“Don’t leave home without it!” Your trusty plastic charge card is indispensable, to hear the company tell it. You can do anything from taking your wife to lunch to vacationing in a foreign country. If you lose your card, you can get a new one and a cash advance right away. Your vacation won’t be ruined, and you won’t be stuck in the middle of nowhere. Yes, as the company says, membership has its privileges.
Membership in the Lord’s church has infinitely greater privileges. The church is God’s family, and members have the privilege of calling on Him in prayer. They have the privilege of worshiping in spirit and in truth. Wherever they go in the world, they carry with them the assurance of salvation. Should they become lost, they can confess their error to God with a repentant heart, confident that He will forgive them and restore them to His favor.
Does this sound inviting? Here’s how you “apply”: Hear God’s word until you come to a sincere confidence that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God (Romans 10:17; John 8:24). Let that faith motivate you to repent (change your mind about sin, Acts 3:19). Confess your faith (Romans 10:9-10) and be immersed in water for the forgiveness of your sins (Acts 2:38). When you comply with these conditions you will not be turned down! The Lord will add you to His church (Acts 2:47).
By the way, no one will run a credit check on you, and you will not receive a monthly bill. All who apply for membership are hopelessly in debt. That’s why they want membership – because Jesus paid the penalty for them when He died and shed His blood for them at Calvary. Through Him their debt of sin can be forgiven.
