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1、©2006TheCommitteeonChristianEducationoftheOrthodoxPresbyterianChurchDigitaledition,2012Unlessotherwiseindicated,allScripturequotationsarefromTheHolyBible,EnglishStandardVersion,copyright©2001byCross-wayBibles,adivisionofGoodNewsPublishers.Usedbypermis-sion.Allrightsreserved.Publis
2、hedbyandavailablefrom:TheCommitteeonChristianEducationoftheOrthodoxPresbyterianChurch607N.EastonRoad,Bldg.EWillowGrove,PA19090-2539Orderat215/830-0900orCCEsec@opc.org(tobebilled)oratopc.org/publications.html(topaybycreditcard).Alicewaslivid!Thiswasthefirsttimeshehadvisitedthischur
3、ch.“Thelasttimetoo,”shethought.ThechurchhadcelebratedtheLord’sSupper.“I’vebeenaChristianforfouryearsandthepastorhadthegalltotellmetostayawayfromCommunion,”Alicefumed.“Well,hedidn’texactlysaythat.WhathediddowasaskthosewhoarenotrightwithGodorhischurchtotakestepstogetrightbeforecomin
4、gtotheLord’sTable.HeincludedmejustbecauseI’mnotachurchmember.Howdarehe!Whatapharisee!”It’snotuncommoninourdayforsincerefollowersofChrist—likeAlice—toviewjoiningachurchasanoption.Andgiventheotheroptions—Christianbooks,recordings,videos,radiobroadcasts,TVbroadcasts,Internetresources
5、,parachurchgroups,etc.—joiningthechurchissometimeshigh,sometimeslow,onthelist—ifit’sevenonthelist!Many(likeAlice)getupsetiftheyvisitachurchthataskspeoplenottotaketheLord’sSupperuntiltheyaremembersofalocalchurch.Many(likeAlice)haveneverregardedcommittingtoacongregationtobeallthatim
6、portant—orallthatagreeable.It’susuallyagreatshocktothemwhentheyaretoldthat,historically,Christianshaveregardedjoiningachurchasessential,notoptional.IsthishistoricChristianconvictionarbitrary?Isitpharisaicallegalism?DoesGod’sWordhaveanythingtosayaboutthisquestionofchurchmembership?
7、Wethinkitsaysplenty.Infact,God’sWordsetsforthatleasttenreasonswhyeveryprofessingChristianoughttojoinalocalchurch.Let’sconsiderthem.OurLordJesusChristcommandschurchmembershipFirst,ourLordJesusChristcommandshisfollowerstojoinachurch.InMatthew16:18,Jesustellshisdisciples,“Iwillbuildm
8、ychurch.”Hepicturesthechurchasthe
