Can We Join the Church

The Bible doesn’t say anything about joining the church. The church had its beginning on the first Pentecost following the resurrection of Jesus. On that occasion, Peter and the rest of the apostles were moved by the Holy Spirit to preach the gospel to the Jews who had gathered in Jerusalem. Their message convicted the people of having crucified the Son of God. When these believers interrupted the sermon and asked what they needed to do, Peter replied, “Repent, and let each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins…” (Acts 2:38). In verse 41, we learn that “those who had received his word were baptized, and there were added that day about three thousand souls.” Penitent believers who were baptized were added to the Lord’s church that day. In fact, verse 47 goes on to say that “the Lord was adding to their number day by day those who were being saved.” The King James Version of the Bible translates it this way: “and the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved.”     Man cannot establish entrance requirements or initiation rites for being added to the Lord’s church. While we can join various religious denominations, we cannot join the Lord’s church. God adds to His church every penitent believer who is baptized for the forgiveness of sins. We are not voted into the church. God adds us to His church. God’s church is comprised of all who have done what God said to do in order to accept God’s grace by faith. In addition to belief, this includes repentance and baptism. Later in the New Testament, Paul spoke of how the Corinthians had come into the body of Christ. He said, “For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body, whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free, and we were all made to drink of one Spirit” (1 Cor. 12:13).     Anyone of accountable age and aptitude can become a member of God’s church. But one cannot join the Lord’s church. Only God can add a person to His church when he or she has submitted to His requirements for salvation. Why not be added to His church today and be truly numbered with the saved?

- Glen Elliott preaches for the Greenbrier church of Christ in Greenbrier, AR. He may be contacted through the congregation's website - https://www.gbcofc.com/