Examination / Reception of Church Members

The Importance of Church Membership Standards

0:04 There are few things which will more quickly and more accurately reveal the true state of any church than an honest and accurate answer to these two questions. What is required of a person in order to be brought into the membership of that church? And secondly, what is expected of those brought in if they are to retain the rights and privileges of membership? I know of no two questions which will more quickly and more accurately lay bare the state of any church than those two questions. What do you have to do and be to get in? And what must...

0:59 What must you do and be to stay in? Now it is just such concerns as these which we are addressing in the present focus of our larger series of messages entitled, A Manifesto of Trinity Baptist Church. In this manifesto we are attempting to set forth some of the major principles of the Word of God which have shaped and given direction to our life together, these nearly 25 years. And the present focus of affirmations of which there have been five in this manifesto is this, that we are determined to strive for a truly regenerate and genuinely converted church membership role in Trinity Baptist Church. And having open...

2:01 up the meaning of those words, truly regenerate and genuinely converted, and demonstrated from the Word of God that this is indeed a biblical goal and something which the Bible demands that we strive for, we are now demonstrating the specific manifestations that we are indeed pursuing that goal, that this is not a noble ideal to which we occasionally give lip service. And thus far, we've covered two of these specific manifestations that this goal is indeed a goal that we are pursuing. Number one, the manner in which we deal with our children in relationship to church membership. Secondly, our message and methods of evangelism. And for those visiting with us who want those materials, they're on tape, I cannot even take the time to go over the main headings. We come today to the third specific manifestation of our determination that by the grace of God we will truly regenerate and genuinely converted church membership.

3:23 And I'm stating this third manifestation as follows. The general procedure we follow in the examination and reception of members into the church. The general procedure we follow in the examination and reception of members to the church is indeed a specific manifestation of our determination to strive to truly regenerate genuinely converted membership. Now I want to begin this.

Disclaimer 1: No Foolish Delusions of a Foolproof System

4:02 I want to begin this morning by stating two clear disclaimers. Now you know what a disclaimer is. We find it on given products. We find it in given advertisements.

4:16 You're not going to give what is not promised and you don't promise what you're not giving. And I want to give two clear disclaimers. And I know if human nature does not undergo some radical transformation between now and the time I'm done, there will be people going out early forgetting these disclaimers, but at least I'll have some witnesses that I made them. And the two disclaimers are these.

4:43 Number one, we have no foolish delusions that our procedure is one hundred percent foolproof. We have no foolish delusions that our procedure, that is our procedure in the examination and reception of members into the church, is one hundred percent foolproof. Now why do I make that disclaimer? Well, the moment someone hears the affirmation, we honor it membership, they immediately say, well, then that you up with a procedure that will keep out all hypocrites and all people from the membership, all eventual apostates. The answer, absolutely not. No is one hundred percent foolproof or that was such a procedure. And why do we have no such foolish delusions?

5:53 Well, three simple reasons. Number one, we have no promise from God assuring us that we will be given what is needed. One hundred percent foolproof system. You hear me?

6:10 What would we need as a church to have a one hundred percent foolproof system that the only ones on the membership roll were truly regenerate? We'd need to be omniscient. We'd need to be able to read. I promise that God's going to make us omniscient, be able to read hearts and see the role of his elect.

6:32 Second reason. We have no indication that the apostles were able to accomplish this. If anyone could accomplish this, surely the apostles with their peculiar and unique gifts and graces and spirit endowments, if any group could do it, they could. But they couldn't.

6:50 Chapter five, Ananias and Sapphira were churchmen, but they were shown to be hypocrites who didn't have the root of the matter in them. And God killed them and removed them. Acts eight. We read that the certain man who believed and was believed.

7:04 And God killed them and removed them. Acts eight. We read that the certain man who believed and was believed. And God killed them and removed them.

7:10 And God killed them and removed them. And it became evident later on. Peter said he had neither part nor lot in this matter. And John the apostle was unashamed to say, first John two 19, they went out from us that it might be made manifest that they were not all of us.

7:28 And this is why in the apostolic writings, you find the apostles saying to churches, be naive. Let no man. If a man say God and keep not his commandments. He is a liar.

7:43 The apostle Paul says in first Corinthians five, cast out the wicked man. There was someone on the church role who was not truly regenerate and was not truly converted by his present lifestyle. He said, cast him out. So if apostles couldn't accomplish, it couldn't have a hundred percent foolproof system.

