Often we hear this phrase in the form of a statement about those who are not members of the Lord’s church. We hear: “If we can just get them coming to church.” It is a statement that has always bothered me. I realize such a statement is made without thought. First of all, it is a misleading statement. It lends it’s emphasis to an understanding that “just coming to worship or Bible classes” is the same as “coming into the church.” Nothing could be further from the truth. Just coming to worship services is not the same as coming into the Lord’s church. There is a way to “come into [the]church.” Luke recorded: “...the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved” (Acts 2:47). The way to be added to the “church” is through the gospel plan of salvation. The last act of that plan is baptism. Baptism remits sin, washes away sin, saves the sinner; but, it is also part of becoming a member of the body of Christ, the church: “For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit” (1 Corinthians 12:13). Another problem with the statement is that it implies that “if we can just get them coming to church they will be alright.” Again, nothing could be further from the truth. One cannot sit in worship services for years and be all right. Sitting in worship services does not make one a Christian any more than sitting in a chicken house will make him a chicken. There is again the gospel plan of salvation that must be obeyed. It is true that in hearing the gospel preached, they might obey, and that is the reason we invite them to our worship services. However, the statement “coming to church” is misleading. We imply that coming to church services is the same as being “in the church,” or, worse yet, we imply that the church is only what goes on in our worship rituals. Such is a terrible misunderstanding of what the Lord’s church is. By now you probably think this is a lot of nit-picking. But think about how we have a tendency to use phrases which are absolutely misleading. To do so is almost as bad as teaching a false doctrine. The worst problem is that too many times members of the church who are participating in sins they are unwilling to give up are invited to “come to church,” and through a slow process of absorption they are accepted into fellowship by the congregation without having repented of their ongoing sin(s). There are quite a few congregations who have absorbed (fellowshipped) brethren who are living in a state of adultery or some other sin(s). From time to time brethren rebel against an eldership and fall away. Later another congregation will get them “coming to church” and eventually they are fellowshipped (absorbed) without having repented of their rebellion. Such activity on our part is as unscriptural and as misleading as any false doctrine taught by any false teacher. To allow someone to come and just sit in our presence without concern for their soul’s salvation will cause that person to die without salvation. To encourage some brother/ sister to come sit in our presence without repenting of their past rebellion (especially to allow them to remain active in their sins) is to destroy a soul with false hope. We become as guilty party to their sins as they are, perhaps moreso. God help us to stand
courageous with the truth that will help save their souls.

—John D. Cotham
Shady Valley, TN
 

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