Introduction

In this article we begin our discussion of a new question under our main theme of ^“Church Membership in His Fear”. Thus far we have discussed the implications of church membership as such, emphasizing the calling of the believer with regard to the church to which he belongs. We have not mentioned directly the matter of to what church he belongs. We might, perhaps, have discussed this latter question first quite properly, although for various reasons we have left it until now. For underlying all our previous discussions has been the supposition that we did belong to some certain congregation. And underlying that supposition has been the more fundamental supposition that the church as a gathering becomes manifest in various gatherings. There is not merely an holy catholic church consisting of the gathering of the sum total of all children of God as believers individually, but the body of our Lord Jesus Christ is fundamentally a gathering; and therefore when it becomes manifest in the world, it becomes manifest in its nature of being a gathering. Wherever, then, a group of believers gathers in the name of the Lord Jesus, there you have the visible manifestation of the body of Christ as a congregation.

But that is not all.

It is also the will of Christ that this gathering of believers should become manifest as a well-ordered and organized gathering, as an institute. This latter element is also an important one in any description of the manifestation of the church on earth. Just as you can distinguish between the body and organism of a nation on the one hand, and its instituted government on the other, so we must distinguish between the spiritual organism of the church, the gathering of believers and their children, and its institute, by which it pleases Christ to gather, preserve, and govern His church in the world, and through which the church as a whole functions.

This organized and well-ordered form of the church is not a mere accident. Just as it is in principle true that the church is a gathering and therefore must become manifest as a gathering on earth, so it is in principle true that the church is an instituted church, and hence must become manifest as such on earth. While the various institutions of the church here on earth will vanish when the church is finally perfected, it must nevertheless be remembered that also in heaven there will be an instituted church, and the relation of Christ as King of His Church will remain everlastingly. And that royal position of Christ in relation to His Church is the very core of the Church as institute.

However, it has pleased Christ that His church in the world should also be instituted, that His kingly authority should become manifest in the church in the world. The exalted Lord, as He ascended up on high, led the captivity captive and gave gifts unto men; and He “gave some apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ.” Eph. 4:11-12. This truth is also implied in the admonition of the apostle Paul to the elders at Ephesus: “Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood.” Acts 20:28. And many other passages of Holy Writ might be adduced which, while they do not directly teach the institution of the church, nevertheless by their mention of the various offices presuppose this institution of the church by Christ through His apostles. And thus it was historically, that while according to the need of the early church there were special gifts and offices, such as that of tongues, prophecy, healing, evangelism, all under the guidance of the apostolic authority, the church soon appeared in the form of its permanent institution, with its so-called ordinary offices of ministers, elders, and deacons.

There can be no question about it, therefore, that the church as institute is not an invention of man, something which is non-essential and which may be lightly abolished, but that it is Christ-ordained, and that through this form He governs, defends, and preserves His church in the world.

This underlying principle is again important, of course, with respect to all that we have written previously about the activity of our church membership or its inactivity. And it simply underscores the fact that the Christian will not think lightly of his church membership. At the same time, moreover, this principle is the condemnation of all fly-by-night, crusading, revivalistic, un- and inter-denominational movements which usurp the authority and calling of the instituted church, and of those who follow and support such movements. It implies that the work of the ministry of the Word, of all mission endeavor, of theological training, and of whatever else belongs to the ministry of the Word in the wider sense, belongs to the church as institute and to no one else. And it is our calling as members of His church to recognize this and act accordingly. And to act accordingly means that we shall shun and disdain to support such movements in any way. When we do so, we do not shun the cause of Christ, but we maintain it.

However, from this principle arises another question. For the fact is that there are many churches in the world. This is true, first of all, because of the limitations of locality: it is simply impossible for all the believers and their children to be gathered in one congregation. Besides, there are differences in race, color, nationality, language,—all of which require that the church shall be manifest not in one but in many instituted congregations.

But that is not the biggest difficulty.

There are also differences between one church and another that pertain to the very essence of the church. There are matters of doctrine and confession, matters of church government and form of worship. And it is a well-known fact that these differences have multiplied instead of diminishing, especially since the period of the Reformation. Since the time when the Romish church was toppled from its all dominating position on the ecclesiastical scene, and the principle was clearly announced that the conscience of the believer could be bound by the Word of God only in last instance, so that the church was liberated from the dictates of a supposed successor of Peter, freed from the killing uniformity of a dead religion, and set at liberty from the office-denying bondage of the hierarchy,—since that time denominations of all kinds and flying under various flags have multiplied, and hundreds of confessions have been composed, adopted, and in turn denied and opposed.

Such a scene the Christian beholds in the ecclesiastical world today.

And if he does not face the concrete question, “Where must I join?” he certainly does nevertheless face the task of giving account to himself before God of his membership in the church to which he belongs. He certainly in that sense always confronts the question, “To what church must I belong?” He must always be able to account for the fact that he is here, and not there. In the wider sense, the child of God stands before this duty with regard to every existing denomination, even though in the narrower sense he stands before this calling especially with regard to those churches with which he comes into contact, and in the narrowest sense with regard to those churches in which he had his origin historically.

Hence, even if we leave out of view those who openly repudiate the Scriptures as the infallible Word of God and deny the very fundamentals of Christianity, such as the trinity, the divinity of Christ, the atonement through the blood of Christ, and the resurrection, there is still enough difference in doctrine and confession, in government and worship, to make it impossible for all these churches to live together under one roof. Often they oppose each other on such truths as sovereign predestination, irresistible grace, total depravity, infant baptism, the sacrament of communion, the second coming of. Christ. The unity of the church is by no means apparent in the manifestation of the church in the world; instead the church seems to be irreparably divided.

And what must we say about all this? What must be our attitude as members of a certain congregation and a certain denomination over against all the others? Is this membership simply a matter of individual taste and preference? Does it matter little where we are members? Does a change in membership carry with it no responsibility? Is there any standard upon which I can base my decision and choice?

Before this question the believer must certainly stand all the days of his life as member of a certain congregation. And it may not remain merely a question for him. Standing before the question, he must also give and be able to give a firm and clear answer. And it is only when he sees the vital issue involved in his membership that he will ever be faithful in his life as member of the church.