Episode Transcript
[00:00:00] We're going to kind of turn the page a little bit and go into kind of the next microstudy, if you will, of our study on our church, our church being the title, not necessarily referring to this church, although we will talk about that to a large degree.
[00:00:18] We spent some time talking about what the church is, and that's important to lay the foundation for what a church is and what a church is not.
[00:00:26] And we've also looked at the body of Christ and we've looked at all different kind of references and scriptures about the body of Christ.
[00:00:37] We've also seen, we've also looked at the local church and all the different references. We didn't look at them all, but we saw in the scripture some samples of passages that use the word churches, which indicates that there's many. And of course, that's a reference to local churches, but we also saw how that local churches are individual representations of the body of Christ. And so it is perfectly legitimate to refer to our church as the body of Christ because it is a local representation of the body of Christ on earth. So that's so. And all of the truths related to the body of Christ about the members and about the arms and the legs and the eyes and the ears and all the things you read in First Corinthians, chapter 12 apply to our individual church just as it would any other church, because again, it is a local example of that truth. So in other words, what I'm saying is the body of Christ, the church and a local church aren't mutually exclusive. They both exist simultaneously and they're actually supposed to be one and the same, that is believers in a local church. Our believers are part of the body of Christ. So this is the way the Lord has so ordained it. And so I'm glad for it. And we're going to look today at some, in particular, some reasons why this is significant, why it's important for us to understand that we should be an integrated part of a local assembly of, of believers.
[00:02:16] And so we're going to look at that specifically. We're going to look at the subject of church membership. Church membership.
[00:02:25] Now, when I say church membership, it might come as a surprise, maybe at some point we'll do this, but I'm not planning on, at least, certainly not today, going through the constitution of the church and reading all the lines and therefores and so as is, and insofars and all that kind of stuff. And all that's fine and good and all, all that's good and we need that kind of stuff, but you can read that for yourself. To know the requirements to be a member of the church.
[00:02:54] You can read that for yourself. What I want to do, obviously, is look at it from a scriptural perspective, because there are a lot of questions about church membership that people have.
[00:03:08] There's basically two groups. There's a group that just readily accepts the concept of church membership and has accepted it from the tradition that has been passed down and the ordering of the church in that way. And then there's another set of people that I've also come across who are a little bit critical of the idea of church membership. And so there's a group that accepts it almost blindly, and then there's a group that refuses to accept it, notwithstanding any evidence to support it. Right. And so, like all things, there are ditches on both sides of the road. And the happy medium is usually going to be the place where we end up. We try to end up anyway.
[00:03:57] But church membership, I'll say it like this and then we'll pray. Church membership is a biblical concept. Okay, it is a biblical concept, but it's not as.
[00:04:09] It's not as.
[00:04:11] It's not as clear and neatly spelled out as maybe we would like. But what we like doesn't matter. It's what the Lord likes is what matters. So let's pray and then we'll open our Bible to Colossians.
[00:04:27] Father, thank you for the opportunity, Lord, to meet together as your people, as the body of Christ, the bride of Christ, as this local church seeks to worship you. And there are many in the body of Christ today across the world who have already and will meet later on today to worship you, to hear your word. Lord, bless those, your people who are gathering together and gathering together in your name. But Lord, we do ask your blessing and grace and help upon our service today, our worship, our praise, our study of the scriptures, our response to the Scriptures.
[00:05:10] Also, Lord, would you please bless our Sunday school lesson and also the lessons of the kids downstairs who are also studying your word and learning about it and fellowshipping and those things. Please bless them and the teachers and families. Fill them with wisdom.
[00:05:26] So, Lord, we commit this time to you, Lord, we pray you'd help us to grow and increase in Jesus name. Amen.
[00:05:33] So church membership, let me say this from the start.
[00:05:38] If anyone is looking for a Bible verse that describes a process whereby a person becomes a member of a local church, if you, if you're looking for a Bible verse that says you must do A, B, C, D, E and F, then you can Become part of a local church, you are not going to find it, forget it, it's not going to happen. So if we set that standard up and we say, well, and I say this because I'm one who tends to say things like this, but in this case I'm mocking, well, if it's not in the Bible, we ain't doing it.