8:03 What fools we would be to think we could come up with such a system. In fact, one apostle, the apostle Paul knew that such people were in the midst of all a membership list when he was leaving the church at Ephesus. He says, I know that after my departure not only will wolves come from without, but perverse men will rise up from among your own selves. Now that's biblical realism. But there's a third reason why we have no such delusion that we have a hundred percent foolproof system, and that is we have, Fosher, the sad history of the grievous excesses which have always followed when men thought they could come up with a hundred percent foolproof system. And the history of the church is, among other things, a sad account of zealots who went far beyond the warrant of the word of God in their determination to have a 100 percent regenerate church membership, and nothing but spiritual shipwreck came in its wake. For those three reasons,

Disclaimer 2: No Arrogant Notions of the Only Legitimate Procedure

9:11 I make the first disclaimer. Though in the procedure in examining and leaving members is a clear manifestation of our determination to strongly be converted, truly regenerate church membership rule, we have no foolish delusions that our procedure is a hundred percent foolproof. Second disclaimer, we have no arrogant notions that our present procedure embodies the best and the only examine and receive. And that the whole Christian church ought to follow our procedure. Now, as much as I make that disclaimer, someone will go out and say, phew, those people think they're the only ones doing it right and expect the whole world to follow them. No, folks, I'm making a disclaimer. We have no arrogant notions that our present procedure embodies the best and only way to examine and receive members, and that the whole Christian world should follow our example. Listen to our confession at this point. The whole counsel of God, things necessary for God's glory, man's

10:27 salvation, faith in life is either expressly set down or necessarily contained in the Holy Scriptures. Nevertheless, there are some circumstances concerning the worship of God and government of the church, and how you receive members enters into the realm of the government of the church. Amen to human actions in societies which are to be ordered by the light of nature and Christian prudence, according to the general rules of the word, which are always to be observed. Yes, we believe, 2nd Timothy 3, 16 and 17, that God-inspired scripture is able to make the man of God earnest unto every good work. Scripture does not give us the same kind of explicit directives in some things as it does in other things. It does not give us the same kind of explicit directives in others. And we must exercise judgment in dependence upon the Holy Spirit, governed by the broad principles of the word of God. But in terms of our life, to wrestle with scripture, we must establish a

11:43 policy with which we can live with a good conscience. Romans 14, let each be fully persuaded in his own mind, whatsoever is not of faith is sin, and at the same time, not stand in judgment of our brethren, whose equally sanctified judgment and equally sincere wrestlings bring them to a different procedure. In the same goal, the implicit manual given to us in the word of God, nor can one be compiled, inspired, that could be imposed, defined, given upon all the church's principles, to which we add sanctified human judgment, and therefore, those procedures can be imposed upon all the church's principles, to which we add sanctified human judgment, and therefore, those procedures can be obligated upon all the church's principles, to which we add sanctified human judgment, and therefore, those procedures can be obligated upon all the church's principles, to which we add sanctified human judgment, and therefore, those procedures can be

Substance of the Procedure: Discerning a Credible Profession of Repentance and Faith

12:49 το whom we minister, their background, Ad sévera, we can do some fine-tuning. So I make those two disclaimers at the outset. We have no foolish delusions, that we have a foolproof system, and we have no arrogant notions that ours is the only legitimate procedure. Now with the disclaimers, we have two different behind us we come into the second place to the substance of our procedure for examining and receiving new members and how it is and genuinely converted membership procedure is mandated by our constitution in general and more specifically as it is worked out in our actual practice in the membership interview and in the subsequent announcement to the church is relatively simple our constitution makes it plain that when someone professes repentance toward god and faith to the lord jesus and is baptized prepared embrace confession of faith and the constitution of this church they are to make application for membership etc and in this whole procedure as i've tried to look at it in the light of the word of god in the light of our constitution

14:14 our church polity there are basically three things that form the substance of our procedure and here we'll begin to grapple with the word of god itself for examining and receiving new members we make a calculated effort to receive all those who are fully regenerate genuinely converted and how is that manifest three things number one we make a conscious effort to discern if the applicant has a credible of repentance toward god and faith toward the lord jesus we make a conscious effort to discern if the applicant has a credible profession of repentance toward god toward the lord jesus now why are those two issues repentance and faith because of a passage like acts twenty and verse twenty one when an apostle can summarize the OFFICER GOODingo the substance of three years ministry under these two you know he is emphasizing central

