What do you believe
about Church membership?
a) What is the Church?
We go around the
country and we see many great church buildings some are ornate with exquisite
architecture, others less ornate but with equally good architecture.
Still others are rather plain, the building in which we now meet is an example of this.
The particular building
itself is a reflection of the theology of the people who attend
services in there. Some worshippers believe in
celebrating a weekly sacrifice of Christ therefore have a large altar
at the front, others believe in the primacy of preaching –
preaching being the pinnacle of worship as a result their buildings are
represented by a large pulpit or platform area. The Church, for most
people is a building that reflects the particular beliefs of the
people who attend.
BUT is this really what the church is?
If we look in the
NT we find following the Acts of the Apostles there are various letters which were written to the
Church: The first one is to Rome then Corinth, Galatia etc. these letters were not written to buildings but to people.
The Lord Jesus Christ
said that he is building his Church. He was not concerned with the
building but the people. His whole purpose of coming into this world
as a man was to build his church.
HOW?
By the redemption of sinful
humanity. Each person saved is another brick in the Church of Jesus
Christ. Therefore all who are saved are automatically members of the Church!
As Christians born again of the Spirit of God we are automatically a part of his universal Church! So why do we insist that Christians become members of the local church?
1. The local Church
The local Church
is particular gathering of Christians in one place see Galatians 1:2
– To the Churches in Galatia. Paul recognised the local gatherings
of Christians to be distinct churches. It is to these gathered bodies
of people that the NT letters were mainly written. So how do we
belong to a local church?
2. Belonging
There are no
rules for belonging or becoming members of the local Church laid down
in scripture therefore each local church has an amount of
licence as to how they go about this. Some believe that those born
into the family of believers automatically become members. Others
believe in baptism being the outward evidence of a person’s
salvation and therefore they are then admitted into Church
membership. Others like ourselves admit people into membership upon
application, followed by an interview by a representative from the
eldership and then when they are satisfied they are truly saved are
admitted into membership. The only rule I would say that is absolute is that the applicant be truly born again and belongs to
Christ’s Universal church.
But what are the
privileges of belonging to the local Church?
3. Privileges
Our first
privilege is that we belong to the family of God in our own locality. There is much talk in the scripture of the
church being the family of God. No child can truly flourish outside
of his family. Some children are orphaned but when they come into an
adopted family they find the security and love they so need. It is
just the same for the children of God. Believers in the Lord Jesus
Christ belong to His family. The local family meet for Praise,
worship, learning, mutual encouragement and fellowship. Until a Christian truly belongs to
the local church then he is an orphan.
Another picture
of the Church both universal and local is that of the body. The local
church is a small picture of the body of Christ. The body of course
needs its members. Just as a body with only one leg is disabled –
so the local church is disabled without all its members. There are many Christians who just like are
legs without bodies. They often say that they attend a local church and
that is enough. That is simply not good enough we need to belong to the body, joined by every sinew necessary. A leg inside a pair of trousers that is
not joined at the hip is not a part of the body – in fact it is a
nuisance and out of control! How can it know which way to turn unless
it fully belongs. It does not feel as the other leg does, it does not
belong. Christians who are separated from the church are just like amputated limbs.
By
saving Grace we belong to the universal Church of Jesus Christ – Why
not go the whole way and belong to the Church of Christ in the
locality of where you live?
Colossians was
written to the Church that worshipped together at Colosse. In his
letter Paul teaches the church many things but the passage we read
earlier highlights the privilege these believers had by
belonging to the church gathered there.
What are these
privileges?
a. Rules
Paul laid down a
set of rules. This is not pharisaical or oppressive but they are helpful rules
for Godly living in order that the church glorifies the Lord Jesus in all that she does.
Firstly Paul
reminds the church of their position before God; they are a saved people. The first
rule being that we should constantly remember what God has done for us. This is why we
regularly celebrate the Lord's supper which is an ordinance instituted for the local
Church to celebrate regularly.
Other rules
include a holy life. Paul says put to death immorality,impurity,passion,evil desire and covetousness in verse v5.
But how do
we do that?
By knowing the ways of God! The whole purpose of Paul’s
letter is to teach the churches and its leaders how to be good
Christians. That is why the church should concentrate on sermons and
bible studies etc.
The privileges
of the local church are:
1. Belonging to each other
2. Knowing the God given rules and how we should operate
3. To be taught what to do.
b. The purpose
V 2 to set our
minds on things above! Not on earthly things below.
How do we do
this?
TOGETHER
The writer to the Hebrews reminds us to meet
together regularly and not to give up for this very purpose. Paul also says this in this
passage.
V 15 ff
i. Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts – corporately
ii. Be thankful
iii. The indwelling word of God.
iv. Teaching each other
v. Admonishing –
Disciplining is a vital part of life. But it must be done with wisdom: All wisdom – the
beginning of wisdom is the fear of God, not the authority of men.
vi. Worship –
Vitally important to join together for worship I wonder if you know
how difficult it is for others when you cant be bothered???
vii. Everything we do!
So church
membership – what is it? It is commitment to belonging to the
people of God . Not purely for the benefit of numbers but
for the benefit of the individual, the church but more importantly
for the Glory of Christ Jesus.
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