10250 North Freeway @ West Road
Houston, Texas 77037
Tel: (281) 447-8484

What We Believe and Why
Written by Dr. Lester Hutson

Copyright - Lester Hutson - 1986
This material is copyrighted and may not be copied or reproduced without the express written permission of Dr. Lester Hutson.

CHAPTER TWENTY SIX

CHURCH MEMBERSHIP

EPHESIANS 5:25

We believe the church today is God's most important, prized earthly institution, and that it is the most important institution on earth today. I am going to show you that it is the will of God that every saved person become an active member of a church.

I. Let me first show you that the church is God's most prized earthly institution today:

A. He has a most tremendous love for His church:

1. Our text Eph. 5:25 makes that clear. It says, "Christ also loved the church, and gave Himself for it."

2. Eph. 5:2 exhorts us to "walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling savour.

3. Acts 20:28 reads, "Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over, which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which He hath purchased with His own blood."

4. Now, there can be no questions as to the sincerity and dedication of that kind of love:

a. For one to die and shed his blood is the supreme sacrifice.

b. Jesus said in Jn. 15:13, "Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.

C. And this Jesus has done for His church .... paid the supreme sacrifice.

B. Now, to this institution that He loves so much, He has given the responsibility of conducting His spiritual work on earth today:

1. That really is quite an honor to the church:

a. He could have raised up stones, appointed individuals, selected mission boards, associations, conventions, fellowships.

b. But no. He gave the precious task to His church.

c. It is no wonder then that Peter says in II Pet. 1:3 that He "hath called us to glory and virtue."

2. in Mt. 28:19-20 God set forth a three step plan of spiritual endeavor:

a. The steps are: make believers, baptize them, then teach them.

b. Note well tnis commission was to the Apostles, who were the first ones Christ set in the church (I Cor. 12:28), which He built (Mt. 16:18), which is found meeting in Jerusalem on the day of Pentecost. (Acts 2:1).

3. Here or anywhere else in the new testament, after Christ's resurrection, where the responsibility of spiritual labor is under consideration, the responsibility rests upon the church, not individuals or institutions outside the church.

4. Eph. 3:21 makes clear where the work is to be done when it says, "unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end."

C. The church may be a small, unimportant institution with many . . . one that can be neglected and ignored ... but it is certainly not that way with God.

II. It is the main object of His concern:

A. He desires glory from it:

1. I've already read to you Eph. 3:21 which specifically states that He wants glory in the church "throughout all ages."

2. In general He wants His people to be active in His church:

a. Heb. 10:25 He specifically states that He wants it attended.

b. He wants His people to support it financially (Mal. 3:10, I Cor. 16:2).

c. You'll find the church worshipping (Acts 20:7), sending out missionaries (Acts 13:3), etc.

3. Individuals are told "Whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God", I Cor. 10:31, but when you look at Eph. 3:21, you see the glory is to be "in the church:"

a. Any souls won, any prayers answered, any missionaries sent, the glory should be through the Lord's church, not otherwise.

b. The soil every Christian plant grows out of should be the church which l Tim. 3:15 says is "The pillar and ground of the truth."

B. God promises to particularly protect and bless those in His church:

1. Eph. 5:23 says, "Christ is the head of the church; and He is the saviour of the body."

2. Heb. 10:21 says He does His high priest work over the church, "an high priest over the house of God."

3 . Eph. 1:19-23 He can cause all things to work for the church.

4. And, in Mt. 16:18 He promised to build up the church and so protect it that "the gates of hell shall not prevail against it."

5. It becomes obvious that He has gone to great lengths to watch over and care for His church.

III. Any person who neglects and ignores God's church is standing in open defiance of God:

A. The foregoing points are ample to show God's concern and love for His church:

1. He loves it and watches over it.

2. He clearly warns us not to forsake it (Heb. 10:25).

B. If and when we do forsake it, we are standing in open rebellion and disobedience of God, Jam. 4:17.

C. When this occurs, our fellowship with God is broken:

1. I Jn. 1:6 says, "If we say that we have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth.

2. Then, hard chastening occurs (Heb. 12:5-8);and if we continue to rebel, death can occur, (I Cor. 5:5).

D. Thus, it becomes evident that church membership and activity is not essential to sonship; but it is essential to fellowship.

E. This being true, every believer should become a member of God's church and labor faithfully therein.

 

"It Does Make a Difference What You Believe"