Are You a Faithful Church Member?

“For by the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think with sober judgment, each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned.”--Romans 12:3
 
A few years ago, our church spent some 60 weeks studying the book of Romans. It wasn’t the deepest attempt at sequential expository ministry that has ever been done on the book. Some men have spent years preaching through it. Yet, it was greatly beneficial to the flock here.
 
By the time we reach Romans 12, Paul has laid out perhaps the strongest case in Scripture for salvation being given freely by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone. Without question, it is the fullest treatment of the subject. He’s also spent 3 chapters (for the modern reader) explaining how the nation of Israel fits into God’s plan of salvation.
 
Once you arrive at Chapter 12, there is much in the rearview mirror. I mean, Chapter 12 begins with the words, “I appeal to you therefore…” (Romans 12:1). As a Bible reader, you should always try to see what the therefore is there for. Paul is drawing on all of the theological foundation that he has laid in the first 11 chapters as he enters into this last few chapters on Christian living—or, perhaps we could refer to this as the “application section” of the sermon which is the book of Romans.
 
Just as he begins this final section of the book, however, he issues this warning before us today—"For by the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think with sober judgment, each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned.” (Romans 12:3). We all have a tendency to view ourselves in a much more positive light that we ought to. The whole lot of us has much improvement that needs to be made. And confession of guilt alone without any attempt at correction is simply not sufficient.
 
God’s plan for our day is the local church. That is to say, it is plan A—and there is no plan B. The New Testament simply will not allow for lone ranger Christianity. If you have been saved by God’s grace, it is your duty to publicly declare that through the waters of baptism and serve God in and through His church. I certainly am not implying that we ONLY serve God in the gathered assembly. Yet, even when we are scattered, we represent Christ and His Bride. We are “ambassadors for Christ” (2 Corinthians 5:20).
 
In 20 years of ministry, I’m convinced that most people consider themselves to be good church members—much the same way that we consider ourselves the best employee in our workplace or the best half of our relationship or the key player on whatever sports team we may play on. The truth is, we may not be the best employee and we may be the worst spouse on the block and we may have zero athleticism. We simply do not normally view ourselves honestly. It’s been said, “If we could buy ourselves for what we are actually worth and sell ourselves for what we think we’re worth, we’d all be rich.” And, this is normally the case even among God’s children in church.
 
First off, you simply cannot be a good church member if you are not a present church member. My great-grandfather always said, “There’s only one reason to miss church and that’s ‘just can’t get there’”.  There’s much truth in that. Paul wrote to the church at Corinth, “For the body does not consist of one member but of many. If the foot should say, ‘Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,’ that would not make it any less a part of the body. And if the ear should say, ‘Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body,’ that would not make it any less a part of the body. If the whole body were an eye, where would be the sense of hearing? If the whole body were an ear, where would be the sense of smell? But as it is, God arranged the members in the body, each one of them, as he chose. If all were a single member, where would the body be? As it is, there are many parts, yet one body.” (1 Corinthians 12:14-20). Simply speaking, if you are part of the church—if God has set you in the church—you cannot do your part while you are away. It matters not what the excuse might be (some certainly being better than others). You cannot serve God through the church while you are off doing your own thing. If you are the church member you probably think you are, you’ll be present when the church assembles if you can possibly make it.  You don’t only hurt yourself when you are absent. That’s like thinking a human body can function ok without a brain for a few days. 
 
Secondly, you need to be encouraging your fellow church members to serve the Lord. The writer of Hebrews wrote, “And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near” (Hebrews 10:24-25). Just punching the time clock at church isn’t enough. Church is not something you check off your weekly to-do list. It’s not like a restaurant you visit for a meal, only to live your life for yourself the rest of the week. The church is a body—a body that God has sovereignly placed you in—a body in which you have a purpose.  That purpose is to be discipled and to disciple others (Matthew 28:18-20, Titus 2:1-8). This isn’t optional. We have developed a culture where church members have a “consumer mentality”—that is, “what can church give me.” But we need to think more in terms of what we can do for the church. This means we must develop an attitude of service.
 
Thirdly, are you a divisive member? Paul wrote to the church at Rome, “I appeal to you, brothers, to watch out for those who cause divisions and create obstacles contrary to the doctrine that you have been taught; avoid them” (Romans 16:17). He later wrote to Titus saying, “As for a person who stirs up division, after warning him once and then twice, have nothing more to do with him, knowing that such a person is warped and sinful; he is self-condemned” (Titus 3:10). If you are acting in a way that causes division in your church, you are not a faithful church member. You should probably be formally disciplined and perhaps even excluded. If you are continually gossiping and backbiting and slandering members of your church, you certainly aren’t building the unity that we are called to have (Ephesians 4:1-16).  Listen, even if your own spouse (that happens to be a member) is the person you are continually complaining to, you’re hurting the unity of the church. A divisive church member is not a faithful church member.
 
Fourthly, are you generally supportive of the church leadership that God has placed over you? First things first—if church leadership departs from the foundational tenets of New Testament Christianity, you need to fire the current leadership and call some church leaders that will faithfully preach the Bible. That said, if you have elders that faithfully preach God’s Word, do you support them? The writer of Hebrews again wrote, “Remember your leaders, those who spoke to you the word of God. Consider the outcome of their way of life, and imitate their faith” (Hebrews 13:7). And again, “Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they are keeping watch over your souls, as those who will have to give an account. Let them do this with joy and not with groaning, for that would be of no advantage to you” (Hebrews 13:17).  If you are undermining leadership or actually opposing leadership or even if you think of yourself more highly than the eldership, you are not a faithful church member. Again, God’s plan is the local church. And, within the local church, God has placed certain men—elders—to lead the flock of God (1 Peter 5:1-3). As a member, you should follow those men as long as they faithfully proclaim God’s truth. You should be present to hear them since they are studying and preparing to preach to you—for your spiritual well-being, by the way. If you are constantly undermining them, you are simply thinking too highly of yourself.
 
Child of God, much more could be said on this subject. There are other traits that good church members should have. But, most of us can see improvement that we need to make just by considering these few points. If you are a believer in Jesus, submit to Him by serving Him through His church. There is no other way to be faithful in our day.  Considering just these few points, can you honestly say that you are a faithful church member?