15:32 crucial 21 toward apostles sunny to the realities picture and fruits toward our and without and it all generated what does a person need to know and to believe romans tell even by him from the dead and i'll confess with thy mouth jesus as lord

16:54 thou be saved for with the heart man believeth unto salvation and with the mouth confession is made well here are things that are requisite if there is to be a credible profession of and of repentance therefore in the membership interview we seek to discern if there is a credible or reasonably believable profession of repentance and faith when you say pastor martin what's involved in that well surely number one a felt awareness of personal guilt and sinfulness a felt awareness of personal guilt and sinfulness jesus said in luke 5 30 and 31 they who are home don't need a doctor but they that are sick i am not come to call the righteous but sinners to repentance first timothy 1 15 this is a faithful saying worthy of all acceptance christ came into the world and john says come that is the spirit he will righteousness and of judgment person have a

18:13 question of repentance toward god jesus when repentance involves jesus involves trusting christ to be saved from sin personal guilt membership interview we don't put words in people's mouths and to tell us of person's sinfulness for without they certainly are not at the essence of saving faith also call his name jesus for he should say this people from their students the first thing he does with any center that he's going to stay from his sins is making the

19:16 novelness there must make the patient aware of his needs medicinal applications to his own heart in life then we look secondly for a minimal understanding of the person in work of christ as the old answer to human sin sin and guilt we look for a minimal understanding of the person and work of Christ as the divine answer to human sin and guilt turn with me I'll not simply quote and give you the reference but I want you to see it with your own eyes in Romans chapter 10 having stated in verse 13 that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved doesn't mean some kind of a mind

20:14 non-actual calling on the name of the Lord unto say how they've not believed they have not hurt each except they be sent verse 17 comes of hearing and hearing by the word in other words the call sinner in repentance and faith that has been imparted through preaching that's why Paul could say in verse 9 because if thou shall confess with thy mouth Jesus is Lord and work of Jesus he must be confessed as Lord and Lord and Lord and Lord and Lord and Lord that's why Paul could say in verse 9 because Lord, not simply taking the tongue and framing the words, oh yes, I confess Jesus Lord, but a confession from the mouth, deception, and the conviction of the heart, that Jesus of

21:36 Nazareth is none other than the incarnate Jehovah, sovereign Lord, and now the exalted messianic Lord at the right hand of the Father, someone must understand that and believe it and confess it to be saved, therefore we in a membership interview are not only listening for and seeking to receive from the person, if there is in their heart a felt awareness of personal guilt and sinfulness, but a standing of the person and work of Christ as the divine answer to human sin and guilt, there can be no falling upon the Lord, there can be no true call out from fundamental knowledge of who he is and what he did to accomplish the redemption of the world. Now notice I said a minimal understanding, we don't expect people to come in and quote the Athanasian Creed with respect to the person of Christ and the two natures in the one person in the hypostatic union, we don't expect that they can give a soteriology and statement of

22:59 the order, that would be cruel and unbiblical, but we do think of the person and work of Christ as the divine answer to human sin and guilt, there can be no falling upon the Lord, as the divine answer to human sin and guilt, we've had people in a membership interview say well I'm saved by Christ, but when we say in what way did Christ save you, and they could not put together in the most elementary way a statement concerning their being saved and his perfect life, his substitutionary death, his literal resurrection, his ascension to the right hand of the Father, and we've done everything but stand on our head and whistle Yankee Doodle backwards to see if it were in there and they were just uptight and embarrassed. But my friends, it says, if thou shalt confess, we can't confess for you.

24:01 It's to the limit.

24:04 There must be a minimal understanding of the person and work of Christ as the divine answer to human sin and guilt, or there can be no true repentance in faith. And then thirdly, we look for a personal attachment to Christ in faith and love. Personal attachment to Christ in faith this morning, in the gospel. It is not merely the person and work of Christ.

24:33 It is engagement of that person with our persons. Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. The summons in the gospel comes from the person of the sinner. To me, my yoke upon you, and learn of me.

24:58 That's a call to attachment to Christ in faith and love on 6th or 7th. Or give it me, shall I know wise? You see, this is one of the great fallacies in modern evangelism. People are told, if you'll admit you're a sinner, and believe Christ died for you, you're a saved person and work of Christ.

25:31 You must embrace the person himself.

25:35 John 1.12, as many as received him, to them gave he the right to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name. Truly to believe on his name is to embrace his son, and to embrace his person is to love him. That's why, Peter can say, Whom having not seen ye, in whom be ye rejoiced with joy unspeakable and full of glory.