[00:06:18] Well, electricity is not in the Bible.
[00:06:21] Air conditioning and heat is not in the Bible. This building is not in the Bible. Our Bible's not in the Bible. Like as a book that's going to throw everybody off, right?
[00:06:34] The Bible wasn't even compiled as a book until much later after the Bible was written. Okay? So let's just throw that to the side and forget about that. You know that idea. Of course we try to follow scripture and scriptural principles, but we're not going to, we're not going to be, not going to go excessive with that use maybe is the right way, that use of Scripture. So if we are looking for, if we're going to set the standard and say, well, I don't see church membership in the Bible, so we're not going to have anything like that. Well, it's not that simple.
[00:07:09] It's not that simple because there is more in the scripture about it than is readily apparent.
[00:07:18] And there's more in the scripture about it, even though it might not be something that's clearly and plainly spelled out. Now let me hasten to say there is clear indications, clear scripture that tells us how we become part of the body of Christ, the church, Christ's body, and that is by faith in Christ.
[00:07:38] When we believe in Christ and we've already covered this and we put our faith in Jesus and we're born again. The Spirit of God baptizes us First Corinthians 12 into the body of Christ. Alright? That is a one time event.
[00:07:51] And as I said, when we study that if you are not in that body, you're not going to heaven because you're not in Christ, right? But that body is not this local church. This local church again is a practical outworking of that.
[00:08:09] So let's just make sure our understanding is clear. And this is an important distinction to get because if you say that the body of Christ is a religious organization upon the earth, then what you're essentially saying is you have to be a member of that religious organization in order to go to heaven, right?
[00:08:29] Like the Mormons teach, like Roman Catholicism teaches and many other different groups in some fashion or form teach that. But this is a spiritual entity that Christ puts you in, not an organization. And so the way Roman Catholicism has countered that is by saying, well, he has put the power to admit people into the body of Christ in the church by means of Peter and his successors, who are the popes. Right. That's kind of how that goes. But none of that has any scriptural foundation whatsoever. It is done by God or it is not done at all, period. Right. But what about our church? This church?
[00:09:15] As we said last week, you know, when you talk about the body of Christ of all believers and you talk about a local church, you know, some people have used the, the idea of the body of Christ wrongly, as if they can be like a free floating kind of agent. Well, I'm a part of the body of Christ, so I don't really need to interact with an actual church because I am the church. And there is some truth in that. It's the application of it that's the problem.
[00:09:43] And in the book of Acts especially, but not only in the book of Acts, we saw last week or the week before last, that practically every practical operation of the church and of Christians and every avenue of service and every function of the body of Christ as is outlined in Scripture, whether it be giving, whether it be discipline, whether it be leadership, whether it be service to one another, all of those, without exception, happens locally in a local congregation. It's, it doesn't happen in the, I'm going to use this term for the last time, universal body of Christ. It happens in local congregations. Local congregations have leaders, Local congregations have the Lord's Supper. Local congregations have all of these different things.
[00:10:33] All of these things are done in the context of a local church.
[00:10:36] Even though we recognize all believers as part of the body of Christ, the church, yet the service to the Lord among believers in practice is, is carried out at an individual church. Okay?
[00:10:50] And in a scriptural way.
[00:10:52] And this is, it is in this context of a local church that I'm speaking right now when it comes to church membership.
[00:11:01] Now, yesterday we were out evangelizing, out knocking doors, and we came across where we were. There was a, a park and there was a pavilion in the park. And there were some guys sitting there and they were.
[00:11:18] When I went down to look at some plaques they had down at the park, they said that the guy approached me and he's a believer.
[00:11:27] He actually knew Pastor Craig, older gentleman, and he was inviting me in our church or whoever to, to go to this essentially community church service that they were having at this pavilion twice a month. Okay? So they were going to be having, starting up, having it twice a month. The idea being that, you know, you could, you could get people in the community to come to the service and you could share God's word with them. And that's all fine and good.
[00:11:55] I'm not picking at that.
[00:11:57] But one thing he kept saying over and over in his presentation of this ministry that they had is that it wasn't about a local church. This is not about a local church. This is not about a church. Over and over he says, it's not about a church. This is really. We're not trying to promote a church. We're not trying to promote a church.
