“We believe, since this holy congregation is an assembly of those who are saved….”
1. The subject of this article:
a. Everyone is bound to join himself to the true church:
1) What is meant is not that one makes himself a member of the true spiritual body of Christ.
2) But that one is in duty bound to unite himself with the manifestation of that body in the church in the world.
b. This takes place:
1) Through the outward sign of baptism, whether of children or of adults.
2) Through confession of faith.
3) Through the union in public worship, celebration of the Lord’s Supper, and in general, participation in the organic life of the church.
c. This is directed against all that are inclined to and actually do separate themselves from the communion of the church:
1) There are always such persons, who despise the church, and separate themselves from it. But especially in times of reformation, when the corruption of what used to be considered the true church is exposed, many separate. Many people, not distinguishing, break with the church entirely.
2) This was true in the time of the Reformation, and it is true today. Separatistic individuals and sects are formed. Separatistic movements, as for instance, many revivalist and evangelistic movements, laboring in separation from the church.
2. The ground of this doctrine:
a. The church is:
1) the assembly of those that are saved.
2) Outside of it there is no salvation.
b. By this is meant:
1) Not any particular manifestation of the church, or the institute of the church, as the Roman Catholics would have it.
2) But the essence of the church as the body of the Lord:
a) The church is one body.
b) To that one body belongs the one Spirit of Christ, even as He is the one Head of the body.
c) Outside of that body no one has any part with Christ. There is no salvation outside of the church. The saving operation of the Spirit is in the body only.
d) Hence, believers are in duty bound to manifest this essential unity by uniting themselves in the visible body, the church on earth.
3. What this implies:
a. That we all:
1) submit ourselves to the doctrine and discipline of the church.
2) providing it represents the yoke of Christ, and no other yoke.
b. That all exert themselves for the mutual edification of the members:
1) whether as officebearers, or outside of the office.
2) each according to the talents God gave him.
c. That we separate ourselves from all those that do not belong to the church:
1) whether from the false church, as in times of apostasy and reformation.
2) or from the world, in as far as believers cannot make common cause with them.
4. The importance of this truth:
a. One who separates himself from the church acts against the ordinances of God.
b. He must unite himself, even though the hatred of the world, suffering, and persecution be the result.