What is a church?
A church is an assembly of Christians in any given place; see here.
What is a church member?
A church member is a Christian who has formalized his/her allegiance to Jesus by publicly joining a local body of Christians.
Why should Christians become members of a church? Does God command it?
There is no explicit command in Scripture to become a member of a church. There are several leading doctrines in the Bible, however, which have led Christians to conclude that churches should keep membership rolls.
What are these?
Consider that the New Testament church retained many of the practices of the Jewish synagogue. The polity of elder rule, for instance, was largely carried over into the Christian churches from the synagogue. Another such practice, was what we are considering here, i.e. the keeping of membership rolls.
How do we know that the synagogues kept membership rolls?
Because we read of people being excommunicated from the synagogue. In John 9:22 (also John 12:42; 16:2), we read that anyone who became a Christian, was “put out of the synagogue” which means they were struck from the membership of that synagogue and no longer entitled to all the rights and privileges of being a member in that synagogue. The word used here is ἀποσυνάγωγος on which see Cremer (p64). Schurer notes (p60) that at the time of Jesus, excommunication was already in existence; the only question being whether there were different kinds of exclusion. Whether the synagogue kept an actual roll with members names written on it is not certain. Clearly, however, there was some idea of who belonged and who didn’t.
Does Moses not mention something like membership in Deuteronomy 23?
Yes. In Deuteronomy 23, we read of certain people who were not allowed to participate in “the assembly of the LORD.” The identity of this assembly is debated. Merrill writes: “The assembly (qāhāl) refers here to the formal gathering of the Lord’s people as a community at festival occasions and other times of public worship and not to the nation of Israel as such.” (Deuteronomy 307)
“Assembly of the LORD,” like the more common “assembly of Israel,” is a technical term for all those adult males who are enfranchised to make decisions, participate in cultic activities and serve in the military of Israel (Micah 2:5). see the IVP Bible Background Commentary on this text
Assuming this is correct, then the people listed in Deuteronomy 23 were not allowed to serve in this assembly but would have still been allowed to be a part of the nation of Israel.
What leads us to believe that the New Testament churches carried the practice of the synagogue over into their own communities?
Because we see Paul calling on the Corinthian church to remove someone from their midst. (1 Corinthians 5:2) This removal is the equivalent of the Jewish practice of excommunication given above. Olshausen says (p253) that “the phrase αἴρειν ἐκ μέσου can here only signify exclusion from ecclesiastical communion.”
From this, it seems that the practice of church membership flows from the New Testament command to practice church discipline.
Yes.
Are there any other reasons for church membership?
Yes. Consider the decision making process of the church. If the church is going to make decisions as a body, then each member of the church is given a vote. But who is allowed to vote? Apart from some kind of membership, it is impossible to know who gets to have a say in the decision making process.
What are the requirements for becoming the member of a local church?
To enter the kingdom of God, a person must turn from sin and believe the gospel. To enter a local church, the same requirements apply. The only difference being that now an applicant must make a credible profession of having done this.
So the requirements for entering the kingdom of God and for being received into the membership of a local church are basically the same.
Yes.
What is a “credible” profession of faith?
This is a profession of faith that is not contradicted by any public and visible sin in the life of the person making this profession. Sometimes these kinds of sins are called scandal.
Are those churches in error who require all applicants to subscribe to their confessional standards?
Yes, this is called “confessional membership.”
Why is this an error?
Because a local church is a visible expression of the invisible (Luke 17:20) kingdom of God. The terms for admission into the church cannot be different than the terms for admission into the kingdom.
Do those churches who hold to confessional membership believe that the terms for membership in the local church are different than the terms for entering the kingdom of God?
Yes, unless they also believe that one must believe all the doctrines contained in their doctrinal statements in order to be saved, but few of them would affirm this.
Where does the Bible teach that the terms for admission into the church cannot be different than the terms for admission into the kingdom?
There is no place in Scripture where this is explicitly taught. It is a conclusion drawn from these facts:
- The church is a visible manifestation of the kingdom of God;
- To add anything to the terms for entrance into the kingdom of God is a terrible error.
Therefore, to add anything to the terms for entrance into the church is equally erroneous.
Where does the Bible teach that the church is a visible manifestation of the kingdom of God?
Jesus preached the kingdom of God and called people to enter it. Many people did what He had summoned them to do and became citizens of this kingdom. This new citizenship, however, was entirely invisible. You could not look at a group of people and know who were citizens of Jesus’ kingdom and who were not. That’s why Jesus said that His kingdom did not come in a visible way.
Being asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, He answered them, “The kingdom of God is not coming in ways that can be observed, nor will they say, ‘Look, here it is!’ or ‘There!’ for behold, the kingdom of God is in the midst of you.” (Luke 17:20-21)
The church, however, is different because it is a gathering of these kingdom citizens for the purpose of worship, fellowship, and accountability. This is something visible. Anyone can go to the church’s gatherings and see those who profess to be disciples of Jesus and citizens of His kingdom. That’s why the usual meaning of “church” in the New Testament is referring to a local church, i.e. the church at Jerusalem, at Antioch, at Ephesus, etc.
