Forbid Them Not
QUESTION
This question was raised in regard to a recent article we reproduced here at successfulsavior.org entitled Church Membership by Elder Michael Gowens:
“If I was given this article at 8 years old when I asked for a home in God's Church, I wonder if I would have stayed among the Primitive Baptists? It seems to me that you are asking for full grown believers instead of the babes we are told to enter as.”
ANSWER
The following is an attempt to explore that question at some length for those who might have had the same thought.
If I was given this article at 8 years old when I asked for a home in God's Church, I wonder if I would have stayed among the Primitive Baptists?
Perhaps not. I doubt that any of us would give a multi-hundred word essay to any 8 year old for any reason, let alone for the purpose of teaching them about church membership. I believe the article is written to those with reasonable adult faculties. Still, the concern you raise regarding the level of understanding required to join the church is material and we should not quickly dismiss it. I believe that Elder Gowen’s article does speak to this this matter in a couple of places which set his subsequent statements about what church members ought to believe in repose. Consider the following quotes:
“How do you know if you are ready to join the church? If the Lord has done a work of grace in your heart, then you are not only qualified for membership, but called—simply by virtue of His gift of salvation—to unite yourself to His people.” (Elder Michael Gowens)
Elder Gowen’s statement affirms that “regenerate people are qualified for and called to church membership.” Regeneracy is one thing. Comprehensive doctrinal understanding is another. Regeneracy is established by some basic aspects of the regenerate nature - the beatitudes if you will like recognition of one’s sin, a desire for spiritual things, etc. (Matt 5:2-12). These are evidences that one possesses faith, a fruit of the indwelling Holy Spirit (Galatians 5:22), and is therefore in a regenerate state. To be clear, I do not believe that child who has no profession of faith in God is a valid candidate for church membership, but I also believe there are children who are born again, who profess faith, and who show an interest in the Kingdom of God, though they may not understand much with respect to the mechanics of their eternal salvation. That said, we must recognize the distinction between regeneracy and knowledge. The former precedes the latter. To this end another quote from the article is helpful:
“Of course, from one standpoint, commitment to Christ comes first and education second.” (Elder Michael Gowens)
This statement likewise points out that to become a disciple is to become a "learner." It follows that "learners" have a lot to learn and that a full understanding of the faith is not a requirement for church membership. Indeed, if it was, then no one would qualify for church membership. Elder Gowens goes on to list out some things that are good to believe and that Christians most certainly ought to believe,
“Do you believe in the sovereignty of God in salvation? Do you rejoice to hear the message of a successful Savior who actually secured salvation for His people on the cross and finished the work of redemption? Is the message that says “salvation is of the Lord” a joyful sound in your ears? Does the message that man is hopelessly fallen in sin and cannot recover himself by his own decision or effort agree with your experience? Does your heart resonate with the proclamation that salvation is by grace alone—not of works lest any man should boast? Do you hunger for the faithful and consistent teaching and preaching of God’s word? If you can answer “yes” to these questions, then (may I be so bold as to say) you ought to unite with those who share these convictions. Now is the day of salvation; today, if you will hear his voice, harden not your heart.” (Elder Michael Gowens)
I do not understand Elder Gowens to be setting forth a list of ironclad requirements for church membership here, but rather providing examples of the sorts of things that would indicate someone’s regenerate, beatified state. Should folks believe all these things as church members? Sure. Would it be great if they affirmed them all prior to joining? Yes. But many do not. He refers to baptism as a “theological statement” and it certainly is. It is a profession that “I believe.” It is the affirmation that one’s hope is in Christ and not in self, on the basis of what Jesus has done. How the particulars of one’s understanding play out in one’s experience are greatly varied among God’s people.
Consider this: I have always believed and trusted my father. From a very young age I could sincerely profess that “I believe my father will take care of me because he has promised that he will.” That sincere profession, however, was almost entirely devoid of any meaningful understanding of the particulars of how my father would fulfill his promise. I knew nothing about how many hours he needed to work, the things he must do to stay employed, the importance of his decisions about managing limited resources to that end, or the great need that he stay healthy and out of trouble. As I’ve grown older, I’ve learned a great deal more about the mechanics of how my father fulfilled that promise. It makes me love him more, but it does not alter the fact that my original trust in him and his promise was sincere and born of love.
I believe that church membership may work in much the same way, particularly for the young who desire to join the church. The Lord said, “Suffer little children, and forbid them not, to come unto me: for of such is the kingdom of heaven.” (Matthew 19:14) As such, I believe we should be willing to affirm little children who profess to love and trust the Lord and have a desire to join with his church in baptism. Moreover, I would suggest that it is more likely that an adult would be baptized in insincerity than a young child. I cannot prove this assertion, but it is based upon many observations of adults baptized out of crass pragmatism rather than sincere conviction.
It seems to me that you are asking for full grown believers instead of the babes we are told to enter as
I can see why someone might take Elder Gowen’s article in this way. However, given the aforementioned caveats, I do not believe he is suggesting that only “full grown believers” should join the church and “babes” should not. As Elders, we are regularly concerned with instructing people in the truth and are eager to help people learn all that they can. Perhaps that urge on Elder Gowens’ part comes across in this article as insisting upon more knowledge to join the church than was intended. I cannot say. Perhaps we can ask Elder Gowens to comment on the matter and remove any speculation.
All that said, I sincerely appreciate your comment because it provides a platform to openly discuss a thought that I suspect many who read this article might share. When thinking of “babes” approaching Christ, I always come back to the Lord’s statement,
“Suffer little children, and forbid them not, to come unto me: for of such is the kingdom of heaven.” (Matthew 19:14)
I shudder at the thought that I might hinder a sincere child of God who desires to approach their Savior. I pray that this reverential fear rightly governs my practice where baptizing children is concerned.
- Elder Daniel Samons