26:05 No love for him, no true faith in him. That's why Paul can say in 1 Corinthians 16.22, If any man love not our Lord Jesus Christ, let him be accursed of God.

26:19 Jesus in the gospels has called men into attachment to himself. If any man come to me, and hate not father, mother, brother, sister, gay, and his own life also, he cannot love. He cannot be my disciple. Luke 14.25 and following.

26:35 And that's what we look for. See, God hasn't given us the means to get into the heart. And is that person's heart a person of Christ?

26:47 Listen, and we must ask questions to see if indeed there is a person of Christ in faith and in love. And then the fourth thing we look for is a pattern of life in generation and conversion. Life indicative. Of true regeneration and conversion.

27:13 The book of 1 John gives the birthmarks of a true Christian. He that is born of God loveth him also that is begotten of him. He that is begotten of God does not make a practice of sin. Hereby do we know that we've passed from death unto life because we love the brethren.

27:34 If a man say I know him and keep not his commandments, he is a liar and the truth is not in him. Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world, if any man love the world, the love of the Father is not, it has been born and has been truly converted, that is, has turned from sin, 1 Thessalonians 1.9 and 10, how you turned unto God from your eyes to serve the living and the true God out of heaven, whom he raised from the dead, even Jesus who delivers us from the wrath to come. And so we ask questions to see.

28:25 If there is a pattern of life regeneration and conversion in Acts 26.20, the same Paul who said in Acts 20.21 he preached repentance toward God in faith to the Lord Jesus, here he summarizes his ministry throughout the entire world, his public ministry with these words, verse 20 of Acts 26. The declared both to them of Damascus first and at Jerusalem and throughout all the and all the Gentiles.

29:05 They should repent and turn to God in work.

29:29 When I said we've had enough, I mean evangelicals deceived.

29:53 So what do we look for? Spiritual maturation indicative of divine life in its most undeveloped bud presence. And do we look for a dramatic conversion? No, we don't ask anyone.

30:15 You got to give us the day and the hour of your conversion. If the conversion was dramatic, if they can even point to the day, the month, we just want to know if you're waiting for his son. If that's so, then you're going to love to pray in spite of remaining sin. You're going to love your Bible in spite of all the contractions of the world.

30:48 You're going to love the house of God and the people of God. And you're going to love to give. And you're going to hate sin. That's what we look for.

30:55 You say, well, isn't that putting yourself in the place of God? No, it is not putting ourselves in the place of God. God's put the church in that place to monitor the door of membership. He gives to the church the keys.

31:11 He gives to the church the keys of admission and exclusion from that church. And I want you to turn to Acts 9 for an example of a church that was looking for a credible profession from a very well-known man. And they wouldn't let him in on the basis of his name. The profession was credible.

31:41 In verse 19, certain days with the apostles at Damascus, straightway in the synagogues, he proclaimed Jesus, Son of God. And all that heard him were amazed and said, Is not this he that in Jerusalem made havoc of them that called in his name? Two, but Saul encouraged. He counted the Jews that dwelt in Damascus, that this was the Christ.

32:05 The man was soundly converted from the great enemy. He becomes a marvelous, mighty preacher of the Christ, whose name he sought to obliterate. And before long, it wasn't long before they sought to do with him what they did with Jesus, tried to kill him. So he goes to Jerusalem, verse 26.

32:21 And when he was come to Jerusalem, he asked, he said, Hey, folks, I'd like to become a member down here.

32:33 Yes, Saul. Reaching up in Damascus. They weren't. They weren't convinced.

32:43 So what'd they do? As they were all afraid of him, now notice, not believing that he was a disciple.

32:54 They had to be convinced. They had a credulous in faith. And they weren't convinced. They didn't let him in.

33:09 They didn't hear of churches refusing people membership.

33:21 They did. They were afraid of him. Why?

33:33 That he was a truly converted man. Doesn't say they took him out and stoned him. Doesn't say they drove mountains fat on him. Doesn't say they branded him in his forehead with a big H.

33:49 Or a big B, betrayer.

33:56 They didn't brand him. But they didn't receive him either. So what'd God do? They mistook him, brought him to the apostles, and declared unto them how he had seen the Lord in the way, spoken to him, and how at Damascus he had preached boldly in the name of Jesus.

34:14 And what happened? They were now convinced he was a disciple. And they opened the doors of the church to him. They demanded a credible profession of faith.

