Church Membership Series
"What's in it for me?"
Part 1 of 3
Membership in a local church entails how a church distinguishes Christians from the world. Likewise, it includes both the Christian's act of joyful submission to their local church and their participation in the exercise of that church's authority (Hebrews 13:17; Matthew 18:17). If that thought has never provoked you to godly fear, maybe it should! This series will show how submission to a local church builds up the individual Christian, sanctifies their local church, and glorifies God. No matter your starting point as you consider membership in a local church, I pray that you might behold the manifold blessings that God has stored up for members of a local church. Without further ado, let us delve into God's Word and posit: "what benefit do I, as a Christian, gain from membership in a local church?"
«And let us watch out for one another to provoke love and good works, not neglecting to gather together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging each other, and all the more as you see the day approaching.»
Hebrews 10:24-25
CSB
This passage from the Letter to the Hebrews simultaneously shepherds the Lord's people to a gathering and promises to nourish them when they do. However, even this passage's context has something to tell us.
Assurance
How do you know that you are born again?
Hebrews was written as a word of exhortation to convince Jewish-background Christians that Jesus provides a better covenant than the Old Covenant (Heb 13:22; 1:1-4). To that end, Hebrews 10:22 and following shows the surpassing assurance of the new covenant believer to go boldly into God's holy presence. The aim of the Gospel is to ultimately bring us into God's presence - to become partakers of the divine nature. However, uncertainty about our salvation can be crippling. When we experience loss of assurance, our hearts condemn us, our obedience seems futile, and we sometimes regress to live like those who have no certain hope. However, I fear we may often forsake one important remedy for this malady. The gathering of the covenant community serves to reinforce our boldness that we truly are born of God.
Consider the juxtaposition of neglect of the gathering with encouragement in v. 25. The author denounces the former in order to catalyze the latter. We know that we, as individuals, are one of God's children, because we are at the family reunion, not merely as guests, but as family members. In the midst of God's people, we also see that His purposes are not failing! The regenerate community that was promised by the prophets is here (Jeremiah 31:31-44, Ezekiel 36:24-28). The context of a regenerate family community accomplishes the Lord's will: to cheer each other on, even though we all continue to rage against sin, all the way into our Master's arms.
Therefore, I am filled with concern every time I hear a self-professing Christian who is not yet part of a local church. While I will address issues related to discerning a profession of faith later, my first concern is for the health of their assurance. I might pose the question like this, "How can you be sure that you are a child of God when you do not live among his children?" or in the words of Cyprian of Carthage, "How might you claim God as Father without the church as mother?" If some of these questions apply to you, please receive the concern of my heart.
Consider the juxtaposition of neglect of the gathering with encouragement in v. 25. The author denounces the former in order to catalyze the latter. We know that we, as individuals, are one of God's children, because we are at the family reunion, not merely as guests, but as family members. In the midst of God's people, we also see that His purposes are not failing! The regenerate community that was promised by the prophets is here (Jeremiah 31:31-44, Ezekiel 36:24-28). The context of a regenerate family community accomplishes the Lord's will: to cheer each other on, even though we all continue to rage against sin, all the way into our Master's arms.
Therefore, I am filled with concern every time I hear a self-professing Christian who is not yet part of a local church. While I will address issues related to discerning a profession of faith later, my first concern is for the health of their assurance. I might pose the question like this, "How can you be sure that you are a child of God when you do not live among his children?" or in the words of Cyprian of Carthage, "How might you claim God as Father without the church as mother?" If some of these questions apply to you, please receive the concern of my heart.
Community
Where do you receive Christian encouragement?
Christians need community, and most believers recognize this fact, but we usually want community on our terms rather than on God's. Notice in these verses that the writer to the Hebrews urges that we should hold one another accountable to our gatherings, so allow me to issue one warning and one promise in this regard.
Christian, we must have a specific church and gathering of that church in mind in order for this exhortation to make sense. If we are free to bounce between churches, then none of them can actually hold us to the account which this passage enjoins! Even though we might be at more gatherings per week than most Christians, we might not actually invest ourselves in any one group to the degree of vulnerability, responsibility, and regularity that the Triune God would have of us. Christians have historically and biblically recognized the Lord's Day - the day that Jesus conquered the grave - which we call Sunday - as a unique day of responsibility for Christians to gather with their covenanted local church (1 Corinthians 16:2; Revelation 1:10; Acts 20:7).
There is so much promise and blessing in a regular gathering. I speak not only of the general blessings of hearing the Word read and preached, singing God's praises, and enjoying the company of fellow believers. These means of God's grace are open to everyone who might pass by the gathering! But if you are a regular and constitutive part of that gathering, then the fellow members will know you intimately and not merely as a passing face. This grants both parties the opportunity to build both relational capital and interpersonal doctrinal unity. Lifting voices of praise together with saints who intimately know God and one another grants a unique opportunity in orthopathy - or correct affections. Nothing beats my idols into oblivion like when I see a dear sister who just miscarried singing praises to God, or when I receive the preached word from a man who spent hours on end discipling me, or when the elder who confronted my sin leads the whole church in a prayer of confession of sin. That is the essence of truly Christian community.
Christian, we must have a specific church and gathering of that church in mind in order for this exhortation to make sense. If we are free to bounce between churches, then none of them can actually hold us to the account which this passage enjoins! Even though we might be at more gatherings per week than most Christians, we might not actually invest ourselves in any one group to the degree of vulnerability, responsibility, and regularity that the Triune God would have of us. Christians have historically and biblically recognized the Lord's Day - the day that Jesus conquered the grave - which we call Sunday - as a unique day of responsibility for Christians to gather with their covenanted local church (1 Corinthians 16:2; Revelation 1:10; Acts 20:7).
