Q48-50. What Is Required of Those Joining the Church

Qu. 48 What is required of them who desire to join themselves to the Church?

An. (1) That they be free from blame and offence in the world. (2) That they be instructed in the saving truths and mysteries of the Gospel. (3) Sound in the faith. (4) That the Lord having called them to faith, repentance, and newness of life by Jesus Christ, they give up themselves to be saved by him, and to obey him in all things; and therefore (5) are willing and ready through his grace, to walk in subjection to all his commands, and in the observation of all his laws and institutions, notwithstanding any difficulties, oppositions, or persecutions which they meet withal. (1) 1 Philippians 10, chapter 2:15; 1 Corinthians 10:32; 1 Thessalonians 2:11, 12; Titus 2:10. (2) John 6:15; Acts 26:18; 1 Peter 2:9; 2 Corinthians 4:3, 4, 6. (3) 1 Timothy 1:19, 20; 2 Timothy 4:3, 4; Titus 1:13; Jude 3. (4) Ephesians 4:20, 21, 22, 23, 24. (5) 2 Corinthians 8:5.

Qu. 49. What is the duty of the elders of the Church, towards persons desiring to be admitted to the fellowship of the Church?

An. (1) To discern and judge by the rule of truth applied in love, between sincere professors and hypocritical pretenders. (2) To instruct, direct, comfort, and encourage in the way, such as they judge to love the Lord Jesus in sincerity. (3) To propose and recommend them to the whole Church, with prayers and supplications to God for them. (4) To admit them being approved into the order and fellowship of the Gospel in the Church. Acts 8:20, 23; Titus 1:10; Revelation 2:2; Jeremiah 15:19; Acts 18:26; 1 Thessalonians 2:7, 8, 11; Acts 9:29, 27; Romans 14:1.

Qu. 50 What is the duty of the whole Church in reference to such persons?

An. To consider them in love and meekness, according as their condition is known, reported, or testified to them, to approve of, and rejoice in the grace of God in them, and to receive them in love without dissimulation (1 Corinthians 13).

Explication.

What in general is required to the fitting of any persons to be members of a visible Church of Christ, was before declared, and that is, that which the Lord Jesus has made the indispensable condition of entering into his Kingdom, namely of being born again (John 3:33). This work being secret, hidden, and invisible, the Church cannot judge of directly and in its own form or nature, but in the means, effects, and consequents of it, which are to be testified to it concerning them who are to be admitted to its fellowship and communion; it is required therefore of them,

First, that they be of a conversation free from blame in the world; for whereas one end of the gathering of Churches is to hold forth, and express the holiness of the doctrine of Christ, and the power of his grace in turning men from all ungodliness to sobriety, righteousness and honesty, it is required of them that are admitted into them, that they answer this end. And this the principle of grace which is communicated to them that believe, will effect and produce. For although it does not follow that every one who has attained an unblameable honesty in this world, is inwardly quickened with a true principle of saving grace, yet it does, that they who are endowed with that principle, will be so unblameable. And although they may on other accounts be evil spoken of, yet their good conversation in Christ will justify itself.

Secondly, competent knowledge in the mysteries of the Gospel, is another means whereby the great qualification inquired after is testified to the Church. For as without this no privilege of the Gospel can be profitably made use of, nor any duty of it be rightly performed, so saving light is of the essence of conversion and does inseparably accompany it (2 Corinthians 4:6): "God who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, has shined in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God, in the face of Jesus Christ." Where this is wanting, it is impossible for any person to evidence that he is delivered from that blindness, darkness, and ignorance, which all men are under the power of in the state of nature. Such a measure then of light and knowledge, as whereby men are enabled to apprehend aright of the person and offices of Christ, of the nature of his mediation, the benefits thereof, and the obedience that he requires at the hands of his disciples, is expected in them who desire to be admitted into the fellowship of the Church.

Thirdly, hereunto is to be added, soundness in the faith. For the unity of faith is the foundation of love and all the duties thereof, which in an especial manner are to be performed towards the Church, called therefore the household of faith. There is among the members of the Church one faith (Ephesians 4:5): the common faith, the faith once delivered to the saints (Jude 3), which is the sound doctrine (1 Timothy 1:10), which those that will not endure, must be turned from (2 Timothy 4:3); the faithful word that is to be held fast (Titus 1:9; 1 Timothy 1:19), and which we are to be sound in (Titus 1:13), contained in a form of sound words, as to the profession of it (2 Timothy 1:13). And this soundness in the unity of the faith, as it should be improved to oneness of mind, and oneness of accord, in all the things of God (Philippians 2:2), though it may admit of some different apprehensions in some things, wherein some may have more clear and distinct discoveries of the mind and will of God than others, which hinders not, but that all may walk according to the same rule (Philippians 3:15, 16), so it is principally to be regarded in the fundamental truths of the Gospel, in and by the faith whereof the Church holds on the head Jesus Christ (Colossians 2:19), and in the fundamental principles of Gospel worship, the joint celebration whereof is the next end of the gathering the Church; for without a consent of mind and accord herein, no duty can be performed to edification, nor the peace of the Church be preserved; and these principles are those which we have explained.

Fourthly, it is required that these things be testified by them to the Church, with the acknowledgement of the work of God's grace towards them, and their resolution through the power of the same grace to cleave to the Lord Christ with full purpose of heart, and to live in all holy obedience to him. They come to the Church, as disciples of Christ professing that they have learnt the truth as it is in Jesus, which what it infers the Apostle teaches at large (Ephesians 4:20, 21, 22, 23, 24; see also Acts 11:23; Acts 8:21, 22, 23). And this by themselves to be testified to the Church.

First, that they may be received in love without dissimulation, as real partakers in the same faith, hope and salvation with themselves, as living members of the mystical body of Christ.

Secondly, that on all ensuing occasions, they may be minded of their own profession and engagements, to stir them up thereby to faithfulness, steadfastness, and perseverance. Hereupon are the elders of the Church to judge by the rule of truth in love and meekness concerning their condition, and meetness to be laid as living stones in the house of God; so as that they may,

(1.) Reject false hypocritical pretenders if in or by any means their hypocrisy be discovered to them (Acts 8:20, 23; Titus 1:10; Jeremiah 15:19).

(2.) That they may direct, and encourage in the way, such as appear to be sincere, instructing them principally in the nature of the way whereinto they are engaging, the duties, dangers, and benefits of it (Acts 18:26; Acts 14:22; 1 Corinthians 3:22, 23).

(3.) To propose them, their conditions, their desires, their resolutions, to the Church after their own expressions of them, to be considered of in love and meekness (Acts 9:26, 27), whereupon those that are approved, do give up themselves to the Lord, to walk in the observation of all his commands and ordinances, and to the Church for the Lord's sake (2 Corinthians 8:5), abiding in the fellowship thereof, whereunto they are admitted (Acts 2:41, 42).