The body of Christ must be directed by its head, Jesus Christ. The church receives a fullness of blessing as the Holy Spirit dwells within its members and the overflowing of the life more abundant outflows to the world, each member receiving and imparting more strength than he could hope to receive or impart alone. The command is, "Pray one for another." It is not enough that an individual pray alone by himself or for himself ; the prayers of many avail more than the prayers of one. Said Christ, "I say unto you, That if two of you shall agree on earth as touching anything that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of My Father which is in heaven. For where two or three are gathered together in My name, there am I in the midst of them." Matt. 18:19, 20. James commanded:
"Is any sick among you? let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord: and the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him. Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much." James 5:14-16.
This cannot be done when one is not connected with the body of Christ. Church membership is vital for Christian growth and spiritual power. How can the elders be called to anoint a sick person in the name of the head of the church, Christ, when the sick one refuses to be a member of the body of Christ? The injunction, "Confess your faults one to another," is to church members regarding their relations one to the other. So also is the admonition of Paul: "Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God. But exhort one another daily, while it is called Today; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin. For we are made partakers of Christ, if we hold the beginning of our confidence steadfast unto the end." Heb. 3:12-14.
How can such a command be obeyed outside the church? Where is there fellowship in solitariness and in refusing to belong to the church—the body of Christ? How can there be comfort in communing with the brethren, love for them, or bearing of one another's burdens, outside church membership? How can we join in hymns and spiritual songs, in teaching and admonishing one another, except in the church—the body of Christ?
Now if the church is so united with Christ that it is termed His "body," no Christian can afford to be without membership in that body of Christ. The Scriptures do not teach that the man outside the church is of the body of Christ. The body of Christ is always the church. How can one who professes faith in the name of Jesus, be content to be separated from His body, simply because he chooses not to be a church member? Why must the policy of the General Conference providing for the transfer of members from one church to another be so worded as to prevent members' retaining their letters of transfer? Why should there have been 2939 more members added to the churches by letter from 1930 to 1934 than were granted letters by the churches during that time, if those previously voted letters had been faithful in seeking church membership?
If salvation is worth anything, if eternal life is worth our faith, how can members fail to apply for membership in the church nearest the place they are going to live? What Bible hope of heaven have they when they choose to be separated from the body of Christ? Is partaking of the body and blood of Christ in the communion service of so little worth that we prefer to remain outside the pale of the church rather th A3. to enjoy all there is for us in fellowship and helpful service and communion in the church?
It is a serious mistake for a child of God to remain outside the church, whether through carelessness or by choice, or because of some overt sin which has not been confessed. Can such a one be sure of retaining a Bible hope of heaven? When a member has gone so far in sin that the church feels compelled to disfellowship him for his sinful action, what is his position in Heaven's sight? If the church action has been taken under the leadership of the Holy Spirit, the answer is clearly set forth in the word of God: "Let him be unto thee as a heathen man and a publican." In disciplining members who have wronged others, we have Christ's own command:
"Moreover if thy brother shall trespass against thee, go and tell him his fault between thee and him alone: if he shall hear thee, thou hast gained thy brother. But if he will not hear thee, then take with thee one or two more, that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established. And if he shall neglect to hear them, tell it unto the church: but if he neglect to hear the church, let him be unto thee as a heathen man and a publican. Verily I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever ye shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven." Matt. 18:15-18.
Great authority is vested by Christ in His church. "I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven." Matt. 16:19. "Then said Jesus to them again, Peace be unto you: as My Father hath sent Me, even so send I you. And when He had said this, He breathed on them, and saith unto them, Receive ye the Holy Ghost: whosesoever sins ye remit, they are remitted unto them; and whosesoever sins ye retain, they are retained." John 20:21-23.
Thus Christ identified Himself with His church on earth. To it He gives the authority to deal with its own members in questions of morality. One great church organization has delegated this power to one man. He is regarded as the head of that church and claims to be the vicar of Christ. God gave this authority to the church, and never authorized the church to delegate its authority to one man or to a committee. But to have the approval of Heaven, the church must be guided by the Holy Spirit. Unless the Holy Spirit leads, the church cannot expect God to approve. It should be a unit in all discipline. The presence of the Holy Spirit makes for peace and unity. When the church is divided, Satan triumphs. But a church action, taken under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, is sanctioned in heaven.
This action should not be merely a recommendation of a committee appointed by the church, but it must be the action of the church as a church, even when the recommendation so to act is worded by a committee. Now when the church speaks, led by the Holy Spirit, how can any Christian be content to remain a disfellowshiped member from the church? It becomes the most serious condition that confronts a professed Christian.
I. H. E.
