Is Church Membership a Requirement?

Intro:

It is not uncommon these days to hear things like:

“I’m spiritual, but not religious,” or …

“Give me Jesus, but not the church, or …

“Give us the Man, but not the Plan,” and …

The accusation: “The church is full of hypocrites, so why bother?”

I think we all know that these are typically “copouts” made by individuals who are looking for a convenient excuse not associate with the body of the saints.

It’s a time and energy saver in their eyes.

And a money saver (don’t have to give).

And for some, they claim it’s a mental health saver (because they don’t have to deal with people).

Again, these all boil down to “copouts” as we call them, and it is a shame that they are so common.

However, from time to time someone may legitimately ask the question: “Is Church Membership a Requirement?”

“Do I have to be a member of the church? Or can I just do my own thing as long as I believe in Christ?”

“What about the church of my choice?”

These are all questions that we need to be prepared to answer (1 Pet. 3:15), and sometimes they may be asked in a “copout” sort of way, but sometimes they may be legitimate questions from an honest asker.

So the question we want to look at tonight is — “Is Church Membership a Requirement?” “Is Church Membership a Must?”

Tonight, let’s briefly look at why, yes, Church membership IS required — and not just any old church, but the Church that JESUS established when JESUS died for it!

Reason 1 - Because the Church is the Location of the Saved:

Eph. 5:23 says that Jesus Christ is the Head of the Church; and He is the Savior of the Body.

Eph. 1:22-23 equates the Church and the Body when it says: “And He put all things under His (Jesus’) 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.”

We can point to a very specific point when one becomes a member of that saved body, and it is found in Acts chapter 2.

Working our way backwards from the end of the chapter, we read:

In Acts 2:47 - (The church was) “praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily those who were being saved.”

Well who were those folks?

Well, Acts 2:41 says, “Then those who gladly received his (Peter’s) word were baptized; and that day about three thousand souls were added to them.”

So in Acts 2:41 we’ve got adding — Acts 2:47 we’ve got adding.

They were added after they were baptized - Acts 2:41 - And Who was doing the adding? (The Lord was - Acts 2:47)

And why was this the case?

Because that’s exactly what Peter told them to do if they wanted to be part of the saved - Acts 2:36–38 - “Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly that God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ.” Now when they heard this, they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Men and brethren, what shall we do?” Then Peter said to them, “Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.”

If you work your way back to Acts 2:21 you’ll read this important statement: “And it shall come to pass That whoever calls on the name of the Lord Shall be saved.’”

That verse cross references perfectly with Joel 2:32 where it was prophesied, Rom. 10:13 where Paul references it, and Acts 22:16 where Paul did it himself … in baptism.

1 Corinthians 12:13 - “For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free—and have all been made to drink into one Spirit.”

And you could work your way back to Acts 2:5 as well, which says, “And there were dwelling in Jerusalem Jews, devout men, from every nation under heaven.”

Why were those devout men there?

To celebrate the feast of Pentecost, which was required of all Jewish males.

These men were DEVOUT — They were FAITHFUL … under the old law!

But here in Acts 2 they find out that they must be added to the church, the place of the saved, if they are to be saved under the new law — the law of Christ.

So that’s reason number 1 - Why do is church membership a requirement? Because it’s where the Lord adds the saved! (The ecclesia — The called out — the sanctified!)

Reason 2 - Because the Church was Built & Purchased by Christ:

The Church was prophesied in places like Isaiah 2:1–3 (Turn with me and read that one) - “The word that Isaiah the son of Amoz saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem. Now it shall come to pass in the latter days That the mountain of the Lord’s house Shall be established on the top of the mountains, And shall be exalted above the hills; And all nations shall flow to it. Many people shall come and say, “Come, and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, To the house of the God of Jacob; He will teach us His ways, And we shall walk in His paths.” For out of Zion shall go forth the law, And the word of the Lord from Jerusalem.”

Micah 4:1ff says the same thing almost verbatim.

Of course the Lord’s HOUSE is a descriptor that is often used for the church.

Ephesians 2:19–22 - “Now, therefore, you (saved) are no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief cornerstone, in whom the whole building, being fitted together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord, in whom you also are being built together for a dwelling place of God in the Spirit.”

Hebrews 3:1–6 says - “Therefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our confession, Christ Jesus, who was faithful to Him who appointed Him, as Moses also was faithful in all His house. For this One has been counted worthy of more glory than Moses, inasmuch as He who built the house has more honor than the house. For every house is built by someone, but He who built all things is God. And Moses indeed was faithful in all His house as a servant, for a testimony of those things which would be spoken afterward, but Christ as a Son over His own house, whose house we are if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm to the end.”

So the Lord’s HOUSE prophesied in Isaiah 2:1-3 and Mic. 4:1ff is the Church!

Now question:

Look back down at Isa. 2:1-3.

Just logically speaking, if I’m a Christian, do I belong INSIDE God’s house, or OUTSIDE?

Well inside obviously!

Were Noah and the 7 others saved from the flood located INSIDE the ark (the place of safety), or OUTSIDE? (INSIDE!)

