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Reception
into Fellowship
of the Assembly
Should
we allow non-Brethren visitors who are born again and in good standing with
their church to take part in the Lord’s Supper? This question becomes all the
more important in the context of many Brethren entering into marriage alliance
with non-Brethren believers.
There
are many issues involved in this question. Unless we analyze these, we shall not
be able to come to a reasonable answer. We believe that Scripture alone is
sufficient for our belief and practice. Therefore, we would do well to study and
see what the Scripture has to say about this.
Who
are the Brethren? What is the Lord’s Supper? Is there any relation between
fellowship and Lord’s Supper? What is Reception? What is the relation between
those who receive and those who are received? Let us try to answer them one by
one.
Over
hundred years denominational Christianity was very strong in Kerala. There were
different groups of Christians. As it was always the case, in the history of the
Church there had been those who were nominal Christians and also those who were
real believers. The distinction between the clergy and the laity was strictly
maintained.
Of
course there were people who were not satisfied with this set up. The
Reformation paved the way for a better understanding of the Bible and its
teachings. When the Word of God was expounded to them, they had had more light
on the Scriptures and they had been adventurous enough to accept the truth.
The Lord’s words, “You shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you
free” (Jn. 8: 32) were found to be true in their lives. They learned that
every believer in the Lord Jesus Christ is part of the Holy Priesthood (1 Pet.
2:5) and such believers must meet together to worship and break bread in
remembrance of the Lord. They also saw the truth of ‘baptism’ in the
Scriptures. They learned that our Lord’s first ordinance of baptism was for
all those who had accepted Christ as their Lord and Saviour. They rediscovered
the truth of water baptism by immersion. They were baptized and started meeting
together to worship and break bread without the aid and direction of an ordained
Pastor. Thus began the Brethren Movement in Kerala.
Since
the organized Christianity was very strong and influential, these new believers
suffered a lot for their faith.
The
Movement started gaining strength from the Scriptures and many more were
converted and added to the Assembly. Many are the distinctives of this movement.
1.
Christ, the Center
The
focal point of the gathering of believers is the Lord Jesus Christ Himself. It
is around Him that all the redeemed gather. “Where two or three are
gathered together in My name, I am there in the midst of them” (Matt. 18:20)
is the Lord’s promise. Since Pentecost in all parts of the world those who
believed in Jesus Christ who died for their sin and rose again for their
justification gathered around the Person of the risen Lord.
2.
Local Church, Autonomous
They
believe that every local Assembly is independent and undenominational. Each
local assembly is governed by a plurality of elders from among them. They do not
need any outside help or leadership. Organized Churches by this time had adopted
a system of Episcopacy and they had Pastors, Bishops, Cardinals, Pope, etc. But
the Brethren Movement rejected this and found in the Scriptures that elders,
bishops and overseers were one and the same person (Acts 20: 17,28; I Pet. 5:
1,2). These elders are appointed by the Holy Spirit alone in every local
assembly. The Assemblies were undenominational, in that they were not
sectarians. The denominational churches with their distinguishing names, a human
leader and an earthly center made themselves sectarians. Every born again
believer who has obeyed the Lord’s first ordinance of baptism was welcome
among them to worship and keep the second ordinance of breaking of bread. They
met together to remember the Lord and to break bread on the first day of the
week. This corporate act of the assembly reminded them of the fellowship of the
body of Christ and His blood (1 Cor. 10:16, 17).
3.
Church, An Organism and not an Organization
The
Brethren believe that the Assembly is a living organism and not an organization.
On the day of Pentecost the Assembly, the Body of Christ, was formed. The Lord
added to the Church daily as many as were saved (Acts 2:47). The Assemblies
believe the truth that “For as the body is one, and has many members, and all
the members of that one body, being many, are one body, so also is the Christ.
For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or
Gentiles, whether we be bond or free (1 Cor. 12:12, 13). Therefore, the
Assemblies are a fellowship and they have no official membership.
4.
No Salaried Minister
They
have no salaried minister among them. There are full time servants of the Lord
labouring among them but they look to the Lord alone for their material needs.
The Assemblies do not appoint them. The Assemblies of course show them material
fellowship. These ministers are those who are called by the Lord specifically
and not the ones who take this ministry on their own as a career.
There
are other distinctives of the Assemblies but the above will be sufficient for
the subject under discussion. We saw who the Brethren are, and now we may
consider ‘What is the Lord’s Supper?’
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1.
Various Theories
a.
Transubstantiation. This is
the Roman Catholic view. The theory holds that after the prayer of the priest,
the bread and wine are literally changed into the body and the blood of Christ.
The Roman Catholic mass is a re-enactment of the sacrifice of Christ. This
is the sacramentarian view of the Lord's supper. When it is considered a
sacrifice, the one who officiates is called a priest. This view is not in
agreement with the scriptures. Christ offered Himself as a sacrifice once and
for all (cf. Heb. 7:27; 9:14; 10:10-14). When the Lord said "this is my
body and blood," He did not mean that the bread and the wine were changed
into His body and blood, but He only meant it symbolically.
b.
Consubstantiation. This is
the Lutheran view. This means that the bread and wine do not really change into
flesh and blood. But when we take the elements, we are really taking the body
and the blood along side of them. After the prayer of the presbyter, the
true body and blood of Christ are in, with, and under the bread and wine on the
table. This is also not a scriptural view.
c.
Spiritual presence. This
theory holds that although the elements of bread and wine do not change into
flesh and blood, there is a spiritual presence of Christ in the elements. This
view was held by John Calvin. There is no scriptural evidence for this.
d.
