy task. To retain a large heart of Christian love for all members of the Body of Christ without compromising the truth of God, or condoning unscriptural principles and practices, requires spiritual discernment, prayerful dependence on God, and a close walk with the Lord. May God grant this to all those who seek to order their ways according to His Word!

Those who uphold denominationalism maintain that the New Testament presents only the embryonic state of the church and that, like any other infant, it was intended to grow, and with growth there would come, of necessity, changes in form and appearance. Enlargement, they claim, would require organization, and organization would demand leadership, and leaders would need to exercise authority to function effectively.

Others see the various denominations as regiments in an army, each with its regimental name, insignia and officers, but all loyal to one commander-in-chief. Still others speak of the denominational names as the various "brand names" of Christianity, and speak rather condescendingly of those not connected with the major denominations as "off-brands."

This rationalizing may appeal to the carnal mind, but it fails to pass the test of Scripture. The regimental idea falls under the weight of its own inappropriateness . No regiment dare to be formed without the express command or explicit permission of the commander-in-chief. Otherwise it is disloyalty or rebellion. Does Scripture anywhere contain the command or permission of our divine Captain to divide His church? Is not this condemned, and the reverse commanded? As for brand names, Paul denounced the use of his name for any such purpose, 1 Cor. 1.10-13, and gloried in the fact that his brand mark was the "stigmata" of the Lord Jesus, Gal. 6.17.

There has been, and will be, growth in the church, Acts 2.47; 5.14; 11.24. Scripture warrants addition, but not alteration. Progress must be according to the pattern, and within the guidelines laid down in the Word of God. No Scriptural principles must be violated, nor basic truths departed from. The introduction of wood, hay, and stubble may increase the size of the structure , but the testing fire will reduce it to reality, 1 Cor. 3.10-17. The One with eyes as a flame of fire, Rev. 1.14; 2.18, will search out all that is contrary to His will and Word.

Each assembly of which I write is an autonomous local church, independent and undenominational, seeking in a collective manner to acknowledge the Lordship of Christ. This is one of their DISTINCTIVES.