What Does the Bible Say About Joining Church?

Ephesians 4:16 ESV / 20 helpful votes

From whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love.

1 John 1:7 ESV / 14 helpful votes

But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin.

Acts 6:3 ESV / 13 helpful votes

Therefore, brothers, pick out from among you seven men of good repute, full of the Spirit and of wisdom, whom we will appoint to this duty.

John 18:36 ESV / 12 helpful votes

Jesus answered, “My kingdom is not of this world. If my kingdom were of this world, my servants would have been fighting, that I might not be delivered over to the Jews. But my kingdom is not from the world.”

1 John 1:3-4 ESV / 10 helpful votes

That which we have seen and heard we proclaim also to you, so that you too may have fellowship with us; and indeed our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ. And we are writing these things so that our joy may be complete.

Romans 14:17 ESV / 9 helpful votes

For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking but of righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.

1 Corinthians 14:33 ESV / 8 helpful votes

For God is not a God of confusion but of peace. As in all the churches of the saints,

2 Corinthians 13:5 ESV / 7 helpful votes

Examine yourselves, to see whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Or do you not realize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?—unless indeed you fail to meet the test!

Acts 19:1-41 ESV / 7 helpful votes

And it happened that while Apollos was at Corinth, Paul passed through the inland country and came to Ephesus. There he found some disciples. And he said to them, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?” And they said, “No, we have not even heard that there is a Holy Spirit.” And he said, “Into what then were you baptized?” They said, “Into John's baptism.” And Paul said, “John baptized with the baptism of repentance, telling the people to believe in the one who was to come after him, that is, Jesus.” On hearing this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. ...

2 John 1:9-11 ESV / 5 helpful votes

Everyone who goes on ahead and does not abide in the teaching of Christ, does not have God. Whoever abides in the teaching has both the Father and the Son. If anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching, do not receive him into your house or give him any greeting, for whoever greets him takes part in his wicked works.

John 16:13 ESV / 5 helpful votes

When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come.

Jude 1:3 ESV / 4 helpful votes

Beloved, although I was very eager to write to you about our common salvation, I found it necessary to write appealing to you to contend for the faith that was once for all delivered to the saints.

1 Corinthians 12:13 ESV / 4 helpful votes

For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—Jews or Greeks, slaves or free—and all were made to drink of one Spirit.

John 3:3 ESV / 4 helpful votes

Jesus answered him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.”

Hebrews 13:8 ESV / 3 helpful votes

Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.

Romans 8:9 ESV / 3 helpful votes

You, however, are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if in fact the Spirit of God dwells in you. Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him.

John 6:26-27 ESV / 3 helpful votes

Jesus answered them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, you are seeking me, not because you saw signs, but because you ate your fill of the loaves. Do not work for the food that perishes, but for the food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give to you. For on him God the Father has set his seal.”

John 6:1-71 ESV / 3 helpful votes

After this Jesus went away to the other side of the Sea of Galilee, which is the Sea of Tiberias. And a large crowd was following him, because they saw the signs that he was doing on the sick. Jesus went up on the mountain, and there he sat down with his disciples. Now the Passover, the feast of the Jews, was at hand. Lifting up his eyes, then, and seeing that a large crowd was coming toward him, Jesus said to Philip, “Where are we to buy bread, so that these people may eat?” ...

Matthew 26:28 ESV / 3 helpful votes

For this is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.

Matthew 24:24 ESV / 3 helpful votes

For false christs and false prophets will arise and perform great signs and wonders, so as to lead astray, if possible, even the elect.

Malachi 4:5-6 ESV / 3 helpful votes

“Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the great and awesome day of the Lord comes. And he will turn the hearts of fathers to their children and the hearts of children to their fathers, lest I come and strike the land with a decree of utter destruction.”

Jeremiah 29:11 ESV / 3 helpful votes

For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.

Hebrews 9:16-18 ESV / 2 helpful votes

For where a will is involved, the death of the one who made it must be established. For a will takes effect only at death, since it is not in force as long as the one who made it is alive. Therefore not even the first covenant was inaugurated without blood.

Acts 4:1-37 ESV / 2 helpful votes

And as they were speaking to the people, the priests and the captain of the temple and the Sadducees came upon them, greatly annoyed because they were teaching the people and proclaiming in Jesus the resurrection from the dead. And they arrested them and put them in custody until the next day, for it was already evening. But many of those who had heard the word believed, and the number of the men came to about five thousand. On the next day their rulers and elders and scribes gathered together in Jerusalem, ...

John 12:20 ESV / 2 helpful votes

Now among those who went up to worship at the feast were some Greeks.

John 5:19 ESV / 2 helpful votes

So Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of his own accord, but only what he sees the Father doing. For whatever the Father does, that the Son does likewise.

John 4:24 ESV / 2 helpful votes

God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.”

