4我们需要清楚，背道和讲错道理的分别。有人对于某项道理的教训可能不正确，但这不表示他是背道的。例如，一位在主里的弟兄，在基督里的真信徒，对于被提的教训有点错误；我们可以说他在道理上错了，却不该说他是异端，或说他教导异端，因为他相信基督的神圣人位，以及祂救赎的工作。他相信耶稣基督就是神，祂成了肉体来作人，祂为我们的罪死在十字架上，并且祂从死人中复活，又升到天上。按照新约，有人成为背道的，不是因他对被提的教导错误，乃是因他不再相信耶稣基督是神，以及祂在肉体里而来，作了一个人。那些不相信这点的，就是背道的。我信约翰和保罗从摩西的著作学习了许多，包括申命记十二、十三章里确定的话。约翰论到背道是明确的，保罗论到分裂也是明确的。罗马书陈明了一幅神救恩的完整图画，这幅图画包括了基督徒以及召会的生活。罗马书末了三章，十四至十六章，论到地方召会的生活。在十四、十五章，保罗说到接纳信徒。『信心软弱的，你们要接纳，但不是为判断所争论的事。』（罗十四１。）信徒信心软弱并不表示他没有信心；乃是说，虽然他有信心，但他的信心软弱了。信心软弱的，我们要接纳，不是为了判断争论的事。我们该接纳他们，不与他们争论。信心软弱的人可能只吃蔬菜，可能断定这日比那日强；（罗十四２～３，５；）信心强的人可能相信百物都可吃，并断定日日都一样。我们不该就著这些事审判信徒，乃该在爱里接纳他们，因为神已经接纳他们了。（罗十四３。）不仅如此，保罗还说，『我们刚强的人，应该担代不刚强之人的软弱，不求自己的喜悦。』（罗十五１。）然后保罗说，『所以你们要彼此接纳，如同基督接纳你们一样，使荣耀归与神。』（罗十五７。）我们接纳信徒，不该按照吃或守日的方式，乃该按照基督，祂是独一的中心，又是包容一切的那位。各种的真信徒，无论他们吃素或吃肉，无论他们守日或看日日都一样，我们都必须接纳。此外，我们必须按照基督接纳所有的真信徒。
4We need to be clear regarding the difference between teaching apostasy and being wrong in doctrine. Someone may not be correct in his teaching about a certain doctrine, but this does not mean that he is apostate. For example, suppose a brother in the Lord, a genuine believer in Christ, is somewhat mistaken in his teaching regarding the rapture. We may say that he is wrong in doctrine, but we should not say that he is heretical or that he teaches apostasy, for he believes in the divine person of Christ and in His redemptive work. He believes that Jesus Christ is the very God, that He was incarnated to become a man, that He died on the cross for our sins, that He resurrected from among the dead, and that He ascended to the heavens. According to the New Testament, someone becomes apostate, not by teaching incorrectly about the rapture but by giving up the faith that Jesus Christ is God and that He came in the flesh to be a man. Those who do not believe this are apostate. I believe that John and Paul learned a great deal from Moses’ writings, including the definite word in chapters twelve and thirteen of Deuteronomy. Whereas John was definite concerning apostasy, Paul was definite concerning division. The book of Romans presents a complete picture of God’s salvation, a picture that comprises both the Christian and the church life. The last three chapters of Romans, chapters fourteen through sixteen, are on the local church life. In chapters fourteen and fifteen Paul speaks concerning receiving the believers. “Now him who is weak in faith receive, not with a view to passing judgment on reasonings” (14:1). For a believer to be weak in faith does not mean that he has no faith; it means that, although he has faith, he is weak in faith. Those who are weak in faith we should receive without passing judgment on reasonings. We should receive them without reasoning with them. The one who is weak in faith may eat only vegetables and may judge one day above another (vv. 2-3, 5), whereas the one who is strong in faith may believe that he may eat all things and may judge every day alike. Instead of judging the believers with respect to such matters, we should receive them in love, for God has received them (v. 3). Furthermore, Paul says, “We who are strong ought to bear the weaknesses of those who are weak, and not to please ourselves” (15:1). Then Paul goes on to say, “Wherefore receive one another, as Christ also received us to the glory of God” (v. 7). We should receive the believers not according to the way of eating or the keeping of days but according to Christ, who is the unique center and the all-embracing One. We must receive all kinds of genuine believers, whether they eat herbs or eat meat, whether they keep certain days or consider every day alike. Moreover, we must receive all genuine believers according to Christ.