identity and form. The principles of thinking and living taught through the congregation marked the believers deeply, affecting their personal lives, marriage and family life, and the relationship between slaves and masters.—Col. 3:5; Ephesians, chapter 5.

22. What part did the first congregation play in true worship?

²² These are only some of the Biblical proofs showing that the Christian congregation of the first century played a vital part in the training and upbuilding of the anointed Christians. It was in fact a pillar and foundation of the truth. The congregation proved to be God’s provision to teach Christian believers of their need for one another and gave them full opportunity to practice love, mercy and forgiveness as well as to learn respect for theocratic authority. It did not quench God’s spirit or stifle love’s expression, but, rather, by teaching and example it was able to build up all in the congregation in love and maturity so that they were most receptive to the operation of the holy spirit.

The Congregation in the Time of the End

1, 2. (a) How was the falling away of the congregation foretold, and how did it begin to occur? (b) Did that mark the end of the congregation in God’s purposes?

THE Christian congregation of the first century was strong, united and wholly devoted to advancing clean worship. But this condition was not going to continue undisrupted through the centuries down to the time of the end where we are now. The apostles had the authority to keep the congregation subject to Christ; but they foretold that they, who acted as a restraint upon lawless action in the congregation, would be taken away in death and then the congregation would fall away to lawlessness and false teaching. (2 Cor. 10:2-6; 2 Thess. 2:3-12; 2 Tim. 4:3, 4; Acts 20:29, 30) Jesus also foretold this when he likened the congregation of faithful believers of that time to the right kind of seed that he planted in a field. According to this parable the enemy was to be allowed to plant weeds, a counterfeit planting, which would be allowed to grow up among the wheat until the harvesttime, which would be at the consummation of the system of things. This meant that the clear identity and organizational purity of the Christian congregation would be obscured and corrupted by the growth of apostates. Not long after the death of the apostles this false growth began to flourish; human philosophies, heathen doctrines and celebrations were absorbed; alliances were made with the political state and the congregation became formed, shaped and marked by this old world.—Matt. 13:24-30, 37-43.

² This, however, did not mean that the idea of a congregation was a failure. Jesus foretold that in the last days, “the time of the end,” there would be a harvesting or gathering together of God’s true planting and a restoring of them to a theocratically organized congregation, which would play a vital part in the lives of all Christians at the time of the end. We shall here consider