[00:12:15] And let me counter what I'm going to say with this now.
[00:12:18] Choice Hills Baptist Church is not the be all, end all in Greenville, South Carolina.
[00:12:23] Our church is not the only church that believes the Bible. Our church is not the only church that is serving God. Our church is not the only church that love Jesus.
[00:12:33] Is that. Can I get an amen?
[00:12:35] Right. There are other churches where they love God and they're serving the Lord and telling people about Jesus. And I, honestly, before God, thank God for them. I mean that. And you should too. You should too. I'm glad they're there.
[00:12:48] I'm glad they're doing the work for the Lord.
[00:12:52] But when this gentleman was talking about repeated repeating this, it's not about a church, it betrayed this kind of sheepish kind of shamefulness with which we approach the local church.
[00:13:07] Look, when we go out, I am not ashamed to say we're from Choice Hills Baptist Church. What we're doing here is a ministry of that church.
[00:13:17] That's not to say that all others are going to hell. No, it's just saying that this is who we are, this is how we identify.
[00:13:23] Right. And so, and so. But the tendency this day in Christianity is to downplay local churches and to exalt these kind of broad, non denominational, interdenominational Christian organizations.
[00:13:41] Right. The tendency is to downplay the importance of a local assembly and uplift colleges and universities, NGOs, nonprofits and things like that, and exalt their importance. But the truth is none of those could exist without local churches.
[00:14:00] Now what has happened though is we've morphed over time as the importance of local churches has diminished. People have found themselves kind of free floating, not really a part of a church, but they are part of these organizations and they, they identify with those organizations, but no actual church.
[00:14:19] And they say, well, I'm part of the body of Christ. Hold on, where is the application of the scripture.
[00:14:25] Right. What we see in Scripture is not large national organizations or anything like what we see in scripture or local churches. Now, you know, the problem is that in Christianity that has been so minimized that we kind of frown upon, not, maybe not frown upon, but we look lightly upon a local congregation of believers. I want to say something.
[00:14:49] This is where Christ is.
[00:14:52] Hear me.
[00:14:54] This place where we come every week and we hear the word and we fellowship with one another, encourage one another.
[00:15:02] Jesus said, where two or three are gathered together, my name there. Am I in the midst that's here?
[00:15:11] That's among you guys. That's not these national groups that send out their emails and their fundraisers and all that kind of stuff? No, that's where we meet on a regular basis. That's what the Lord is talking about. We should never look lightly upon the significance of a local church.
[00:15:28] And yet that is what is commonly happening.
[00:15:32] That is what is commonly happening. Let's look at Colossians, chapter four.
[00:15:36] You say, well, in the Bible, one might say in the Bible, I don't see anything like church membership. Okay, I grant you there's nothing as well developed maybe is the right way to say it, as we see, as we have in our church constitution. Okay, I'll grant you that it's not there. But the idea that the idea that in the New Testament people were just kind of free floating around and, you know, they weren't really identified or attached with or considered themselves a part of a specific local church is not true.
[00:16:07] That's not true.
[00:16:09] Look, and I want to show you some examples of this that demonstrate it. Colossians 4, verse 9 says this.
[00:16:16] Colossians 4, verse nine says this with Onesimus.
[00:16:20] Well, verse eight says, whom I have sent unto you for the same purpose that he might know your estate and comfort your hearts with Onesimus, a faithful and beloved brother who is one of the. You.
[00:16:34] You see that?
[00:16:35] Who is one of you? Paul says to the church at Colossae, look on down to verse 11. And Jesus, which is called Justus, who are of the circumcision, these only are my fellow workers unto the kingdom of God, which have been a comfort unto me. Epaphras, who is one of you, a servant of Christ, saluteth you. So was Epaphras there in Colossae?
[00:17:01] No, he wasn't physically present, he says, because he was saluting them. So he's with Paul and he's. Paul's writing the Colossians. And the prophet says, hey, tell him I said hi. Because he's with Paul serving the Lord. Right.
[00:17:14] But notice he identified with that church, even though he wasn't physically present.
