The Assembling Of The Saints

The early church/ekklesia regularly assembled regularly. The purpose of this sermon is to examine whether there is sufficient evidence within God’s word to draw the conclusion that Christians/Believers regularly assembled in the early church for the purpose of worshiping God. This study from God’s Word is in response to those who seek to deny the reality of assembled Christians for the purpose of worship toward God in the early church.

To begin, we will examine the original Greek word translated as church in the New Testament. An accurate understanding of this word in the original language is useful in a study of Christian assemblies.

The Greek word for church in most cases is Ekklesia

NT:479

General dictionaries define

ekklesia

as 1. "assembly" and 2. "church." NT lexicons then distinguish between church as a. the whole body and b. the local congregation or house church.

(from Theological Dictionary of the New Testament, abridged edition, Copyright © 1985 by William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company. All rights reserved.)

The Greek word ekklesia is primarily a reference to a group of individuals. In all cases, this word refers to people and not material objects such as buildings. In all cases, the word is a reference to a plurality of people either locally or universally.

Additionally, scripture specifically associates the “ekklesia” with the body of Christ which is understood as being either a local group of Christians or the universal company of all Christians / Believers. (Ephesians 5:23, Colossians 1:18; 24). Any time the word ‘Ekklesia’ is used in God’s Word in the context of Christians/Believers, it must be understood as being associated with the body of Christ.

In Acts 2:42, we have a record of the early church on Pentecost. The disciples continued steadfastly in praying and breaking of bread. The breaking of bread in this context is in reference to the Lord’s Supper. Continuing steadfastly means something they were dedicated to on a regular basis and establishes their meeting together with an obvious frequency.

Acts 2:42 And they continued stedfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers. (KJV)

The term “breaking of bread” is used to refer to both the eating of a common meal together or the observance of the Lord’s Supper. The context is used to determine which usage is intended. Acts 2 has an example of both within the same narrative. Verse 42 uses this term in the context of prayers and doctrine (teaching), which are a form of worship, thus establishing it as a form of worship itself. The Greek in this passage employs the use of the definite article “ho” which is translated by nearly all English translations as “The breaking of bread”. This lends weight to this usage being set apart from the term used in Verse 46.

In verse 46 we see this term used in the context of eating common meals together in their homes. Acts 2:44 refers to them having “everything in common,” and this no doubt included sharing meals together, each one receiving from the others what they needed. The term in verse 42 is in the context of worship, where the term in 46 is in the context of activities one would associate with Christian fellowship/socializing. The two are not the same. The NIV translation captures the intent of this passage quite clearly, “…They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts”.

Letters To The Churches

Paul addressed several of his epistles to churches or groups of Christians. His epistle/letter to the Romans was addressed to “To all that be in Rome, beloved of God, called to be saints.” Romans 1:7. His letter to the Galatians, “unto the churches [ekklesia] of Galatia”, Galatians 1:2. His letter to the Ephesians, “saints which are at Ephesus”, Ephesians 1:1. His letters to the Corinthians, “Unto the church [ekklesia] of God which is at Corinth, to them that are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints”, 1 Corinthians 1:2.

It was the customary practice for these letters to be read to the entire congregation. Notice Paul’s words in Colossians 4:16, “And when this epistle is read among you, cause that it be read also in the church of the Laodiceans; and that ye likewise read the epistle from Laodicea.” A letter read “among” the members had to be done when they assembled. So when we see a letter addressed to a church/ekklesia in God’s Word, we know it was meant for the entire congregation, or the entire church it was addressed to. It is a necessary deduction from logic that these groups of Christians/believers assembled to hear the letters read aloud to them.

The church assembled:

Acts 11:26 And when he had found him, he brought him unto Antioch. And it came to pass, that a whole year they assembled themselves with the church [ekklesia], and taught much people. And the disciples were called Christians first in Antioch.