Baptist Doctrine 1
Qualification For Church Membership
Part 1
Key Verses: Repentance: Luke 13:2-5; Jonah 3:6-9; Mark 6:12; Acts 17:30
Faith Romans 4:1-25; Gal. 3:1-14
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John the Baptist, whose ministry was “the beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ”,( Mark 1:1) preached, saying to the
people, “Repent ye; for the kingdom of Heaven is at hand” (Matthew 3:2). His was the baptism of repentance. When John was cast into prison, “Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the Gospel of the Kingdom of God, and saying, The time is fulfilled, and the Kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye and believe the Gospel”( Mark 1:14-15). When the apostles were sent forth they
“preached that men should repent” (Mark 6:12). The Lord Jesus after his resurrection said: “Thus it is written and thus
it behooved Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead the third day, and that repentance and remission of sins should be
preached in his name among all nations”
(Luke 24: 46-47). Peter on the day of Pentacost said, “Repent and be baptized everyone of you in the name Jesus Christ for the remission of sins;” (Acts 2:38),and Paul, who testified at Ephesus for three years “repentance toward God and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ” (Acts 20:21), proclaimed in Athens, “God commanded all men everywhere to repent” (Acts 17:30).
The New Testament is full of the doctrine of repentance. It is the doctrine of the Gospel. The law knows nothing of it. The language of the law is, Do and Live-not repent, that you may be pardoned. Repentance involves such a change of mind in regard to sin, is absolutely necessary to a proper appreciation of the blessings of the Kingdom of Christ. Therefore no one is a candidate for church-membership unless he has repented of sin and trusted fully in Christ for salvation.
After repentance comes faith as a necessary qualification for church-membership. Great importance in the scriptures is attached to faith in Christ, as will appear from the following passages: “He that believeth on him is not condemned” (John 3:18), “He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life” (John 3:36), “By him all that believe are justified from all things” (Acts 13:39). See also John 20:31: Mark 16:16; Romans3:25,26; and Roman 5:1.
These passages clearly show that faith in Christ is necessary for salvation/ Although faith is a gift from God
(Ephesians 2:8), it must be exercised and is that which brings the soul into vital contact with the blood of the atonement.
It unites us to Christ.
Faith in Christ- the faith which instrumentally achieves the sinner’s justification before God-is an essential qualification
for church-membership. Every penitent believer is a regenerate person and should seek church-membership. Regeneration is the
spiritual process by which we become new creatures in Christ- are Born again-Born of the Spirit-Born of God-Redeemed-Saved,
etc. etc. “Ye are all the children of God by Faith in Christ Jesus” (Galatians 3:26).
Saving Faith is receiving the Lord Jesus Christ into the heart as one’s own personal Saviour and Lord and believing that He is there. We can say again that the only suitable materials of which to construct a Church of Christ, so far as spiritual
qualifications are concerned are: regenerate, penitent and believing persons.
To be born again you must be converted. Conversion involves turning from sin, and man by nature is unable to do this
Jeremiah 13:23.
Can the Ethiopian change his skin, or the leopard his spots? then may ye also do good, that are accustomed to do evil.
Conversion involves coming to Christ
John 6:37,44,65
37 All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out.
44 No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day.
65 And he said, Therefore said I unto you, that no man can come unto me, except it were given unto him of my Father.
There is an evangelical repentance and there is also a legal repentance. Sin must be admitted-abhorred and abandoned. Repentance and faith are both gifts from God. There are three elements in “Saving Faith”.
1. Knowledge
2. Belief
3. Dependence
This can be illustrated by a shipwreck in a storm. You are on this shipwrecked craft far at sea in a terrible storm. The
ship is sinking and you know you will soon be drowning in the water if a rescue cannot be found. A large lifeboat is
let down and you are urged to get on board. The lifeboat will take you to safety. Are you going to put your dependence in it or go down with the sinking ship. This lifeboat is your only hope. Christ is your only hope of excaping Hell.
Christ is the Saviour not “a” Saviour.
Baptist Doctrine 1 Qualification For Church Membership Part 1