[00:17:22] Now, is that a list of people who have been duly voted on? No, that's not that.
[00:17:31] But there is absolutely.
[00:17:33] Put it like this. It might not be in form what we practice today, but in substance it is the same.
[00:17:44] In other words, Epaphras and Onesimus said, I came again, even though I'm not there. I came from the church at Colossae. Those are my peeps.
[00:17:55] That's who I identify with.
[00:17:57] You know what that is? That's in substance. Church membership.
[00:18:01] Church membership. Well, you just could say, well, he was just referring to the fact that he was from the city of Colossae. Well, I don't think that's what it says.
[00:18:10] Based upon verse number 13, he says, for I bear him record that he hath a great zeal for you and them. And they're in Laodicea and them in Hierapolis. So? So why does he have a great zeal for them? Because he identified with them.
[00:18:21] He identified with them.
[00:18:23] Notice also that Paul was not a part of them. That's why in verse 9, notice what he says. Who is one of you? Not us, but you. Paul speaking to the church says, Onesimus is one of you referring to himself. He is not referring to himself as one of them because Paul is one of another group.
[00:18:43] Right. But he is referring to that church, that individual church in their relationship with Onesimus. Look at Acts, chapter 13, Acts 13, verse 1.
[00:19:03] Going way back in time now to the call of Barnabas and Saul to be missionaries from the church of Antioch. Verse 1 of Acts chapter 13 says this.
[00:19:16] Now, there were in the church that was at Antioch certain prophets and teachers as Barnabas and Simeon, that was called Niger, and Lucius of Cyrene and Manaen, which had been brought up with Herod the Tetrarch and Saul.
[00:19:28] As they ministered to the Lord and fasted, the Holy Ghost said, separate me, Barnabas and Saul, for the work whereunto I have called them. And when they had fasted and prayed, prayed, they laid their hands on them and sent them away. Notice it says in verse one, these prophets and teachers were in the church, right?
[00:19:47] No, I acknowledge and admit. It doesn't say they were members, duly recognized members. No, it doesn't say that. But it does say that they were in the church and they were serving God in that church. And then in verse number three, the church fasted and prayed and sent them away.
[00:20:04] In other words, the church laid their hands upon these Two men which symbolized that the church was officially sanctioning both them and their work and they were identifying their own and taking responsibility for their own ministers. That they were sending. That's what the word send means, the sending part.
[00:20:31] Look at Acts, chapter 15, a couple pages over.
[00:20:38] I'm sorry, chapter 14. I apologize. Chapter 14, verse number 26.
[00:20:44] You know, this is the case that Barnabas and Saul both identify as part of the church at Antioch because when they are done with their mission, in other words, they were not sent out to become a free floating agent to kind of the broader, what's the term they used in Cambodia one time, kind of the broader body of Christ. No, they didn't do that. They were sent distinctly by a local church in Antioch because when they were done, they returned to that local church in Antioch. Because in chapter 14, verse number 26 says this.
[00:21:24] It says, and thence sailed to Antioch from whence they had been recommended to the grace of God for the work which they fulfilled. And what did they do when they were come and had rehearsed, gathered the church together? They rehearsed all that God had done with them and how he had opened the door of faith unto the Gentiles. And there they abode long time with the disciples. Well, that makes perfect sense because they were part of that church. So it's natural for them to stay at that church unless the Lord has called them to do something else. Chapter 15. If you look there, verse 30, this is after they call the Council of Jerusalem, verse 30. So they're in Jerusalem now. Verse 30 says, and when they were dismissed, they came to Antioch.
[00:22:10] This is the servants of the Lord, Paul and Barnabas.
[00:22:16] And when they had gathered the multitude together, they delivered the Epistle, verse 35. Paul also and Barnabas continued at Antioch teaching and preaching the word of the Lord with many others also. You see this kind of, you see it. I mean it's, it's. I mean it's not certainly not stated, but it's implied certainly that their default location was. What was that? The Church of Antioch.
[00:22:41] They refer back.
[00:22:43] If the Lord does not have them occupied with some other ministry, they identify with his church. They are planted here, they are part of it, and they are working. They are functioning in the body. Okay, look at another one in Acts chapter two.
