Church Membership & Baptism
Notes
Transcript
Church membership is not explicitly found in Scripture.
Church membership is the mechanism the church uses to enable practices which are found in Scripture.
The Visible and Invisible Church
The Visible and Invisible Church
Invisible: “The church as God sees it.” (Grudem)
Visible: “The church as Christians on earth see it.” (Grudem)
The visible church should not but will include unbelievers.
The visible church has both global and local elements.
I am a part of the same global visible church as a believer in Ethiopia.
I am not part of the same local visible church as a believer in Ethiopia.
Church membership is how we identify the individuals in a local, visible church.
Basis for Membership
Basis for Membership
The church holds authority over its own membership. (Mt. 16:18-20; Mt. 18:18-20; Mt 28:18-20)
18 And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it. 19 I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.” 20 Then he ordered his disciples not to tell anyone that he was the Messiah.
18 “Truly I tell you, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven. 19 “Again, truly I tell you that if two of you on earth agree about anything they ask for, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven. 20 For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them.”
18 Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”
There is an expectation of authority and submission in the local church which requires an ability to identify the members
Elders have a responsibility to direct the affairs of the church. (1 Tim. 5:17)
17 The elders who direct the affairs of the church well are worthy of double honor, especially those whose work is preaching and teaching.
Congregations are to submit to those who speak the Word of God to them (elders). (Heb. 13:7)
7 Remember your leaders, who spoke the word of God to you. Consider the outcome of their way of life and imitate their faith.
Elders are given the responsibility to watch over the souls of their people, while church members are given the responsibility to obey elders.
17 Have confidence in your leaders and submit to their authority, because they keep watch over you as those who must give an account. Do this so that their work will be a joy, not a burden, for that would be of no benefit to you.
Membership shows who the congregation should submit to and who the elders give an account for.
The church has the responsibility to exclude unrepentant members (Mt. 18, 1 Cor 5, Titus 3)
Congregational government requires membership
There is no New Testament category for an unchurched Christian
Membership creates accountability
For care
For holiness
What Does Membership Look Like?
What Does Membership Look Like?
Becoming a Member
Becoming a Member
Genuine Conversion
Baptism?
As proclamation of faith
As act of obedience
Membership Class
Interview
Announcement of Candidacy
Welcome
Life As a Member
Life As a Member
Attendance
“One another” ministry
Service
Church Government
Ending Membership
Ending Membership
Resigning/transferring membership
Resigning/transferring membership
Changing churches should be rare and for good cause
Church membership isn’t a Sam’s club membership
If there is conflict, seek reconciliation first
If there is sin, seek repentance first
If it’s a matter of preference, consider sacrificing for the good of the body
The consumer mentality is unhealthy
Churches should take a gracious approach to those who decide to leave
It’s okay to leave a church; it’s not okay to leave the church.
Church Discipline
Church Discipline
Dealing with Sin
Excommunication: Declaring that someone is not demonstrating the characteristics of a believer by removing them from the fellowship of a local church.
Dealing with sin in the church should be part of regular ministry long before excommunication
Church discipline is a persistent call to repent, not a means of punishing sin (1 Cor 5:4-5)
4 So when you are assembled and I am with you in spirit, and the power of our Lord Jesus is present, 5 hand this man over to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, so that his spirit may be saved on the day of the Lord.
The Mt 18 passage is between the parable of the wandering sheep and the unforgiving servant
The Process of Discipline
Individually
Mt 18:15 “15 “If your brother or sister sins, go and point out their fault, just between the two of you. If they listen to you, you have won them over.”
In a group
Mt 18:16 “16 But if they will not listen, take one or two others along, so that ‘every matter may be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.’”
As the church
Mt 18:17 “17 If they still refuse to listen, tell it to the church; and if they refuse to listen even to the church, treat them as you would a pagan or a tax collector.”
The entire congregation plays a part
Excommunication
The final stage of discipline declares that the sinner is living as if they are not a Christian and will be treated as such
Mt 18:17 “17 If they still refuse to listen, tell it to the church; and if they refuse to listen even to the church, treat them as you would a pagan or a tax collector.”
How do we treat someone who is under discipline?
As an unbeliever (Mt. 18:17)
Offer them no Christian fellowship (1 Cor 5:11)
1 Cor 5:11 “11 But now I am writing to you that you must not associate with anyone who claims to be a brother or sister but is sexually immoral or greedy, an idolater or slanderer, a drunkard or swindler. Do not even eat with such people.”
If they are a divisive person, avoid them (Titus 3:9-11)
Tit 3:9-11 “9 But avoid foolish controversies and genealogies and arguments and quarrels about the law, because these are unprofitable and useless. 10 Warn a divisive person once, and then warn them a second time. After that, have nothing to do with them. 11 You may be sure that such people are warped and sinful; they are self-condemned.”
