"Thinking Eternally, Acting Locally." - Neal August
One of the questions I have about church membership revolves around who can join a Baptist Church or any church for that matter.
We as (Southern) Baptists generally allow only those believers who have received believer’s baptism by immersion to join a Baptist Church.
Certainly I believe that “believer’s baptism” is the proper mode of baptism and an important, symbolic step for new believers. That is why I am a Baptist.
However, the Church is the “body of Christ”. It is composed of all believers, everywhere, at any point in time. Entrance into the “body of Christ” as specifically stated by God in Christ is solely based upon God’s grace through faith in Jesus Christ. Nothing else.
The early church wrestled with this issue continuously (see books of Galatians, Romans and Acts). Entrance into the Church is not based upon being Jewish, being circumcised, having a kosher diet, or whether or not one associates with Gentiles.
As the Reformers noted, entrance into the Church is not based upon receiving the “elements” or being baptized as an infant.
God’s grace through faith in Jesus Christ. Nothing else.
Because this is the explicit command of God in Christ, because this has been such an important issue in the early church, in the Reformation church, and in the Baptist church, and, most importantly, because this is Christ’s Church and neither mine nor the Baptists, I suggest that it is completely inappropriate for Baptists to limit entrance into Christ’s church based upon any factor other than belief. To do so would be hubristic and assuming for ourselves the prerogative of God.
The only qualification for Church admission that is given in the New Testament is unrepentant sin. If a member of the Church is sinning, then such expulsion is sanctioned by God in order to bring that person back into relationship with him.
Therefore, if someone is going to expel or hinder believers from Church fellowship because of baptismal mode, they must argue that believer who does not practice believer’s baptism by immersion is sinning.
Again, this one of the questions I have about church membership.
Any opinions about this subject out there?
Any points?
Any insights?
Any flaws in my argument?
2 comments:
PC - Good stuff. FYI, on your paragraph that starts The only qualification....etc, you might want to make that DISqualification. From the looks of it that's what you intended, but the brain outruns the fingers some times.
I think you're right that to exclude based on baptism is incorrect. As I'm sure you know, Baptism is one of the 2 sacraments of the church, and is a sign of obedience in following Christ's example, but in no way limits salvation, or therefore membership in the body of Christ.
I think the mistake comes in that Churches use baptism as the perfect opportunity for someone to state their belief in Jesus Christ as their Savior and Lord, thus proclaiming Him before man, and in turn Christ will proclaim him before the Father.
While baptism is a great opportunity, it has become skewed in that membership hinges on it in many churches.
I believe an important disctinction many churches could stand to make would be this: For membership at XYZ Baptist Church, one must make a public confession of his/her Faith in Christ. In doing so one acknowledges Christ as the head of the body, and themselves as a member of said body. Without this step, one seriously has to question salvation.(obviously, why denounce the Lord you serve?). After this Baptism is a sign of obedience in following Christ's example as well as that of the Great Commission.
Your thoughts?
Athos
I agree with you.
I think it is impossible for someone to become a member of a church without a public profession of faith. How does one ask to be admitted into a church without stating “I’m a Christian”? Now that person may be lying or may be deluded and is not truly a believer but he or she has made a statement nonetheless.
For my part, my modus operandi is to accept anyone who claims to be a Christian as such. They have made a public confession of faith by saying that they are Christians and that is all that I require.
However, if actions or statements later suggest that they are not true believers, then I will reexamine the issue. No one has to prove to me that they are a Christian (aside from the public confession of faith); they only have to disprove it.
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