Church Membership Should Matter to You

 By Pastor Benjamin Glaser - Posted at Thoughts From Parson Farms:

Why Christ Made the Institutional Church For His Sheep

Good Morning!

There is probably no other doctrine which is more under attack, either directly or by apathy than what the Bible teaches about the Church. Yet, while we remain on this mortal coil there is no institution that we should more deeply care for than the universal (or as the Apostles’ Creed calls it catholic) body of believers. The Church’s significance is immense and in today’s look at the Catechism we are going to talk about why. It’s form, purpose, and definition cannot be forsaken or forgotten by individual believers. All of it matters and hopefully when we are done today you’ll have a greater appreciation for why it does.

Here’s the Q/A’s to get us going:

Q. 62: What is the visible church?

A. The visible church is a society made up of all such as in all ages and places of the world do profess the true religion, and of their children.

Q. 63: What are the special privileges of the visible church?

A. The visible church hath the privilege of being under God’s special care and government; of being protected and preserved in all ages, notwithstanding the opposition of all enemies; and of enjoying the communion of saints, the ordinary means of salvation, and offers of grace by Christ to all the members of it in the ministry of the gospel, testifying, that whosoever believes in him shall be saved, and excluding none that will come unto him.

Q. 64: What is the invisible church?

A. The invisible church is the whole number of the elect, that have been, are, or shall be gathered into one under Christ the head.

Q. 65: What special benefits do the members of the invisible church enjoy by Christ?

A. The members of the invisible church by Christ enjoy union and communion with him in grace and glory.

Q. 62: What is the visible church?

A. The visible church is a society made up of all such as in all ages and places of the world do profess the true religion, and of their children.

Q. 63: What are the special privileges of the visible church?

A. The visible church hath the privilege of being under God’s special care and government; of being protected and preserved in all ages, notwithstanding the opposition of all enemies; and of enjoying the communion of saints, the ordinary means of salvation, and offers of grace by Christ to all the members of it in the ministry of the gospel, testifying, that whosoever believes in him shall be saved, and excluding none that will come unto him.

Q. 64: What is the invisible church?

A. The invisible church is the whole number of the elect, that have been, are, or shall be gathered into one under Christ the head.

Q. 65: What special benefits do the members of the invisible church enjoy by Christ?

A. The members of the invisible church by Christ enjoy union and communion with him in grace and glory.

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