1890 63 Dear Mr. Editor And Brother,
Feeling increasingly our responsibility in receiving to the Lord's Table, I wish to make a few remarks upon the subject. Surely our hearts' desire is that we should not keep any away unnecessarily, nor admit any the Lord would not have there; because we are to receive "as Christ also received us, to the glory of God" (Rom. 15:7). So the blessed Lord, Who knew we should feel this great responsibility, has given us this precious promise in connection therewith, "I say unto you, That if two of you shall agree on earth as touching anything that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of My Father which is in heaven" (Matt. 18:19). Do we always avail ourselves of this promise when receiving? Might not the want of such dependence be often the source of trouble afterwards? But I do not wish now to enter into the question as to who should be received, but rather to attempt to define from God's word who holds the authority to receive, and how reception is carried out. I write because of some little differences of thought, and with the desire that we may "be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment" (1 Cor. 1:10).
It seems to me then that the word teaches us that the responsibility of receiving lies with the assembly (translated "church" in the A.V.). The assembly binds and looses (Matt. 18:18); judges them that are within (1 Cor. 5:12); puts away (1 Cor. 5:13); and forgives, after the punishment inflicted has had the desired effect (2 Cor. 2:6-7). To individuals it is written, "Judge not, that ye be not judged" (Matt. 7:1). Where then is the authority to judge? It is vested in the assembly when gathered with the Lord in the midst. "In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, when ye are gathered together (ye being gathered together R.V.) and my spirit, with the power of our Lord Jesus Christ" (1 Cor. 5:4-5). With a jury the principle is the same. There is authority when gathered together as a jury, which the individuals have not. The simile is imperfect, but it gives the principle as to when and where the authority is.
Assembly responsibility is local — "where (= in what place) two or three are gathered in (unto) My name" (Matt. 18:20). "Tell it unto the church" (Matt. 18:16), means, of course, the local gathering. Each gathering must act for itself, though of course acting not independently but in unity. Gifts belong to the whole church, and brothers may come to the place to exhort, teach, admonish, and the like; but the Corinthians must cleanse themselves. "In all things ye have approved yourselves to be clear (pure) in this matter" (2 Cor. 7:11).
So it is now with the few gathered as at first. Some beloved brothers who argue that, because they belong to the one body, they are right in taking part in the responsibility of receiving or rejecting in any gatherings, do not, I am sure, realise the result of such a course. We have seen it worked out to our shame and sorrow. Hence the importance of insisting upon the order of God's word, which distinctly appoints the authority (Matt. 18:18-20; 1 Cor. 5:4-5, 12-13). Upon the danger of using the doctrine of the unity of the body for opposing local responsibility, which doctrines are in perfect harmony in the word, I hope with your permission, dear Mr. Editor, to make a few remarks upon a future occasion.
But I hear some say, "Why make so much fuss? If Mr. So-and-so is satisfied, we are satisfied." I answer, No doubt such a thought, or the wish to avoid responsibility which was father to it, was one cause of the existence of "our Minister" who does all this sort of thing for us in the present day. Nevertheless it is written, "Let all things be done decently and in order" (1 Cor. 14:40). Oh! if God's order had been kept from the first, how much trouble would His people have been saved!
If the foregoing be admitted, the carrying out will not be difficult. As soon as a believer expresses a desire to be received at the Lord's Table, the fact should be made known to all those gathered to the Lord's name in the place, and the assembly called together as such, with the object of going into the matter, in dependence upon the Lord (Matt. 18:19), and with His authority (Matt. 18:18-20; 1 Cor. 5). Of course a time should be arranged convenient to all, yet those who do not attend are still responsible. It is often done at the end of the prayer meeting. Simply giving out the brother's or sister's name at the Lord's Table is not due reception.
I add, to avoid misunderstanding, I fully acknowledge that a brother may be used of God in applying the word to the particular case, and so far speak as the oracle of God (2 Cor. 4:2), and this is the farthest from over-ruling the church (1 Peter 5:3, margin); the rather will he, as Paul did with the Corinthians, press their responsibility upon all the gathering. Pressing this upon saints seems very generally required in the present state of things.
That there may be increasingly among us the longing to carry out His every wish Who loves us so much is, through mercy, the desire of
Yours affectionately in Him, C. O. A.
[It is necessary to take into account the present scattered state of Christ's members; for it is not a question now only of accrediting souls brought to God from the world as at the beginning. Suppose a known godly confessor wish to break bread: are we to refuse? or even to treat a well-proved saint as if he were a novice who had to be recognised by the assembly? Surely neither. In every case the assembly acts on adequate testimony and welcomes those whom the Lord has added to the church. But we have to distinguish, on the one hand, between novices or unknown persons who seek fellowship and ought to be carefully visited by those who inspire confidence; and, on the other, those well-seasoned Christians, already better known and on better evidence than if, as persons unknown, they were seen during a week or fortnight by two or three visitors. But on introducing such there ought to be so distinct a statement of their known Christianity as to satisfy all right-minded souls in fellowship. It would be a mistake, in my judgment, to subject such to the ordeal necessary for novices or unknown people. On these principles the most intelligent servants of Christ have ever acted in our day, as I trust they ever will. Ed. B.T.]