LBCF Chapter 26 - Ang Iglesia (The Church) (Part 7) (30-May-2021)

Adult Sunday School
Date: 30-May-2021
Title: LBCF Chapter 26 - Ang Iglesia (The Church)
Youtube: LBCF Chapter 26 - Ang Iglesia (The Church) (Part 7) (30-May-2021)
Study Series: 1689 Baptist Confession of Faith

1689 26.6 Defined church membership

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;1 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.2

- If a man is a true Christian, he will seek to join with and be committed in a local church.
- Acts 2:47, 5:14 - those who were saved were added to the church.
- Acts 9:19, 26, 28 - He strive to be associated with the disciples.
- there is no such thing as disciple of Christ who is detached from the brethren of the church.
- When a person is converted by Christ, he will be added by Christ into the church.
- it is the natural cry of a Christian to be part of the company of the redeemed.

The Characters of the members of the church
1. Defined evangelically
- they are called saints (Eph 1:4-5) practical and actual holiness.
- they listen to the voice of Christ (Jn 10:10) - Walking in holiness
- Mt 7:20 - we are to be discerning (critical judgment) in accepting members of the church. We know them by their fruit.
- the blueprint of the construction of the local church is the great commission (Matthew 28:18-20). Making disciples precedes baptism, presupposes "going", and leads to teaching.
- Baptism is an essential part of their profession which is a manifestation of their obedience to Christ.
- Obedience is not only an individual pursuit but the common pursuit both of the church scattered (weekdays in the world) and the church gathered (Lord's day in the local church.
- Acts 2:41 - Church membership is defined and definite. They know who were in and out.

2. Voluntary
- Willingly submission to the church
- it is not by forced. (Psalm 110:3)

3. Love to Christ
- we want to be members out of love to Christ.
- Commitment and submission are words ridiculed by the modern culture.
- Submission is a companion to humility.
- the church is called the church of the living God.
- some conduct themselves according to what is convenient and please to oneself.
- Some make the church as one of the convenience store of the world. But it is the body of Christ, a company of the redeemed that promotes true commitment.

- Joining the local church is a commitment to walk in the narrow way of following Christ.