[00:22:57] Look back a little bit further.
[00:22:59] Acts chapter two, Acts two, 41.
[00:23:18] Of course, this is at Pentecost, but notice, I want you to follow carefully what this says.
[00:23:24] The whole context of this passage is a local church. Remember, at Pentecost there Are no churches outside of Jerusalem.
[00:23:35] They don't exist.
[00:23:37] And the church here is only the 12 disciples and the 120 essentially.
[00:23:43] So this is one group, one church.
[00:23:46] Verse 41. Peter and John go out and preach Pentecost.
[00:23:51] Then they that gladly received his word were baptized. And the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls added unto them. Verse 42 says, and they continue steadfastly in the apostles doctrine and fellowship. And in breaking of bread and in prayers and fear came upon every soul. Now what I want you to ask yourself is as you read these, how and where are these actually done in practice? Right?
[00:24:21] They continued in the apostles doctrine and fellowship. How are they fellowshipping? Can they fellowship except they are together, a assembly.
[00:24:29] Correct? They are.
[00:24:31] Verse 44. And all that believed were together and had all things common and sold their possessions and goods, imparted them to all men, as every man had need. You know how that happens at a church.
[00:24:43] Needs are known, things are donated, needs are distributed. That happens in a local church.
[00:24:52] Verse 46. And they continuing daily with one accord in the temple. That's where they're meeting.
[00:24:58] And breaking bread from house to house did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart, praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to the what to the church. What church is this referring to? It's the same church where all of these things we just read are being done.
[00:25:18] Now here's the thing, here's the way this is misinterpreted.
[00:25:22] Well, this is just talking about the God is just saying people believed and they were added to the body of Christ by their faith. Okay, well that's true. But you know what? That hasn't been revealed at this point in Acts.
[00:25:34] Like that's not even known yet.
[00:25:39] And there weren't other churches. But the whole concept of the body of Christ of all believers was. It was there, but it wasn't yet revealed.
[00:25:50] So I don't think at all that's what the Lord's referring to. He's referring to the fact that people were added to the church. That strongly implies there's an actual membership of some kind where they're identifying with this group of people. Okay, we'll get one more. Go back Acts 15, Acts 15.
[00:26:21] This is also the Council of Jerusalem and they finished their decision making process. And then in verse 22 it says this then pleased it the apostles and elders with the whole church to send chosen men of their own company to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas notice of their own Company as distinguished from Paul and Barnabas, who were not of their company.
[00:26:47] So there were people in the church that were recognized to be part of this church and not that church. There was already a church in Antioch. They understood that this church was not that church. They were distinct. Okay, why do I say all that? Because although we would be hard pressed to say, well, the Bible says that you become a member of a local church, this, this, this and that the other way, you know, that's just not how the scripture describes it. But to then take the leap and assume, well, church membership is not biblical church membership, they didn't do that in the Bible. That's also a bridge too far.
[00:27:22] There was absolutely a way, there was absolutely, in substance, the practice of people identifying with one local church and only that local church. That makes sense. Okay, here's what's happened and the reason I bring this up. First of all, a lot of people have questions is church membership in the Bible. I've been asked that. So that's one reason I wanted to talk about it. Okay.
[00:27:49] But the second reason is there is a phenomenon in Christianity today of this type of free floating Christian, this kind of detached Christian. And I'm not saying that that person is not a believer. I believe they are. And you know, I mean, I can't see people's hearts, but I mean, if someone says they're a believer in Christ, you know, I believe it. So. But they feel that.
[00:28:16] They feel that kind of it's okay to just kind of float, to never plant, to never identify.
[00:28:24] And here's the kick. To never commit, to never to make oneself accountable, but to just kind of float.
[00:28:32] And so here's how it usually happens.
[00:28:34] They float into a church.
[00:28:37] And I can say this because I happen to be the preacher at this church.
[00:28:41] They float into a church, they come to the services, everybody's glad to see them right up until either someone in the church or usually it's the preacher says something that rubs them the wrong way and they float right out.
[00:29:00] And then they float into another church. You know, the only place you can do that, Greenville, South Carolina, because the churches are everywhere.
[00:29:08] This is a modern phenomenon.
