THE idea is too prevalent that joining the church is the all-essential thing, that it is a kind of eternal-life insurance. But, important as such a union is to the Christian, of itself it is nothing; indeed, it may be worse than nothing. The church is designed to be a fold for the flock of Christ, and an organization for the better promulgation of the Gospel. But Christ never designed that anything should be housed in His fold that does not belong there by virtue of being His. One must be joined to Him in the sense of being recognized as His before being of any real service in the fold, or of any practical value as a missionary.
“He that is joined to the Lord is one spirit.” “Know ye not that your bodies are members of Christ?” But our bodies can not be members of Christ unless we are joined to Him in spirit. “If any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of His.” Then the essential thing in the Christian life is to be “joined unto the Lord.” When one is thus joined in spirit, he will better appreciate the benefits, the privilege, and the opportunities of church-membership. When one treats lightly these benefits, this privilege, and these opportunities, it is evident that there is lacking a full degree of union with Christ.
The Spirit of Christ is a missionary spirit, and whoever is joined to Him will be a missionary indeed. He will love and appreciate the organization formed by divine plan for the advancement of missionary work. He will love association with those who are thus united in service. He will love the assembly where Christ has promised to meet those who are joined unto Him, even if there be but two or three of them. He will love such assembly because there he5may give and receive encouragement; because there he may learn indispensable lessons of truth; and, above all, because there is to be obtained the special blessing promised to those so assembled into His name.
That being joined to Christ Himself is the essential union for the individual to effect, is fully set forth in the lesson of the vine and its branches (John 15). Christ says, “Abide in Me, and I in you.” This individual union with Him, for He further says, “I am the Vine, ye are the branches.” But there must first be the union—the vital union—of the branch with the Vine before there can be the abiding. In case of the convert to Christ, it is a grafting of the branch into the Vine. The vital reason for this individual abiding with Christ is then stated: “As the branch can not bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine, so neither can ye, except ye abide in Me.” This statement is emphasized by the further counsel, “Apart from Me ye can do nothing.”
That which should deeply impress these words upon every disciple is that true discipleship is manifested in fruit-bearing. “Herein is My Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; and so shall ye be My disciples.” So, in this manner, by abiding in Christ and bearing fruit, discipleship is established, and “he that endureth to the end, the same shall be saved.” Thus it is made clear that salvation depends upon being “joined unto the Lord.”
Note particularly that Christ says, “Except it [the branch, singular] abide in the vine,” it can not bear fruit. He does not say in the vineyard, but in the vine. The unfruitful branch may be cut off the vine and burned in the vineyard. The final doom of the backsliding branch, that does not abide in the Vine, is to be a separation from Him and a destruction by an unquenchable fire. Sheep and goats may flock together for the time being; wheat and tares may grow together until the harvest; but there will be a separation when the Master comes. He will then select for eternity the individuals who have been joined unto Him in spirit and in truth. Now, to-day, is the time to make sure this union. G.