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A Christian’s Responsibilities to the Local Church

A Christian’s Responsibilities to the Local Church. The Fact of Local Membership. Local Church Membership. 1 Cor. 12:12-13

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A Christian’s Responsibilities to the Local Church

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  1. A Christian’s Responsibilities to the Local Church The Fact of Local Membership

  2. Local Church Membership • 1 Cor. 12:12-13 • “For as the body is one and has many members, but all the members of that one body, being many, are one body, so also is Christ. For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body — whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free — and have all been made to drink into one Spirit.” • The body is one, and has many members • Paul uses this illustration over 30 times!

  3. Local Church Membership • Saved are added by God to the church, Acts 2:38-47 • The spiritual body of saved people, world-wide • Local membership? • Rom. 12:4-5, functioning, active members in a local body • No part of the human body can function alone • The analogy stands only if there is unity of many parts!

  4. Local Church Membership • N.T. teaching on local membership, Acts 9:26-28 • Saul already a Christian, Acts 9:1-18 • Saul already added by God to church, Acts 2:47 • So whyjoin himself to disciples? Acts 9:26 • Because he needed to be part of a local church • Scriptures teach that God requires saved individuals to do certain things together with other saved members

  5. Local Church Activities • Sing, Eph. 5:19 • Pray, Acts 12:5ff • Teach, Acts 2:42 • Lord’s Supper, Acts 20:7 • Give financially, 1 Cor. 16:1-2 • All done in a local assembly, Heb. 10:23-25

  6. Church Discipline:Proof of Local Membership • Matthew 18 shows the church was told of sins of impenitent brother • 1 Cor. 5:4 shows the place for withdrawal is “when you are gathered together.” • Conclusion? • Membership in a body of believers is necessary • Withdrawal is Divine punishment that removes it!

  7. Local Church Cooperation • Ephesians 4:15-16 “but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head—Christ— from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love.” • “Whole body”? = local church • “Every joint”? = individual members

  8. Submission to Elders • Hebrews 13:7, 17 “Remember those who rule over you, who have spoken the word of God to you, whose faith follow, considering the outcome of their conduct. . . . Obey those who rule over you, and be submissive, for they watch out for your souls, as those who must give account. Let them do so with joy and not with grief, for that would be unprofitable for you.” • There are those who rule over us, v. 7 • There are those we must obey and submit to, v. 17 • There are those charged with watching out for our souls!

  9. The Sin of Selfishness • Cannot claim to be a faithful Christian with the attitude of: • “I don’t care about anyone else!” • “I don’t need anyone else!” • “I can function effectively by myself and without others!” • The “Christian-at-large” concept is rooted in either ignorance or selfishness!

  10. Conclusion • We must always associate ourselves with a local congregation of Christians • Christ will be with us always when we do His will, Matt.28:20 • May God help us to do what is right for Him and His church!

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