14 8. The Church—How To Become Members of It
8. The Church—How To Become Members of It
The Church—How To Become Members of It
INTRODUCTION
We have learned what the church is, the importance of being members of it, and now we want to study how to become members of the church. Do not forget that we are considering that institution Christ calls his "church." (Matthew 16:18.) It should be the desire of every soul to be in the church of Christ—the identical institution, not something like it. This can be done, for Christ says: "If any man willeth to do his will, he shall know of the teaching." And David says: "The friendship of Jehovah is with them that fear him; and he will show them his covenant." (John 7:17; Psalms 25:14.) IT IS EITHER CONDITIONAL OR UNCONDITIONAL
Jesus tasted death for every man (Hebrews 2:9), and he wants all to be saved and come to a knowledge of the truth (1 Timothy 2:3-4). He is not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. (2 Peter 3:9.)
If the Lord adds people to the church unconditionally, every soul on earth would be in the church, for he wants all saved. But the church is called "the saved" and placed over against those who are not saved. "For the time is come for judgment to begin at the house of God [the church]: and if ii begin first at us, what shall be the end of them that obey not the gospel of God? And if the righteous is scarcely saved, where shall the ungodly and sinner appear?" ( 1 Peter 4:17-18. ) "The house of God," the "us," those who obey the gospel of God, and "the righteous" are classed together. Those not in the house of God, or church—those that have obeyed not the gospel of God, or "the ungodly and sinner"—are placed in another class, and they will not be saved. But if salvation is unconditional, they would all be saved—all placed in one class. The Lord adds to the church. "The Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved." (Acts 2:47, King James Version.) The Lord opens and shuts. "He that hath the key of David, he that openeth and none shall shut, and that shutteth and none openeth." (Revelation 3:7.) "I am the door; by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved." (John 10:9.) It is absolutely certain, therefore, that if you are in the church, the Lord added you to it. This is what Jesus meant when he said: "Upon this rock I will build my church." He does the building by adding souls to the church. Whom does the Lord add? He adds "such as should be saved." But the question arises: Does man have to do anything to become "such as should be saved?" "Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to the whole creation. He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that disbelieveth shall be condemned." (Mark 16:15-16.) Those who believe and are baptized are saved. All such he adds to his church.
"They then that received his word were baptized: and there were added unto them in that day about three thousand souls. . . . And the Lord added to them day by day those that were saved"—marginal reading,
"those that were being saved"; King James Version, "such as should be saved." (Acts 2:41; Acts 2:47.) The Lord says those that believe and are baptized shall be saved. The Lord adds such daily to the church—"such as should be saved," or those that are being saved. He added on the day of Pentecost those who gladly received the word and were baptized. It follows, therefore, that we have just as many members in the church today as we have souls who have become "such as should be saved." There is no such thing as your becoming "such as should be saved" today and added to the church tomorrow. Jesus adds to the church daily "such as should be saved." The very day you become "such as should be saved," into the church you go, for it is our Lord’s business to add all such to the church. He never forgets or neglects his part of the work—it is done daily.
SOME ADDITIONAL SCRIPTURES The saved are those who obey him. Hebrews 5:9 says: "And having been made perfect, he became unto all them that obey him the author of eternal salvation."
All who will not hear Christ in all things whatsoever he commands shall be destroyed from among the people. (Acts 3:22-23.)
Christ will take vengeance, when he comes again, on all those who obey not the gospel. (2 Thessalonians 1:7-9.) We must obey the gospel, then, if we would be the "such as should be saved." In conclusion, those who hear and do what Christ says build on the rock. (Matthew 7:24.) The rock on which we build is Christ, and he is the foundation of his church, his house. (1 Corinthians 3:11.) May God bless all in seeing and obeying the gospel of his Son that they may be saved.