In Eric Bechler's sermon on Chapter 26, Paragraph 12 of the London Baptist Confession of Faith, he emphasizes the duty of believers to join and participate actively in local churches. This involves not only the privilege of being part of a worship community but also the responsibility of submitting to church governance. Bechler outlines the biblical basis for church membership, citing New Testament examples of specific communities of believers and the apostolic instructions for gathering, edification, and mutual support. He underscores that while there are exceptions, such as missionaries in unreached areas or those with severe illnesses, most believers have the opportunity to join a church. Membership involves entering a covenant with other believers, being subject to church discipline, and actively participating in communal worship, teaching, and service. The sermon stresses the importance of love, unity, and discipline within the church, highlighting that these elements are crucial for spiritual growth and accountability.

Chapter 26 of the Church, paragraph 12. As all believers are bound to join themselves to particular churches when and where they have opportunities so to do, so all that are admitted unto the privileges of a church are also under the censures and government thereof, according to the rule of Christ. We continue in our examination of the doctrine of the church. Today we turn our focus on the responsibility of each believer to seek out and join a particular church and what that entails I'll break this down into four parts the first part as all believers are bound to join themselves to particular churches is actually repetition of what we confessed in paragraph 5, the latter part of which reads, Those thus called believers, He, Jesus, commandeth to walk together in particular societies or churches for their mutual edification and the due performance of that public worship which he hath requireth of them in the world. We also find similar thoughts from paragraph six.

The members of these churches are saints by calling and do willingly consent to walk together according to the appointment of Christ, giving up themselves to the Lord and one to another by the will of God in professed subjection to the ordinances of the gospel. We are bound to join with other believers in local churches to walk together, to willingly consent to walk together, even to the point of giving up themselves to the Lord and to one another and subjecting ourselves to God's Word and His commands. Christ wants his sheep to gather together in local churches, not loosely or casually, but with accountability, subjecting themselves to the government of the church. We look to scripture to prove this, to search for commands or examples. We find that the majority of the books in the New Testament were written to specific churches.

We have examples to the church in Rome, in Ephesus, in Corinth, Galatia, Philistia, and others. These were gatherings of believers in those specific communities, for where two or three or more gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them. Matthew 18.20. We find that these gatherings were on the Lord's Day, which was the first day of the week, the day Christ was raised from the dead. In Acts 20 verse 7, we read, Now on the first day of the week when the disciples came together to break bread, Paul, ready to depart the next day, spoke to them and continued his message until midnight.

The believers gathered together to break bread, to hear the preaching and teaching of the word. They gathered together to worship God. This is the pattern that is set before us and scripture to follow. In fact, the author of Hebrews expressly warns us of not gathering together, to not forsake the assembling of ourselves together in Hebrews 1025, Which leads to the second part of our paragraph today when and where they have opportunities so to do as Believers we should strive to gather with other believers and to join a community of faith To submit ourselves to the government of that local church. There are of course times when that's not practical.

Missionaries who are in an unreached area have no churches that they can join. However, as soon as they are two or three that can gather, a church should be established. Long-term illness or infirmity can prevent someone from gathering with other believers. Someone who has dementia could still attend until later stages of their disease at which point in time they would not be able to. There are probably other examples, but these are exceptions.

These are not the norm. For most people, there are churches nearby that they could join, and I get that there's some specific criteria in a church that we need to look for, that we need to desire. Sound Bible teaching, the doctrine, discipline, things such as this. But some get so hung up by looking for the perfect church they cannot find one. Well I'm here to tell you there are no perfect churches.

So some decide that they will just have church with only their family. And that's fine during the week. We call that family worship and you should be doing this. But on Sundays on the Lord's Day, we need to gather together with other believers to worship God and we must not forsake this. Again Hebrews 10 25.

Others may decide to worship God in their own way. I've heard some say that they worship God while they're out on a bike ride Sunday morning, or on a hike in the woods amidst nature. Bike rides and hikes are fine, but they do not replace gathering of believers on the Lord's day, nor joining of a local church. The final two parts of our paragraph focus on being a member of a local church specifically on the privileges and on the placing of yourself under the authority of its government. Why is membership so important to a local church?

First, the elders are to be held accountable for those in their flock, specifically their own flock. They need to know clearly who are those that they must watch over. On the other hand, the members of a local church must submit themselves to the authority of their elders. From Hebrews 13 to 7 we read, obey those who rule over you, be submissive, for they watch out for your souls as those who must give account. There's a distinction between visitors and members.

