“Why Be A Member Of The Church Of Christ?”

by Micky Galloway

The gospel is still God’s remedy for the needs of a lost and dying world. Have we forgotten what the preaching of the simple truths of the gospel can do? Beginning next Sunday, men from this congregation will be preaching powerful lessons from God’s word answering the question, “Why be a member of the church of Christ?” In the midst of a world filled with denominationalism, it is important for us to know what makes the church of Christ distinctive.

Sometimes it is asked, “Why are we having another Gospel Meeting?” This is a good question and demands an answer. However, an answer offered sincerely deserves earnest consideration.

The purpose is not to try to start another denomination. These are already too numerous. Neither are we trying to proselytize people from one denomination to another. The Lord’s church is not a denomination. It is the body of saved people. Christ “is the head of the church, (being) himself the saviour of the body” (Ephesians 5:23). Christ added those who were being saved to the church (Acts 2:47).

It is our desire to help men and women see the need to be a member of Christ’s church. People often say, “One church is as good as another,” “Go to the church of your choice.” Evidently we have forgotten that Christ promised to build HIS church. “Upon this rock I will build MY church” (Matthew 16:18). It is His because He purchased it with His blood (Acts 20:28). Remember, He built only ONE, “my church” (singular). The apostle Paul declared, “for as the body is ONE, and hath many members, and all the members of the body, being many, are ONE body: so also is Christ. For in one Spirit were we all baptized into ONE body, whether Jews or Greeks, whether bond or free; and were all made to drink of one spirit … But now they are many members, but ONE BODY” (I Corinthians 12:12-13, 20; cf. Ephesians 4:4). The one body is the one church Jesus promised to build (Ephesians 1:22-23). Jesus is the Savior of “the body” (singular) (Ephesians 5:23; cf. Acts 2:47). You too, can be a member of His church.

Since the gospel is God’s power to save souls (Romans 1:16), the purpose of this meeting is to preach the gospel. Paul charged Timothy to “preach the word” (II Timothy 4:2). God’s word is the incorruptible seed which is able to save souls (Luke 8:11; I Peter 1:23). The Bible contains all of God’s revealed will to man. It is sufficient to make man everything that God wants him to be (II Timothy 3:16-17). The gospel of Christ, free from denominational bias and sectarian creeds, will be preached with love, yet “with all boldness” (Acts 4:29).

During this gospel meeting we will call upon men and women to be Christians only. “The disciples were called Christians first at Antioch” (Acts 11:26). The wearing of all human names is forbidden. The apostle Paul rebuked the Corinthians for calling themselves after Apollos, Cephas or even himself. He asked them, “Is Christ divided, was Paul crucified for you? or were ye baptized into the name of Paul?” (I Corinthians 1:12-13). Only in the name of Christ is there salvation (Acts 4:12). As one obeys the revealed plan of salvation he can be simply a Christian (Acts 26:28; I Peter 4:16). To this end we would like to persuade you.

We want to lead the lost to Christ. God wants all sinners to be saved (II Peter 3:9; Titus 2:11). “All have sinned, and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). All are in need of salvation which is in Christ. Jesus said, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life: no one cometh unto the Father, but by me” (John 14:6). We must hear, believe, and obey His commands to be saved (Matthew 28:18-20; Mark 16:15-16; Luke 24:47). This is exactly what the early Christians did and taught (Acts 10:17; Hebrews 11:6; Acts 17:30; Romans 10:10; Acts 2:38; 22:16; I Peter 3:21; Romans 6:3-4; Galatians 3:26-27). We can know we are forgiven of past sins if we will do these things.

It is our desire to edify or build up the church. Christians must “resist the devil” and “draw nigh to God” (James 2:7,8). Paul told Timothy to “hold the pattern of sound words…” (II Timothy 1:13). It is true that man has often departed from God’s way. Paul told the elders of the church in Ephesus that “from among your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away the disciples after them” (Acts 20:30). Note Paul’s admonition to Timothy, “But the Spirit saith expressly, that in later times some shall fall away from the faith…” (I Timothy 4:1). Faithfulness is required! “Wherefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labor is not vain in the Lord” (I Corinthians 15:58). “Be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee the crown of life” (Revelation 2:10). We must continue “steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine” (Acts 2:42), and “hold fast the traditions” (I Corinthians 11:2) delivered by the apostles if we are to avoid departure from God’s way. To those Ephesian elders, Paul said, “And now I commend you to God, and to the WORD OF HIS GRACE, which is able to build (you) up, and to give (you) the inheritance among all them that are sanctified” (Acts 20:32). While some pay lip service to these truths, they abandon them by substituting the divine work of the church with the social and recreational trappings of men. Christ’s church is not an organization designed for the purpose of entertainment! It is imperative that we know what the church is, how we are to worship, how the church is to be organized and what the church is to do.

Members of this local church are obligated to be here to study and learn so that we will “grow in the grace and knowledge of the Lord” (II Peter 3:18). For this meeting to be successful, we must all make plans to be “here present in the sight of God, to hear all things that have been commanded thee of the Lord” (Acts 10:33). Your presence is necessary as you “consider one another to provoke unto love and good works; not forsaking our own assembling together, as the custom of some is…” (Hebrews 10:24-25). If you believe these simple truths then come and bring someone who needs to hear them. Pray for this meeting and work toward spreading the gospel to a lost world.