Where does the Bible teach that it is a terrible error to add anything to the terms for entrance into the kingdom of God?
This is the message of Paul’s letter to the Galatians. Consider these verses:
It was for freedom that Christ set us free; therefore keep standing firm and do not be subject again to a yoke of slavery. Behold I, Paul, say to you that if you receive circumcision, Christ will be of no benefit to you. And I testify again to every man who receives circumcision, that he is under obligation to keep the whole Law. You have been severed from Christ, you who are seeking to be justified by law; you have fallen from grace. For we through the Spirit, by faith, are waiting for the hope of righteousness. For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision means anything, but faith working through love. (Galatians 5:1-6)
The specific issue in these churches was the Judaizers insistence that a person had to be circumcised in addition to believing in Jesus in order to be saved. It was the same issue that troubled the Jerusalem council. (Acts 15:1) The apostle Paul denounced this practice severely and called down the curse of God on anyone who taught it. (Galatians 1:8-9) Hodge writes (p607):
The terms of admission into his kingdom. These cannot be rightfully altered by any human authority. Men can neither add to them, nor detract from them. The rule which He has laid down on this subject is, that what He requires as a condition for admission into his kingdom in heaven, is to be required as a condition of admission to his kingdom on earth. Nothing more and nothing less is to be demanded. We are to receive all those whom Christ receives. No degree of knowledge, no confession, beyond that which is necessary to salvation, can be demanded as a condition of our recognizing any one as a Christian brother and treating him as such. Philip baptized the Eunuch on the confession “I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.” (Acts 8:37) “Him that is weak in the faith receive ye, but not to doubtful disputations.” (Rom. 14:1) “Who art thou that judgest another man’s servant? to his own master he standeth or falleth.” (V4) “Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ, is born of God.” (1 John 5:1) For men to reject from their fellowship those whom God has received into His, is an intolerable assumption. All those terms of Church communion which have been set up beyond the credible profession of faith in Christ are usurpations of an authority which belongs to Him alone.
Examples:
Give some examples of the questions churches will put to those persons who are applying for membership?
In the Presbyterian church, the following questions were asked (p47):
Then addressing them the Minister shall say:
DEARLY beloved in your Baptism you received the sign and seal of your engrafting into Christ and were solemnly engaged to be the Lord’s. And forasmuch as you now desire to confirm the covenant then made in your behalf and to obey His commandment by confessing Him before men you are to make answer faithfully to the following questions:
- Do you here in the presence of God and this congregation confess Christ as your Lord and adhere to that Christian faith wherein you were baptized?
- Do you ratify and confirm the vows of your Baptism and promise with God’s help to serve the Lord and keep His commandments all the days of your life?
- Now desiring to be received to the Lord’s Supper do you promise to make diligent use of the means of grace submitting yourself to the lawful authority and guidance of the Church and continuing in the peace and fellowship of the people of God?
Another church addressed (p307) the applicants for membership with these words:
You have thus presented yourselves before Almighty God with a view to dedicate yourselves to his service and to be recognized as members of his visible church. By a public contract, you are about to surrender yourselves to your Creator, to avouch the Lord to be your God, Jesus Christ your Redeemer, and yourselves his servants forever. You are surrounded by witnesses who attest the compact into which you enter. The all seeing eye of Jehovah is upon you, and his holy angels are spectators of this scene. Brethren, we trust you have not rashly come up hither, and in this confidence we invite you to approach with a holy boldness unto the great Head of the Church casting all your anxieties and cares upon Him and relying upon Him alone for grace and strength to fulfill your solemn engagements.
The applicants then made the following profession:
You believe that there is one true God constituting in his incomprehensible essence Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, three persons in one Godhead. You believe in the divine inspiration of the Scriptures of the Old and New Testament and that they contain the only rule of faith and practice. You believe in the fall of man in his entire depravity by nature and in the necessity of repentance towards God and faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. You believe that by his humiliation obedience and death Christ made such a satisfaction to divine justice as is sufficient to expiate all sin and to remove and wash away all the guilt incurred by both original and actual sin from all who rest upon him in truth and sincerity. You believe in the doctrines of a general resurrection and a future judgment in the everlasting blessedness of the righteous and in the end less punishment of the finally impenitent.
And now in the presence of these witnesses, you do solemnly surrender yourselves to the Lord Jehovah receiving him as your portion and acknowledging him to be the supreme object of your love. Depending upon divine grace for assistance, you hereby sacredly bind yourselves to glorify God by obedience to his laws and by a diligent observance of his ordinances. You promise to separate yourselves from the world so far as its engagements would cool your attachment to piety or bring a stigma upon your holy profession. You are now willing to consecrate a reasonable portion of your time, influence, and property to the cause of Christ, to cooperate in every good work, to live not unto yourselves but unto him who died for you and in your closets in your families and in the world, to act as becometh the gospel of Christ and as you are required in the word of God. You pledge yourselves to obey the laws and regulations of this particular church and to submit to its discipline while you continue members of the same throwing yourselves upon its care and affectionately regarding its interests.