Members of the Church (Part 2)

You will remember that, according to our Statement of Faith, the Baptist Faith & Message 2000, that

A church is “an autonomous local congregation of baptized believers, associated by covenant in the faith and fellowship of the gospel; observing the two ordinances of Christ, governed by His laws, exercising the gifts, rights, and privileges invested in them by His Word, and seeking to extend the gospel to the ends of the earth….In such a congregation each member is responsible and accountable to Christ as Lord.” (BF&M 2000 Article VI)

The two sides of the same coin involve submission and support, that is, how the members relate to one another (including their elders) and how they encourage and support one another.

To connect this back to our statement of faith, there are several words that will be divided into our two main points this morning.

Associated

Observing two ordinances

Governed by His Laws

Exercising member privileges

Spreading the Gospel

Democratic processes

Generally speaking, this summarizes the two-sides of church membership: submission and support.

II. Biblical Submission

No doubt do to our natures, and compounded by our enjoyment of civil liberties, we are a people who despise the word submit.

Regardless, the Scriptures call us to obey our Creator and Redeemer, and as our statement of faith mentions, we are called to obey the Lord of the Church, Jesus Christ. He extends His authority to His under-shepherds of His Church, the elders. Finally, our gracious God has allowed His church to enjoy voicing their opinions and views through what we call the democratic process.

A. Submission to Christ- Rev. 1–3

We begin with our submission to Christ. Every member of this church should be a baptized believer, meaning they are a saved individual. Of course, I have no doubt that we have some in our membership who are not genuinely redeemed, but our focus lies elsewhere.

Our passages come from Revelation 1–3, and although we do not have the time to delve into every detail, there are some significant principles that we glean from the Lord Jesus’s interaction with the seven churches.

Each of the interactions begins with a variation of “The words of him…” and then provides a combination of an encouragement with a challenge or exhortation.

The churches at Smyrna and Philadelphia were simply received encouragement. The church at Laodicea only received rebuke, and the churches at Sardis, Thyatira, Pergamum, and Ephesus received both.

We cannot miss Christ’s status here. It is on the Lord’s Day, Sunday, when Jesus appears to John, He is the Lord of the Church. There is no question about it. He gives them encouragements, exhortations, and the results of their obedience/disobedience.

The Church must submit to Jesus Christ. If you are to obey Christ, you will be a member of a biblical church and daily submit to your Lord.

Part of that daily submission includes submitting the His leaders, the elders.

B. Submission to Church Leadership- Eph. 4:11–16; Heb. 13:7; 17

Elders, pastors, are to shepherd and oversee the church (cf. 1 Pet. 5:1–3; 1 Tim. 3:1).

They are not dictators, they are under-shepherds. They do not oversee your every move, decision, or action, they work to see the image of Christ cultivated in the members of the church. Specifically, from Ephesians chapter 4, see the following:

To equip the saints

To work the ministry

The goal is maturity and unity in Christ

The goal is doctrinal fidelity

With that said, we see a diversity of needs in the church in Paul’s exhortation to the Thessalonian elders, 1 Thessalonians 5:14 “And we urge you, brothers, admonish the idle, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with them all.”

That is why Hebrews 13:17 should terrify you all and me and our future elders.

Hebrews 13:17 “Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they are keeping watch over your souls, as those who will have to give an account. Let them do this with joy and not with groaning, for that would be of no advantage to you.”

I will be held accountable to God for how I have shepherded you all. That is terrifying!

But equally terrifying for you is that I will also give an account for how you respond to my (and our future elders’) shepherding.

There are many periods where pastoring you all has been a delight. I am still overwhelmed at God’s goodness in bringing me here.

But there have been some times that shepherding has, as Paul tells us in Hebrews, been the cause of groaning.

Ask questions, search the Scriptures, challenge me and the elders when we are not living up to the standards of God’s Word, but do so graciously.

Avoid complaining because a certain passage was not preached. Do not gripe about the songs that were chosen (or, not chosen). If you do not have anything edifying (which includes constructive, godly criticism), then don’t say it!

There is one final area where members practice submission: to each other.

C. Matters of Practice and Preference- Phil. 2:1–11

The description of Jesus here defies our understanding. Here is the Lord Jesus, the Creator, Almighty God in the flesh, and Paul says,

Philippians 2:4–8 “Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.”

“The body is a fellowship of differents. We are not alike, and we need each other.” Collin Hansen, “How do I love members who are different?”

So, what areas can we submit to one another?

1. Music

2. Choice in Non-doctrinal Matters

3. Building Issues

4. Activities

5. Expressions of Worship

6. Dress

III. Biblical Support- Titus 2:1–10

“In considering the duties involved, members are expected, first of all, to be faithful in all duties essential to the Christian life, to attend regularly, and systematically give to its support and Kingdom causes; and to share in its organized work, and will commit themselves to the church’s mission statement and ministry values.” Warrior Creek Baptist Church Bylaws

A. Members to Members Generally

Our Bylaws provide a nice summary of the many passages of Scripture within the New Testament literature concerning member responsibility generally.

Faithfulness in all duties essential to the Christian life (prayer, Scripture reading, cultivating the fruit of the Spirit)

Faithfulness in attendance

Faithfulness in supporting the work of the Church, but fiscally and personally

Faithfulness in the mission of the Church—to know God and make Him known

B. Older Members to Younger Members Specifically - Titus 2:1–10

Older men to younger men (2:2, 6)

Older men, it is your privilege and duty to disciple the young men of this church. You are a gift, your years of experience and walk with the Lord is a blessing. Young men, it is your duty to seek out older men to disciple you.

Older women to younger women (2:3–5)

Older ladies, it is your privilege and duty to disciple the young ladies of this church. You are a gift, your years of experience and walk with the Lord is a blessing. Young ladies, it is your duty to seek out older women to disciple you.

I want you to imagine our church being led by three or four godly men who seek to shepherd you all into deeper doctrine and knowledge of God, all the while you yourselves are seeking to grow in the grace and the knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ, ministering to one another and discipling one another. How amazing would our church be?

It would be like gazing at a beautiful bride in all her splendor and glory on her wedding day. That is, after all, the analogy that Paul uses in Ephesians 5:26–27.

By taking our membership seriously, submitting first to Christ and then to His under-shepherds and one another, and supporting one another, we will all grow and become more like Jesus Christ, to the glory of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.

Isn’t church membership a beautiful gift from the Lord?

Doesn’t church membership point people to the Gospel? In our sinfulness submission and mutual love for one another, we point them to the sinless, perfect Son of God who humbled Himself to the Father, and by the Spirit lived, died, and was raised for us?