Regenerate Church Membership -- Part Two

We have seen that if Jesus insisted on Nicodemus’ being “born again” in order to enter the “kingdom of God,” we should not allow someone to “join” the visible assembly of believers unless he gives evidence of having been truly regenerated by the Holy Spirit. The holding by Baptists of this tenet of a regenerate church membership combined with the conviction that baptism is for believers only truly distinguishes us from other Christian denominations that practice infant baptism.

By our insistence on a regenerate church membership, we are not saying that we accept only perfect people. The expression in Acts 2:47 “And the Lord added to the church daily such as should [were being] saved” suggests that the process of spiritual perfection (sanctification) only begins at the moment of salvation. While we desire to open the door of membership wide to all that are truly saved, however little their faith may be, we are compelled by Scripture to guard that door against worldly professors and false teachers. A true child of God is “alive” spiritually even if he is not yet mature. Dead members don’t count!