Reading 1 of 4
Read this before the Meaningful Membership class. Look up the key Bible passages, reflect at your own pace, and bring your questions. The final page gives you space to write; you may keep personal reflections private.
Key Bible passages Ephesians 2:1-10; Romans 3:21-26
Ephesians 2:1-10 ShowHide the passage
And you were dead in the trespasses and sins in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience—among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the flesh and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind. But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved—and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.
Romans 3:21-26 ShowHide the passage
But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law, although the Law and the Prophets bear witness to it—the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction: for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith. This was to show God’s righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins. It was to show his righteousness at the present time, so that he might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.
Welcome to Meaningful Membership at Christchurch Miami. Before we talk about our church, our denomination, our leaders, our ministries, or anything we may ask of members, we begin with Jesus Christ.
Church membership does not save us. Baptism does not save us. Serving, giving, family heritage, religious activity, and moral effort do not reconcile us to God. Our hope rests entirely on Jesus. So before asking, “Do I want to join Christchurch Miami?” We begin with a more important question: “Whose am I, and in whom am I trusting?”
Our prayer is that this pathway will help you experience grace, find community, and discover purpose. But grace comes first, because everything else grows from what God has done for us in Christ.
God made us for Himself
Read Genesis 1:26-27; Isaiah 43:7; Revelation 4:11
Genesis 1:26-27 ShowHide the passage
Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.” So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.
Isaiah 43:7 ShowHide the passage
everyone who is called by my name, whom I created for my glory, whom I formed and made.”
Revelation 4:11 ShowHide the passage
“Worthy are you, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they existed and were created.”
The Bible begins with God. He created all things, and He made human beings in His image. That gives every person dignity and worth. We were made to know God, reflect His character, enjoy His goodness, and live for His glory.
The deepest, most foundational truth about your life is not your job, your success, your failure, your family, or what other people say about you. You were created by God and for God. You belong to Him.
Sin separates us from God
Read Romans 3:10-12, 23; Romans 6:23
Romans 3:10-12, 23 ShowHide the passage
as it is written: “None is righteous, no, not one; no one understands; no one seeks for God. All have turned aside; together they have become worthless; no one does good, not even one.”
Romans 6:23 ShowHide the passage
For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Sin is more than making occasional mistakes. It is our refusal to trust, love, and obey God as He deserves. We have loved created things more than the Creator and placed ourselves at the center of our lives - our own selfish wants, desires and overall self-centeredness.
Because God is holy and just, sin brings real guilt and judgment. Our problem is not simply that we need better habits, or that we need to try harder to be better people. We need radical forgiveness, reconciliation, and new life.
Grace does what we cannot
Ephesians 2 says we were dead in our trespasses and sins. Dead people do not rescue themselves. Then come two of the most hope-filled words in Scripture: “But God.” Because of His great love, God made us alive with Christ.
Grace means God reaches out to people who cannot rescue themselves or earn His favor. Salvation is not God rewarding the impressive. It is God rescuing the helpless.
Jesus accomplished our salvation
Read John 1:1-14; 1 Corinthians 15:3-4; 2 Corinthians 5:21
John 1:1-14 ShowHide the passage
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. In him was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. He came as a witness, to bear witness about the light, that all might believe through him. He was not the light, but came to bear witness about the light. The true light, which gives light to everyone, was coming into the world. He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world did not know him. He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him. But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God. And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.
1 Corinthians 15:3-4 ShowHide the passage
For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures,
2 Corinthians 5:21 ShowHide the passage
For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.
Jesus Christ is truly God and truly man. He lived the life of perfect obedience we have not lived. At the cross He willingly bore the judgment sinners deserve. He truly died, was buried, and rose bodily from the grave.
On the cross Jesus said, “It is finished.” The gospel is not advice about how to save yourself. It is good news announcing what Christ has accomplished for sinners.
We receive Christ by faith
Read Mark 1:14-15; Ephesians 2:8-10
Mark 1:14-15 ShowHide the passage
Now after John was arrested, Jesus came into Galilee, proclaiming the gospel of God, and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.”
Ephesians 2:8-10 ShowHide the passage
For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.
Faith means receiving and resting on Jesus Christ alone for salvation. We are saved by grace through faith, not because of work. Good works are not the root of salvation; they are its fruit.
A Christian is not someone who has become perfect. A Christian is someone who has repented of his sins (repentance means turning from sin toward God), been united to Christ, forgiven by grace, given the Holy Spirit, and turned toward a new direction of life.
Grace forms a people
The gospel does not merely reconcile isolated individuals to God. Jesus gathers a people. Ephesians 2 moves from “made alive” to “one new humanity” and “members of God’s household.” Grace brings us home to God and gives us a family of brothers and sisters the world over.
That is why membership begins with Christ and naturally moves toward His Church. We do not join to become Christians. Because we belong to Christ, we learn to belong to His people.
Before you move on
As you finish this reading, do not rush past the central question: Have you received Christ as your Savior, and are you trusting in Him alone for your salvation? If you believe but have questions, tell us. If you are still trying to understand, tell us. If you want to speak privately with a pastor or elder, we would be honored to listen. You do not need to perform for us. This is a place to experience
grace.
Scripture quotations are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.