34:25 And that meant more than his words telling them.

34:31 That's there. I didn't write it.

34:36 Now, are we to be called brown? That's a naughty name for a group, you see, that did try to have a, quote, perfect church. And when you start talking about the things we're talking about immediately, people throw titles around. Oh, you're a bunch of brownists.

34:50 He's a bunch of brownists.

35:03 Disciple. They had no mandate to open the door to him and welcome him into the membership. But once they were convinced he was the disciple, they had a responsibility to receive him as such. And that's exactly what they did.

35:18 Therefore, we make a gracious effort in our membership interview to discern if the applicant has a credible profession of repentance toward God or Jesus. And that involves simple things. A fairness of personal guilt and sinfulness. A minimal understanding of the person and work of Christ as the divine answer to human sin and guilt.

35:47 A personal attachment to Christ in faith and love. And a pattern of life. Indicative creation and conversion. Someone says, oh boy, that's an awfully green standard.

36:01 No, it isn't. Listen to John Owen speaking for the churches of his own day that were committed to follow the word of God when he takes up the whole question of church membership. Who should be admitted into the church? Let me just give you a few of the headings as he answers this question.

36:19 Number one. There is required a competent knowledge of the doctrines and mystery. Of the gospel, especially concerning the person and offices of Christ. They are not to be blamed.

36:34 They do but discharge. He who receive into church membership. Such as are ignorant of the fundamental doctrines, doctrines and mysteries of the gospel. Or form of word.

36:52 Catechized.

36:55 Yet really nothing of them. The promiscuous driving sorts of persons who've been baptized their infancy into a participation of all church privileges. Is a prophet. Nation of the holy institutions of Christ.

37:13 And I would say this promiscuous driving of all sorts of persons who mouth the words. I'm a sinner and I just and are baptized into church membership is a prophet nation of the holy institution of Christ. He said there must also subjection of soul and conscience towards the authority of Christ in the church.

37:38 They must profess subjection to the authority of Christ in the church.

37:46 Did and consent. To the doctrine of self-denial. This is made indispensable by our savior to being a true disciple or conviction and confession of sin with the way of deliverance by Christ. Listen to this five.

38:05 This is before you can let him in the constant performance of all religion, both of piety in the public and private worship of God as also with respect unto others.

38:20 Careful abstinence from all known sin. And then he goes on to say. And. This.

38:26 This is grievous that he had to say it in his day and we have to say it in our own. He says when we lower the standard of admission beneath this biblical standard. What do we do? He said we take the churches of Christ and we turn them into temples of Satan.

38:46 Dear people. This is no extreme position in the lovely little treatise called concerning and orderly gospel church by Benjamin Griffiths. There's a whole. Section and on that take time to read it under what is required of those who would enter into the membership of the church.

39:06 And he simply states in different words. In many more headings what I've tried to reduce under these four headings. And until we can be shown from the word of God that that's unscriptural. We are committed to make a conscious effort to discern if the applicant has a credible profession of repentance and faith.

Substance of the Procedure: Understanding Membership Responsibilities, Privileges, and Liabilities

39:26 But secondly. We make a conscious effort to. Discern if the applicant has a basic understanding of and capacity to assume the responsibilities privileges and liabilities of church membership. We make a conscious effort to discern if the applicant has a basic understanding of.

39:50 That's the head city that has to do with a lot of factors to assume the responsibilities privileges and liabilities of membership. And we make a conscious effort to discern if the applicant has a basic understanding of. That's the head city that has to do with a lot of factors to assume the responsibilities privileges and liabilities of church membership. In this particular church.

40:04 Now turn to Acts five and verse thirteen for a clear example of this.

40:12 Why does it say in that team but of the rest in himself to them. Now why did they not dare join that church.

40:28 Because they had just had a fresh lesson of one of the great liabilities of joining the church. If you ain't real God might kill you.

40:39 Context. God exercising church discipline by his sovereign intervention and killing. Ananias and Sapphira and when word that if you join may be carried from a worship service to the graveyard. Is it no way.

41:07 Jose no himself. You mean the church was a threatening institution.

41:17 Yes I didn't write it. It's there in the text. No man happened.

41:31 And that's exactly what Paul sought to do with the Corinthian church. He said what. The being church members. First Corinthians three.