Prepared for restoration
2 Cor 2:5-8 “5 If anyone has caused grief, he has not so much grieved me as he has grieved all of you to some extent—not to put it too severely. 6 The punishment inflicted on him by the majority is sufficient. 7 Now instead, you ought to forgive and comfort him, so that he will not be overwhelmed by excessive sorrow. 8 I urge you, therefore, to reaffirm your love for him.”
The goodness of church discipline
There is a serious danger that those who claim Christ will let go of him. Discipline calls the sinner to hold on to Jesus
Heb 6:4-6 “4 It is impossible for those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, who have shared in the Holy Spirit, 5 who have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the coming age 6 and who have fallen away, to be brought back to repentance. To their loss they are crucifying the Son of God all over again and subjecting him to public disgrace.”
Sin in the church brings the gospel into disrepute, discipline allows the church to protect its purity and testimony
Church discipline allows the church to publicly and clearly support victims
Warnings about church discipline
The aim of restoration must always be remembered
Discipline should be exercised carefully and deliberately
Issues which result in discipline
Outward sin (we can’t judge the heart)
Clear sin
Unrepentant sin
Discipline must balance transparency and privacy
Discipline should never be abused for the purpose of power.
Baptism
Baptism
Be baptized to (publically) proclaim Christ’s grace
Be baptized to (publically) proclaim Christ’s grace
The New Testament pattern directly connects baptism with conversion
This is done so concretely that baptism can be used as shorthand for the moment of conversion
Acts 2:38 “38 Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.”
Acts 22:14–16 “14 “Then he said: ‘The God of our ancestors has chosen you to know his will and to see the Righteous One and to hear words from his mouth. 15 You will be his witness to all people of what you have seen and heard. 16 And now what are you waiting for? Get up, be baptized and wash your sins away, calling on his name.’”
Wedding
The NT authors assume baptism of all Christians
Baptism is so closely connected with our conversion because it visibly demonstrates so much of the invisible aspects of our salvation
We are washed from our sins
We are united with Christ in death
We are raised with him in life
Your conversion is personal but it is not private.
Matthew 10:32–33 “32 “Whoever acknowledges me before others, I will also acknowledge before my Father in heaven. 33 But whoever disowns me before others, I will disown before my Father in heaven.”
Romans 10:9 “9 If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.”
Baptism is the visible proclamation of that conversion, and the Bible does not make it optional.
Baptism itself doesn’t save anybody, since the thief on the cross went to heaven without it and Simon the magician went to hell with it. (Bobby Jamieson)
Often times it is asked, “If you say that baptism is essential, are you saying that I am not saved if I am not baptized?” Let me propose a better question, “isn’t the one who refuses to proclaim their death, burial, and resurrection with Christ through the means he ordained in a sense saying they are not a believer?”
Be baptized to confirm Christ's promises
Be baptized to confirm Christ's promises
Baptism is a sign of our salvation, but the church has historically also called it a seal – marking us as his.
Cattle brand
Paul uses past baptism to motivate us towards godliness.
Romans 6:3–4 “3 Or don’t you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? 4 We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.”
1 Corinthians 6:9–11 “9 Or do you not know that wrongdoers will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor men who have sex with men 10 nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. 11 And that is what some of you were. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.”
Our baptism is something we can look back on for comfort. It gives us something tangible to make visible our invisible faith.
I sinned today, but praise God I am washed clean from that sin just like I was washed clean in my baptism!
This temptation is so powerful, but praise God I died with Christ and was buried with him in baptism!
My body is failing and death is coming, but praise God for the new life I have in Christ because I was raised with him in baptism!
Be baptized to join Christ's people
Be baptized to join Christ's people
38 Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 39 The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off—for all whom the Lord our God will call.” 40 With many other words he warned them; and he pleaded with them, “Save yourselves from this corrupt generation.” 41 Those who accepted his message were baptized, and about three thousand were added to their number that day.
In the book of Acts baptism as a public display of faith brings people into the community of the church.
Constituting the Jerusalem church at Pentecost
Displaying the inclusion of Gentiles in the church
Consider the seriousness of baptism in a hostile culture – no longer is faith a matter for the “thought police” now it’s on display.
The church is made up of believers in Jesus. Since we cannot see hearts how do we know if someone is a believer in Jesus –because they participate in a public ceremony demonstrating that they have new life in Christ!
As we witness the baptism of these four young people, we are participating in their baptism
We are affirming their faith.
They are saying, “I have new life in Christ!” We are responding “Yes! You do!”
We are welcoming them into our church family.
We are joining with them to praise God for the visible evidence of their salvation.
We are being reminded of our salvation as signified by our baptism.
Be baptized to obey Christ's command
Be baptized to obey Christ's command
18 Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”
If making disciples entails baptizing and teaching them to obey, being a disciple entails being baptized and learning to obey. Rejecting baptism is a rejection of discipleship.