John 4:1-54 ESV / 2 helpful votes

Now when Jesus learned that the Pharisees had heard that Jesus was making and baptizing more disciples than John (although Jesus himself did not baptize, but only his disciples), he left Judea and departed again for Galilee. And he had to pass through Samaria. So he came to a town of Samaria called Sychar, near the field that Jacob had given to his son Joseph. ...

Luke 19:10 ESV / 2 helpful votes

For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.”

Mark 16:16 ESV / 2 helpful votes

Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned.

Matthew 21:28-32 ESV / 2 helpful votes

“What do you think? A man had two sons. And he went to the first and said, ‘Son, go and work in the vineyard today.’ And he answered, ‘I will not,’ but afterward he changed his mind and went. And he went to the other son and said the same. And he answered, ‘I go, sir,’ but did not go. Which of the two did the will of his father?” They said, “The first.” Jesus said to them, “Truly, I say to you, the tax collectors and the prostitutes go into the kingdom of God before you. For John came to you in the way of righteousness, and you did not believe him, but the tax collectors and the prostitutes believed him. And even when you saw it, you did not afterward change your minds and believe him.

Matthew 7:15-20 ESV / 2 helpful votes

“Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves. You will recognize them by their fruits. Are grapes gathered from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? So, every healthy tree bears good fruit, but the diseased tree bears bad fruit. A healthy tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a diseased tree bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. ...

Malachi 3:6 ESV / 2 helpful votes

“For I the Lord do not change; therefore you, O children of Jacob, are not consumed.

Joel 2:25 ESV / 2 helpful votes

I will restore to you the years that the swarming locust has eaten, the hopper, the destroyer, and the cutter, my great army, which I sent among you.

Jeremiah 6:16 ESV / 2 helpful votes

Thus says the Lord: “Stand by the roads, and look, and ask for the ancient paths, where the good way is; and walk in it, and find rest for your souls. But they said, ‘We will not walk in it.’

Song of Solomon 3:1-11 ESV / 2 helpful votes

On my bed by night I sought him whom my soul loves; I sought him, but found him not. I will rise now and go about the city, in the streets and in the squares; I will seek him whom my soul loves. I sought him, but found him not. The watchmen found me as they went about in the city. “Have you seen him whom my soul loves?” Scarcely had I passed them when I found him whom my soul loves. I held him, and would not let him go until I had brought him into my mother's house, and into the chamber of her who conceived me. I adjure you, O daughters of Jerusalem, by the gazelles or the does of the field, that you not stir up or awaken love until it pleases. ...

Proverbs 16:25 ESV / 2 helpful votes

There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way to death.

Psalm 103:3 ESV / 2 helpful votes

Who forgives all your iniquity, who heals all your diseases,

Deuteronomy 18:20-22 ESV / 2 helpful votes

But the prophet who presumes to speak a word in my name that I have not commanded him to speak, or who speaks in the name of other gods, that same prophet shall die.’ And if you say in your heart, ‘How may we know the word that the Lord has not spoken?’— when a prophet speaks in the name of the Lord, if the word does not come to pass or come true, that is a word that the Lord has not spoken; the prophet has spoken it presumptuously. You need not be afraid of him.

39 Bible Verses about Joining Church

Ephesians 4:16 ESV / 20 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

1 John 1:7 ESV / 14 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Acts 6:3 ESV / 13 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

John 18:36 ESV / 12 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

1 John 1:3-4 ESV / 10 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Romans 14:17 ESV / 9 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

1 Corinthians 14:33 ESV / 8 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

2 Corinthians 13:5 ESV / 7 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Acts 19:1-41 ESV / 7 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

2 John 1:9-11 ESV / 5 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

John 16:13 ESV / 5 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Jude 1:3 ESV / 4 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

1 Corinthians 12:13 ESV / 4 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

John 3:3 ESV / 4 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Hebrews 13:8 ESV / 3 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Romans 8:9 ESV / 3 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

John 6:26-27 ESV / 3 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

John 6:1-71 ESV / 3 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Matthew 26:28 ESV / 3 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Matthew 24:24 ESV / 3 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Malachi 4:5-6 ESV / 3 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Jeremiah 29:11 ESV / 3 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Hebrews 9:16-18 ESV / 2 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Acts 4:1-37 ESV / 2 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

John 12:20 ESV / 2 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

John 5:19 ESV / 2 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

John 4:24 ESV / 2 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

John 4:1-54 ESV / 2 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Luke 19:10 ESV / 2 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Mark 16:16 ESV / 2 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Matthew 21:28-32 ESV / 2 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Matthew 7:15-20 ESV / 2 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Malachi 3:6 ESV / 2 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Joel 2:25 ESV / 2 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Jeremiah 6:16 ESV / 2 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Song of Solomon 3:1-11 ESV / 2 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Proverbs 16:25 ESV / 2 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Psalm 103:3 ESV / 2 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Deuteronomy 18:20-22 ESV / 2 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

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