Church, Synagogue and the Gathering; Part 2

Church, Synagogue and the Gathering; Part 2

Part 1 is here.

I have done word studies where I then go back to the Bible and "expand" or "amplify" the word in the context of the passage it occurs in. It is a fresh way of looking at and meditating on a passage.

One such application of this occurred when I realized that any place the word, "righteous," was used I could "expand" it to "righteous by faith" or "righteousness by faith."

I am going to do something similar here, with the words, "church" and "synagogue."

CS Lewis has Screwtape say:

One of our [the Devil's] great allies at present is the Church itself. Do not misunderstand me. I do not mean the Church as we see her spread out through all time and space and rooted in eternity, terrible as an army with banners. That, I confess, is a spectacle which makes our boldest tempters uneasy. But fortunately it is quite invisible to these humans.

Matthew 18:20 (NASB)

20 For where two or three have gathered together ["synago"] in My name, I [Jesus] am there in their midst.”

Ephesians 1:18-23 (NASB)

18 I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened, so that you will know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, 19 and what is the surpassing greatness of His power toward us who believe. These are in accordance with the working of the strength of His might 20 which He brought about in Christ, when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places, 21 far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come. 22 And He put all things in subjection under His feet, and gave Him as head over all things to the church, 23 which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all.

This is the church: it is any assembly, in the name of Jesus, even if only 2 or 3 people. It is also the immensity of all the body of Christ, from Peter to the youngest Christian.

Matthew 16:18 (NASB)

18 I also say to you that you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build My church; and the gates of Hades will not overpower it.

"And upon this rock I will build my assembly, I will call forth a gathering, rooted in eternity, My body of whom I am the head, spread out through time and space; immense, powerful, full of the riches of your inheritance, and I will be in the midst of it."

Side note:
Is it possible to be a part of the body of Christ, and not "assemble together" or "congregate" or "collect together" or "be brought together" with other believers?

In English, we have collective nouns: a pride is an "assembly" of lions, a flock is an "assembly" of sheep or birds. The words, "church," "synagogue," and "body" are collective nouns for an "assembly" of Christians.

Jesus refers to a sheep, by itself, as being lost and which must be found. A sheep is still a sheep even if it is not part of the flock, but a sheep by itself is in danger.

Luke 15:4 (NASB)

4 “What man among you, if he has a hundred sheep and has lost one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the open pasture and go after the one which is lost until he finds it?

A sheep remains a sheep whether it is part of the flock or not. On the other hand, a sheep that is not part of a flock, and thus overseen by the shepherd, is likely to soon become a dead sheep. 

A Christian remains a Christian whether or not he is part of a church, but how healthy is that?

Therefore, if person refuses to be part of a local body, an assembly, a gathering, is he part of the body of Christ?

Or, merely because he is a Christian, he is a part of the Church, "spread out through time and space, and rooted in eternity?"