Becoming a Memeber of the New Testament Church!

Act 2:41, 47 Then those who gladly received his word were baptized;

and that day about three thousand souls were added to them. praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily those who were being

saved.

How one becomes a member of the church?

▪There is story that is told of a preacher that went to buy a horse. He found one he really like and inquired about it and the owner said, this is a fine horse, he is gentle and quiet and will do anything you ask of him, he doesn’t kick or bite and stands calm and still without needing constant watching and only requires basic care. The preacher replies, if only we could find some members like this!

In the world today there are many different ideas about membership!

▪When it comes to church membership, the idea of most is far different than God’s idea! The fact is we never even read of “official membership” in the NT church.▪From the biblical point of view, being a

member is simply being a part of the body!▸Rom: 12:5 So we, though many, are one body

in Christ, and individually members one of another.

Those that are “in” the body of Christ make up the membership of the NT

church!▪Keeping in mind when we speak of the

“church” the ekklesia = called out, we must do so in three general ways!▸The church universal = all Christians▸The church local = in one location▸The church individual = each one of us▪In our lesson today we hope to clear up

some of the misconceptions on membership!

I. Member of a Man-made Church!

▪In the World Christian Encyclopedia (Oxford University Press, 2nd edition, 2001) they state that there are 33,000 distinct denominations in 238 countries all professing to be Christians!

▪How one becomes a member of anyone of these can very greatly from one another!▸Some accept any and everyone!▸Some have statements of faith!▸Some require a vote!

The church of your choice!▪In the last 10 to 15 years it seems that many

have come to believe that it doesn't really matter “where” you go to church only “that” you go to church!▸Yet as we have seen, we do not “go” to

church, we “are” the church and we come together to worship God!

▪We must choose the church of God’s choice, the NT church and find a place to come together to worship!

II. Member of the Universal Church!

▪The most important membership roll is the “book of life!”▸Rev 3:5 “He who overcomes shall be clothed

in white garments, and I will not blot out his name from the Book of Life; but I will confess his name before My Father and before His angels.”▸Rev 21:27 “But there shall by no means enter

it anything that defiles, or causes an abomination or a lie, but only those who are written in the Lamb's Book of Life.”

Membership = the body!▪Being a member of Christ, His body!▸Rom 12:4-5 For as we have many members

in one body, but all the members do not have the same function, so we, being many, are one body in Christ, and individually members of one another.▸Eph 1:22-23 And He put all things under His

feet, and gave Him to be head over all things to the church, which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all.

The “Keys” of the Kingdom!

Mt 16:18-19 "And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it. "And I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever

you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven."

▪When did they receive these keys, and how did they use them?▸Act. 1:4-8; 2:1-4 cf. 2:14ff▸The Gospel! (Rom. 1:13-17; 1 Cor. 15:1-4)

The Only Mathematician is the Lord!

When one comes to believe and obey the gospel, the Lord adds them to the church!▪Act 2:41 Then those who gladly

received his word were baptized; and that day about three thousand souls were added to them.▪Act 2:47 praising God and having favor

with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily those who were being saved. (Cf. 4:4 “5,000" 5:14; 6:1, 7)

III. Member of the Local Church!

▪This point will become clearer in a future lesson on “the organization of the church!”

▪Church leadership and oversight implies membership! Those “numbered” among us!▸1 Pet 5:1-2 The elders who are among you I

exhort, I who am a fellow elder and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and also a partaker of the glory that will be revealed: Shepherd the flock of God which is among you, serving as overseers, not by compulsion but willingly, not for dishonest gain but eagerly;

The church at/of ...

(1 Cor. 1:2; 1 Thess. 1:1; 2 Thess. 1:1; Rev. 2:1)▪This clearly shows that there was

recognition of particular congregations!▪The need for local membership is also

seen in the need for church discipline!▸1 Cor. 5:1-13▪When we place membership we are

allowing the congregation to know that we desire to be “among them” and work with them!

The Need to Assemble with the Saints!

▪Heb 10:24-25 And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching. (Cf. Act. 20:7; 1 Cor. 16:1)▸I need you, you need me and we all need

Jesus!

Conclusion:

▪It is good to be a Christian, to be a member of the New Testament Church!

▪If you are here today and you are not yet a member of the New Testament Church, then today is the day to trust Jesus with your life and accept His sacrifice for your salvation!

▪Come to have faith in Him, submit to His plan and be added to His church!

We do not go to church because of guilt, we are

the church because of

grace!