“I love Jesus, but I don’t want anything to do with the church. It’s filled with wicked and hypocritical people.” Such is the sentiment of many who claim to be Christians in our country. Paul Washer’s response to people who say this is provocative but appropriate, “Congratulations, you are doing the work of your father the devil. He is a slanderer, and that is exactly what you’re doing. If you love Jesus, Jesus said you would love His people. No matter how marred with the soil of Babylon they seem to be; you’re going to jump in an help them because you love them and you love Christ” (watch the video here). I have in a previous article wrote on the nature of the Church as universal and local. I also have argued for the requirement of church membership. In this article, I will show that scripture places responsibilities and expectations on those who covenant with a church.
However, there is something that must be true of a person before becoming a church member and accepting the responsibilities of a church member. They must be a Christian; not because they go to church, their grandma is a Christian, or they intellectually assent to Christian truths. They must be a real Christian who has experienced the new birth of regeneration, trusted in Jesus as savior and submitted to Him as Lord, been adopted into the family of God, be experiencing progressive sanctification, and one day, be glorified when Christ returns. I say all of this to emphasize that a person must be a genuine believer to be a member of the church. They, also, must follow through with believers baptism as an act of obedience to Christ. After baptism, they should become a member of a local church. The main point of this article is that Church members are Christians, and Christians have responsibilities. What follows are twelve responsibilities of church members.
1. Church members are Christians, and Christians attend services regularly.
You must consistently attend the weekly church services unless providentially hindered by external circumstances. 24 And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, 25 not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near” (Heb. 10:24-25). I’m tired; it’s my only day off, I’m a little under the weather, I’m mad at someone there, etc. These excuses act as if fellowship is optional. You have been told in Scripture not to neglect meeting together. If you do not meet with other Christians then how will you encourage them? Unless there is a circumstance that hinders you from fellowshipping and encouraging your brothers and sisters you should be here. The church is an institution of Christ and to treat her as unimportant or trivial is to slap Christ in the face.
2. Church members are Christians, and Christians go to communion particularly.
You must seek to participate in every communion service unless providentially hindered. Text: 23 For I received from the Lord what I also delivered to you, that the Lord Jesus on the night when he was betrayed took bread, 24 and when he had given thanks, he broke it, and said, “This is my body, which is for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” 25 In the same way, also he took the cup, after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.” 26 For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes (1 Cor. 11:23-26). The Lord’s Supper is an ordinance given the church by Christ. In it, we proclaim the gospel and await his return. Furthermore, it requires that you examine yourself before taking it. Do you trust in Christ as savior? Do you submit to Him as Lord? Do you live a life of turning away from sin and cleaving to the Savior? When your church has the Lord’s supper be there and experience the spiritual nourishment from what it symbolizes—the sacrificial death of our Lord–the horror of our Sin and the love our Savior.
3. Church members are Christians, and Christians participate in members’ meetings consistently.
You must be at members’ meetings consistently. As a congregational church, it is a privilege and a duty to participate in the life and direction of the church. These meetings are a way to fulfill our Matthew 18 duties. Examples include Church discipline, selecting of officers, and significant decisions of the church. If you are a member of this church, you have the privilege and duty to be a part of governing it. In Baptist church government, the church body makes decisions. When we have church meetings, be sure to be there and participate. Do not vote unless you understand the issue at hand. If you don’t understand, ask questions.
4. Church members are Christians, and Christians give generously.
You must give a sacrificial portion of what God has provided you with to the church (Prov. 3:9; Mal. 3:10; Lk. 6:38; 1 Cor. 16:1b-2; 2 Cor. 9:7). Luke writes, “44 And all who believed were together and had all things in common. 45 And they were selling their possessions and belongings and distributing the proceeds to all, as any had need (Acts 2:44-45).” And Paul writes, “7 Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver (2 Cor. 9:7).” The truth of the matter is that you do not ultimately own anything for this world and everything in it belongs to Christ. You may have rightly acknowledged Jesus as Lord, but do you limit his reign to Sunday morning, possibly Sunday night, and if you’re a religious fanatic then Wednesday night? However, scripture teaches us that when you come to Christ He is Lord and you are to give faithfully to his kingdom by giving to your local church. You may not be able to give ten percent, but make a habit of setting aside some of God’s money He has given to you and invest it in the kingdom.
5. Church members are Christians, and Christians obey their leaders.
You must submit yourself to the men called by God and affirmed by this church. Submit yourself to their leadership, teaching, correction, and discipline (Heb. 13:17). I will write more on this subject in a later article, however, look at what the author of Hebrews says, “17 Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they are keeping watch over your souls, as those who will have to give an account. Let them do this with joy and not with groaning, for that would be of no advantage to you (Heb. 13:17).” If you are a member of this church, realize I will give an account to the Lord. Will I do this with joy when the Lord ask me about you? Or will I groan? Engage with what your leaders teach you behind the pulpit. Participate in opportunities to learn how to evangelize or defend the faith. Don’t only listen and enjoy the sermon, seek to apply it to your life.
