"With many other words he warned them; and he pleaded with them, 'Save yourselves from this corrupt generation.' Those who accepted his message were baptized, and about three thousand were added to their number that day. They devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. Everyone was filled with awe, and many wonders and miraculous signs were done by the apostles. All the believers were together and had everything in common. Selling their posessions and goods, they gave to anyone as he had need. Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And THE LORD ADDED TO THEIR NUMBER DAILY THOSE WHO WERE BEING SAVED." (Acts 2:40-47)
I want to begin what could become a very long discussion with the question titled above. This question comes about with the problem many preterists run into - they may be denied fellowship in a congregation even though they are Christians - they may even be excommunicated. We can ask the following questions:
1) What is necessary to be saved?
2) What is necessary to be a member of a congregation?
3) What could you do to lose your salvation?
4) What could you be excommunicated for?
5) Do you have to believe the Bible is the inspired Word of God?
a) Which version of the Bible?
- KJV only? Septuigent or Masoretic O.T.?
b) Every word taken literal or figurative?
6) Must you believe in a literal 6 day creation and a literal Adam & Eve?
7) Must you believe in a universal flood?
8) Must you follow the ten commandments & The Law?
9) Must you believe in the Virgin Birth?
10) That Jesus Christ is the Messiah? Priestly & Kingly?
11) Must you believe Jesus Christ died on the cross and was resurrected physically the third day?
12) Must you believe and embrace one of the Church creeds?
13) Must you believe in present day tongues, supernatural miracles & present day prophecy?
14) Must you be a member of the "Body of Christ" and the local Church? Which Church?
15) Are there things you must believe and follow to be a member of your congregation, but are not required to be saved?
16) Who can take the Lord's supper? Can a person who is saved be denied participation in the Lord's supper.
18) Must you follow certain rules of worship? Instrumental or non-instrumental congregational singing?
19) Must you be "Born Again" & how?
20) Must you believe Jesus Christ is coming soon?
21) Must you believe in a literal Millenial Reign of Christ?
22) Must you believe in the rapture?
I could go on with this list for a very long time (what is a long time?). I bring these questions up for the following reasons:
1) When I ask people to study eschatology and in particular preterism I am often told they need not study the subject because it really isn't important.
2) My person experience with congregations:
a) As a teenager I was a member of the Evangelical Free Church in Englewood, Florida which said you are saved by "faith only" but had strict rules of membership in the congregation such as you could not drink alcohol; dance; play cards; go to movies etc. etc. etc. One Sunday a man came forward and asked to be baptized. He was told he must be voted on by the congregation for worthiness to be a member of the Church (because baptism was a requirement to be a member of the congregation - though not to be a Christian). They voted he could not be baptized and be a member of the congregation because he played a piano in a restaurant that also served wine. The man stopped attending the congregation and was later found dead in a pond. I left the congregation.
b) My mother was excommunicated from the Lutheran Church when she married my father and began attending Church with him that was not a Lutheran Church (Missouri Synod).
c) I knew a woman who was told not to come back to an American Lutheran Church because she did not have fancy clothing.
d) I know a man who was questioned by the Belgrade Church of Christ as to his belief about musical instruments in worship and because he saw nothing wrong with that and other things he was asked not to attend.
The list can go on and on. So, can you be saved (be a Christian) and not be allowed to be a member, or fellowship, with a congregation?
