"What is a local assembly? It is composed of believers gathered to the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, and meeting together as members of the One Body of Christ. The Lord is in the midst (Matt. 18:2020For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them. (Matthew 18:20)), and because He is there the louse' must be clean. 'Thy testimonies are very sure; holiness becometh thine house, O Lord, forever” (Psa. 93:55Thy testimonies are very sure: holiness becometh thine house, O Lord, for ever. (Psalm 93:5).) See Num. 5:1-41And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, 2Command the children of Israel, that they put out of the camp every leper, and every one that hath an issue, and whosoever is defiled by the dead: 3Both male and female shall ye put out, without the camp shall ye put them; that they defile not their camps, in the midst whereof I dwell. 4And the children of Israel did so, and put them out without the camp: as the Lord spake unto Moses, so did the children of Israel. (Numbers 5:1‑4); 1 Cor. 5; 2 Tim. 2; Rev. 2:14-1514But I have a few things against thee, because thou hast there them that hold the doctrine of Balaam, who taught Balac to cast a stumblingblock before the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed unto idols, and to commit fornication. 15So hast thou also them that hold the doctrine of the Nicolaitans, which thing I hate. (Revelation 2:14‑15)).
"The assembly must judge both moral (1 Cor. 5), and doctrinal evil (Gal. 5:99A little leaven leaveneth the whole lump. (Galatians 5:9); Rev. 2:14-1514But I have a few things against thee, because thou hast there them that hold the doctrine of Balaam, who taught Balac to cast a stumblingblock before the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed unto idols, and to commit fornication. 15So hast thou also them that hold the doctrine of the Nicolaitans, which thing I hate. (Revelation 2:14‑15)). It walks in separation from the world, 2 Cor. 6:14-1814Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness? 15And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel? 16And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. 17Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you, 18And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty. (2 Corinthians 6:14‑18)), and from all religious forms and ceremonies, (Heb. 13:9-139Be not carried about with divers and strange doctrines. For it is a good thing that the heart be established with grace; not with meats, which have not profited them that have been occupied therein. 10We have an altar, whereof they have no right to eat which serve the tabernacle. 11For the bodies of those beasts, whose blood is brought into the sanctuary by the high priest for sin, are burned without the camp. 12Wherefore Jesus also, that he might sanctify the people with his own blood, suffered without the gate. 13Let us go forth therefore unto him without the camp, bearing his reproach. (Hebrews 13:9‑13)). It worships God by the Spirit (Phil. 3:33For we are the circumcision, which worship God in the spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh. (Philippians 3:3). N. T.), and according to the truth of revealed Christianity. (John 4:23-2423But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him. 24God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth. (John 4:23‑24).) Every believer is now a priest. (1 Peter 2:55Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ. (1 Peter 2:5)), to go into the holiest (Heb. 10:1919Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus, (Hebrews 10:19)).
"In 1 Cor. we have the Church addressed with all that in every place call upon Jesus Christ our Lord-deacons and elders are not mentioned. It is the assembly in its position of privilege and responsibility before God. Evil is there in chapter 5. Paul does not judge it for the assembly. He first notes that they had not mourned in order that the evil doer might be taken away from among them, (verse 2), then he calls on the assembly to act and put away 'that wicked person.' Paul would have the conscience of the whole assembly aroused. We should never act in a judicial spirit. It is the Lord's presence in the midst that demands discipline, not our moral superiority to the evil. If God has permitted the evil to rise to a head it is because the state of the whole assembly demands self-judgment. Josh. 7 gives us precious instruction here. When Achan sinned in taking of the accursed thing, Jehovah says, 'Israel hash sinned.' Here, too, we find it was not Joshua alone that acted, but all Israel with him executed the judgment of the Lord.
"There is never a case of discipline but to the shame of the whole body. In writing to the Corinthians, Paul says. 'Ye have not mourned,' they all were identified with it. Like some sore on a man's body, it tells of the disease of the body, of the constitutional condition. The assembly is never prepared, or in the place to exercise discipline, unless first identifying itself with the sin of the individual.
"As to the nature of this, the spirit in which it should be conducted, it is priestly; and the priest ate the sin-offering within a holy place. (Lev. 10.) I do not think any person or body of Christians can exercise discipline, as having the conscience clear, until having felt the power of the evil and sin before God, as if he had himself committed it. Then he does it as needful to purge himself. The only sins the assembly ought to judge are those that come out so palpably as to demand public repudiation according to the word of God. The assembly is not to be a petty tribunal of judgment for everything. We ought never to claim the assembly's intervention except about the evil that is so plain as to be entitled to carry the conscience of all.
