Chapter 26 - Of the Church
The Divine Mandate for Membership with a Local Church (26:6)
(1689.26.6) “The members of these churches are saints by calling, visibly manifesting and evidencing (in and by their profession and walking) their obedience unto that call of Christ;12 and do willingly consent to walk together, according to the appointment of Christ; giving up themselves to the Lord, and one to another, by the will of God, in professed subjection to the ordinances of the Gospel.13” 12 Rom. 1:7; 1 Cor. 1:2 13 Acts 2:41–42, 5:13–14; 2 Cor. 9:13
1. Local church membership of the saints by calling
a. "The members of these churches are saints by calling ..."
- There is the effectual call into the universal church, and there is the gospel call into the local church; the effectual call deals with our sonship/eternal salvation, and the gospel call deals with our discipleship/temporal salvation.
- The effectual call precedes and is independent of the gospel call; the former makes the latter possible, not inevitable; only those whom God has effectually called out of their sin and death are capable of being outwardly called by the gospel ministry out of the world into a local NT church.
- This is the gathered-church principle: only those that have been called out of the world by the gospel, i.e. saints by calling, are fit candidates for local church membership.
b. Saints by calling characterised/defined:
- They that “visibly manifesting and evidencing (in and by their profession and walking) their obedience unto that call of Christ.”
- The call of Christ here is the gospel call through the messengers of Christ, paragraph 5.
- Those who have obeyed the call of the gospel to repent and be baptized are fit candidates for membership in a local church.
- The members of local churches must be saints by calling, ie. baptized persons with a credible profession of faith, i.e. “visibly manifesting and evidencing their obedience unto that call of Christ.”
- Repentance and faith, water baptism & church membership are intimately related, Mt 28:19f . Therefore, biblical discipleship requires a believer's baptism, church membership and submission to Christ's appointed authority in the local church.
- The effectual call unites an elect to the universal church; the gospel call unites a child of God (an elect that has been effectually called) to a local church.
- Water baptism which is divorced from discipleship and church membership is patently erroneous and makes a mockery of the ordinance.
2. Local church membership is by willing consent
a. “… do willingly consent to walk together”
- in context, individual saints by calling walking together as members of a local church.
- This spells out the voluntary nature of this duty to walk in avowed subjection to the ordinances of the gospel. True discipleship is voluntary... i.e. it must never be coerced. cp. Acts 2:41-42.
b. “consent” presupposes an understanding of what membership is and involved, and the agreement with those things involved. The prospective members must be made aware of the nature and purpose of Christ’s church, the responsibilities and the privileges, etc.
c. Church membership cannot be coerced by any party; the church must be free to admit, and the saints by calling willingly consent to unite with.
3. Local church membership is by Christ’s own appointment
a. “… according to the appointment of Christ…”
- If by Christ’s own appointment, then it is a duty incumbent upon everyone who professes the name of Christ.
- In this sense, it is not voluntary; it is compulsory, a duty expected of Christ.
b. The Confession defines clearly what constitutes the appointment of Christ... positively to protect the true liberty of God's children, and negatively to remove any ground of ecclesiastical tyranny.
- Whatever is not of Christ's appointment has no jurisdiction over His people.
4. Local church membership involves these:
a. "... giving themselves up to the Lord…”
- voluntary submission and subjection of themselves to Christ. This is a prerequisite of membership in a church of Jesus Christ.
- why? He is our Lord and Saviour, and the Head of the church of which we are members of His body.
- He’s the Prophet, Priest, and King of His church.
b. “… giving up themselves one to another…” Mutual submission and subjection to fellow members of the church.
- why? We are fellow members one of another in the ONE body of Christ.
- Members are now Individuals of a covenanted community.
c. “… by the will of God…" of divine origin, not the traditions of man
- The giving up of themselves to the Lord (Jesus Christ), and to one another, in that precise order, is by the will of God (the Father). “This is My Beloved Son, be hearing Him.”
- Anything of the Lord’s appointment is always also according to the will of God; there is perfect unity and harmony between Them.
d. "... in professed subjection to the ordinances of the gospel."
- “professed subjection” is related to “willing consent” to walk together, according to the appointment of Christ.
- Don’t deny or discredit your own profession to subject to Christ and His commandments.
- Professed subjection must be evidenced by practical subjection to the gospel ordinances.
- What are the ordinances of the gospel – everything Christ has ordained to be obeyed in the gospel, besides water baptism and the Lord’s Supper.
