Baptism and church membership?

[swathdiver]

SFIC seems to be preaching a universal invisible church.

 

The scriptures show us that a person gets saved, gets baptized (immediately) and gets discipled (as a member of a NT Church).

[Invicta]

24 minutes ago, swathdiver said:

SFIC seems to be preaching a universal invisible church.

 

The scriptures show us that a person gets saved, gets baptized (immediately) and gets discipled (as a member of a NT Church).

Hmm.  So somebody who makes a decision is baptised immediately and joins a church?   So you ould be baptising unbelievers? Just thinking the implications.  I suppose that is scriptural as well, as Simon was baptised in Acts 8: 9-16.  Incidentally this passage contradicts SFIC as they were baptised but had not yet received the Holy Spirit.

[HappyChristian]

At the request of the OP, I am locking this thread. But before I do...

There has been purposeful misunderstanding of the statement that began all of this. As I said in the other thread, LOCAL churches have the discretion to require or not require baptism before membership in THAT LOCAL church.  You know, that "independent" thing.

The local church IS an organized assembly of believers. MEMBERSHIP ought not be granted unless there is baptism BECAUSE that is an identification with the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ and a testimony to everyone else about the salvation of the one being baptized.

In some churches, when one is baptized they automatically become a PHYSICAL member of the church. Other churches require that the potential member join by request. Again, up to each church how they are going to handle it.

PHYSICAL membership is not the same as becoming a member of Christ's bride, i.e. salvation. 

To be doctrinally sound, we cannot conflate becoming a part of the bride (salvation) with joining a physical local church.

(Invicta, the Jailer [and his house] and the Eunuch were both baptized immediately. Yes, there might be false professions, and that is not a good thing. But baptism is the first step in obedience and to make a new convert wait until they "prove" their salvation can actually hinder their growth. And to put non-baptized people into positions of leadership within the church is foolishness on the part of the pastor.) 

And now, locking this before it turns into a verbal conflagration.