Question: Some question the use of the expression "The Lord’s Day" for the first day of the week, basing their idea that it was not commonly described by the early church. Could help be given on this important subject?

Answer: John used the designation when he was an exile on Patmos. "I being in the spirit on the Lord’s Day" (Rev. 1:10). Surely in this apostolic statement is indicated the common use of the description of the first day of the week among the assemblies of God to whom John was writing the seven letters. The Lord’s Day and the Lord’s Supper are joined together.

It is of interest to know that in one of the earliest copies of the New Testament, the Coptic Bible, dating back to 375 A.D., John 20:19 reads "Then the same day at evening, being the Lord’s Day the disciples being assembled." This translation is evidently a gloss, but it has value as it reveals that the believers in those days used the term "The Lord’s Day" to describe the first day of the week. The translation is therefore incidental historic evidence giving credence to the belief that the term "the Lord’s Day" was commonly used by the early churches of God.

Question: Could you give some explanation of the words of Paul to the church of God at Corinth concerning one under discipline, "To deliver one unto Satan?" Is this possible today?

Answer: The domain of Satan is the world. When one is finally disciplined by an assembly and is put away, he is now no longer "within" but "without" in the sphere of the god of this age, Satan himself. To deliver unto Satan was apostolic action (1 Tim. 1:20). We make it clear that today an assembly can go no further than to put away from fellowship the evicted person. That such action should be necessary should cause deep heart-searching to all concerned. The solemn responsibility to judge sin must be observed faithfully even by the smallest company gathered to the Lord’s Name, and such action should be respected by all assemblies. God’s holiness demands purity in those in His house. All discipline has in view the holiness of the assembly, but also the ultimate restoration of the one who has fallen into sin. Paul, who penned the words calling for discipline (1 Cor. 5:5), also wrote the words for restoration. "Sufficient to such a man is this punishment.. .so that contrariwise ye ought rather to forgive him, and comfort him, lest perhaps such a one should be swallowed up with overmuch sorrow" (2 Cor. 2:6-8).