The Biblical Dutyof Church Membership

Many of us accept the practice of"church membership" without must question. Some of us, however, havedifficulty with it because it seems so much like a worldly idea not found inthe Scriptures. Clubs, societies and other organisations of the world havespecific membership schemes. Their members earn their place either by paying afee or by some accomplishment recognised by other members in the club. ButChristians are who they are, solely by God’s grace. How then can there be anynotion or implication of exclusivity by way of church membership? Moreover,isn’t the act of becoming members of one church in preference to another,sectarianism? Granted, church membership provides a practical means ofaccountability, but isn’t it purely administrative and so optional? Thesearguments seem so convincing that some of us who have been sorely disappointedand hurt by politics and other difficulties in the churches we come from may betempted not to become members of any church at all—so that we may move from onechurch to another with great mobility whenever we feel a need to do so. Wereason that as long as we are worshipping in some church, we are fulfilling thebiblical injunction not to forsake the assembling of ourselves together (Heb10:25).

Such thinking is, however, not only withouta consistent biblical foundation, but runs contrary to the teachings of theScripture. The Scripture does teach that every Christian has the duty to join alocal church by way of membership. The Bible speaks of the church from twoperspectives. In the first place, there is the universal church, which issometimes known as the catholic church. The word ‘catholic,’ which is used inour Confession and in the Apostle’s Creed has nothing to do with the RomanCatholic Church. ‘Catholic’ simply means universal. From this perspective thechurch is invisible and "consists of the whole number of the elect, thathave been, are, or shall be gather into one, under Christ" (WCF 25.1). The Apostle Paul, clearly, has thisin mind in Ephesians 1:22-23 where he tells us that God has put all thingsunder Christ and "gave Him to be the head over all things to the Church,which is His body, the fulness of Him that filleth all in all" (Eph1:22-23). Seen from this angle, every born again believer is member of theChurch, and there is no need for additional membership arrangement. However, itis also very clear that the Scripture speaks of the church as visible localassemblies of Christians or better professing Christians. The Acts of theApostles refer to the churches (note the plural) in Judaea, Galilee, Samaria, Syria,Cilicia (Acts 9:31; 15:41), etc. Paul referredto the churches at Cenchrea, Corinth, Galatia and Macedonia (Rom 16:1, 1Cor 1:2; 1Cor16:1, 2Cor 8:1). The Lord Jesus also referred to the seven churches inRevelations 2-3 as individual local assemblies. The fact that not every memberof a visible local church is necessarily regenerate is evident. Paul wrote tothe "church of God which is at Corinth" (1 Cor 1:1), but he exhortsthem to examine themselves to see if they are in the faith (2 Cor 13:5). If allwere necessarily genuine believers, the call would be redundant. Similarly, theLord …Cont. p. 3addresses the assembly at Sardis as aChurch, though only a few in the church were genuine believers (Rev 3:4).

Someone may object: but these churchescould simply refer to groups of Christians assembled on an ad hoc basis to worship the Lord. We have numerousbiblical reasons to believe that this is not the case. Let me share four:

Firstly, we note that a structure of leadership isevident in these churches. The apostles not only ordained elders to overseethese churches (Acts 14:23), but listed the necessary qualifications for theseelders (e.g. 2 Tim 3:1-7; 1 :Pet 5:1-3). Elders have the responsibility to feedthe flock over which the Holy Spirit has made them overseers (1 Pet 5:2; Acts20:28). If the church were simply an uncommitted gathering of believers, itwould be difficult to determine what the flock is and so who the elders areresponsible for.

Secondly, we read that during the days followingPentecost, "the Lord added to the church daily such as should besaved" (Acts 2:47). In view of Luke’s particular references to the churchat Jerusalem (e.g. Acts 8:1, 11:22), we have reason to believe that he wasreferring to the local church rather than the visible church as a whole or theuniversal church. Moreover, after Paul’s conversion, we are told that he"assayed [i.e. attempted] to join himself to the disciples." Thedisciples, however, "were all afraid of him, and believed not that he wasa disciple" (Acts 9:26). The word ‘disciple’ does not refer to theapostles, but to the members of the church (Acts 6:1; cf. 9:26, 27). If Paulwas merely trying to join an adhoc congregationassembled on the Lord’s Day to worship the Lord, he would simply have joinedthem without having to attempt, and there would be no cause for disciples todoubt the authenticity of his faith and so objected to his joining them. Inthose days, unbelievers were always welcomed into the congregation to hear theGospel (cf. 1 Cor 14:23). Furthermore, the word translated ‘to join’ is a Greekword (koll£w) which literally mean ‘to glue’ or ‘to unite closely.’ Theword requires that there be an existing body of believer who are already unitedtogether. Paul was clearly trying to join the disciple in a deeper level offellowship. He desired to be part of the existing body. In other words, he wastrying to join the membership of the church.

