The act of uniting with a church is not with the idea of being
_changed_ or _made better_, in ourselves, but to be placed in the right
relation. The man who is a christian ought to be united with other
christians in a congregation where he can worship according to the
Scriptures. It is one thing to become a christian, and another thing to
find and unite with a congregation of christians where the ordinances
are kept and the authority of Christ is maintained.
It is one thing to become a member of the body of Christ, or, which
is the same, enter into the kingdom of God, and another thing for
a person to unite with a local congregation. The Ethiopian officer
became a christian, or entered into the kingdom of God, or the body
of Christ, in obeying the gospel; but this did not make him a member
of any particular local congregation, where he would meet with other
christians and worship. This required an additional step. By faith,
repentance and baptism he entered into Christ, or in the body of
Christ, or became a christian. But if he has thus come into the general
body, or thus become a christian, and then united with the Baptist
church, or any other church, where he can not worship according to the
Scriptures; where they do not commemorate the sufferings and death of
Jesus regularly on the first day of the week, as the first christians
did; where they have an unauthorized name, a human creed and other
things contrary to Scripture; he has a right, and more, he ought to
seek a gospel church where he can worship according to Scripture.