[Biblemat] A) QUESTION AND ANSWER

[J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com]

Brethren and Friends, Jim Sasser here.  A very good Monday
morning to each and everyone.  May God bless you and yours.
I will be away from my computer for a few days beginning tomorr-
ow.  Hope you miss me.  Here is an article from my recent files:

QUESTION AND ANSWER

QUESTION: -- It is often argued that we cannot withdraw from
                       those who have already quit attending the ser-
                       vices of the church.  What about that?

ANSWER: --  That the Lord expects His people to assemble
                      together for worship on a regular basis is 
taught in many passages of Scripture (Acts 2:42,46; 5:42; 20:
7; Heb. 10:24,25; etc.).  But what of those who refuse to asse-
mble with the rest of the saints?  "And we exhort you, brethr-
en, admonish the disorderly, encourage the fainthearted, sup-
port the weak, be longsuffering toward all" (1 Thes. 5:14).  The Greek word 
which is here translated "disorderly" (ASV),
is translated "unruly" in the (KJV) and is a military term that
means "out of ranks."  In other words, one who is AWOL
(absent without leave).  That pretty well describes those who
refuse to assemble with the church.  And the Lord says, "Ad-
monish" them.  In other words, warn them of the consequenc-
es.

     But what if, after they are admonished, they still persist in
being "disorderly" (out of ranks)?  Look at the next letter writ-
ten to this same church: "Now we command you, brethren, in
the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye withdraw yoursel-
ves from every brother that walketh disorderly" (2 Thes. 3:6).
So, if members of the Lord's church refuse to assemble with
the church, admonish them.  If they continue to refuse, then
withdraw from them.  That is simply the command of the Lord, and it isn't 
difficult to understand it.

     One more passage: "Let us consider one another to pro-
voke unto love and good works; not forsaking our own assem-
bling together, as the custom of some is, but exhorting one
another; and so much the more, as ye see the day drawing
nigh.  For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the
knowledge of the thruth, there remaineth no more a sacrifice
for sins" (Heb. 10:24-26).  When people "forsake" or "aband-
on" the assembling together with fellow Christians, they are
rejecting the church, but worse they are rejecting Christ, and
are not to be retained in the fellowship.

     But why withdraw from them, if they have already quit the
church?  First, to keep the church pure.  As Paul wrote to the
church at Corinth about an ungodly member: "Your glorying
is not good.  Know ye not that a little leaven leaveneth the
whole lump?  Purge out the old leaven, that ye may be a new
lump, even as ye are unleavened.  For our passover also hath
been sacrificed, even Christ (1 Cor. 5:6,7).  Second, this soun-
ds a warning to others, "Have no company with him, to the 
end that he may be ashamed" (2 Thes. 3:14).  Third, we with-
dreaw as means of trying to persuade the disorderly to repent: "Withdraw 
yourselves from every brother that walketh
disorderly...And if any man obeyeth not our word by this epis-
tle, not that man, that ye have no company with him, to the
end that he may be ashamed" (2 Thes. 3:6,14).

     Does it do any good to withdraw from those who refuse to
attend the services of the church?  I have preached for two
congregations that did just that.  In the first, we began with 
about eighteen "out of rank" members and restored all but
four, from whom we then withdrew.  In the second, we began
with twelve and restored all except one.  Yes, the Lord's plan
works!   ----- Clem Thurman in Gospel Minutes, Vol. 56, No. 21
May 25, 2007.   </HTML>
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