Church Membership
J. Alexander. Acts 9:26-30 And when Saul was come to Jerusalem, he assayed to join himself to the disciples: but they were all afraid of him… I. THE CHARACTER OF THE PERSONS ON WHOM THE DUTY OF CHURCH MEMBERSHIP DEVOLVES. 1. It is the duty of all who call themselves Christians to separate themselves from the world and to unite themselves with a particular Church; yet, before they can do this in a scriptural manner, they must exercise repentance towards God and faith in our Lord Jesus Christ; they must "first give themselves to the Lord, and then to His people according to His will." Personal must precede social religion. "A Christian is the highest style of man" — he is a disciple of Christ; he believes His gospel; he loves Him; he imitates His example; he yields obedience to His commands; and he lives, not unto himself, but unto Him who died for him and rose again. 2. That none but such persons are qualified for Church membership is evident from the New Testament. In the case before us, when "Saul essayed to join himself to the disciples," they did not receive him till they had ascertained from Barnabas that he was a disciple indeed. And when the apostle wrote to the Churches he had formed he addressed them to "the saints" — to the "beloved of God" — to the "faithful in Christ Jesus," etc. And if persons of another character gained admission, they were "to put away that wicked person," and to "withdraw from every brother that walked disorderly." 3. Besides this direct evidence that personal piety is an essential prerequisite for Church communion, there are other considerations to show its necessity. Without personal piety — (1) A man can have no spiritual communion with the Church — "for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness?"(2) He is morally unable to promote the great objects for which the Church of Christ was established. (3) His Church membership may only serve to confirm his self-righteousness and self-deception. 4. The Church would soon lose its distinctive character, and possess nothing of religion but the name. II. THE INDISPENSABLE DUTY OF ALL SUCH PERSONS TO UNITE THEMSELVES IN MEMBERSHIP WITH A CHURCH OF CHRIST. This appears — 1. From the fact that the Christian Church is instituted by the authority of Christ. He is "the head over all things to the Church, which is His body, the fulness of Him that filleth all in all." "Upon this rock," says He, "I will build My Church." "The Lord added to the Church daily such as should be saved." Besides, when Christians are addressed, it is not only in their personal, but also in their social capacity. They are described not as scattered stones, but as a spiritual temple — not as a house only, but as a city — not as distinct and separated individuals, but as "fellow citizens with the saints, and of the household of God." And the will of Christ, in this respect, is quite in accordance with the social character of man, and with the natural tendency and influence of personal piety. Not to unite with His Church, therefore, is to disregard His authority, to impeach His wisdom, and to set an example of spiritual celibacy, which, if followed by all, would subvert his institutions, and render a Church of Christ entirely unknown. 2. The uniform conduct of the primitive Christians. In the pure and primitive ages of Christianity, the several Churches contained the whole number of the faithful. Then everyone who acknowledged himself a Christian felt it to be a duty to join himself to the disciples of Christ, though he thereby risked his property, his liberty, and his life. 3. The command of Christ, relative to the celebration of the Lord's Supper, "Do this in remembrance of Me," was a command given, not to an individual, but to a society. It was to be celebrated by "those who came together in the Church." The same authority which commands, "Forsake not the assembling of yourselves together, as the manner of some is," also commands this, and you act in defiance of that authority, whether you forsake the public worship of God, or neglect communion with the Church of Christ. III. THE ADVANTAGES WHICH A PROMPT PERFORMANCE OF THIS DUTY WILL SECURE. Your communion with the Church of Christ — 1. Will warrant the exercise of confidence in prayer, and authorise you to expect the blessing of God. Whilst you live in the neglect of this duty, I do not see how you can consistently exercise the one, or expect the other. When we reverence the Redeemer as our Lawgiver, we may consistently expect Him to become our Intercessor, and when we ascend the hill where His blessing is promised, we may confidently expect that there it will be commanded. 2. Will furnish you with additional means and motives for perseverance in holiness. You will be brought under the immediate charge and care of the pastor, and become associated with brethren who will watch over you with charity, and sympathise with you in your sorrows and your joys, and pray for you. Besides which, you will be surrounded with obligations to circumspection, arising from the sacredness of your relationship. You will then be no longer an isolated individual, like a flower in a wilderness, wasting its sweetness in the desert air, dimmed in its beauties, and stunted in its growth; but, being planted in the house of the Lord, you will flourish like the palm tree, and grow like a cedar in Lebanon, still bringing forth fruit even in old age. 3. Will be a source of much holy peace and joy. There is a sweet and sacred pleasure which springs from the conviction of having acted according to the Divine command. IV. THE OBJECTIONS AND APOLOGIES BY WHICH THOSE WHO NEGLECT THIS DUTY ATTEMPT TO JUSTIFY OR TO EXCUSE THEIR CONDUCT. 1. "I am not yet qualified for Church membership." If by this you intimate that you are not Christians, then your fear is just; or if you refer to the righteousness which is of the law, you have not yet attained it, and you never will. But perhaps you mean a more mature and perfect character. If so, you have mistaken the design of the institution. The Church is formed expressly for the reception of all who repent and believe the gospel; and they are commanded to enter it, not when their Christian graces are matured, but in order that they may be matured. It is at once a nursery for the babe in Christ, a school for the education of the young man, and a sanctuary for the refuge and repose of "such an one as Paul the aged." 2. "I can go to heaven without being a member of a Church." Does not the ingratitude and presumption which this objection manifests, render it unworthy of a reply? Is there not a degree of haughtiness and flippancy in such a sentiment, which betrays a heart which is not right in the sight of God? Suppose you do go to heaven without it — will the recollection of your neglect and disobedience be any source of pleasure to you when you get there? Go to heaven without it! Shame on the man who professes to follow the Lamb, and yet tells us that he can travel to heaven by trampling on His institutions, and enter there, not by the door, like an honest man, but by some other way, like a thief and a robber. 3. "I have a relative or friend who is not willing that I should become a member of the Church." Now, if you were to state this apology fully, you would add, "and therefore I have determined to consult his will rather than the will of Christ." But further, if your relative or friend be not pious, is your present conduct likely to make him so? Will he not suspect your loyalty and love to the Redeemer, and learn by your example to be negligent and disobedient? If your relative or friend will not accompany you to the Cross and to the Church, you must go alone. 4. "I fear that the Church will not receive me." No Church constituted according to the New Testament will refuse to receive you if you profess and manifest repentance and faith. If you are a Christian, however young and feeble, Christ has received you, and it would be at our peril to reject you, for the Church is not ours. 5. "I fear that, at some future time, I may bring dishonour on the cause of Christ." But is there nothing dishonourable in your present conduct? Besides, are you more likely to be safe in the world than in the Church? And is Christ less likely to preserve you when you are keeping His commandments? (J. Alexander.) Parallel Verses KJV: And when Saul was come to Jerusalem, he assayed to join himself to the disciples: but they were all afraid of him, and believed not that he was a disciple. WEB: When Saul had come to Jerusalem, he tried to join himself to the disciples; but they were all afraid of him, not believing that he was a disciple.