Why Church Membership Is Important- Part 1 (Nehemiah 10:1-31)

What this episode covers

Although, on the surface, it might appear that the Western mindset is commitment-phobic, most people recognize the value of making an agreement to keep their most important goals. There are a few successful apps like GymPact and Beeminder that penalize you with a fine when you fail to keep your goals. In the case of Gympact they take the pool of money and distribute it among those who kept their commitment to go to the gym. It doesn’t know what you did once you were there, but it at least knows that you went. Now, I don’t think anyone has quit their day job in order to become Gympact sharks, but my point is that we tend to recognize the importance of making commitments to the things that we most value. The Israelites had just confessed the repeated rebellion of their ancestors that was passed on to them. What could they do to break the cycle? Ultimately, it was God’s covenant faithfulness that gave them the strength and courage to recommit themselves to his commandments. In this passage, they seal their commitment in writing and in the company of the whole community. This chapter reflects the principles of membership in the covenant community. While it is not identical to the practice of church membership, I believe the “general equity” (universal principles of justice) contained in the judicial laws of the old covenant demand our adherence today (WCF 19.4). Whatever is grounded in the moral law, and not specific to the nation of Israel, is applicable to us—and our neighbors—even now. Since it is appropriate to confess our own repeated rebellion, likewise, it is appropriate to respond with our own renewed commitment to God’s revealed will. Church membership acknowledges our need for accountability due to our tendency to veer from God’s moral prescription. Read Nehemiah 10:1-31. Church Membership Reveals a Commitment to Adopt God’s Convictions (1-29) The first verse contains the names of the civil leaders, Nehemiah and Zedekiah. They are followed by a list of 21 priests (1-8). Many have wondered why there is no mention of Ezra. 15 of these names represent families, of which Ezra belongs to the first, Seraiah. All of this is consistent with the covenant operating in terms of family and tribal units. Out of the 17 Levites listed in vv.9-13, 6 of them were readers whose names are found in Neh. 8:7. So these most likely represent assistants to the priests. They carried a certain level of religious leadership themselves. Finally, there were 44 chiefs (14-27). Some listed already in Neh. 7:8-25. These may have been the same “heads of their father’s houses” who had gathered with Ezra to study the law of God further (Neh. 8:13). The total list of 84 names contains the select number of those who sealed the agreement. These representatives sealed their names on behalf of their clans and families, but everyone else joined the sealers in taking the curse and oath upon themselves (28-29). The Covenant Community No one who belongs to a covenant household is excluded from the covenant community. Not only did all of them benefit from God’s providential care, but they also recognized their own obligation to submit under the authority of God’s Word. To separate from the pagan nations was to join the covenant community. They could not have one foot in the church and one in the world. If you are not joined to the church, by default you are joined to the world. There are no biblical grounds for being in the covenant community without making a formal commitment to her. God’s Convictions Must Replace Our Own Commitment to the covenant community begins with a replacement. We replace our personal convictions—which have been informed by our sinful nature and the corrupt cultural air that we breathe—with the convictions of God’s revealed will. We replace our inhibitions to offend men with inhibitions to offend God. That being said, I get the reluctance of some to take this step of faith. There is a curse a

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