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“The Privileges Of Membership”
The Privileges Of Membership
David Boren
American Express has the slogan: “Don’t leave home without it!” The company is suggesting that membership has its privileges. With it, you can do anything from grab a bite to eat or go on a family vacation; and, if you were to lose your card while on vacation, you could get a new card and even a cash advance, so that your vacation will not be interrupted. It is certainly a comfort to know that you won’t be stranded in the middle of nowhere.
Now, brethren, membership in the Lord’s church has even greater privileges. We have the privilege of calling upon God our Father in prayer, and cast all our cares “upon Him” (1 Peter 5:7), knowing that “His ears are open to” our prayers (1 Peter 3:10-12). We have the privilege of worshiping Him “in spirit and truth” (John 4:24) because through His beloved Son, we have “grace and truth” (John 1:17). We don’t have to wonder or guess or think up how we are going to serve Him, or worship Him; He “has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue” (2 Peter 1:3). We have the privilege of knowing that wherever we are, wherever we go, we can carry with us the blessed hope of eternal salvation (Hebrews 10:22-23). For those who are on vacation or about to go on vacation, it is a privilege to know that there are faithful, sound congregations of the Lord’s church in many locations, usually within a short distance of where we plan to go on vacation. It is a privilege and beautiful thing to be in different locations, with different people, and still be able to worship the same God together, in the same way (e.g. “in spirit and truth”). It is a privilege to know that should we find ourselves drifting away from God (through sin), and realize that, at that very moment, we are lost; that we can come to God with a penitent heart, confess our sin(s), and know that He is loving and merciful, and that He will forgive us of our sins (1 John 1:5-2:2). It is a privilege to know that we can be restored to His good favor (Jude 20-21).
Friends, if this sounds good to you, here is all you need to know in order to apply:
a. Study the Bible, specifically the New Testament (as the Old Testament has been fulfilled,
Matthew 5:17; Luke 24:44; Galatians 3:24-25; Hebrews 10:9-10; and has been nailed to the cross,
Colossians 2:14), until you are convinced that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God
(John 8:24; 20:30-31).
b. Upon believing in Jesus as Lord and Christ, confess and repent of your sins (turn away from
those sins, change your destiny by changing your direction; 2 Corinthians 7:10;Luke 13:3, 5; Acts 17:30).
c. Having repented of your sins, confess your faith in Jesus as the Christ, the Son of the living
God (cf. Matthew 16:16; John 11:27; Acts 8:37).
d. Once you have confessed your faith in Christ, be baptized “in the name of the Father and of
the Son and of the Holy Spirit” (Matthew 28:19) “for the remission of sins” (Acts 2:38).
After you have done these things, the Lord Himself will add you to His church (Acts 2:47); and you will have, at that very moment, the blessed hope of eternal salvation (cf. 1 Peter 1:3-5; Romans 8:24-25).
An added privilege: no one will run a credit check on you. All who come to God, through Christ, come hopelessly in debt. That’s why people want membership – because Jesus paid the debt that we could never pay! He paid the penalty for our sins when He died upon the cross of Calvary. As Paul said, so every member of the Lord’s church says: “Thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ” (1 Corinthians 15:57). In Christ, your debt of sin can be forgiven!
If you haven’t done so already, please apply for membership today!
To God Be The Glory Both Now And Forever!
