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by Kevin Pauley
Does any of you who has a complaint against someone dare go to law before the unrighteous, and not before the saints? Or do you not know that the saints will judge the world? And if the world is judged by you, are you unworthy to judge the smallest cases? Do you not know that we will judge angels--not to speak of things pertaining to this life? So if you have cases pertaining to this life, do you select those who have no standing in the church to judge? I say this to your shame! Can it be that there is not one wise person among you who will be able to arbitrate between his brothers? - 1 Corinthians 6:1-5 HCSB
The foundational truth that Christ is the divine Messiah forms the basis for the existence of the single largest and most powerful human organization on earth – the ekklesia. “The what?” you may ask. “Don’t you mean the ‘church’?”
Well…yes and no.
You see, like the term “Christian”, “Church” as a word as been so used, abused and confused that many people don’t even know what it means any more. Some think that a couple Christians hanging out at the local donut shop form a church. They’ll even quote Jesus as saying “For where two or three are gathered together in My name, I am there among them.”[1]
The problem is that those verses are actually speaking of church discipline (check the context)! Our Lord gave us the whole disciplinary procedure from private rebuke to public censure. Then He authorized the ekklesia saying, “I assure you: Whatever you bind on earth is already bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth is already loosed in heaven. Again, I assure you: If two of you on earth agree about any matter that you pray for, it will be done for you by My Father in heaven. For where two or three are gathered together in My name, I am there among them."[2]
So the verse most used by those who argue they don’t have to attend church is actually supporting a formally structured and duly authorized assembly!
As with most things, to get a proper understanding of the ekklesia, you have to go back to the beginning, meaning to the Old Covenant. Every time you find the word “ekklesia” in the Septuagint, it is translated from the Hebrew word “qahal”.[3]It is used in the Old Covenant as an assembly gathered to judge or deliberate on a matter. You see this in Ezekiel where the assembly gathered to judge and execute judgment.[4] It can be the whole assembly of all of God’s people[5], or a smaller group duly appointed to represent them.[6] Qahal is not actually a religious term.
Either way, a ‘qahal’ or ‘ekklesia’ must be formally structured, organized and authorized to count as a true assembly. Two or three individuals gossiping around the water cooler can make judgments, but that doesn’t mean it counts.
[2] Matthew 18:15-20; note that Jesus was alluding to the halakic practice of only judging crimes on the basis of two or three witnesses which is why a beit din must have no less than three members.
[3] Strongs’ #6951; literally “assembly”
Kevin Pauley is a pastor and writer. He lives in Illinois with his wife, Lynn, their five children and two dogs. His internet address is Berea.
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