[00:29:12] I want to promise you something.
[00:29:14] I am going to offend you at some point or another.
[00:29:17] It is going to happen because in the church congregation I talk more than anyone else, right?
[00:29:26] And with many words comes many faults, right? I am going to say things that offend you inadvertently and might say things. I hope if I do offend you, that I offend you on the basis of God's word.
[00:29:40] Hopefully you wouldn't be offended, but if that's the case.
[00:29:45] But I'm going to do that. And you know what? Other members of our church are going to offend you as well.
[00:29:51] Here's the thing.
[00:29:53] The answer is not to be free floating. So it's easy come, easy go, where there's no commitment.
[00:30:00] That's not the answer.
[00:30:02] It might seem easier, but with that thinking, not only is it not really scriptural as we've already seen, but with that thinking there are a lot of downsides and disadvantages, risks, even dangers that are there. Okay, then I want to show, I want to share a few of them with you.
[00:30:28] Look at Hebrews 10, Hebrews 10.
[00:30:41] The modern phenomenon of Christians kind of independently living for God and serving God in a way, serving God in a way that is independent of a church is really alien to and detached is.
[00:30:54] Let me rephrase that.
[00:30:58] It is. That is detached from a local assembly and is foreign to scripture.
[00:31:04] And really, it's a feature that only really could exist in this particular culture in which we have churches everywhere.
[00:31:12] Hebrews 10:24 says this.
[00:31:15] It says, let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works. You know, one thing you miss out on by being a free floating Christian and not committed and identified with a local church is you do not have any actual keyword, actual accountability, which you and I need.
[00:31:36] Instead of accountability, we have accountability in this case only by those that we choose.
[00:31:43] It says provoking to love unto good works. Right? That's a form of accountability.
[00:31:47] But see, when we're free floating, we choose who we're accountable to.
[00:31:53] We choose who we are around.
[00:31:57] You have a lot less power when you identify and plant yourself in a local church because you can't control everybody that comes into that church.
[00:32:05] But see, accountability doesn't really work. When someone comes to you with something difficult to say and they say it and it bothers you and it's easier to withdraw than to deal with it.
[00:32:19] And see, the free floating thing is float in, float out. That's the kind of thing, that's the kind of thing that happens. Secondly, look at Ephesians 4, Ephesians chapter 4, verse 1. Therefore I, therefore the prisoner of the Lord beseech you that you walk worthy of the vocation wherewith you are called with all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering. Notice the word longsuffering.
[00:32:49] This is the key. Forbearing one another in love, endeavoring to keep the unity of the spirit and the bond of peace. Second Danger to a free floating Christian is we're never forced to live in peace with Christians with whom we have differences because we get to choose those that surround us. In a local church, you get who's there, right?
[00:33:15] Brother Troy, if I don't like you, I gotta get over it, right?
[00:33:21] Luckily I like you, so it's okay.
[00:33:26] In a local church you get who's there. You cannot just unilaterally say, well, I don't really like this person, what they said or attitude or whatever. I'm going to remove them or just kind of blot them out of my life.
[00:33:36] Just cut them off and ghost them. I can do that. No, no, no. Every time, every week, by duty to the Lord Jesus Christ. You should be in your place in the assembly and they're going to be there too.
[00:33:50] So that means you have to learn to get along and to exercise forbearance and long suffering. If you can simply withdraw from issues like that, you never learn to do that.
[00:34:03] That makes you worse off as a believer. A believer who has no forbearance of long suffering is not mature, can't be mature.
[00:34:19] Look at Colossians 3, Colossians 3, verse number 12, same thing. Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, long suffering. There it is again.
[00:34:40] Forbearing one another and forgiving one another. If any have a quarrel against any, even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye, you know, some people, instead of forgiving some people, instead of confronting problems, withdraw.
[00:34:53] That's not right.
[00:34:54] Listen to me, that is wrong.
[00:34:58] The Lord wants us to seek peace, not run from it.
[00:35:06] And see the free floating Christian. That's what's happened. And you know, the effect on ourselves is we think we're trying to get out of issues with people, but what's actually happening is we're handicapping our ability to learn grace toward others.