6. Church members are Christians, and Christians submit to the discipline of the church.
You must submit yourself to the discipline of the church when required. You should expect that when you’re in error, your brothers and sisters in Christ will follow the principles taught by Jesus in Matthew 18, so that the church may restore you to the community. Jesus says, “15 ‘If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault, between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have gained your brother. 16 But if he does not listen, take one or two others along with you, that every charge may be established by the evidence of two or three witnesses. 17 If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church. And if he refuses to listen even to the church, let him be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector'” (Matt. 18:15-17). I will be writing an entire article over this text and subject. However, I would like you to know that church discipline was one of the distinctive marks of a true church in during the protestant reformation and was most rigorously practiced by Baptist in the South from 1696 to the 1890s. It was viewed by our spiritual ancestors as means to bring revival and as an obligation to apply Jesus words in Matthew 18.
7. Church members are Christians, and Christians pray regularly.
You must pray continuously for the members and the leaders of this church (1 Thess. 5:17). Paul writes, “3 I thank my God in all my remembrance of you, 4 always in every prayer of mine for you all making my prayer with joy, 5 because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now. 6 And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ. 7 It is right for me to feel this way about you all, because I hold you in my heart, for you are all partakers with me of grace, both in my imprisonment and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel. 8 For God is my witness, how I yearn for you all with the affection of Christ Jesus. 9 And it is my prayer that your love may abound more and more, with knowledge and all discernment, 10 so that you may approve what is excellent, and so be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, 11 filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God” (Philippians 1:3-11). Praying is a privilege and an obligation. Paul told us to pray “without ceasing.” Take time each day to pray. During this time use the church directory to pray for the specific people who make up this church. I make note cards for each member of this church with corresponding prayers. It helps me to focus and ensures that I pray for each one of you regularly.
8. Church members are Christians, and Christians discipline themselves for godliness.
You must seek to grow in Christlikeness by engaging in the private and corporate spiritual disciplines laid out in the Scriptures (1 Tim. 4:7). Paul tells Timothy, “6 If you put these things before the brothers, you will be a good servant of Christ Jesus, being trained in the words of the faith and of the good doctrine that you have followed. 7 Have nothing to do with irreverent, silly myths. Rather train yourself for godliness; 8 for while bodily training is of some value, godliness is of value in every way, as it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come” (1 Tim. 4:6-8). How can you serve Christ and grow in holiness if you are not habitually reading, studying, memorizing and meditating on His Word? One wise friend of mine once said, “you will never be what you are not becoming.” Christ knew the Scriptures. Christ prayed. Christ was perfect, and even in perfection, he was disciplined. If you want to be like Jesus, you to must trust him and discipline yourself by putting into practice the means that God has given us to spiritually mature. How will you know how to obey Christ if you don’t know him?
9. Church members are Christians, and Christians teach sound doctrine.
You must teach in accord with and affirm the truth of the scriptures laid out in the Baptist Faith and Message. Paul writes Timothy, “You then, my child, be strengthened by the grace that is in Christ Jesus, 2 and what you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses entrust to faithful men, who will be able to teach others also,” later in the letter Paul asserts that, “16 All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, 17 that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work. I charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by his appearing and his kingdom: 2 preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching” (2 Tim. 2:1-2; 3:16-4:2). As a church member, you must agree to teach in accord with the scriptures. In Baptist life, those core truths have been recognized and articulated in the Baptist Faith and Message and earlier confessions of faith like the first and second London Baptist Confessions of Faith, the Philidelphia Confession of Faith, and the Charleston Confession of Faith. Doctrine might be a scary word to some, but there is no one who doesn’t have doctrine. The question is whether or not their doctrine is sound.
10. Church Members are Christians, and Christians fight false teaching.
You must contend for the faith and fight false teaching with the truths of Scripture (Jude 3). Jude states, “3 Beloved, although I was very eager to write to you about our common salvation, I found it necessary to write appealing to you to contend for the faith that was once for all delivered to the saints” (Jd. 3). According to Jude, you must be able to fight for truth. This means you must know the truth and know why you believe it. The beauty of being Christian is you argue from the truth, and the facts are on your side. Know the truth and defend it.
11. Church Members are Christians, and Christians make disciples.
You must make disciples by evangelizing the lost, baptizing those who believe, and teaching fellow Christian to obey all that Christ has commanded us (Matt. 28:18-20, Acts 1:8). Matthew records, “18 And Jesus came and said to them, ‘All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age'” (Matt. 28:18-20). I will spend more time on this text and subject in a later article. However, for now, I encourage you to take heed to the command of Christ to make disciples. I have a couple of questions: have you ever shared your faith? Have you ever walked along another believer to grow in your walk and help them grow in theirs?
12. Church Members are Christians, and Christians love one another.
You must love and serve one another (Jn. 13:34-35; 1 John 4:7). You must put others above yourself using Christ as your example (Phil. 2:1-11). Jesus said, “34 A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. 35 By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another” (Jn. 13:34-35). This final duty is the foundation for all the others. People who say they love Christ, but hate the church or don’t care for organized religion, don’t love Christ. The church is His bride, and each Christian makes up a part of that bride. You must choose to look out for the interest of even the most annoying brother or sister in Christ. If you don’t love Christians, then you don’t love Christ. You must repent and trust in Christ.
As Paul Washer said in the interview if you love Jesus, you will love His people. Such love is biblically exemplified by joining and serving a local church. If you are a member of a church be sure that consider some of the responsibilities I have listed above. Do you ignore them or keep them? Love Jesus and love His people.