You became a member of the church that
belongs to Christ when you were baptized into Christ (Gal.
3:26-27). The Lord added you to
the number of His followers, metaphorically assembled, when you became
obedient to the faith (Acts
2:36-41,47). As a member of the
body of Christ (Eph.
1:22-23) you accepted certain
obligations: to submit to His leadership revealed in His word; and to
give yourself freely to the service of your Lord (Rom.
6:17-18; 1 Pet. 3:15). This is
your status whether you become a member of a local church or not. But
the Scriptures clearly teach you to work and worship with other brethren
(Heb. 10:25).
Their presence and accessibility, present both privilege and obligation
to all who would be faithful to Christ.
Saints who have agreed to function as a
team, under overseers and through servants, become a "church" in the
local organized sense (Phil.
1:1; 4:15). This "church" is
made up of members of the universal body of Christ, yet has some
distinctive roles - is not to be confused with the whole body of Christ,
nor with individual members thereof. Believers are to care for their
widows, "and
let not the church be charged; that it may relieve them that are widows
indeed" (1
Tim. 5:16). A distinction is
made between a plurality of saints engaged in a spiritual work, and
"the church"
(Matt.
18:17). Elders are to shepherd
the flock
"which is among you" - they have
local church obligations (1
Pet. 5:1-3; Tit. 1:5; Acts 14:23).
Letters to the seven churches of Asia (Rev.
2:3) show clearly the
distinctive nature of local churches. In becoming a member of a local
church you accept obligations there also. You should not enter into
local church membership without understanding the obligations and
responsibilities that go with that relationship.
Team
Responsibilities
This means you give up some
independence to function collectively. There could be no effective team
work if each member operated with his own judgment, with no regard for
the team effort. A local church must operate with a common mind, i.e.,
agreement in judgment. The elders lead in forming this judgment, and as
a sheep you are to follow your shepherds (1
Thess. 5:12ff.). For a more
current illustration: to play football as a team, each player must act
in keeping with the play called by the quarterback or coach.
As much of the work done will be via
some medium of exchange (money), you are obligated to bear your share of
this load. The collection on the First Day of the week is a means of
pooling resources so that team work can be done. When a planned program
is announced, and you help finance that program, you are doing some
share of that work - pulling with the team. But your participation also
means you share in the responsibility for what is done. If you cannot
conscientiously support your local church program you had better change
it, or join a team you believe is serving the Lord faithfully (Rom.
14:22-23).
Mutual
Assistance
Church members sometimes seem to think
their presence at service and their contribution to the treasury is the
whole of their relationship to the local church. This ignores a most
vital reason for collective work.
Hebrews 10:25
gives
"exhorting one
another" (encouraging) as the
basic purpose for assembling. We must learn to think of the local church
as a mutual encouragement society: brethren banded together to help one
another go to heaven. In public worship we
"teach and
admonish" by our singing (Col.
3:16). We edify one another even
as we pray (1
Cor. 14:14-17). The Lord's
Supper recalls Christ's sacrifice in our behalf and we
"show the Lord's
death till he come" (11:23-26).
Every member is told:
"comfort yourselves
together, and edify one another. . . "
(1
Thess. 5:11).
And mutual assistance goes far beyond
public worship. Fellow Christians enter into a pact to
"bear one another's
burdens and so fulfill the law of Christ"
(Gal.
6:2). This involves seeking to
correct the errors of one another (v. 1). When you enter into covenant
relationship with other brethren, you accept the obligation to correct
and encourage others; and agree that they should correct and encourage
you. You are to love your brethren, not in word only, but in deed and
truth (1 Jn.
3:16-19). True love removes the
chips from our shoulders. It suffers long and is kind, envies not, does
not parade itself, is not puffed up, does not behave rudely, does not
seek its own, is not easily provoked, etc. (See
1 Cor. 13).
These things need to be remembered when correcting, and when being
corrected. If you have missed this aspect of fellowship in a local
church, you are depriving others, and yourself, of help every saint
needs and has a right to expect.
People
Are Different
Yes they are, and joining hands in the
Lord's service does not remove all differences. Occupations, hobbies,
financial status, regional customs, age, and many other personal
differences will dictate friendships and associations. There is no
reason to expect these differences to vanish when we become members of
the same local church. But if we will concentrate on what we have in
common: on our love for the Lord, and desire to do His will; we will not
allow personal differences to destroy our more noble purpose. We may, in
fact, learn to share with one another to such an extent that our
differences only expand the field of our church work. We can help one
another "fill out" what is lacking in each of us, so that our
differences become our balance and our strength.
A very few, who
"stand fast in one
spirit, with one mind, striving together for the faith of the gospel"
(Phil. 1:27),
will be a mighty force for good. Remember the church at Smyrna, rich in
God's sight (Rev.
2:8-11); and determine to do all
possible to make the church where you are a member, a Christ-approved
church.
