Radical Christianity pt. 3

Today's post in the series Radical Christianity will pertain to Church Membership: Radical Christianity point #2, Radical Commitment to the Church. I believe this is a foreign concept to many churched people and in American Christianity. The John Wayne Christian has taken America by storm and the Lone Ranger has become the model Christian. There is a dangerous mentality that is pervasive in America: You can be a Christian without involvement in the local church. I will not simply propose today that a true Christian will be a member of a local church, but also that his membership to the church will be marked by a radical commitment.

After studying the Scriptures for some time, I noticed that there are five clear commitments that Christians make with one another in the context of the local church. I guess it is even accurate to say that Christians are commanded to make these commitments to the local church. This by no means is a comprehensive list, but it shows how radical our commitment ought to be to our local churches. Here are the commitments:

Commitment to edify the church through the practice of individual gifts. Every individual is given a gift by the Holy Spirit to be used for the good of the church. Every individual needs others to practice their gifts in order to grow and be built up. The church therefore, is dependent on each other, and if the Christian separates himself from the body, he cannot grow as he ought (cf. Ephesians 4:11-16).

Commitment to purify the church through the practice of church discipline. Matthew 18 clearly defines how the church must practice church discipline. The church should not only practice this for sin, but also for false teaching. The church is called the pillar and support of the truth (1 Timothy 3:15). This is not simply a task for the pastor, but involves the whole church and therefore requires the commitment of the church to uphold these practices.

Commitment to sacrifice for the church through expressions of love. The members of the church are to have a unique and special love for one another that far exceeds that of other human relations. Here is the beauty of this love: A while back I was meditating on 3:16-17 and noticed two things. First, the verse commands us to have a unique love that parallels the love which Christ has for the church for the brethren. Second, the love we have for the brethren requires our active involvement in their lives. This command to love the brethren requires a great commitment to fulfill.

Commitment to evangelize as a church through the witness of the body. The church is also active in spreading the gospel of Christ, but not through words. The love that the church members have for one another is the greatest witness to the world that Christ lives. Jesus, speaking to specifically His chosen disciples says, "By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another" (John 13:25). The church members must be committed to being a light and testimony to the world.

Commitment to glorify Christ in the church through corporate worship. The author of Hebrews writes that the believers ought not to be"forsaking our own assembling together" (Hebrews 10:24). The church members ought to be committed to the regular assembling. This simply does not mean Church on Sundays, though it does include that. It also means all the other efforts to assemble together as a body and have worship through fellowship and bible study and prayer, kind of like the first church (Acts 2:42).

Just taking a look at these five commitments Christians make with one another in the context of the local church shows how radical the commitment is. Indeed, the world would think we're radically committed to the body. I pray this small look at the commitments within the local church has stirred you to have a greater love for the local body and that it was some sort of a catalyst to start a deeper study of the value and worth of the local body. And when in doubt if you're too committed to the body, remember that you can't love the body too much. Stay strong and God bless!

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Tim Challies recently wrote a post on this issue that I thought would be helpful.
Click here to read his article.