41:52 Sixteen the privileges the privilege of being formally it not by the people of God rather be lost being within the orbit of the brotherhood of the sisterhood in cry overseers who will walk informally and out of general Christian concern but with a soft imposed shepherds to watch for your souls. Hebrews thirteen seventeen marvelous privileges but also serious and solemn responses.

42:41 And this is why in our constitution one of the parts that is most fully flushed out expectation of those who come into the membership conduct required of members why do we put this in the constitution and require that you read it before you come to a membership interview that all members will be required dated meetings and we spell out what those meetings are make use of the means of in public and give beyond the tithe. The. The work of God to obey concerning family directives of the word of God concerning the body of the biblical mandate to be a witness and then to obey the biblical directives concerning our liberties in Christ that we do not abuse them and finally being into the membership they will be submissive to the authority of those over them in Christ. Why is that all spelled out. Well you see our unity in the life church depends upon every in standing and.

44:04 Being capable in the strength of Christ of being the responsibilities privileges and liabilities of that membership and if we are not united in those fundamental issues we cease to have any true unity that's why Paul said to the Corinthians in first Corinthians one in verse ten this is the essence of true church unity he had heard that there was disunity and his first word is this. Do not want. To have divisions among you first Corinthians one ten but that you all same thing you be perfected in this and when Luke is describing the unity of the church there in Jerusalem in its early days how does he describe it he describes it in terms of unity of corporate life and activity these all continued step in the apostles doctrine fellowship breaking of bread of the responsibilities privileges and liabilities.

45:17 Of church membership let me put it to you this way the church is a voluntary society but it is not a democratic organization nobody forces you in but when you come in it's not one man one vote it comes to his church the church is an autocracy ruled over by Jesus Christ who said make disciples baptize him and then teach them whatsoever I have commanded when they come in. They don't come into a democratic society. They come into God's house where God makes the rules and calls the shots. The church and Paul said I write to that men made themselves contemplate membership you better face this squarely this is not a free and democratic society nobody's forcing you in but if you get in. You come in.

46:37 That you may obey the house rules of the Lord Jesus Christ. And those house rules. That you may obey the house rules of the Lord Jesus Christ. And those house rules.

46:44 And those house rules. And those house rules. rules are to be guarded and articulated and expound and implemented by those god has set over you in the lord and that's why he says in hebrews 13 7 17 and 24 remember them that had the rule over spake unto you the word of god that have rule over you and that's what some of you don't like oh i'll submit to the lord it doesn't say and submit to the lord it says submit to them now you don't submit to them if they ever bring any word to your conscience that isn't rooted in the scriptures don't to what lord but when they you're to submit to them for they watch for your souls as they that shall give an account and on matters where the word of god is not explicit but human judgment is implemented unless you can demonstrate that they've blatantly violated the word of god even though your judgment may differ just like a godly wife's judgment may differ from her husband you're to submit in the lord as long as you're not forced to violate your conscience though you may have to swallow your

48:02 own judgment and there's a difference between those two and some of you have mixed them up and thought every time your judgment differed that was conscience nonsense how can judgment on issues carries the day he's got a problem of conscience no you got a problem of your will being subject to the word of god that's the issue and so in our membership interview we seek to make it clear this is what's expected if the person who's being interviewed has a basic understanding of the privileges the responsibilities and the liabilities of church membership we plan to add to the present procedure once a person's interviewed a 13-week pre-membership class a membership interview in which we ascertain if they're truly converted as best we can know then they'll be approved to attend a 13-week pre-membership class in which we're going to try by the grace of god to make more certain that everyone who follows through with membership has a basic understanding of the responsibilities privileges and liabilities of church membership

Substance of the Procedure: Heart Commitment to Christ-Mandated Behavior

49:23 and that's why we're doing this to secure the second but then thirdly and finally what we as the substance of our process of examining and receiving is this we not only tend to see if there's a credible profession of faith not only seek to send those sure having them out to schools but also where there's a valid See if there's an understanding and ability to assume responsibilities, privileges, and liabilities and membership. But we make a conscious effort. Hear me now. We make a conscious effort to discern if the applicant has a heart commitment to fulfill in the strength of Christ the expected patterns of behavior expected of him in Christ. We make a conscious effort to discern if the applicant has a heart commitment to fulfill in the strength of Christ the patterns of behavior specifically mandated by Christ. That's why, again, we highlight expectation of members.

50:33 To change the imagery, this is a volunteer army.

50:38 But once you come in, the conduct expected of the soldiers is already spelled out.

