This seems to echo the efforts of some of the disciples to keep infants, children and offensive people away from Jesus so He would not be "bothered". Frankly it smells strongly like Pharisee-ism to me. If a person proclaims the Name of Jesus and says he has accepted and is trusting in the finished work of Christ then he or she is to be treated as my brother or sister.
We understand that there are unbelieving impostors as well as true Christians who are out of fellowship with God through unconfessed sin who are intermixed within the meetings. What are we to do? Jesus answered this question in the parable of the wheat and the tares. Matthew 13:15-40
He said let them grow together until the harvest. Why? Because we can't tell them apart. Tares look just like wheat until they are fully developed. We are likely to rip up true believers while we take it upon ourselves to "purify" the Church. When Jesus said that one at the table was to betray Him the disciples had no clue who it was. Are we better then they at picking out the rotten apples? I don't think so.
We are instructed to be "forbearing one another in love" Eph.4:2 and to "bear ye one another's burdens" Gal. 6:2, and "We then that are strong ought to bear the infirmities of the weak, and not to please ourselves." Rom.15:1. Jesus when He was on earth did not avoid the "bad" people but rather sought them out. He reached out to the lepers, the prostitutes, and even to the legalists. We don't have to protect Him from them. If communion is open to all, then all must examine themselves. Their worthiness is truly only known to God. What better meeting is there for someone to be exposed to the teaching of Christ's atoning work than the communion meeting? Just for someone to hear the different believers testifying to that work in their lives has an influence.
Now as to the need to judge outward sin in the assembly; when there is an evident and proven case of gross immorality or heresy than let that be judged with the express goal of restoring that person to full fellowship while in love considering our own selves. We can not and must not judge motivations or intentions. Only outward sins. I believe there is a loving way to deal with these instances that is not legalistic or hypocritical. See Matthew 18:15-17
We have to get over being afraid of "sinners". It is to them we are sent. Let's abandon the Country Club idea of assembly and open our hearts and doors to all the wounded sheep and those who are in need.
The following are a few thoughts on this issue from our Brother Wally White;
I truly find it difficult to comprehend how born again Christ loving christians can close the doors to other christians that are truly seeking fellowship ! What would make us believe that we have any exclusive rights to the love of Christ ? The idea I get seems to be a form of legalistic self righteousness . Under the dispensation of law there was a very religeous group called the scribes and pharisees . Jesus spoke with them in Mathew 23. It is obvious that God despises the attitude of self righteousness. He calls them blind guides , fools , hypocrites , vipers , serpents etc . Do you get the idea he was and is not pleased with this type of haughtiness. In Mt 23:12 Jesus said "and whosover shall exalt himself shall be abased;and he that shall humble himself shall be exalted." when we exalt ourselves I think of self righteousness. If we had ANY righteousness in our selves , Christ would not have had to die ! The ONLY righteousness a christian has , is the righteousness we receive from our Lord Jesus Christ when we accept him as or Lord and Saviour. So I ask again , How can the love of one christian be considered to be above that of another ? " 1 John 1:7 says But if we walk in the light , as he is in the light , we have fellowship one with the other , and the blood of JESUS Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin."
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