Quote:
Originally Posted by Indiana
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God's heart from the beginning of the church age is for the believers in every place to fulfill the Lord's prayer, "that they all may be one". The apostles preached, taught, and ministered to this end in the churches. The concept of forsaking the assembling together is not of God. As Paul said in Hebrews, "Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another--and all the more as you see the Day approaching. (Heb. 10:25)
Note: This becomes problematic as many of us realize. We could make lists of questions and scenarios for discussion about this subject. But I speak here according to principle in the New Testament.
Acts
The acts of the apostles were for the establishing and building up of the churches. After the Lord’s resurrection he appeared to the 12 disciples, speaking the things concerning the kingdom of God for 40 days (1:3). In Jerusalem they then gathered and
“continued steadfastly with one accord in prayer, together with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with His brothers (1:14).” After ten days together in one accord, God poured out His Spirit upon the 120 who were there (2:1-4).
Peter rose up to stand with the eleven and addressed the men of Israel, announcing that “this man”, Jesus, who was nailed to a cross by them, through lawless men, and killed was also raised up and exalted by God. Therefore, Peter says, “Let all the house of Israel know assuredly that God has made Him both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom you have crucified” (2:36). And three thousand souls responded, having received Peter’s word, and were baptized.
The Church Life Begins
This first group of believers gained through an apostle’s preaching continued
together.
“And they continued steadfastly in the teaching and the fellowship of the apostles, in the breaking of bread and the prayers” (2:42). Daily they were in one accord in the temple and in the homes, eating together with “exultation and simplicity of heart” and the Lord added to the church those who were being saved (2:46-47). Eventually, the word grew and multiplied and more churches were produced. This meant that Christ Himself was spreading on the earth in the realm of His kingdom in the churches. Without churches in line with God's administration on the Throne, Christ would not have a sphere in which to reign.
Acts ends the way it began, with the subject of the kingdom, this time with Paul speaking (28:23-31). A kingdom needs people, citizens. The church, as the kingdom, exists to express God among the citizens. "For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of
righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit" among the believers in the church life (Rom. 14:17). As it were, Paul was addressing a few who met in a home in Rome!