Read Ephesians 4:1-16
Church membership is nowhere commanded in Scripture. But that alone is a very very very shallow reason to assume that one does not have to become a member of their local church. It is simply assumed to be the norm for believers and appears consistently throughout the New
The New Testament teaches that the church is the body of Christ. The use of this phrase in context suggests that the local church is called the body of Christ. Without committed membership the body of Christ image is farcical. It’s absurd to think that the body of Christ is simply made up of whoever decides to turn up Sonday at church or conversely that the local body is made up of all believers in the wider church. Rather, the body image itself suggests and testifies that the people of God are committed to Christ and to each other, a commitment symbolised and made public by membership in the local church.
Within this body of Christ image, God has called every member to a life devoted to the growth of the body. This has already been seen in our sermon on 1 Corinthians 12. There we saw that 1 Corinthians 12:7 was a key verse.
1 Corinthians 12:7
Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good.
It’s simply impossible to apply this verse without being committed to the local church. This verse, with its surrounding context, compels us to be committed to the local church. Similarly, Ephesians 4:1-16 shows clearly that the body is meant to work together, grow together and reach unity of faith together as each part does its work. Anyone who has worked with people will tell you that such change as described in Ephesians 4 does not happen over night. God, when He gave us this Scripture, was not envisaging a short term commitment or an overnight stay of people in the church. It was written assuming that believers would commit to a local church. Such commitment is shown and expressed through membership.
Added to this, Scripture exhorts all believers to edify the other members by practicing the “one-another” commands of the New Testament (e.g., Heb. 10:24-25) and exercising their spiritual gifts (Rom. 12:6-8; 1 Cor. 12:4-7; 1 Pet. 4:10-11). Mutual edification can only take place in the context of the corporate body of Christ. While one-off acts of service and love are helpful and appreciated, growth and healing and relationship and godliness grow through ongoing commitment and love and service. Nowhere does Scripture enjoin us to be a people of only one-off actions. The “one-another” exhortations presuppose that believers have committed themselves to other believers in a specific local assembly.
As such we are called to love one another sacrificially, to forgive one another, to serve one another humbly, to bless one another, to give to one another, to carry one another’s burdens and so on. Such one-another commands cross all denominational bounds. We are called to treat all believers in this way but these commands find expression most clearly in the commitment shown through the local congregation. Church membership is simply the formal way to make that commitment.
Prayer:
Based on today’s reading passage and notes jot down your own prayer points.
Adoration:
Confession:
Thanks:
Supplication:
· Pray for a growing sense of one-anotherness in your congregation. Ask God to be growing each person in their comprehension of your love for them, their salvation and grace so that the ‘one-another’ commands flow naturally out of their lives.
· Pray that this one another mindedness would greatly grow your church as others see you as Christ's disciples and are drawn into His love.
1. Jackson is willing to commit to the local church but refuses membership. What is a biblical way forward?
2. Find as many ‘one-another’ commands as you can and discuss what each one means, what it would look like and one way to do that command.
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