Hearing recently that a certain young woman was to play the organ at a church reception, I said to my informant, "Is she indeed such a person as you would desire for a church service?”
"Oh, yes!" was the reply; "Mary joined our church last week, and it is different now.”
Mary was one of those known as "the professional class," such as are reckoned among artists, musicians, and actors. She did not have the reputation among those who knew her of being the godly, sober person that one would expect to be found with those who profess to be children of God. So I determined to ask her about her church affiliation the next time I met her.
The opportunity soon came and I asked her: "Mary, I hear you have joined the church recently. Have you been saved also?”
"Oh, no! I can't say I'm saved," she answered. "When I lived in Greenville I did not like the church there, so I never joined it. But I made up my mind that if I ever came to the city I would join St. Mark's. So when I moved into town recently I became a member here.”
And that was all. There had been no realization of her condition as a sinner away from God, and consequently no sense of need of a Savior; no anxious question of, "What must I do to be saved?" No blessed message to her soul, "Thy sins be forgiven thee." No knowledge of how God justifies the sinner that comes to Him in the name of Jesus; no precious word, "Be thou clean!" No good news of salvation to one owning herself lost; no reaching forth the hand of faith to receive "the gift of God [which] is eternal life, through Jesus Christ our Lord" (Rom. 6:2323For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. (Romans 6:23)). No! none of these things. Only this: "I thought I would join St. Mark's when I moved into the city, and I did so.”
My reader, does your so-called church membership rest on such flimsy basis as that? If so, let me say to you earnestly, solemnly, and lovingly: "You are building on a sandy foundation that will not stand in the coming day." There are many today who deceive themselves by joining a church without being converted. They have thus a name to live whilst they are dead to God. (See Rev. 3:11And unto the angel of the church in Sardis write; These things saith he that hath the seven Spirits of God, and the seven stars; I know thy works, that thou hast a name that thou livest, and art dead. (Revelation 3:1)). They think themselves to be "all right" because they have "joined the church." God saves sinners who put their heart-trust in the Lord Jesus, but never promises salvation because of joining a church.
AWAKE! AWAKE, unsaved church member! God says to you: "Thou knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked." Rev. 3:1717Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked: (Revelation 3:17). AWAKE! You are going into eternity a lost soul with your name on the books of a church instead of its being written in the Lamb's book of life. AWAKE! You are going into eternity with all your sins upon you, instead of their being borne by Christ as the Lamb of God.
AWAKE! For "God commandeth all men everywhere to repent," to confess their sins to Him. Then He commands them to believe on the name of His Son, Jesus Christ. AWAKE to your terrible danger of dying in your sins. Come to the Lord Jesus Christ. Trust in Him, the Lamb of God that was crucified for sinners; and the blood of Jesus Christ, God's Son, shall cleanse you from all sin.