"God our Saviour . . . will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the
truth." (I Timothy 2:4).
"Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth." (II Timothy 3:7).
"Awake to righteousness, and sin not; for some have not the knowledge of God:I speak this to
your shame." (I Corinthians 15:34).
"And he that doubteth is damned [condemned, JND] if he eat, because he eateth not of faith:for
whatsoever is not of faith is sin." (Romans 14:23).
It is evident from the scriptures that there is a great difference in the condition of the assembly in
its beginning and manner in reception (Acts 2:41-47), and that condition of the assembly described
by the Apostle Paul in n Timothy 2:16-22. This latter condition brought forth special instructions
from the Lord Jesus through the Apostle Paul to His people as to how to act in the matter of
fellowship and reception in view of the mixed, defiled conditions existing.
As we approach our first scripture, I Timothy 2:4, the apostle would make known the heart and
desire of our blessed God, "who will have all men to be saved and to come unto the knowledge
of the truth", and as the Apostle Peter would tell us, "there is none other name under heaven given
among men, whereby we must be saved" (Acts 4:12). Surely this would lead us on to Colossians
1:10:"that ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work,
and increasing in the knowledge of God."
In our second scripture, n Timothy 3:7, the Apostle Paul would inform us that there are some who
are "ever learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth." Perhaps we wonder,
"Why is this?" With an open Bible in their hands, should they not know? We are sorrowfully
persuaded that many are not interested enough to know. But worse still, there are some in
Christendom taking the place of ministers, who having a large knowledge of the truth, FAIL to
act, themselves, on the instructions given by the Apostle Paul, and so are powerless to instruct
others and lead them aright.
Does not this state amongst the Lord’s people help to maintain the abnormal condition described
in our first paragraph? Oh! do WE love the Lord Jesus and His truth enough, and really love His
dear people enough to tell them of the way He would have them go?
In view of these abnormal conditions amongst God’s people, do we not need to give heed to the
Apostle Paul’s instructions to us in our third scripture, II Corinthians 15:34? Oh, "some have not
the knowledge of God." When a person expresses desire to be in fellowship with us at the Lord’s
Table, are we acting righteously and are we not sinning if we do not make known to this person
"the knowledge of God" in reference to our subject of "reception"? Are we not responsible to
make known to this person (after we are sure that the person who is seeking fellowship is
personally saved) the awful, immoral, unspiritual, and unrighteous associations believers may be
found in, as in I Corinthians 5 and 2 Corinthians 6:14-16, with the Lord’s instructions as to what
to do about it in the same chapters; also the iniquitous conditions described in n Timothy 2:16-22,
with instructions what to do about it in verses 19-22, same chapter?
So, the person desiring fellowship should be somewhat advised of some of the awful conditions
in Christendom, and that unless he permanently separates from these conditions, he would be
practically leavened or defiled and so defile us if he were received) into fellowship with
us,_unless he honestly judged and separated from that which the scriptures tell him to separate
from. Thereby both the person seeking fellowship and the assembly would be working out the
scriptural warning, "a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump." (I Corinthians 5:6; Galatians 5:9).
Coming to our fourth scripture, Romans 14:23, we are confronted with our great responsibility
not to stumble a person who desires to have fellowship with us, but is not really ready to take the
step in faith. It is possible that in our over-zealousness or lack of care (which is really a lack of
true love both to the Lord Jesus and to the one seeking fellowship), to hasten the one to take the
step which as yet he has not faith for. This may happen by our not properly advising the one
seeking fellowship as to what the Lord Jesus expects of His children (2 Timothy 2:19) on account
of the conditions, afore stated, in Christendom. Thus we may contribute to his stumbling by
helping him to act not in faith and so cause him to sin, which is very serious.
All of the foregoing may seem like a long, drawn out affair_but it is not. Surely there has been
some conversation ^with the one in the assembly who has been contacted by the one outside,
desiring fellowship, and when the person desires to come in, these things can be reasonably talked
over in one-half to one hour’s time. It is not necessary to explain every division amongst God’s
people. One illustration may be all that is necessary. In the case of one recently converted, in his
fresh new found Love_his Saviour, he is more easily teachable and more apt to respond to the
desires of the Lord Jesus _that he should "depart from iniquity."
May our God and Father and our Lord Jesus bless these few remarks on our responsibilities
connected with reception.