Page 73 - Ecclesiology revised short_Neat

composed of those who acknowledged (believed) that Jesus Christ was the Messiah, the Son of the
Living God. It was upon this confession that Christ would build his church.

It is clear that for a person to become a part of the church, that person must have experienced salvation
through faith in the finished work of Christ on the cross. He must be a born-again believer! When
churches set up the rules to become a member of their local body, this generally is the first and most
important criteria. If a person is not a believer, then spiritually he is not a member of the universal
church and, therefore, should not be a member of the local church.

2 Cor 6:14-15 Do not be yoked together with unbelievers. For what do righteousness and wickedness
have in common? Or what fellowship can light have with darkness? 15What harmony is there between
Christ and Belial? Or what does a believer have in common with an unbeliever?

Therefore, for the local church to require a clear testimony of faith before becoming a member of their
local church is certainly justified and in harmony with the Word of God.

Some local churches require that the person who wants to become a member must not only give a
testimony of faith in Christ but must also be baptized. Is this required by the Bible?

On the day of Pentecost, Peter preached a sermon to all those who observed the event. There must
have been several thousand people listening to his sermon. After hearing the gospel and being
convicted of sin, here is what Peter said to the crowd when they asked, “What shall we do?”

Acts 2:38 Peter replied, Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of
Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy
Spirit.

John Macarthur in his notes on this verse comments, “…for the forgiveness of sin.
This might better be translated “because of the forgiveness of sins.” Baptism does
not produce forgiveness and cleansing from sin. The reality of forgiveness
precedes the rite of baptism.” xxxix

However, in this verse, faith resulted in forgiveness of sins and an immediate response to proclaiming
faith by the act of baptism. As the narration continues, many of those who heard Peter responded to his
message, trusted Christ as Savior, and were immediately baptized. It was a symbol of their genuine
faith in Christ; and act of obedience and a willingness to openly confess Him as Lord. As these new
believers were baptized, they were saying that they were saved.

Acts 2:41 Those who accepted his message were baptized, and about three thousand were added to
their number that day.

Wow! Three thousand believed and were baptized and were added to the church. Notice that the
Scriptures does not say “a large crowd” believed and were baptized, but the actual number of those
who were saved is recorded. In Acts 1:15, there were 120 members of the church. In this passage, the
church added 3,000, and again added 5,000 more (4:4). Daily, people were responding to the Gospel of
Grace, and daily people were added to the church (2:47). Because the actual numbers were recorded,

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