Symbolic. According to this
theory the bread and the wine are merely symbols of the body and blood of
Christ. The Lord's supper therefore, is not sacramental but commemorative. This
view was held by Zwingli. This is supported by the New Testament.
2.
Characteristics of the Lord’s Supper
a.
Instituted by the Lord.
The Lord wanted His people to remember His broken body and the shed blood. As
the creator of the human mind He knew that man is forgetful and that a simple
action will help him to keep in mind what is intended. So He instituted this
ordinance of the Lord’s Supper (Matt. 26:26-30; Mark 14:22-26; Lk. 22:14-23; 1
Cor. 11:17-34). “He took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to
them saying, ‘This is My body which is given for you; do this in remembrance
of Me.’ Likewise He also took the cup after supper saying, ‘This cup is the
new covenant in My blood, which is shed for you’” (Lk. 22:19, 20).
b.
The Apostolic
practice. This command was
obeyed by the apostles and the early Church. Two instances of the apostolic
practice are found in the Book of Acts, viz. Acts 2:42 and 20:7. On the day of
Pentecost three thousand souls were added to the Church and they were baptized.
It is recorded of them that "They continued steadfastly in the Apostles'
doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread and in prayers'. The four-fold
purpose for which the early Christians assembled is mentioned here. No one would
ever think of reversing the chronological order mentioned here. Only a baptized
believer is supposed to take part in the Lord’s Supper.
c.
The
meaning.
(1).
It is in remembrance of the Lord.
The Lord’s command is “This do in remembrance of me” (1 Cor. 11:24, 25).
The gathering is on the first day of the week, the resurrection day. We do not
simply remember his death for us, we remember Him, His person. It is an occasion
of joyful celebration. He is the ever-present Lord with His people (cf. Matt.
18:20).
(2).
It is for thanksgiving.
Our hearts are filled with joy and gratitude for the work of redemption
accomplished for us. We praise Him for who He is and thank Him for what He has
done for us (cf. 1 Cor. 11:24).
(3).
It is on the basis of the new covenant (1 Cor. 11:25).
The Old Covenant was different. When the people heard the law read to them, they
all said ‘we will do this.’ Moses sprinkled the blood and the covenant was
ratified. But they could not fulfil it and death became their due. In the New
Covenant we remember what He has already done. There is nothing more to be done
by us.
(4).
It is in anticipation of His second coming
(1 Cor. 11:26). “Do this in remembrance of me till I come.” We look forward
to His coming. We have all the three aspects of our salvation pictured for us in
this gathering. We look back and see the crucified Saviour. We look up and see
the crowned Saviour. We look forward and await the coming of the Saviour.
3.
Periodicity
On
the first day of the week the disciples gathered to break bread (Acts 20:7).
Paul stayed in Troas for 7 days (20:6). He was in a hurry to reach Jerusalem
(20:16). Yet he waited in Troas for 6 days to break bread with the believers
there. He could have done this earlier, if he was in a hurry; but the practice
shows clearly that the disciples gathered to break bread only on the first day
of the weak.
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When
we consider Christian fellowship two scriptures are very important. Writing to
Corinthians apostle Paul writes: “To the Church of God which is at Corinth, to
those who are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints” (1 Cor. 1:2).
Believers are those who are sanctified in Christ Jesus. This is the sphere of
their sanctification. A believer is one who is sanctified or separated from the
world and separated unto the Lord.
Paul’s
ministry was “to open their eyes and to turn them from darkness to light and
from the power of Satan unto God, so that they may receive forgiveness of sins
and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me” (Acts
26:18). Faith in Christ is the means of this sanctification and fellowship.
Christian
fellowship is eternal in character. Those who are separated in Christ are those
who have eternal life. The fellowship is not only eternal but living and active
also.
The
breaking bread does not create a fellowship. But those who have fellowship (cf.
1 Cor. 1:9; 1 Jn. 1:3) break bread.
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If
an assembly receives a person into its fellowship, it is only recognizing the
fellowship that already exists because of the indwelling of the spirit in the
one who is received. The fellowship between Christians is the fellowship in the
Spirit. With the heart he believes and with the mouth confession is made. This
reality of his profession he witnesses and declares in the baptismal waters.
Then the local assembly recognizes this and receives him into its fellowship.
All known believers are thus received into its fellowship.
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Fellowship
is reciprocal. When an assembly receives a person into its fellowship, for the
fellowship to be real and meaningful the person should receive the assembly also
into his fellowship. This becomes possible only when the one who is received
accepts the position of the Assembly. To accept one he has to forsake the other.
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The
Bible gives clear instruction not to be unequally yoked with unbelievers (II
Cor. 6:14-18). Every believer should be careful to see that he/she is married
only in the Lord. Many pressures of social life sometimes compel a believer to
enter into marriage alliance with others. This is entirely a different matter.
It is a matter of choice of every individual believer. Marriage alliance,
however, should not be a criterion to receive a person into the fellowship of
the Assembly.
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The
Brethren assemblies accept every believer in Christ who accepts them i.e. accept
what they believe and practice. Brethren Assembly is not sectarian. Sectarianism
has no place in its fellowship. Therefore anyone who holds the sectarian
position is not received into its fellowship. Baptism and the Lord’s Supper
are the two commandments, which a believer has to obey. One who has
confessed Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour is to obey Him in baptism. So the
question of Lord’s Supper comes as the second commandment. So obviously the
Scriptural order is baptism and then Lord’s Supper. |