We welcome visitors. We enjoy worshipping with them and sharing a meal with them afterwards. But our lives are not intertwined with theirs as are the members of our church. Visitors are under no obligation to obey the elders nor the elders in a position to discipline them. Members on the other hand have covenanted with the church and the families that are part of it.

They have willingly consented to be under the government of this church. Noah Webster in Church Affairs defines a covenant as a solemn agreement between the members of a church that they will walk together according to the precepts of the gospel in brotherly affection. So what does it mean, all that are admitted unto the privileges of a church? Our church is where we gather to worship God, to hear His word preached and taught. It is where we gather to pray, to lift up our voices and praise and song.

What a privilege it is for us to gather with other believers to worship God. Furthermore, believers are called to comfort one another, 1 Thessalonians 4, 18, to pray for one another, James 5, 16, To seek unity and live in harmony with one another, Romans 12, 16. To use their gifts for the common good, for the good of the church, 1 Corinthians 12, 7. Paul calls the church in Philippi to unity through humility. Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself.

Let each of you look out not only for his own interests but also for the interests of others. Philippians 2, 3, and 4. Scripture tells us that Christ is the head of the church and that church is his body. Ephesians 1, 22, and 23, and Colossians 1, 24. As part of the body of Christ, we should love one another.

We are brothers and sisters in Christ. We are to comfort or encourage each other to edify, to build up one another just as you are also doing. First Thessalonians 5 11 and to exhort or encourage one another daily, Hebrews 3 13. Jesus tells us directly, a new commandment I give to you, that you love one another as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all will know that you are my disciples if you have love for one another." John 13, 34, and 35.

These are the blessings of being part of a local church. And finally, as being a member of a local church, we are under the censures and government of a local church and what is meant by censures. Noah Webster defines an ecclesiastical or a church censure as a sentence of condemnation or penalty inflicted on a member of a church for malconduct. Sam Waldron comments, God has commanded the church to exercise a certain authority or discipline over its members in order to bring them to the observance of all of Christ's commands. He has even given the church power to publicly censure, admonish, and ultimately expel those who impenitently or grossly violate God's commands.

It is this authority and these actions which are commonly called the discipline of the local church. And as a member of a local church you're subjecting yourself to its discipline. Paul writes to the church in Thessalonica to esteem their elders and look out for their brethren in 1st Thessalonians 5 12 through 15 and we urge you brethren to recognize those who labor among you and are over you in the Lord and admonish you and to esteem them very highly in love for their work's sake. Be at peace among yourselves. Now we exhort you, brethren, warn those who are unruly.

Comfort the faint-hearted, uphold the weak. Be patient with all. See that no one renders evil for evil to anyone, but always pursue what is good both for yourself and for all. Paul also writes to them, but we command you brethren in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ that you withdraw from every brother who walks disorderly or contrary to the rules of Christ and not according to the tradition which he received from us. 2 Thessalonians 3, 6.

And if anyone does not obey our word in this epistle, note that person and do not keep company with him, that he may be ashamed. Yet do not count him as an enemy, but admonish him as a brother." 2 Thessalonians 3, 14 and 15. Paul continues, he writes to the Corinthians, I wrote to you in my epistle not to keep company with sexually immoral people, yet I certainly did not mean with the sexually immoral people of this world or with the covetous or extortioners or idolaters. Since then, you would need to go out of the world. But now I have written to you not to keep company with anyone named a brother who is sexually immoral or covetous or an idolater or a reviler or a drunkard or an extortioner.

Not even to eat with such a person. For what have I to do with judging those who are outside? Do you not judge those who are inside? But those who are outside, God judges. Therefore put away from yourselves the evil person." 1 Corinthians 5, 9 through 13.

Matthew Henry explains here, Christians are to avoid familiar converse with all who disgrace the Christian name. Such are only fit for companions for their brethren in sin, and to such company they should be left whenever it is possible to do so. Alas, that there are many called Christians whose conversation is more dangerous than that of the heathens. The idea of discipline within the church is not so that the elders may exert their authority or oppression. It is out of love for a brother for whom the Lord loves he chastens.

Hebrews 12 6. It is from a heart that desires to restore a brother. If your brother sins, go and show him his fault in private. If he listens to you, you've won a brother. Matthew 18, 15.

We must as believers join ourselves to a local church. At Burnet Bible Church we covenant with one another and it's a solemn agreement that we make with one another to walk together according to God's Word and in brotherly affection. We become part of the same church family and as part of that we place ourselves in subjection to the discipline of the church. We don't do this because it's a good idea or a tradition. We do this because God commands it.

Amen.