[ZNPaaneah]

In the NT “local” churches are frequently addressed as “the church in ________”, the church in Ephesus, the church in Colossae, the church in Rome. So then these city boundaries are used to designate different assemblies of Christians.

Watchman Nee and Witness Lee inferred that these designations were “boundaries” to jurisdiction. They taught that each locality was autonomous. But Witness Lee also disparaged the autonomy, teaching that the differences in the seven golden lamp stands in the New Jerusalem were negative.

We know that the different localities did not have autonomy regarding the faith once for all delivered to the saints through the fellowship of the apostles. We also know that the discipline of a saint is not a local matter. The only example we have of this is Paul who was not present in the locality discipling a brother in Corinth. If we look at Matthew 18 “telling it to the church” is equivalent to having what has been bound on Earth be bound in Heaven. We also know that letters addressed to churches were not addressed to elders. There is no suggestion in the NT that the elders in a locality were to “lord it over” the flock, on the contrary they are specifically told they are not to do this. The function of the elders is to shepherd the sheep, however the sheep do not belong to them, they belong to the Lord. We also know that saints freely moved from one locality to the next without the need for anything more than a letter of reference. We also know that elders were appointed in every church and in every city, equating the two.

So then there surely must be a purpose in designating assemblies of Christians by city and also of appointing elders by city.

Deuteronomy 21:1If one be found slain in the land which Jehovah thy God giveth thee to possess it, lying in the field, and it be not known who hath smitten him; 2then thy elders and thy judges shall come forth, and they shall measure unto the cities which are round about him that is slain: 3and it shall be, that the city which is nearest unto the slain man, even the elders of that city shall take a heifer of the herd, which hath not been wrought with, and which hath not drawn in the yoke; 4and the elders of that city shall bring down the heifer unto a valley with running water, which is neither plowed nor sown, and shall break the heifer’s neck there in the valley. 5And the priests the sons of Levi shall come near; for them Jehovah thy God hath chosen to minister unto him, and to bless in the name of Jehovah; and according to their word shall every controversy and every stroke be. 6And all the elders of that city, who are nearest unto the slain man, shall wash their hands over the heifer whose neck was broken in the valley; 7and they shall answer and say, Our hands have not shed this blood, neither have our eyes seen it. 8Forgive, O Jehovah, thy people Israel, whom thou hast redeemed, and suffer not innocent blood to remain in the midst of thy people Israel. And the blood shall be forgiven them.

These verses clearly indicate that the people of God will be held accountable, not simply for what each individual does, but also for what each community does. The first mention of a city is the one built by Cane. The biggest city in Genesis is Babel. Paul wrote a letter to Philemon, as a result Philemon would be held accountable for how he treated that word. Likewise Paul wrote to various assemblies, and these assemblies would be held accountable for how they received his word. Later he said that “all in Asia” had abandoned him. Individuals can sin, and assemblies can sin. The boundary of a city is not a designation like the wall of the NJ, or like a hedge of protection, rather it is a designation for accountability.