Reception to an Assembly

A controversy among assemblies - Should the membership of an assembly be restricted, or can any saved person join? Is the Breaking of Bread meeting different from other meetings? Hear our point of view.
 

Acts 9
26. And when Saul was come to Jerusalem, he assayed to join himself to the disciples: but they were all afraid of him, and believed not that he was a disciple. 27. But Barnabas took him, and brought him to the apostles, and declared unto them how he had seen the Lord in the way, and that he had spoken to him, and how he had preached boldly at Damascus in the name of Jesus. 28. And he was with them coming in and going out at Jerusalem.

Intro - The assembly is a group of believers who have both a gathering center (Christ) and a circumference that clearly defines a within and a without. The membership role of an assembly must be clearly defined. If not, then the command to elders to know the flock ( ) and for an assembly to expel a sinning member (1 Cor 5) have no meaning.

Meaning of Fellowship

Fellowship is a mutual relationship of acceptance and dependence between two people. An assembly receives a believer and the believer receives the assembly. Reception makes a believer part of an assembly (Acts 2:42; 1 Cor 10:14-22,32). Reception brings a believer into both the privileges and the responsibilities of assembly fellowship. Nobody should be received merely to break bread. Occasional fellowship is unknown in the NT. “And they continued steadfastly…” Acts 2:42


Initial Reception of a new convert (Acts 2:41-47)

Illustrated by the conversion and reception of Saul of Tarsus (Acts 9:26-28).

1. Being in the body of Christ is distinct from being in the fellowship of a local church.
a. We enter the body as an act of the Holy Spirit (1 Cor 12:13)
b. We enter the assembly by an act of men (Acts 9:26-38).
c. Saints can be “within” or “without” of an assembly (1 Cor 5:13).

2. The seat of the unlearned
a. A place that is distinguished from the church (1 Cor 14). The unlearned believer is not part of ‘the whole church’. The term ‘unlearned’ does not only refer to the fact that he didn’t understand the tongue, the unlearned man was unlearned regarding the presence of God among his people (v.25).. Nobody in the company understood the tongue, not even the man who was speaking.
b. The “without” of the church may include believers who have sinned (1 Cor 5:11-13).
c. The seat of the unlearned is removed from the participation of the Lord’s Supper (1 Cor 10:16,17). “The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the communion of the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, is it not the communion of the body of Christ? For we being many are one bread, and one body: for we are all partakers of that one bread.”

3. Those who receive
a. The elders are responsible to receive (Acts 20:28-32)
b. Reception is an act of the whole assembly (Romans 16:1-2).

Reception of a visiting believer

1. “Some” need a letter (2 Cor 3:1-3)
a. 1 Corinthians 16:10
b. 2 Corinthians 8:22
c. Colossians 4:10
d. Acts 18:27
e. Romans 16:1-2

2. Receiving without a letter.
a. Barnabas gave personal testimony for Saul (Acts 9:27).
b. Caution should be used for reception (1 Cor 3:9-11).
c. Romans 14:1 and 15:7 refer to unity within an assembly, not reception of people not yet in the fellowship.

Reception of a relocated believer

1. The new assembly member comes with the intent of helping the church (Acts 18:27)
2. The new assembly should be a support to the new member (Rom 16:2).

Restoration of a restored believer (2 Cor 2:6-7)

1. Discipline is an act of the entire assembly.
2. Discipline is meant to be done with a warm, restorative, and comforting tone (2 Cor 2) as well as with a sense of mourning (1 Cor 5).

Reception of a teacher

1. Elders are responsible for what is taught in an assembly (Titus 1:7; Luke 12:42)
2. New Testament examples give specific caution toward receiving those who teach publicly (1 Cor 4:14-18; 16:10-12; Phil 2:19-20).