# Requirements for the visible church



## steadfast7 (Nov 26, 2009)

I have a Christian friend who still believes in Christ firmly, but has become very disillusioned from his pentecostalism, and is beginning to explore other branches of Christianity, without any real plan to seek membership or communion with them, as yet. Is he still a part of the visible church?

1. What do you think are the requirements for being in the visible church?

- Church membership
- Confessional adherence
- sacramental participation
- all of the above?

2. What about evangelical Christians from the "free-church" tradition, who do not use creeds and confessions? Are they in the visible church?

thanks.


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## Scott1 (Nov 26, 2009)

> Westminster Confession of Faith
> Chapter XXV
> Of the Church
> 
> ...



As to question #2, yes, people who belong to communions that do not have much formally particularized doctrine or any written creeds or confessions of faith can be members of the visible church.

Remember, the visible church is composed of people, who at that moment, are both believers and nonbelievers. That is the distinction between it and the invisible church, which is the spiritual church God alone sees.

But, they in the visible church must "confess" something, even if it is minimal essentials of the faith, and even if it is not written down.

They may be in sin, whether by ignorance or knowing rebellion against some of the truths of God, but it is God alone who makes them a member of the invisible church and then the visible church flows from association and identification with that.

It would be sin to operate in such a way as to deny that (the association of and identification with others whom God has redeemed). So, for example, not "going to church" for extended periods would be sin, and over very long periods would tend to prove out that the person is not saved in the first place. That's only a tendency, one that God has commended judgment to the visible church to determine, but not something we can with absolute certainty know.

It would be like claiming to be fish but refusing to have any identification, ever, with water.


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## Herald (Nov 26, 2009)

Dennis,



> 1689 LBC 26.2
> 
> All persons throughout the world, professing the faith of the gospel, and obedience unto God by Christ according unto it, not destroying their own profession by any errors everting the foundation, or unholiness of conversation, are and may be called visible saints; and of such ought all particular congregations to be constituted.



Has your friend professed faith and displayed the evidence of such in his life? He may be going through a crisis at present, but I would counsel you to encourage him to find a church that preaches Christ faithfully. The longer a person remains separated from the body of Christ, the more harm and difficulty they bring upon themselves. 

As far as creeds and confessions, they do not grant entrance into the body of Christ, nor do they qualify a person as a visible saint. Baptism is a sign of the thing signified, and is accepted as the visible entrance of the individual into the church, but baptism does not confer salvation. It is an act of obedience that all believers are commanded to submit to. Refusal to be baptized may be an indicator that a profession is not real.


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## steadfast7 (Nov 27, 2009)

but isn't the visible church only visible because of its embodiment within the local church?

If someone does not hold communion or membership within a local church, in what sense is he a part of the visible church? Or, can visibility be demonstrated through something like "we see him praying and reading his bible." ?


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## Rich Koster (Nov 27, 2009)

In the workplace and marketplace I have "suspected" people are part of the visible church. I get this suspicion by the way one talks or conducts business. After engaging in conversation, I confirmed my suspicions. You might say that one can carry this "confession" without ever spelling it out in a neat little business card type handout. They will confirm it when asked.


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## Scott1 (Nov 28, 2009)

steadfast7 said:


> but isn't the visible church only visible because of its embodiment within the local church?
> 
> If someone does not hold communion or membership within a local church, in what sense is he a part of the visible church? Or, can visibility be demonstrated through something like "we see him praying and reading his bible." ?



If I'm understanding your question, being a member of the Body of Christ is not the same thing as worshipping corporately or even being in biblical fellowship.

The former is something God alone does, the latter is a matter of sin.


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