The Highway Forums General Discussion Open Forum Muslim becomes Christian and so does his wives...

Joe,

We can agree about the "morbid introspection" and most of the Puritans would also heartily agree. There a few denominations which still practice/encourage what we would call "morbid introspection", e.g., the NRC. And it seems we can agree that an examination by the Elders of prospective members is necessary. That examination should address the areas of doctrine, experimental and life. However, I am unsure about what you mean by a "long lag between that and full membership"? <img src="/forum/images/graemlins/shrug.gif" alt="" /> A person may be genuinely converted yet not seek membership in a local assembly for various reasons, e.g., the difficulty in finding one that is a true church, location of the individual and a good church, reluctance on the part of an individual to join any church due to lack of understanding, etc. And, if you mean by that some long examination process on the part of the church, e.g., weeks of grueling interrogation, then that would be unacceptable.

If one is examined rightly by the Elders and found to have a valid profession of faith in the above three areas I mentioned, then there is no reason to delay full communion. Further training/education should be recommended to all new members, however. And a true convert shouldn't have any objections to that recommendation at all. In fact, one who has come to Christ should/will most naturally want to seek such things, IMHO. <img src="/forum/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

In His grace,