What are the Criteria for Church Membership? Observable Fruit In discerning who is a genuine believer, the most reliable criteria for which we can look is the fruit of godly character and actions. Why demand such fruit? Because Jesus advises us to do so. - Beware of the false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly are ravenous wolves. You will know them by their fruits. Grapes are not gathered from thorn bushes nor figs from thistles, are they? So every good tree bears good fruit, but the bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot produce bad fruit, nor can a bad tree produce good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. So then, you will know them by their fruits (Matt 7:15-20).
- Cf. also John 15:1-11; Gal 5:22-23; James 2:14-26; 2Peter 1:4-11; 1John 3:10.
Because other criteria are unreliable. - Emotions ebb. Expressiveness in worship can be merely external. Clarity in talking about spiritual things has been achieved by the unconverted. Being entrusted with responsibilities or positions at church does not necessarily imply godliness. And the use of apparently spiritual gifts can be fatally deceptive (Matt 7:21-23).
- Increasing conformity to God's character is the only sure yardstick with which to measure the genuineness of Christian confession.
|
