<> Ask the Pastor The Rev. Walter Snyder A nonreligious Texan thought things would go better if went to church. So he asked the Baptists about joining. Brother Jones said, "You can join but you have to pass a test first. Where was Jesus born?" The fellow answered, "Athens." "Nope," replied the minister. "You failed the test and you can't join our church." At the Episcopal Church, Father Edmund asked the same question, and the man replied, "Paris." "Sorry," said the priest, "you failed the test and can't join our church." So the fellow went to the Lutherans. Pastor Scharnhorst repeated the question yet again. "Palestine?" guessed the man. The pastor said, "That's correct, welcome to the Lutheran Church!" "Well," said the relieved fellow, "I knew it was somewhere here in East Texas." Not only does this joke illustrate that we shouldn't take another person's Bible knowledge for granted, it also leads us to our question of the week. Q: If the Christian Church is for all believers, why do so many churches have tests or examinations before someone can join? Why not let in any person who believes in Jesus Christ? A: In part, an analysis of the above joke gives an answer. Just because someone knows something about Jesus or the Church does not necessarily make that person a believer. And even if someone believes, he or she may be carrying misinformation that needs to be corrected. From a practical standpoint, it is easier to put some form of instruction class at the beginning of one's relationship with a congregation, rather than accepting him into membership. Once someone is taken into membership, he can often slip quietly into the background for too long a time. The theological reasons should be even more important. As I said, we don't know if the person really believes in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. An instruction class allows the pastor and the person to examine his or her beliefs. If the prospective member has difficulty understanding or believing what the Christian faith teaches about the Savior, this allows the pastor an opportunity to fully proclaim the Gospel. Also, the candidate for membership may be living in unrepented sin. He may not even know that something is a sin until the topic is discussed. Or he may be trying to hold on to the sin, hoping that joining a church will give respectability to the iniquity. Merely taking that person into membership can cause him to think that all is right, and that nothing in his life needs reformation. There is also a matter of basic honesty. When you join an organization, you are giving public testimony by your action that you agree with the basic tenets of that organization, and it declares agreement with your life and beliefs. The Church does not want to put a stamp of approval upon someone who stands opposed to, or is unclear on, its teachings. Ultimately, there is also the basic problem of taking sin into the Church. Yes, all of us are sinners, but believers' sins are forgiven, and the Lord is actively working through his Word and Spirit to effect change. Scripture is full of admonitions about joining oneself or the Church to open, unrepentant sinners. Sin without should stay without until it is confessed and forgiven. Sin within should see its author expelled unless that person confesses and receives the Lord's absolution. False belief spreads throughout a church like disease or fire. Sometimes the growth is rapid, open, and dramatic; sometimes it is slow, secret, and subtle. The results are always the same: Not only is the originator of the sin caught in its consequences, so are others who have been influenced by it. For these reasons and more, the Christian Church has had a period of instruction (catechesis) from its earliest days. In no truly Christian body is this time of learning established as a barrier to keep someone from Christ. Rather, it should always be a door opening to a greater understanding of the Savior. So long for now. Remember to "Ask the Pastor" at P.O. Box 1080, Jasper, Texas, 75951 or via the Internet through xrysostom@aol.com. You can also stop me on the street for a chat. Walter Snyder is the pastor of St. Paul and Faith Lutheran Churches, Jasper and Woodville, Texas, and coauthor of "What Do Lutherans Believe? A Study Guide in Christian Teachings for Adults." Copyright (c) 1996 by Walter P. Snyder Permission is granted by author to reproduce or retransmit this by any means, provided that its content is not altered, that this notice of copyright and permission is included, and that no financial gain is realized.