LOCAL RESPONSIBILITY NO. 1

LOCAL RESPONSIBILITY NO. 1

The first thing is to ascertain the responsibility of an assembly. Each assembly has its own individual responsibility. Each assembly is responsible for those whom they receive and those whom they refuse. I at ———— am not responsible for those received at ————, nor am I responsible for the evil in the assembly there. I do not say that I do not suffer from it or on account of their indifference or laxity; I do suffer, and in that sense we are all responsible; but though I might if I could (like the apostle to Corinth) expose their lack of zeal for God’s house, my business is not to coerce but to exercise their consciences. Now this was the course adopted by the apostle where there was a very wicked case, a terrible evil patent to all. Corinth was responsible for putting this man away, and for receiving him back again. It would be preposterous and irregular to the utmost for that man to propose that other brothers from another assembly should come to Corinth, or that they should volunteer to come to Corinth, to aid the assembly at Corinth in receiving back this man. If Corinth or ———— had asked for the help of any brother or brothers to help them in their judgment, it would be quite different.

You cannot give a verdict in the church as you would ^[p. 59] if the assembly were a jury, by a majority, or even by unanimity. The decision in the assembly is the Lord’s decision, whether given by only two out of 200, and if it is the Lord’s decision, the 198 will be silent! It is not by pleading but by moral influence in life and manners which can sway, or ought to sway, the consciences of the assembly to restore. It would be a very serious thing to put away unless by an act of the conscience, and it would be very serious to restore but by an act of the conscience.