The Bulletin
of the
Church of Christ at
New Georgia
Tim Johnson, editor
May 18, 2003
In
This Issue:
The
Death of a Wildcat
By
Douglass Matlock
Is
Church Membership Essential?
By
Steve Klein
The Death of a Wildcat
Some years ago my father had a chicken and egg business in California. It wasn't a large operation, just something he and mom could care for themselves. Near the chicken houses there was a small ravine that seems to have extended to the mountains some distance away. Animals would travel it for the cover it provided them while searching for food. Once a wildcat came out of the ravine and began to attack and kill some of my father's chickens. The big cat was not afraid of my father's presence, but continued his pursuit of the chickens, even when he returned from the house with a shotgun and pulled the trigger on the largest wildcat my father had ever seen. Where was that animal instinct that should have warned him of danger? What happened to those keen senses that animals have? Was it all blocked out by the desire to kill and eat?
Perhaps this illustration will help us to understand why some people will not hear the gospel when it is taught. They can laugh at the mention of death and the judgement. The thought of hell doesn't cause them to tremble. There is only one thing that is on their mind, the here and now. In a poll taken some time back, it found that only one out of five is chiefly concerned with preparing for eternity. In this Gallup poll, 20% said their foremost concern is preparing for a future life. 46% said they're living comfortably here and now. 30% tired to straddle the fence by saying "both". 4% said they didn't know. The least surprising statistic, when we remember Mark 10:23 and 1 Timothy 6:9-10 is that poor people are twice as likely as rich people to focus their thoughts on what lies beyond the grave.
Satan has so many distractions that dull our senses and make us unaware that death and the judgement draws nearer every day. For some it is eat, drink, and be merry, chase the world and feed those lusts, until they are taken from this life with only torment to know forever. For the wildcat, his life was over when the trigger was pulled: but for man it is just the beginning in another realm. Let us use our time to the glory of God and the salvation of our souls and those we come in contact with. Surely, our lives are to be lived on a higher plane than just gratifying fleshly lusts like an animal.
~In Gospel Power, Anderson, Alabama, 11/9/97
"Church"
The church is composed of those who are saved. In Acts 2:47, "&ldots;the Lord added to the church daily those who were being saved." These are people who have been "purchased by the blood of Christ" (Acts 20:28). They are "called out" of the world by the gospel to enjoy a living spiritual relationship with God and one another (2 Thessalonians 2:13-14cf. 1 Peter 2:9). They are "called to be saints" (Romans 1:7).
The term church is also used often in the New Testament to refer to a local congregation. (for example, "church of God which is at Corinth," 1 Corinthians 1:2; "churches of Galatia," Galatians 1:2; seven churches of Asia, Revelation 2 & 3). The local church is composed of "saints" in a given area who have come together for the collective work and worship which God ordained. All who call on the name of the Lord Jesus everywhere are saints (the church), but only those who assemble together for work and worship in a particular place comprise the church in that place. So in 1 Corinthians 1:2 we read, "To the church of God which is at Corinth, to those who are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints, with all who in every place call on the name of Jesus Christ our Lord, both theirs and ours:"
There is a definite connection between the universal church and the local church. Please understand, the universal church is not made up of local churches, it is made up of individual saints. But, the local church is made up of individual saints as well. Membership in the universal leads to membership in the local.
"Essential"
By "essential," I mean necessary for salvation and the other spiritual blessings which are in Christ. In light of this definition of essential, the question "Is church membership essential?" is really asking, "Must one be a member of the church to be saved?"
"Membership"
Some things ought to go without saying: One such thing is that membership is necessary in order to enjoy the privileges of membership. Whatever the privileges of membership in the church are, non-members cannot and do not have them!
These privileges can be easily identified. The privileges of membership in the body include salvation and reconciliation. Ephesians 5:23 tells us that Christ is "the Savior of the body." Acts 2:47 states, "And the Lord added to the church daily those who were being saved." Ephesians 2:16, tells us that Christ reconciles us to God "in one body through the cross..."
The body which is "saved" and "reconciled" is composed of "members" (1 Corinthians 12:12-14). Entrance (membership) into the body is through baptism. 1 Corinthians 12:13 plainly states, "For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body."
My friend, church membership is essential to you if you want to be saved. Salvation is a benefit for members.
by Steve Klein