1 Timothy 3:15
Ps Paul Cheng
“…a commitment to the local church…”
~6 min read
Dear Bethelites,
But if I tarry long, that thou mayest know how thou oughtest to behave thyself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth. (1 Timothy 3:15)
Why should a believer become a member of the church? Why must the believer make a commitment to belong to a local church? Can the believer just remain as a visitor of the church, attend worship services regularly and not be a member? There could be all kinds of reasons why a person would not want to take up church membership. It could be because of doctrinal differences. Or some people could be thinking, “After all, Christianity is a personal relationship with God, and it is faith in Christ that is more important, not membership.” Yet others could have some negative views about membership. To them, church membership is like joining a club and they have to pay the “weekly fees” in the form of tithes and offerings, bear heavy responsibilities, be bound by church rules and regulations, and be subjected to the disciplines and instructions of the leaders. To such people, church membership is a very burdensome thing, so they would avoid making such a commitment at all cost.
On the other hand, there are others who choose to be members of the church because of certain advantages. They can have the opportunities to serve in areas where church membership is required. For example, only members can teach in the Sunday School, so if they want to be teachers, they would have to be members. Or they want to hold key positions in one of the ministries, or be entrusted with important responsibilities like the handling of funds or be sent as a missionary of the church. Others may simply just want to cast their votes and have a say on church matters at the Annual Congregational Meeting.
Are these legitimate reasons for one to take up church membership? What are our responsibilities as believers and our relationships with the local church? In the following pastoral chats, we want to focus on the importance of the church according to 1 Timothy 3:15, beginning with church membership.
Most certainly, church membership is important! The church is the primary means through which God accomplishes His plan in the world. The church is God’s ordained institution for calling the lost to Himself, and whereby God sanctifies those who are born into His family. Therefore, God not only expects but He also demands every believer to make a commitment to the local church.
In Matthew 28:19-20, Jesus commanded His disciples, Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen. The disciples obeyed His commandment and wherever they went, they established local churches, like in Ephesus, Galatia, Philippi, Thessalonica, Corinth, etc. In Revelation 2 and 3, Christ wrote to the seven churches of Asia Minor ‒ Ephesus, Smyrna, Thyatira, Pergamum, Sardis, Philadelphia and Laodicea. Those were local churches, with their own members.
I. The Church As A Family
The Apostle Paul wanted to visit Ephesus but anticipating that he might be delayed, he said to Timothy, But if I tarry long, that thou mayest know how thou ougthest to behave thyself in the house of God. The original word for house can mean the building itself, but here it is best to understand it as the household. It is not about a building but rather a family. One does not behave himself in the brick and wood that made the house; he behaves himself within the people in the house. The house of God means the family of God.
How did one become a member of God’s family? To become a member of a family, he must either be born into it or be adopted into it. Interestingly, the Bible uses both terms to describe what it means to be a Christian. Jesus said to Nicodemus, Ye must be born again (John 3:7) and how could that be made possible? Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever (1 Peter 1:23). It is the Spirit of God that uses the Word of God to regenerate our hearts that we may be born again. It is a spiritual work wrought by God Himself (cf. Ephesians 1:5, 2:8).
- The Believer’s Relationship To The Heavenly Father
All Christians are part of God’s family and they have the same heavenly Father. Every week, we are gathered to say the Lord’s Prayer as Jesus has taught us to pray, Our Father which art in heaven. All God’s children call Him by the same intimate name, our Father! Our heavenly Father is holy and if we are the children of God, then we must also be growing in holiness. If we are not, then it goes to show that we are not truly God’s children.
- The Believer’s Relationship To One Another
If we are members of the house of God, then we ought to be mindful of our spiritual relationship with one another. In 1 Timothy 5:1, the Apostle Paul told young Timothy how they ought to treat one another in the church, Rebuke not an elder, but intreat him as a father; and the younger men as brethren; The elder women as mothers; the younger as sisters, with all purity. Fathers, mothers, brothers and sisters are terms of endearment. We are all brethren in Christ.
No doubt, we may have our differences but we are a family after all. The church is the place of reconciliation and acceptance. Sadly, it is so common for people to cause strife against one another, even in the church. Bethel is not exempted from this sin of strife. Strife is always associated with personal or group rivalry, and infighting. Often, it carries the idea of building oneself up by tearing someone else down, whereby one person’s gain is derived from another person’s loss. But the question is, “Would someone do that to his own family members?” How can we provoke strife against our own brothers and sisters in Christ?
- The Believer’s Privilege
Being a member of God’s family brings tremendous privileges with it. It means we can call upon God as our heavenly Father and we can go to Him at any moment of any day with any request. We have the assurance that He will hear and answer our prayers out of His mercy and according to His own sovereign will. But it also means that we are not the only children in God’s family, for we have other spiritual brothers and sisters in Christ whom we share in fellowship, mutual encouragement and edification.
- The Believer’s Responsibility In The Local Church
Thou mayest know how thou oughtest to behave thyself in the house of God indicates that there is a certain order that must be observed in the church. Timothy was the pastor of the church and he must make sure that the believers behave themselves. The only way he could do that is firstly be an example of the believers and teach the people according to the Word of God. But Timothy was not alone; he had the elders and deacons to help him maintain order in the church.
To maintain order in the church, the members must submit themselves to the authority of the leaders whom God has set over them i.e. by listening to them and being willing to receive their teaching and counsel. However, it may not be that easy. There may be times when one may not feel like submitting himself to the leadership, or he may be unhappy with a certain decision made by the leaders, or the decision is not according to his own personal preference. But if it is not doctrinally wrong (cf. Acts 5:29) and the majority of the church approves the leader’s decision, then one must lay aside his own preferences, submit obediently and willingly to the leadership.
There may be times when one is confronted by the church leaders concerning some sins they have observed in his life. Instead of getting angry with them and leaving immediately to join another church, he should understand that God has ordained leaders to watch over his soul and it is for his own spiritual good. In such a situation, submission may not be easy but it is absolutely necessary, and it glorifies God.
No one likes to exercise church discipline, but it is absolutely necessary so that thou oughtest to behave thyself in the house of God. My friends, do you really believe that the offices of pastors, elders and deacons are ordained by God and He is sovereignly in control? If you truly believe in that, do not linger outside but come in and take up church membership so that the leaders can provide for you and your family the God-ordained spiritual oversight.
With love in Christ,
Pastor Paul Cheng
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