By J.R. Miller
It is a high attainment to be a godly church member. One must first be a godly Christian. Without this, church membership counts for nothing in the life of the person. We must always put first things first. We must be joined to Christ--before we join the church. Church membership will not save us.
But when we have taken Jesus Christ as our Savior and Lord, and have consecrated our life to him--the next privilege we enjoy--is that of uniting with his church. This involves duties which the young Christian should be ready to perform--and responsibilities which he should humbly accept.
One of these is a continuous and consistent confession of Christ. We speak of uniting with the church--as confessing Christ. It is a sacred moment, when a company of young people stand up in the presence of their friends--and make their first public confession of Christ. They have now confessed Christ before men. Their act is very beautiful. The Master, looking on this band of young Christians in these moments of their solemn commitment of themselves to him--is pleased with their consecration, and with their promise to be his and to follow him fully and forever.
This is a confession of Christ--but it is not all of the confession; it is only the beginning of it. Those who have made this public avowal have thus set themselves apart for God. They are not their own. They have taken a new master. Their confession of Christ henceforth should be continuous. "If you abide in my Word--then are you truly my disciples," said Jesus to beginners.
Indeed, it is the profession in the daily life, among unbelievers--which tests the reality and sincerity of the first confession. It is easy to stand up in the midst of a company of Christians, all sympathetic and friendly, and say, "I am a Christian!" It is not so easy, however, on the playground, in the office, in the social gathering, in the place of business, in the presence of those who are unsympathetic and unfriendly, to say, "I am a follower of Christ!" Yet this is what is expected and required, of those who have declared themselves Christians.
The daily confession need not be made always in words--but it is to be made in the life. Those who belong to Christ, must walk worthy of their Master. Their conduct, wherever they go, must be such as will please him, and meet with his approval. They must do nothing and say nothing which will bring dishonor on the name they bear. They represent Christ in the world! "As the Father has sent me, even so send I you," Jesus said to his first disciples.
A young girl was asked what it meant for her to be a Christian. She replied, "I suppose it is to do what Jesus would do--and behave as Jesus would behave--if he were a young girl and lived at our house." No better answer could have been given. The greatest duty of a Christian, is to do what Jesus would do--and to behave as he would behave--if he were precisely in our place and our circumstances. We carry in our life--the honor of Christ, and we should never fail.
There are important and specific duties which every member owes to his church. Some of these have already been indicated in another chapter of this book. One word, faithfulness, will cover them all. We often speak of people belonging to the church. The phrase is very suggestive. If we belong to the church, we owe it our best love, our best life, our best service, our best influence and help.
Nothing but the providence of God, should keep us away from the meetings of the church. Then, being present at the services is not enough. We should earnestly and heartily participate in these services. Very chilling is the influence of those worshipers, who sit in indifferent silence while joyous hymns are being sung, who keep their eyes wide open and are busy gazing over the house during the prayers, who pay no heed to Scripture lesson or sermon, and who take no interest whatever in any of the parts of worship. The ideal church member will be earnest and fervent in his devotions, and deeply interested in all the services. Enthusiasm is contagious! The influence of one warmhearted worshiper upon others in a congregation, is very great.
The social life of a church is important. There are churches which have the reputation of being cold, unsocial, and unsympathetic. Strangers come and go--but find no warmth, no human interest, no kindly welcome. No one offers them a friendly hand. Then there are churches which are known as sociable, where strangers receive hearty greetings, and are made to feel at home. The atmosphere of the meetings is full of cordiality and hospitality.
One of the duties of church membership, therefore, is to exercise the spirit of love toward all fellow members, and toward all who enter the church. Jesus said that all men should know his disciples--by their love for one another. This was wonderfully true of the first Christians, after the day of Pentecost. They had all things in common. The rich shared with the poor. The strong helped the weak. The world had never seen such love before--there had never been such love before! "Behold how these Christians love one another!" heathen men said in their amazement.
So should it be in every Christian church. The members should live together as one family. When one is glad--all should rejoice. When one is in sorrow--all should be touched with the feeling of grief. They should bear one another's burdens. Such a church is a true home for souls. The weary, the tempted, the baffled, the defeated, the sorrowing, the friendless--turn to it with hunger and yearning, as they would turn to Christ himself--if he were here.
Every member should do his part to make his church such a Christly refuge. One harsh, unsocial person--may greatly hinder the prevalence of the spirit of love and hospitality in a church. It takes the hearty help of every one, to make a church at all points; and to all who come within its doors--a place of cordial, hospitable love.
It is not necessary to go into further detail as to the particular duties of church members. They owe their church generous support, and every young Christian should begin at once to do his part in giving. The church boards are organized for the purpose of receiving money for the specific objects which they represent, and then of carrying on the branch of work which belongs to them. Every church member's privilege, is to help these various approved causes--as he may be able to do, as God prospers him.
Every well organized church has its departments, with its societies, its Sunday school, its young people's meeting, its work among the poor. No one need lack the opportunity to do something--there is a place for every kind of ministry and every kind of service. Even the youngest member can find something to do--and a chance to be trained for larger work, in years of more strength and experience.
It is not easy to be a good church member--it is not easy to be useful and helpful anywhere. It requires the denial, the obliteration, of SELF. If we are in the church to be served, to receive attention, to be helped, to get promotion, to seek office, to reap benefit in any way for ourselves--we shall fail of the blessing and good we might receive. The true Christian seeks, like the Master, not to be ministered unto--but to minister.
This means that we must be ready always to give up our own convenience, in order to do a kindness to another; to deny ourselves in any matter, that we may relieve or assist one who needs our help. It means that we must have patience with the weak and the stumbling, and be ready always to help a "fainting robin back unto his nest again." It costs to be such a church member--but no price is too great to pay for the privilege of filling well, such an honored place in the kingdom of our Master.
We need not fear about reward. Such love always yields its own reward. The reward for good serving--is more serving, more unselfish serving. We need not hope for ease as reward for sacrifice, nor for a time of self-indulgence after our time of self-denial. But the opportunity to do more and greater good--is always the best compensation for any good which we may have done.
True, there is heaven at the end--but heaven will not only be a place of rest--it will be a place of service also. Still the life will be all love, and love always serves.
