Are You a Member of 'The Church of the Church'?

Americans, in general, do not know much about royalty, at least not from personal experience. So, I’m not sure how it sounds to you that a royal prince would dethrone his father to assume power as king. It is not necessarily unheard of, but that is not how things are supposed to go.

Yet, it just so happened that the most beloved king of Israel was temporarily dethroned by one of his sons. King David angered his son Absalom when he took no action to bring justice in a sinful situation involving Absalom’s blood sister. From that point forward, Absalom, his son, was filled with anger and hatred toward David.

When it was clear to King David that Absalom had won the favor of Israel, he fled Jerusalem to save is family and the people of the city. Then Absalom and his followers entered Jerusalem and he assumed the throne.

Absalom immediately asked, “Give your advice. What shall we do?” He was advised to send an army in pursuit of his father. He was assured that there would be peace in the land when the army returned victorious.

So the plan pleased Absalom and all the elders of Israel.
-- 2 Samuel 17:4

How does that strike you? Did you know that Absalom’s chief adviser was also King David’s chief adviser? Had the elders of Israel not been among those who cheered the victories of King David as he defeated Israel’s enemies?

It is true that Absalom had been manipulative, but it pleased the people to dethroned David and set Absalom in his place.

• Absalom was not God’s anointed.
• His chief advisor did not consult with God.
• A sympathizer of King Saul mocked King David as he fled Jerusalem saying that God was behind it all. Yet, God was not.

When people rule God’s people, things always go very badly. Whether it was God’s chosen people in the Old Testament, Israel, or God’s chosen people today, the church, God is the true ruler of His people. The church of God must never be ruled by the church (the people).

God used men as prophets, priests, and kings to lead his people. Yet, Moses led by the voice and will of God. Gideon would not allow the people to make him king. David, God's anointed, always consulted God. Even when God first allowed a king over Israel, He knew that Israel had rejected Him as King!

In the ‘new Israel,’ God’s church today, He has provided roles of leadership: elders (pastors), deacons, preachers and teachers. However, Jesus Christ is the Head of the church and there is none other (Colossians 2:8-10). Even the great Apostle Peter referred to himself as a ‘fellow elder’ and Jesus as the ‘Chief Shepherd’ (1 Peter 5:1, 4). He held no position in a church hierarchy.

Many voices in God’s church today advocate change. Others are ready to fight to preserve the old ways. Who is right? Does it matter?

Whenever you hear voices promoting change which mirrors changes in American society, is that from God or man? If the majority voice insists on no change, but only to appease, is that from God or man? The church of God is a monarchy with Christ as King. We please the King.

Near the beginning of the Book of Revelation Jesus rebuked a church for being too conservative, for lacking love (2:1-7). He rebuked another church for being too tolerant (progressive) (2:18-29). What would he say to your congregation? Is your congregation just another self-ruled, please-the-people ‘Church of the Church’? 

The only way to answer is with an open Bible! 

What is the church? 

Open the Book! 

Read...

Think.

Mark Stinnett 

Why Were You Baptized? (Reason #2)

Baptism is clearly taught in the New Testament, but baptismal practices differ among various denominations; so also the reasons for baptism. In this article I want to explore a second reason that some people have been baptized.

Reason #2:

I was baptized to join a local church.

In the Bible we read about churches in different cities. However, they were all a part of a global church community whose membership was comprised of all Christians in all places.

When the missionaries in the 1st Century traveled from city to city, they never talked/wrote about ‘placing membership’ or being baptized to be identified as a member of a church in a specific town/location. Such ideas are foreign to the New Testament.

The Apostle Paul traveled to many cities, but never identified himself only with the church in one city or another. He only identified himself with one body of believers:

For just as we have many members in one body and all the members do not have the same function, so we, who are many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another.     —Romans 12:4–5

Notice especially that Paul included himself with the body of believers in Rome by saying, “So we, who are many….” Yet, he was writing these words while in a different city. So, he considered all Christians to be a part of the body of Christ regardless of location.

Paul also wrote:

There is one body and one Spirit, just as also you were called in one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all who is over all and through all and in all.     —Ephesians 4:4–6

So, while the members of the body of Christ may be dotted around the globe in various locations, all of these Christians are members of one body, namely, the body of Christ.

Also, did you notice that there is only “one baptism.” A baptism ritual associated with a local membership is different from the disciple-making baptism Jesus that instructed.

Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.     —Matthew 28:19

Now, what about the idea of ‘placing membership’ or ‘identifying with’ a congregation?

Again, the only ’membership’ that we can find in the Bible is membership in the body of Christ. Individual church groups that have membership rules in addition to the Scriptures are just making things up.

Of course, common sense tells us the importance of communication. It might be that phrases like placing membership or identifying with a congregation are simply ways of communicating a person’s intentions of being a regular part of a local church. It makes sense to let folks know that you are more than a visitor, that you are not just passing through town. So, by all means, communicate your intentions, but you do not need to be baptized (again) to become a member of a local church.

So, if you were baptized to ‘join a congregation,’ you should return to the Bible to see why Jesus instructed his apostles to baptize believers. Look at the examples in the Book of Acts.

You’ll find your answer.

(Reason #3, next week)

(Click here for Reason #1)