There are many people who go through life
thinking that their relationship with God is
just fine while they have little or no
relationship with the church. The reasons they
give for staying away from the assembly range
from hypocrisy, real or imagined, to the idea
that they can just as meaningfully worship at
the fishing hole, in the garden or on the couch.
The line from the Don Williams song rings true
for them, “I don’t believe that heaven waits for
only those who congregate.” Their view of Jesus
may be that he simply wanted to spread a message
of love. They may see the church as a non-vital
body part like an appendix that they can just as
easily do without.
No one can deny that the church is an imperfect
thing. By its nature it will always be imperfect
because it is made up of imperfect people just
like the folks who criticize it for its
imperfections. But neither can one deny the
church’s rightful place and priority in the life
of the Christian if we believe what the Bible
says. The New Testament simply knows nothing of
a faithful Christian who is willfully unattached
to other Christians through corporate worship
and spiritual fellowship.
Here are just a few of the truths that the New
Testament teaches us about the church:
-
The church is the body of
Christ (Colossians 1:24). To cut yourself
off from the church is to be cut off from
the body, to be amputated. The amputated
hand is not only cut off from the arm but
also from the head, who is Christ
(Colossians 1:18). Let’s be real clear. The
amputated body part dies. So does the
amputated Christian.
-
The church is the bride of
Christ (Hebrews 12:22 with Revelation 21:9).
To leave the church is to walk out on
Christ.
-
The church is the place
where God is glorified (Ephesians 3:21). To
leave the church is to be more concerned
with what you want than what he wants.
-
The church is the household
of God (1 Timothy 3:15). To leave the church
is to leave God’s family. It is to be the
prodigal so or daughter (Luke 15:11-32). And
until we also, “come to our senses”, we’ll
be sloppin’ with the pigs.
-
The church is the possession
of God (1 Peter 2:9). To leave the church is
to strike out on your own, to be your own
man or woman, not God’s.
-
The church is the blood
bought flock of God’s sheep (Acts 20:28). To
go it on your own is to be repossessed by
the world, living outside the care of God’s
fold.
The church isn’t perfect as it exists on the
earth. We’ve already established that fact and
that’s news to no one. But it is perfect in its
design because God is its Designer. God created
it with the realization that it would be
populated by imperfect people. A few of those
imperfect people may be insincere hypocrites who
have no interest in being truly transformed. God
knows who they are. But the rest of them are
conscientious men and women who are acutely
aware of their own sin and shortcomings. They
know they are not perfect in and of themselves.
But they also know they are perfected by the One
who is. So they stay with his church. You would
do well to stay with it too. Otherwise you’ll
spend longer than you bargained for with those
hypocrites you allowed to keep you from the
church.
May God bless you
as serve him.
Brad Fry