50:45 Star General, the Lord Jesus. The codes of warfare are contained in his army. And the chain of command is established.

50:57 Now, you don't need to join the army. No conscription.

51:05 You have no choice about the chain of command, about the rules of warfare, about who the chief general is. That's all settled. Say, I don't like that. Go someplace then where you can run the army.

51:23 But please, don't stay around here and snipe at our heels.

51:28 What a grievous thing to have a non-member say to an elder. That he's had members come and complain about certain things going on in the church. And they've never had the guts to come to an elder and speak to face-to-face the elders. You know, some of you are very, very bold cowards.

51:48 You're bold cowards. You know why you don't come to an elder? Oh, I'm intimidated. Ah, come off it.

51:52 You're not intimidated.

51:55 I don't know a bunch of men less intimidating than this bunch of elders. We laugh with you. We pick up your kids. We let them slobber all over our jackets.

52:05 We hug you. We're not intimidating. No, what you know is that your complaint that seems to be so convincing to you and to someone not instructed in the word of God would be blasted to pieces by a knowledgeable elder. And you don't have the guts to come and make your complaint.

52:25 You say, Pastor, you're riling me. Good.

52:28 I hope you're riled enough to be man enough to come and face us with the word of God. And if we can be shown from the word of God, we're doing something we shouldn't, or we're not doing something we should. There are dozens in this place who will bear witness. We've made many, many mid-course corrections, not a few of which have been started by a member coming in a spirit of graciousness and opening the word of God with one of us elders.

52:59 Now, he ain't paid for that, amen.

53:02 That's spontaneous.

53:04 So why don't you come out from behind your screen of cowardice? Whoever you were that spoke to a non-member, you could have been a great occasion of stumbling. I hope you feel that. I hope you feel embarrassment burning in your ears.

53:17 I really do. It's cowardly, unbiblical.

53:23 You could have caused the little one who believes in Christ to stumble, and that's worse yet.

53:31 Dear people of God, we're serious about having a regenerate and converted membership. And that's why in the membership interview, we're not only attempting to discern if there's a credible profession of faith, an understanding of and an ability to assume responsibilities, privileges, and liabilities of church membership. We make a conscious effort to discern if the applicant has a hard commitment to fulfill in the strength of Christ the expected patterns of behavior that are expected of him by Christ. You who come in as singles, why do you think we take time in a membership interview to press the issue of your perspectives on dating and marriage?

54:14 Why do you think we do that? Because we've got nothing to do but muck around in your romantic life? Why do you think we do that? Because we know that it's in that area that the devil will make his most sincere effort to get you tripped up.

54:28 And if you're committing yourself to our care, we're saying we're going to help care for you in that area. And then you say, oh yes, I'm ready to take the counsel of the elders. I'm not ready to have you men tell me who I should and shouldn't marry, nor are we asking for that awesome responsibility. But surely if you begin to show romantic interest contrary to the patterns of the word of God, we have every right to do so.

54:50 We have every right and responsibility to stick our nose into your romances and to say, be not unequally yoked together with unbelievers. That's the word of God.

55:01 And we have every right when we hear of a husband who's abusing his wife with words and a wife who's intimidating her husband in any way to come and say, hey, is it true that you've got this problem in your marriage, this problem in your family? Who are you to mess around with my family? We are Christ's under shepherds. And when you committed yourself, you were saying, I embraced your oversight to help me be like Christ and obey the Bible in every area and get to heaven as holy as I can be and take as many others as I can with me.

Summary and Congregational Responsibility

55:36 You see, nobody's forcing you in. But the house rules, once you get in, the rules of the army, once you get in, they're set by another. And we're not free to set our own. Well, in summary and in conclusion then, having made the two disclaimers, stating as plainly as I know how, we have no foolish notions that we have, we have a 100% foolproof system, that there are no doubt sitting among us this morning conscious hypocrites who've come into the membership of this church with their own agenda and others who are self-deceived hypocrites.

56:11 They don't even know that the root of the matter is not in them and in time the preaching may show them, in time their own apostasy may show us all. We're fully conscious of that. We do not claim to have a foolproof system. Secondly, we don't claim that ours is the only way to do it.

56:27 But until God gives us further light, this is the best way we know how to do it. The only way we can presently do it with a good conscience in the light of the day of judgment.

56:41 And I ask you as you sit here this morning, are you glad that we have this concern? Are you glad that this is not all on the elders' shoulders? Why do you think after we've gone through all of this, we don't just receive people? Many churches do that.