Thirdly, the biblical practice of ex-communication(i.e. expelling an unrepentant person from the communion or fellowship of thechurch) clearly points to the fact that church membership is a biblicalconcept. In Matthew 18:15-17, the Lord instructs us how we should relate to abrother who trespasses against us. If the brother remains unrepentant after weapproach him with other witnesses, we are to tell the matter to the church, oras it were, a representative of the church, namely an elder. If he would not listento the elder, then, he should be regarded as an "heathen man and apublican," i.e. an unbeliever. This clearly suggests that there is adifference between believers and unbelievers in a church. Unbelievers mayattend the worship of the church, but are not considered as part of the church.Paul explicates this idea when he urges the Corinthians to excommunicate anyone who is called a brother who lives in sin (1 Cor 5:11). Yet theunbeliever and the professing believer may both attend the same worship service.We know, therefore, that excommunication is not about being barred from theworship services. Rather, it is about being deprived of the privileges of beinga member of the church. Indeed, the practice of excommunication is meaningfulonly if the church has a formal membership arrangement and that under normalcircumstances, all who are believers worship-ping with the church are membersof it.

Fourthly, that church membership is a biblicalrequirement is seen in the fact that Paul likens the local church to a body:"For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members ofthat one body, being many, are one body: so also is Christ" (1 Cor 12:12).So tightly bonded to each other is each member of this body that when onemember suffers all suffers with it (1 Cor 12:26; cf. Josh 7). An ad hoc assembly of worshippers can hardly bedescribed in this manner. Paul, …Cont.p. 5 MEMBERSHIP: Cont. from p.3… moreover, speaksabout the members of the body as being "fitly joined together andcompacted" (Eph 4:16). This description will hardly make sense without adefinite membership in the church.

These reasons, I believe, show us clearlythat church membership is a biblical idea, which also implies that it isimperative that every Christian be a member of a local church. A local churchis like the pods in which peas must grow. The pea farmer knows full well thathe cannot have the peas without the pods until it is time to harvest. In thesame way, as long the present age continues, the local church is necessary,though it is the members of the church invisible which God is ultimatelyconcerned with.

Moreover, it is clear that churchmembership is not merely an administrative exercise so that a person may beadministratively a member of a local church but worshipping and serving inanother church. To be a member of the church is to be glued or united with abody of believers. No member of a living body can function as part of the bodyin absentia—unless the member is sent as missionary or a theological student.Paul speaks about spiritual gifts as being given "For the perfecting ofthe saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body ofChrist" (Eph 4:12). The context of the verse suggests that he is referringto the local church.

Brethren, most of us have left our originalchurches of membership for various reasons. As far as I know, the majority ofus left not without an intense struggle in our souls, and some even facepersecutions from the brethren in our former churches. For the sake of peaceand for prudential reasons, I do not wish to recount nor enumerate the reasonsthat I am aware of. However, I am convinced that most who are with us have atleast one major and valid reason. I am therefore not urging you return to yourchurch of membership unless you are convinced that you had left on invalidgrounds. Neither am I urging you, per se,to align with Pilgrim Covenant Churchthough those of us who are already determined to cast our lot here would bedelighted if you do. Your decision must be something between you and the Lord.But I am urging you to align yourself and become a regular, active member of alocal church which is consciously seeking to obey the Lord in all areas, inwhich you can worship the Lord with a clear conscience bounded to the Word ofGod and to serve Him by considering one another to provoke unto love and togood works. No local church is perfect. Pilgrim Covenant Church does not claimperfection at all. But that does not negate our biblical duty to be members ofa local body of Christ wherein we may glorify God.