Some Membership Questions

A few more questions on 'church' membership.

If a member of Christ's body meets together with an assembly of other members Christ's body, is it even possible that he/she is not a member of that assembly?

Or does this question make sense? What does being a member of an assembly mean?

When someone is a member of Christ's body, and they meet together with other members of Christ body, there is no question they are all members of Christ body.

And who makes who a member? To what degree does the assembly decide who the members of Christ's body are?

Can there be more than one body? I wonder where the idea of local membership came from...

If someone is a member of a different body (if you think there is such a thing), are you permitted to view or treat them differently than if they were part of the same body you are a member of?

Is it possible that 'church membership' does harm to Christ's body?

Who is the head of the body?

Those are my questions for today...

Here's some Scripture snippets that may help... are there more?? How has the Holy Spirit guided me in this matter? How has tradition?

Romans 12:5 (New International Version)

so in Christ we who are many form one body, and each member belongs to all the others.

1 Corinthians 6:15 (New International Version)

Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ himself? Shall I then take the members of Christ and unite them with a prostitute? Never!

1 Corinthians 10:17 (New International Version)

Because there is one loaf, we, who are many, are one body, for we all partake of the one loaf.

1 Corinthians 12:12 (New International Version)

The body is a unit, though it is made up of many parts; and though all its parts are many, they form one body. So it is with Christ.

1 Corinthians 12:13 (New International Version)

For we were all baptized by one Spirit into one body—whether Jews or Greeks, slave or free—and we were all given the one Spirit to drink.

1 Corinthians 12:27 (New International Version)

Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it.

Ephesians 3:6 (New International Version)

This mystery is that through the gospel the Gentiles are heirs together with Israel, members together of one body, and sharers together in the promise in Christ Jesus.

Ephesians 4:12 (New International Version)

to prepare God's people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up

Ephesians 4:16 (New International Version)

From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work.

Ephesians 4:25 (New International Version)

Therefore each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to his neighbor, for we are all members of one body.

Ephesians 4:4 (New International Version)

There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to one hope when you were called—

Ephesians 5:23 (New International Version)

For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, his body, of which he is the Savior.

Ephesians 5:30 (New International Version)

for we are members of his body.

Colossians 1:18 (New International Version)

And he is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything he might have the supremacy.

Colossians 1:24 (New International Version)

Now I rejoice in what was suffered for you, and I fill up in my flesh what is still lacking in regard to Christ's afflictions, for the sake of his body, which is the church.

Colossians 2:19 (New International Version)

He has lost connection with the Head, from whom the whole body, supported and held together by its ligaments and sinews, grows as God causes it to grow.

Colossians 3:15 (New International Version)

Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful.

Related Posts:

• Thoughts on Membership
• I don't go to church
• Alan Knox on The Scriptural Language of membership