"We do not get in Scripture a book of rules, but principles of truth. Thus every evil doctrine is not definitely mentioned, and every moral evil is not noted. Lev. 13 and 14 bring before us the necessity of spiritual judgment. We never find two cases exactly alike, and this calls for much waiting on the Lord, that the manner and execution of the judgment may be of Himself. (2 Cor. 7.) Here the whole assembly at Corinth are seen as mourning. The punishment was inflicted of many. (2 Cor. 2:66Sufficient to such a man is this punishment, which was inflicted of many. (2 Corinthians 2:6).) They mourned over the evil that was in their midst, and by the common judgment, that delighted not in 'putting away.' They sought the glory of Christ in this matter." ( J. N. D.)
"Are there not three things— (1) A brother overtaken in a fault (Gal. 6:11Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted. (Galatians 6:1)). Here it is not assembly action, but individual care of such. (2) A disorderly person (2 Thess. 3:1111For we hear that there are some which walk among you disorderly, working not at all, but are busybodies. (2 Thessalonians 3:11)). Here, too, is it not individual action? (3) The case of a 'wicked person'—a course pursued. The evil is there unjudged. One feels that to express sorrow when the evil has come out, is no evidence of godly repentance." (H. E. H.)
"As to inquiry, a few brothers may do that, but you cannot have a judgment of an individual unless the assembly does it.... It is very right that one, two or three should inquire into facts, but any wise godly brethren may do that, and the consciences of the assembly must thereupon be brought into action.
"The principle of unanimity in action of an assembly is just as bad as that of majority, for neither of them may represent the Lord's authority, which only is binding in the assembly. If things were to be settled by the unanimous consent and judgment of all, and if one unspiritual person were there and opposed, all would come to a deadlock, and the evil remain unjudged. If all were spiritual and subject to the Lord, doubtless there would be unanimity, and so much the better, but would it then be the Lord's authority which was unanimously bowed to? We should remember that they (in Corinth) were unanimous in retaining in their midst that incestuous man (1 Cor. 5), but the authority of Christ came in by the apostle and put him outside." ( J. N. D.)
"When there were cases for the solemn discipline of exclusion, previous investigation was made, facts proved, and the case so unquestionably established, that when it came before the assembly it was not to deliberate about evidence, but to act upon it. So should it be now. (1 Cor. 5:44In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, when ye are gathered together, and my spirit, with the power of our Lord Jesus Christ, (1 Corinthians 5:4); 2 Cor. 7:11Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God. (2 Corinthians 7:1); 1 Tim. 5:2020Them that sin rebuke before all, that others also may fear. (1 Timothy 5:20).) It is a deep dishonor to the Lord, gives Satan great advantage, lowers the spiritual character of the Church of God to a court of justice, and stirs up fleshly energy when a case is submitted to the assembly before it has been fully established. When this latter has been done we may expect that there will be unity of judgment." (H. H. S.)
"The assembly is not called to deliberate or discuss. If there is any demand for discussion, the assembly is not called to act. The case should be thoroughly investigated, and all the facts collected by those who care for the interests of Christ and His Church, and when all is thoroughly settled, and the evidence perfectly conclusive, then the whole assembly is called to perform, in deep sorrow and humiliation, the sad act of putting away from among yourselves the evil doer. We cannot protest too strongly against the idea of the whole assembly being called together to discuss cases of discipline."
(C. H. M.)
"Each assembly of Christians gathered in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, in the unity of His body, acts in its own responsibility to the Lord in all corporate action, such as welcoming in the name of the Lord, those who come amongst them to the Lord's table: in deciding before the Lord all acts of discipline, and all such like things. Each assembly acts in, and of itself, in carrying out those things which are purely local, but which bear upon the whole Church.
"When such local affairs of each meeting are thus carried out by itself, and as of itself, under the Lord, all other meetings of the Lord's people are bound to own the action as in the unity of the body, taking it for granted (unless it be proved otherwise) that all has been done aright, in the fear of God and in the name of the Lord. Heaven, I am sure, ratifies and owns such godly action, as the Lord said it would. (Matt. 18:1818Verily I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever ye shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven. (Matthew 18:18).)
"It has often been said, as well as felt, that discipline in 'putting away from among yourselves' should be the very last thing resorted to; and this when all patience and grace is exhausted, when to allow the evil to remain would be but to dishonor the name of the Lord, and practically to connect it with Him and the profession of His name. Besides all this, discipline in excision is ever and always done with a view to the restoration of the person so dealt with, not with a view to getting rid of him. So it is ever with God in His dealings with ourselves. Personally He always has the soul's good and restoration to the fullness of joy and communion in view, and never withholds His hand until this is effected. Godly discipline, done in His fear, has the same end in view; otherwise it is not of God." ("Words of Truth"-1875.)