[00:35:24] The moment someone bothers us, irritates us, disagrees with us, we can just withdraw, float on to the next place. But The Lord says, Second Peter 3:18, but grow in. What was that next word? Grace.
[00:35:39] That's not Bible knowledge that comes from interacting with people.
[00:35:44] Grace is something you exercise.
[00:35:47] You know, the Lord has so chosen to use this local church, a local church, as the means to help us to grow in grace. Because he knows when two things are together, they bump and they hit each other and iron sharpeneth iron.
[00:36:06] The answer to that is not don't put the two pieces of iron together. The answer is Let them rub and they'll both become sharper, not float on.
[00:36:16] So the Lord has made the church so that we can learn long suffering. And you have had to learn long suffering with me.
[00:36:22] And I no doubt have had to learn long suffering with you and you with one another. And that's the way God designed it. And you know what? At the end of all this, you are going to be a more faithful, more gracious Christian than you were to begin with.
[00:36:37] Because you were planted in a local church and didn't float in and float out when it suited you.
[00:36:45] Joseph, can you encourage them to come? Go ahead and come and sit down.
[00:36:52] Not only that, a free floating Christian doesn't get the benefit of being continually provoked to love and to good works.
[00:37:03] Why does that matter?
[00:37:05] Because if you're not planted somewhere and you're not continually provoked to love and to good works, you know what happens? You become, you have to be a self motivator.
[00:37:16] That's hard when you have no one encouraging. Why do you think the Lord said he wants us to provoke unto love and good works each other? Because we need that kind of provocation, we need that kind of encouragement. None of us are good at self motivation. That's what the church is there to do. That's why we have these meetings, is to encourage one another to live for the Lord.
[00:37:38] Look at Hebrews chapter 10 once again.
[00:37:45] Hebrews 10, verse number 20, 24 we read already.
[00:37:52] It says let us consider one another to provoke unto love, unto good works. Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together as the manner of some is, but exhorting one another and so much the more. As you see the day approaching verse 25. The emphasis of verse 25 is not membership but assembly, that is being physically together. You see that the Lord's command is not be a member. The Lord's command is assemble. The membership part is implied.
[00:38:26] Look at chapter 13. We're almost finished. Hang in there. Chapter 13, verse number 17.
[00:38:34] A free floating Christian.
[00:38:39] Verse 17 says this. Obey them that have the rule over you and submit yourselves, for they watch for your souls as they that must give account that they may do it with joy, not with grief, for that is unprofitable for you. A free floating Christian never learns to live under spiritual leadership, which is a biblical concept where someone is watching for their soul, not demanding and telling them what to do and all. No, no, no watching for their soul.
[00:39:10] A free floating Christian has no obligation or commitment to the church.
[00:39:19] And when things don't go our way, the preaching steps on our toes, decisions are made that maybe I, I don't really like, whatever the case might be, because there's no obligation or commitment, it's easy to withdraw, right?
[00:39:39] You say, well, I don't want that kind of commitment. But the Lord wants you to have that kind of commitment.
[00:39:45] Because just as in a family, obligation and commitment is what keeps you there in the difficult times.
[00:39:53] The answer is not to pull the eject cord whenever things are hard. The answer is just like in a family, the answer is not to pull the eject, press the eject button.
[00:40:02] The answer is to, by the grace of God, deal with the issue and grow from it.
[00:40:08] And one of the ways we do that is by being committed and identified with a group of believers.
[00:40:16] And the last thing I want to show you is this.
[00:40:21] Free floating Christians, their connection with other believers, even if it's in a church where they attend, remains superficial because it's just voluntary. And we know all things are voluntary in a church, but it remains somewhat superficial because the work of the church never becomes their own because they've never identified themselves with it. This is mine.
[00:40:53] These are my people, you know, and that's, that's a mixed bag, right? My people. Me being a part of your people and you being a part of my, my people is kind of a mixed bag.
[00:41:06] That's the way the Lord intended it, right?
[00:41:10] The answer is not, well, lack of commitment. The answer is commit to doing what you know to be the duty of the Christian and the will of God. Get plugged in, be identified with a local church.
[00:41:25] That's the scriptural principle. Let's pray together.
