Three great privileges of God’s elect

'Three great privileges of God’s elect'

— Acts 2:41-42

Baptism - confessing Christ. Baptism is the believer’s public confession of faith in Christ. It is a public identification with Christ and his people. It is a public vow of our commitment to the glory of Christ. Being buried with Christ in baptism, the believer says to all the world, ‘I belong to the Lord Jesus Christ. I died with him as my Substitute, was buried with him and have been raised up again with him in life. Christ is my life. Henceforth, I live not for self, not for the world, not for Satan, but for Christ’ (Rom. 6:3-4):

Church membership - fellowship with Christ in his body. A local church is a body of believers voluntarily gathered in the name of Christ for the worship of Christ, the furtherance of the gospel and the salvation of God’s elect. The fellowship of believers in a local church is vital to our spiritual growth in the grace and knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. We need one another! (Heb. 10:24-25.) Church membership is an avowed commitment to the body of Christ (Phil. 2:1-4.) As a family, we are committed to one another. Church membership is communion with the body of Christ. I love the fellowship of God’s people, because in the fellowship of God’s people I find fellowship with my God and Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ (Matt. 18:20). Church membership is more than having your name on the same church register. It is care for the body of Christ. The true people of God truly care for one another (I Cor. 12:24-27).

The Lord’s Supper - remembering Christ. The Lord’s Supper is a symbolic remembrance of Christ. It is a public ordinance in which believers picture their redemption by the death of Christ (1 Cor. 11:23-30). Those who do not trust Christ dare not receive this, or any other ordinance. They do not discern the Lord’s body: the need of the incarnation, the righteousness performed in his body, or the sacrifice of his body. But all who trust Christ are to observe this blessed feast in remembrance of him. And we are to observe it often. It is needful for us, so long as we are in this flesh, to be frequently reminded of our Lord’s great sacrifice for our redemption.