56:58 But we announce the name of the person, and usually, at least a week, two, sometimes longer, is given. And we say, if any of you know of any reason why your heart cannot go out with the hand of an elder at the next communion to receive this person, please come and do that. Because in spite of all of our interview, there may be relationships that you sustain and situations in which you've observed something that has raised a question about this person's credibility. Or you may hear that we refuse someone like they refuse Paul.

57:33 And you can come along and say to the elders, look, I'm sorry for refusing that guy, but I know some things you don't know. You help us and we get back to the brother and say, look, we said no before, but we say yes now. Come on. That's congregational input.

57:50 Why do you think we do that? That's not a formal thing. That lays an onus upon you as the people of God. And if in your dealings with people, you've heard things come out of them, you say, wait a minute.

58:00 They've got a bizarre view of Christ, or they've got a kooky view of this or that or the other that would be dangerous and disruptive, we can't obviously take out a systematic theology book and question someone's theology from A to Z. We say, if you read the confession, yes. Are you in substantial agreement insofar as you understand it? Yes.

58:19 We have to be on that point because the church is the school of people entering the kindergarten. We don't expect people to come with a graduate degree in theology before they get in. That would be un-Christ-like. That would be un-biblical.

58:36 No warrant in that. But when we say this person should not be received, what we're saying is if you have anything that would substantially undermine the credibility of best repentance and faith, come and tell us anything that would indicate they need their own capacity to take on response membership. Come and tell us. So anything that indicates they're not ready to give their heart and their soul privileges and responsibilities, you come and tell us.

The Stakes: Unity, Growth, and Legacy

59:10 Apart from this, we will not go on from strength to strength in our growth, but our growth will be our death.

59:21 It must be unity in the truth. Unity.

59:25 Unity. A commitment to Christ. His ordinances. And we who are in leadership must ever remember the solemn warning of 1 Corinthians 3 and verse 10.

59:37 And with this text I close. Paul says, According to the grace of God given unto me as a wise master builder, I laid a foundation and another builds thereon. But let each man,

59:54 and in the context he's talking to each man is each Christian worker, believers in the growth of the church, in the church at Corinth, and he says, you be careful how much foundation I've laid. And I beg of you, if you have any concern for those of us who have peculiar responsibilities in the building up of this church, pray that we will have discernment, that we will have wisdom, that we will know what questions to ask. The day is going to declare whether we have been privy to building into this church wood, hay, and stubble, or gold, silver, and preciousness. And the legacy this present eldership wants to leave another generation is a church that is made up of gold, silver, and precious stone. And our procedure in examining and in receiving new members is a patent testimony to our determination to have a truly converted, genuinely converted, and truly regenerate church membership role in the Trinity Baptist Church. Have I come to you? Have I convinced you judgment?

61:09 Are you prepared to carry on that torch of responsibility?

61:15 If not, then it will only be a matter of time before believers and unbelievers are equally yoked in this place and the thing will come apart at the seams, or it will be held together by carnal glue of one sort or another. But the Holy Ghost will be gone, the special presence of Christ will be gone, the glory will be gone,

61:38 and I hope if that ever happens, I'm gone. May God have mercy on us and may we take seriously our responsibility. Let us pray. Father, we thank you for your word which is a lamp unto our feet and a light to our pathway.

62:01 We thank you for your word which is the sufficient guide for faith and practice. And Father, we plead this morning as we've sought to lay out and not to hide anything as to why we do what we do when we interview and receive people into membership. Oh God, if we are erring in anything, show us our error and give us strength to correct it. We pray, Lord, that you would have mercy upon any who in spite of all of this care have come in among us consciously, willfully, deliberately, hypocritically joining themselves to us.

62:39 Oh God, expose them, we pray. Put your fear into their hearts. Yea, Lord, save them, we pray. For others who may be unknowing, we pray, unknowingly deceived.

62:50 The root of the matter is not in them. Lord, in mercy, give them what they've already professed to have and may they have a true saving knowledge of your Son. We pray that these issues will become clear and visceral convictions to the rising generation. That the day will never come when the doors of this church will be shaped and planed and measured by carnal and expedient measurements.

63:16 That may it always be plumbed and measured and hung by the word of God. Oh God, for the glory of your name and for the good of the souls of men, may your spirit effect this in the hearts of your people. Hear our cry. Dismiss us with your blessing.

63:36 For Jesus' sake. Amen.