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English Rose said:
I am just wondering then what you think of the many I know, including myself, who are isolated at home through severe illness, and never can attend any church! Are we not still part of the body? Also when I was still a member of a local church, I was still not visited, so my husband complained, when a rare visit was made and when challenged the pastor said, "If its not there, its NOT there!"
Only the Lord knoweth them that are His, and many in the body of Christ are neglected.
Rose,

The answer to your first question concerning being part of the "body of Christ", is a resounding yes. The matter at hand, however, is whether or not the "Church" is organized. The Bible's answer to that question is also an indisputable "yes". The Church is both an organism comprised of all those who profess Christ and an organization comprised of its official biblically mandated structure, e.g., Pastors, Elders, Deacons, Laity. This is the "visible" expression of the Church within which there are those who profess Christ and do and those who profess Christ and who do not.

Anyone who has been regenerated by the sovereign work of the Holy Spirit and has come to faith in Christ and united to Him is infallibly and immutably made a member of the one true Church invisible. However, on this earth, there are mitigating circumstances which may prevent a child of God from attending worship and working among other believers in the visible church. In your particular situation, you are too ill to travel to a church in your area. In other situations, there may not be a true gospel-believing, gospel-preaching/teaching, gospel-practicing church which prevents one from becoming a member. But one's membership and/or participation in a local church does not make one a member of the true church. Nor does one's inability to be active in a local church deny one's membership in the true church; the body of Christ.

Lastly, your lament over the lack of a local church's compassion and yes, duty to visit the infirm and others who are unable to attend worship is noteworthy. I too have seen this in some churches over the years. When I was younger, this was one of my passions and I regularly visited rest homes, ministered to vagrants in Gospel Missions and was very active in Prison Ministry. I found it to be very rewarding to be able to bring some joy, comfort and/or counsel to those who otherwise would rarely if ever experience it.

May the Lord indeed send someone with a compassionate heart to visit you and often and share with you the goodness of God.

In His grace,

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simul iustus et peccator

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