Do All Followers of Jesus Become Members of the Church?

Answer: No. All who are baptized into Jesus Christ become probationary members of God’s family. “Now are we the sons of God” writes the apostle John. (1 John 3:2 NASB) However, only 144,000 are called, chosen and faithful unto death and hence, reach the goal of standing on Mt. Zion with our Lord Jesus Christ and receiving the promised reward. “Then I looked, and behold, the Lamb was standing on Mount Zion, and with Him one hundred and forty-four thousand, having His name and the name of His Father written on their foreheads.” (Rev. 14:1 NASB

The 144,000 are described in Rev. 17:14  as “called and chosen and faithful.” (NASB) They have been called by God through the Gospel message. (John 6:44) To be chosen by God, one must  “present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship.” (Rom. 12:1 NASB) If God accepts this sacrifice, then He begets them with His Holy Spirit and they become a New Creature in Christ Jesus. “Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come.” (2 Cor. 5:17 NASB) This New Creature is the new man Paul exhorts us to put on. “That ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.” (Eph. 4:24; Col. 3:10) 

To be faithful, the follower of Christ must be faithful to the Lord and obedient unto death. (Rev. 2:10) Paul expressed this in 2 Tim. 4:7,8 (NASB). “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the course, I have kept the faith; (8) in the future there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day; and not only to me, but also to all who have loved His appearing.” We must fight the good fight of faith. (1 Tim. 6:11,12) We must stand against the wiles of the adversary. (Eph. 6:10-18) We must resist the Adversary who seeks to devour us and we must overcome the spirit of the world. (1 Peter 5:8-10; John 16:33) It is our faith in God that helps us overcome the world. (1 John 5:4)

But not all who are called and chosen have sufficient faith to be faithful. Jesus explained this in the parable of the sower. “Hear then the parable of the sower.  … (20)  The one on whom seed was sown on the rocky places, this is the man who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy;  (21)  yet he has no firm root in himself, but is only temporary, and when affliction or persecution arises because of the word, immediately he falls away.  (22)  And the one on whom seed was sown among the thorns, this is the man who hears the word, and the worry of the world and the deceitfulness of wealth choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful.” (Matt. 13:18,20-22 NASB) Some fall away due to persecution. Others are led away by the spirit and the wealth of the world.

Paul expressed it best in 1 Cor. 9:27 (NASB): “I discipline my body and make it my slave, so that, after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified.” There were those in Paul’s day who fell away due to persecution and the deceitfulness of wealth. “For many walk, of whom I often told you, and now tell you even weeping, that they are enemies of the cross of Christ, (19) whose end is destruction, whose god is their appetite, and whose glory is in their shame, who set their minds on earthly things.” (Phil. 3:18,19 NASB)

For more  information, please see the related booklets and videos shown below.

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