TERMS OF ENTRANCE INTO THE CHURCH

 

During the month of October we have been studying the church and the importance of it. We have looked at the church, the kingdom, the body, the family as well as the terms used to refer to the church and to the individuals who make up the church.  The importance of the church is supported by the fact that Christ died for the Church (Eph. 5:25), that he purchased it with his own blood (Acts 20:28) and he is the Savior of it (Eph. 5:23).  You have to ask yourself: Would Christ die for something that is unimportant? Would he shed his blood to buy a church that is worthless?  Would he be the Savior of it if one could be saved outside of it?  Surely you would say no to each of these.  Why do people say that the church is unimportant and that one can be saved without ever being a member of it?   It is because people misunderstand the church and they have been led to believe it is not important.

        Certainly the Bible does not teach that the church is the Savior, but at the same time it teaches that one must be in the church to be saved. When one is saved, the Lord adds them to his church (Acts 2:47). If one is saved, he/she is a member of the LordÕs church. If he/she is not a member, they are not saved!  It is just that simple. There is no such thing as being saved outside the church. One can be saved without being a member of a denomination or sect of men, but you cannot be saved without being a member of church of Christ.

 

I)           Terms of entrances into the N.T. church

A)   Terms of entrance into the N.T. church differ radically from the means by which one enters the institutions of men.

1)      One simply ÒjoinsÓ the institutions of men by complying with the terms stipulated by their bylaws and constitutionÑor in their creeds.

2)      Not so with the church of the Lord Jesus Christ.

(a)   A change (sometimes radical change) must take place in the life of an individual when he enters into divine fellowship with God.

(b)   Jesus said, John 3:3,5É born anewÉ see the kingdomÉ enter the kingdom

(c)   Since the kingdom, the church, and the family of God all signify the same body of people, we are not surprised that Jesus said one must be Òborn anewÓ when he/she enters it. 

3)      We become members of our fleshly families by a fleshly birth; we become members of GodÕs family by a spiritual birth.

4)      It would be absurd to taking about ÒjoiningÓ our earthly families; it is equally absurd to talk about ÒjoiningÓ GodÕs family.

B)    When a man enters the family of God he passes from one state to another.

1)      A complete change takes place in his life and nature.

2)      He gives up the carnal nature and becomes a partaker of the divine nature (2 Pet. 1:4).

3)      N.T. uses a number of terms to set forth the state of the unsaved man and the saved man. These terms are direct opposites.

(a)   DeadÉalive

(b)   LostÉ. saved

(c)   AlienatedÉ reconciled

(d)   EnemyÉ friend

(e)   DebtorÉ pardoned

(f)    Sold in sinÉredeemed

(g)   UnholyÉ holy

(h)   UncleanÉ clean

(i)     PollutedÉ sanctified

(j)     DarkenedÉ enlightened

(k)   Old manÉ new man

4)      If a man has not been born again, he falls under the category of the left side. 

5)      If a man has been born again, he falls under the category of the right side.

C)    The process by which we pass from one state to another is likewise set forth by a number of terms which suggest the nature of the change which takes place in a manÕs life when he passes from the kingdom of darkness into the kingdom of our Lord (Col. 1:13).

1)      We have such terms as regeneration, conversion, reconciliation, new creation, remission of sins, adoption, redemption, sanctification, etcÉ

2)      These various terms are not to be regarded as fractions of a whole, they are not component parts of one grand process.

3)      They are but different imageries by which the same idea is set forth.

4)      Is a person regenerated?  Then they are also born again, converted, justified, etcÉ

D)   How does this change from the old state to the new take place?

1)      The first requisite to entrance into the kingdom of God is humility

(a)   Matt. 18:3

(b)   Until a man humbles himself before God and submits wholly to his will, he retains his old nature and remains, therefore, in his old state of sin and death.

(c)   As long as a man seeks to please himself he cannot please God, and he remains therefore, outside the kingdom of God.

(d)   A manÕs entire nature and will must be submissive to the nature and will of God.

(e)   Matthew 7:21

2)      We then approach the question, ÒWhat is the will of God?Õ

(a)   Cannot answer this by consulting our feelings.

(b)   Our own personal likes and dislikes have nothing to do with the will of God.

(c)   We can only find the answer by turning to the N.T. and reading what we find therein.

(d)   In no other way can we learn the will of God toward mankind.

3)      What are the specific acts, which God requires of a person?

(a)   Man must believe on the Lord Jesus Christ. 

(1st)         John 3:16

(2nd)       Acts 16:31

(3rd)        Marks 16:15,16

(4th)         Romans 10:17

(b)   Man must repent of his sins.

(1st)         Luke 13:3,5

(2nd)       Acts 2:38; 17:30

(3rd)        II Peter 3:9

(c)   Man must confess the name of Christ. 

(1st)         Matthew 10:32,33

(2nd)       Romans 10:9,10

(3rd)        A public acknowledgement of Jesus Christ is essential.

(d)   Man must be baptized

(1st)         Mark 16:16

(2nd)       Acts 22:16

(3rd)        I Peter 3:21

E)    The simple conditions set forth are in perfect harmony with the terms announced by the apostle Peter when he used the keys of the kingdom, given to him by the Lord Jesus Christ (Matt. 16:19), to open the doors into this divine institution on the day of Pentecost.  (Acts 2)

F)     The Lord adds the saved to the church (Acts 2:47)

1)      When one obeys the Lord and is saved, he is automatically added to the church.

2)      When we hear the truth, believe it, repent of our sins, confess Christ and are baptized, we are saved.

3)      When we meet these conditions, we enter into the kingdom of God, we enter into the family of God, we become children of God, we become members of the body of Christ

(a)   John 3:3,5

(b)   I Cor. 12:13

G)    To be a member of the church of our Lord means:

1)      I am married to Christ (Eph. 5:23,25,27)

2)      I am a citizen in ChristÕs kingdom (Col. 1:12,13)

3)      I am a child in GodÕs family (Gal.3 :26,27)

H)   To be a member of the church of our Lord means the enjoyment of the rich provisions of GodÕs grace for his children.

1)      Fatherly watch-care and protection (I Pet. 3:12; 5:6,7

2)      Fatherly provision for all needful things (Matt. 6:33)

3)      Fatherly correction and chastisement (Heb. 12:5, 13)

4)      Right of appeal to God as a Father (I Pet. 3:12)

5)      Fellowship with the saints (Phil. 2:1-4).

6)      Hope of an eternal inheritance (I Pet. 1:3-5)

Con:  There is just one way to be saved, as we have seen and the Lord adds the saved to the church.  Are you a member of the church that you can read about in the Bible?  If not, you are not saved.  Investigate, study and obey the Lord, and he will personally add you to his church. Do the will of God and obey the gospel.  When you do that, the Lord will add you to the body of Christ, the church, the kingdom, the family of God.