I. The calling to belong to the church.
A. The relationship of the church to salvation:
1. The church represents the assembly of those saved.
a. These are called out of the world.
b. And in profession and walk seek as a body to praise the Name of God.
2. Out of that church there is no salvation.
a. Those in heathendom are not saved somehow apart from it.
1) There is no knowledge of salvation apart from the proclaimed Word.
2) The heathen can not come to such knowledge from “natural” revelation.
b. Nor may any simply maintain that he will have nothing to do with the church.
4} One is called to belong to the purest manifestation of the church.2) One can not expect to be saved apart from proper membership in that church.
a) In it are the means of grace God has given for strengthening His people.
b) In it there is the foretaste of fellowship and communion of saints.
B. Therefore the elect Christian must belong to this church.
1. Negatively: he may not withdraw from it.
a. Sometimes one is inclined to do this when he doesn’t get “his way.””
b. Or maintains that the views of that church are not precisely what he believes.
1) One might maintain: no smoking; or: no drinking in any way.
2) In the case of certain “non-essential” things, these can not be the basis for withdrawing from the church.
3) Nor may one withdraw without seeking to find a purer manifestation of the church to which to belong.
2. Positively: one is called to unite to the purest manifestation of the church.
II. Man’s calling within the church.
A. Maintaining the unity of the church.
1. Not by the sacrificing of the truth.
2. But by maintaining it faithfully together.
B. Submitting to true doctrine.
C. Submitting to the discipline of the church.
D. Bowing under the yoke of Christ.
1. That one faithfully labors within the church of Christ.
2. That one is ready to suffer for His Name’s sake.
E. Mutually assisting one another.
1. That one use his time, talents, possessions to that end.
2. Thus work as members of one body.
III. The duty of believers.
A. Negatively: separation from all who do not belong to that church.
1. From this world.
a. One has his duties and labor on the earth.
b. But can not have fellowship, communion, unity with natural man.
2. From the false church.
a. When the church departs from the truth, reformation is necessary.
b. But at any rate, one is called to unite with those who confess the truth.
B. Positively:
1. One is called to join the church.
a. That must be his primary concern–join it wheresoever it may be.
b. This duty takes precedence over all other activities.
2. Required to join that in the face of every difficulty.
a. There were and will be times when the result of union is persecution.
b. But not even the edicts of princes can change the demand of God.
1) He who would spare himself persecution, acts contrary to the ordinance of God.
2) And God must grant grace that one be so willing to maintain God’s ordinance.
Worksheet
A. Supplementary reading:
1. Scripture: John 10; Eph. 5.
2. Heidelberg Catechism, Lord’s Day 21.
3. Westminster Larger Catechism, questions 62-65.
B. Questions for further consideration:
1. When does one “join the church?”
2. What difference is there between this article on the necessity of belonging to the church and the Roman Catholic view that salvation is only possible in their church?
3. How does church membership differ from society membership?
4. How does reformation take place within a church?
5. How can one use his time and talents most profitably within the church?