I. Reception

A. Definition

Christ has already received every believer, and it is on this basis alone, i. e. , his faith in Christ, that the assembly is to receive every believer.

Reception by the local church is always to fellowship, never to membership. Membership in Scripture always pertains to the body, i. e. , the universal church. Only Christ can add to the church, Acts 2:47.

"You never find in Scripture anything about membership in a church. It is always of the church. . . In our days if you belong to this church, you do not for that very reason belong to that church. Instead of your membership in the church of God being the ground why you are a member of it everywhere, on the contrary, so great is the change that now the fact of belonging to one church is the best possible proof that you do not belong to another. " Wm. Kelly, The Church of God

B. Importance

Great stress is placed on the need for the unity of all believers by Paul: Eph. 4:3 and by the Lord in John 17 who intimates that unity is the key to successful evangelism.

C. Provisions to aid the assembly in receiving all believers

1. The believer is commanded to be ready always to give a reason for the hope that is in him to every man who asks, I Peter 3:15. No Christian should be "grilled" but neither should he resent the opportunity to give a 1 or 2 sentence testimony to his faith in Christ.
2. Those who travel to places where they are unknown should carry a letter of introduction: Rom. 16:2; Col. 4:10; Phil. 2:29.

(Note that both of the above are "Helps" in reception and cannot be used as the basis of reception. )

D. Violations of the Doctrine:

1. Requiring a certain degree of obedience before the believer can be received, e.g., baptism.
2. Requiring a certain degree of knowledge of the Scriptures (over and above salvation) to be received. (cf. Rom. 14:1; even the weak are to be received and must not be involved in controversy over matters of difference. )
3. Requiring a believer to seek or obtain "membership" in a local church.
4. Requiring the believer to know or agree with some influential person in order to be received. See II John 9-10 as an example. Teaching that the assembly must "guard" the Lord's table from unbelievers.

II. Order

A. Importance of Order:

1. God is a God of order, Is. 9:6-7
2. God's will for His creatures is order, Ps. 37:23
3. God's work to this end is His Word, Ps. 119:133
4. Order is essential and productive in the NT assembly, I Cor. 14:40; Col. 2:5

B. Two Primary Passages on Assembly Order: I Cor. 11:17- 14:40 AND I Tim. 2 and 3

• Both begin with "First of all"
• Both end with an appeal for order
• Both deal with assembly principles
• Both regulate conduct of individuals
• Both hint that Paul will deal with some of these matters upon his personal visit.

C. Helpful Thoughts to Maintain Order in the Assembly:

1. Role of Leadership - ELders as "overseers" are: responsible for the orderly conduct of the local testimony, warned of dangers and disorders both from within and without, Acts 20:29- 31; and given the authority to rule as they that must give account, Heb. 13:17.
2. Conduct of Meetings - According to I Cor. 14, the meetings of the assembly are to be characterized by participation, vs. 26, edifica- tion vs.26, order vs.27 & 40, and self-control vs.32.
3. Value of "Principle"- In order to safeguard the work against distorted priorities, it is helpful to distinguish between "principles" or the timeless precepts taught in Scripture and "methods" or the non- authoritative and changeable efforts to apply the principles in a given local setting. For example, to meet for prayer is a principle; to meet on Wednesday night is one method.
4. Submission of the Saints - A further aid to the orderly work of the local testimony is a Christ-like spirit manifest in a submissive attitude: Heb. 13:17; I Peter 5:5; I Tim. 5:1.