There is so much promise and blessing in a regular gathering. I speak not only of the general blessings of hearing the Word read and preached, singing God's praises, and enjoying the company of fellow believers. These means of God's grace are open to everyone who might pass by the gathering! But if you are a regular and constitutive part of that gathering, then the fellow members will know you intimately and not merely as a passing face. This grants both parties the opportunity to build both relational capital and interpersonal doctrinal unity. Lifting voices of praise together with saints who intimately know God and one another grants a unique opportunity in orthopathy - or correct affections. Nothing beats my idols into oblivion like when I see a dear sister who just miscarried singing praises to God, or when I receive the preached word from a man who spent hours on end discipling me, or when the elder who confronted my sin leads the whole church in a prayer of confession of sin. That is the essence of truly Christian community.
Discipleship
Are you learning how to be a churchman/churchwoman?
Community is not exclusively an end in itself, but serves one primary end - corporate and individual christlikeness. Christ did not die for sinners so that they might remain the same. Instead, the same grace of God that forgives and grants us faith is the grace that changes us into the image of Christ. Matthew's Gospel states that part of the mission of the church is "teaching [Christ's disciples] to obey all that [he] has commanded" (Matthew 28:20). We all know that teaching someone facts is much easier than teaching them to obey. The former implies merely assent, while the latter implies living out the teaching by faith. We see this in how a parent asks their child to repeat back their instruction and holds them accountable for what is taught.
The writer to the Hebrews is likewise aware of this challenge when he exhorts, "watch out for one another to provoke love and good works" (Hebrews 10:24). The love and good works that are in view are no doubt the teaching of Jesus and his Apostles given that Christ saw the two greatest commandments as love of God and love of neighbor. Instructing disciples is a task that is uniquely entrusted to church-appointed elders, and it is a task that should be entered into with godly fear (Titus 1:9; James 3:1). Although formative instruction (typically teaching from the front) is an essential component to good teaching, Christlike instruction also includes a myriad of kinds of corrective instruction. Sometimes a rebuke is necessary, other times an encouragement; sometimes a warning from the Law of Christ, other times a reminder of the Gospel. Christian, don't believe the lie that you don't need this. Christ made the church because we all do.
Churches, by their nature, are uniquely equipped to instruct in certain matters of Christian discipleship. For example, all Christians are responsible to insure that the Gospel is preached in their church and that their church is comprised of only believers (Galatians 1, 1 Corinithians 5), but a Christian can only grow in this discipline in a church, led by godly elders, that practices it. A book might teach you the theory, but that pales in comparison to elders leading a church in this biblical practice. Furthermore, since a church is the only place where the ordinances of Jesus Christ should be practiced, a church is the only place that can grow you in the discipline of enjoying, worshipping, and beholding the Gospel in these precious covenant symbols (Matthew 16:15-19, 18:17-19; I will address why only a church in part 3 of this series).
Lastly, if you're considering to work in Christian ministry as a pastor, missionary, or para-church worker, a church is the place to get God's perspective on the heart of Christian ministry - the church - and to receive the necessary confirmation of your subjective calling (Acts 13:2-4). Many god-fearing Christians sadly do not see the danger in being self-affirmed and self-sent missionaries and pastors, but churches provide both the milieu to discern our gifting and the oversight to confirm our calling. So, Christian, while there are many great discipleship tools out there, don't neglect the one designed by God - the local church.
The writer to the Hebrews is likewise aware of this challenge when he exhorts, "watch out for one another to provoke love and good works" (Hebrews 10:24). The love and good works that are in view are no doubt the teaching of Jesus and his Apostles given that Christ saw the two greatest commandments as love of God and love of neighbor. Instructing disciples is a task that is uniquely entrusted to church-appointed elders, and it is a task that should be entered into with godly fear (Titus 1:9; James 3:1). Although formative instruction (typically teaching from the front) is an essential component to good teaching, Christlike instruction also includes a myriad of kinds of corrective instruction. Sometimes a rebuke is necessary, other times an encouragement; sometimes a warning from the Law of Christ, other times a reminder of the Gospel. Christian, don't believe the lie that you don't need this. Christ made the church because we all do.
Churches, by their nature, are uniquely equipped to instruct in certain matters of Christian discipleship. For example, all Christians are responsible to insure that the Gospel is preached in their church and that their church is comprised of only believers (Galatians 1, 1 Corinithians 5), but a Christian can only grow in this discipline in a church, led by godly elders, that practices it. A book might teach you the theory, but that pales in comparison to elders leading a church in this biblical practice. Furthermore, since a church is the only place where the ordinances of Jesus Christ should be practiced, a church is the only place that can grow you in the discipline of enjoying, worshipping, and beholding the Gospel in these precious covenant symbols (Matthew 16:15-19, 18:17-19; I will address why only a church in part 3 of this series).
Lastly, if you're considering to work in Christian ministry as a pastor, missionary, or para-church worker, a church is the place to get God's perspective on the heart of Christian ministry - the church - and to receive the necessary confirmation of your subjective calling (Acts 13:2-4). Many god-fearing Christians sadly do not see the danger in being self-affirmed and self-sent missionaries and pastors, but churches provide both the milieu to discern our gifting and the oversight to confirm our calling. So, Christian, while there are many great discipleship tools out there, don't neglect the one designed by God - the local church.
A Christian's membership in a local church assures us that we are born again into the covenant community of God for the purpose of being provoked to love and good works. Every day brings us one day closer to the return of the Lord, so let's not neglect His glorious provision.
This has been part 1 of a 3-part series regarding local
church membership. I will also address what a local
church member does for the church (post 2) as well as
what the local church does for Christ on earth (post 3).
church membership. I will also address what a local
church member does for the church (post 2) as well as
what the local church does for Christ on earth (post 3).