Again, the saved are located in the Church!

Now, which one?

Matthew 16:18–19 gives us the answer! — “And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My ( possesive pronoun) church (singular), 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.”

You can look at Dan. 2:44 at another prophecy to see that the Lord’s Church is that KINGDOM!

Well, that church was PURCHASED by the precious blood of Jesus Christ - Acts 20:28 - “Therefore take heed to yourselves and to all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God which He purchased with His own blood.”

You MUST a be a member of that blood-bought institution to make it to heaven!

Romans 5:8–9 - “But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him.”

Reason 2 - Because the church was built by and purchased by Jesus Christ!

Reason 3 - Because God Receives Glory in the Church

This is a quick one, but one we don’t need to underestimate this point!

Ephesians 3:21 - “to Him (God) be GLORY … in the church … by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen.”

You can’t miss that!

Because if you take away Christ from His church, you take away the medium through which He gives glory to God!

Who gives the glory to God? (Christ does!)

And where does He do it? (In His church!)

Can men really take away the glory that God is due? (Of course not!)

But many men have tried!

Thankfully, the gates of Hades won’t even prevail against the church, though!

So try as men may to denigrate and downgrade the church of our Lord, it just isn’t going to happen!

Reason 3 why church membership is essential — Because that’s where God receives glory!

Reason 4 - Because Christians Contribute to the Cause of Christ in the Church:

This is a big one!

Talk about God receiving glory in the church!

We are told in the Scriptures to be profitable servants.

We should view ourselves humbly as unprofitable servants - Luke 17:10!

But we better be profitable, because the truly unprofitable servant will be cast into outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teetch! (Matt. 25:30)

We have a job to do!

“There is much to do, there’s work on every hand! Hark the cry for help comes ringing through the land! Jesus calls for reapers; I must active be! What wilt Thou, O Master? Here am I, send me!”

“I want to be a worker for the Lord! I want to love and trust His holy Word. I want to sing and pray and be busy every day in the vineyard and kingdom of the Lord!”

Do we mean those words when we sing them?

Are we seeking FIRST the Kingdom of God and His righteousness (Matt. 6:33), and are those priorities showing up in our work ethic in the Kingdom?

How many different works of the church am I involved?

That’s a question for each of us to ask ourselves!

And if none, why?

Now a question sometimes comes up surrounding the work of the church, where one attends, etc., and it is …

“Do I have to place membership with a specific congregation?”

My question is — Why in the world would you not want to?!

Some Christians will attend here for a little while, and then attend over there, and then come back here, and then go to a different congregation over here, etc.

And all the while, there’s not an eldership in 5 counties that has been asked to be the shepherds of their souls! (Because they haven’t identified themselves with a particular congregation!)

Now, some folks will say - “I don’t see the term ‘place membership’ in the Bible.”

And while technically correct, the concept is there!

After Paul was converted in Acts 9 (thus, added to the church by the Lord), it says in Acts 9:26–28 (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. But Barnabas took him, and brought him to the apostles, and declared unto them how he had seen the Lord in the way, and that he had spoken to him, and how he had preached boldly at Damascus in the name of Jesus. And he was with them coming in and going out at Jerusalem.”

Now why did Saul (Paul) do that? (Tru to join himself to the disciples?)

Because he needed to fellowship them, worship with them, and identify areas in which he could serve alongside them at the congregation there at Jerusalem!

It’s the same reason we should place membership with a congregation today (not to mention the sense of accountability and responsibility that it gives when you join yourself to a local congregation).

(By the way, Paul was a member of the Ephesus church of Christ for a time — He was a member of the Corinth church of Christ for a time — He was probably even a member of the church of Christ that some in Caesar’s household were members of at one point - Php. 4:21-23)!

Membership in the local congregation of the Church of Christ is important!

(For a detailed description of how each individual member in a congregation should be working, see Eph. 4:15-16).

Reason 4 - Because Christians Contribute to the cause of Christ in the church!

But finally …

Reason 5 - Because the Church Will Join Christ in Heaven at Judgment:

Ephesians 5:25–27 alludes to the church as the Bride of Christ — “Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her, that He might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the word, that He might present her to Himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy and without blemish.”

Where will the Bride be joined to her Groom?

In heaven!

Revelation 21:1–5 - “Now I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away. Also there was no more sea. Then I, John, saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from heaven saying, “Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people. God Himself will be with them and be their God. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away.” Then He who sat on the throne said, “Behold, I make all things new.” And He said to me, “Write, for these words are true and faithful.”

Do you want to meet Christ in heaven?

Then you have to be a member of the church which is His Bride!

Conclusion:

We have looked at 5 reason why church membership in the Lord’s church absolutely is a requirement tonight:

Because the church is the location where the saved are!

Because the church was prophesied in the O.T., built by and purchased by Jesus Christ!

Because God receives glory BY CHRIST JESUS in the church!

Because the church is where Christians can contribute to the cause of Christ.

And because the church which is the Bride will join Christ her groom in heaven at Judgment!

(Give invitation).