Is Church Membership Biblical? | Sermon 01/23/2022

Our Lord Jesus Christ has decided to build for Himself a church based upon His gospel. This church is a body, according to the Apostle Paul, that is made of many members of varying purposes but all integral and connected to the body. The members are no longer Jew or Gentile but of one Spirit in the common bond of Christ.

Across the world, through God’s Word, Jesus calls these members to assemble together where they are at in an organized fashion. Because the whole body can’t assemble every Sunday across the globe, we have been graced with local churches made up of the members, deacons, and elders. The elders have been charged with shepherding the flock of God under the Good Shepherd Jesus. To do this adequately they must know who has been placed under their charge.

As the leaders submit to Christ and His Word, the sheep are to submit to the elders and God’s Word and be held accountable. This accountability is for the members building up and spiritual growth as well as church discipline to reconcile true Christians or remove unrepentant ones from their midst. And together this local church all operates as a family committed to one another, to love one another, to support, weep and rejoice, and worship the living God with one another.