I was thinking about this article and the importance of church fellowship
Some stray thoughts...
Why is Church still important?
First, while we try to reach the "community", it is believers who gather as the Church
Second, the Church is the instrument of God active in the world today to bring people to salvation (1 Tim. 3:15)
Third, God commands we gather. Neglecting fellowship is never spoken well of in Scripture (Heb. 10:25)
Fourth, growth in our individual faith is contingent upon meeting regularly with other people in the faith (Rom 1:11-12; Heb 10:25)
Fifth, we have a responsibility towards other believers to build them up (Eph. 4:12-16; 1 Cor. 12)
Sixth, it testifies to our faith in the final future, ultimate gathering of all the Church to be with our Lord Jesus Christ (1 Thess. 4:13-17)
One of the complaints in this article was that people didn't see church as "relevant" to them. That is interesting, considering that if we watch the Church today we would observe that she has tried extremely hard to become as "relevant" as she can to the unbeliever. Anything going on in his life she has strived to imitate hoping to become attractive to him. His environment has been studied and duplicated. His interests, likes, and ideas have been recreated by her. Maybe now he will see how great she is.
But in doing this, the Church has sacrificed her distinction.
By trying so hard to become like the world the world now looks at the church and sees there is no difference between itself and her. Why join her? Her attempt to win the world has left her won over. With all of his problems, his hopelessness and with his satisfaction in worldly things, the unbeliever now finds the Church with nothing new or different.
Looking through her windows he sees a Jesus who is much like the Red Cross, a psychologist, or a life coach. "I can get that elsewhere" is what he should say. Social action programs and causes are a dime a dozen and almost every one is important. But that which separates the Church out from all other "causes" is being stuffed away. The world has programs to solve the problems of this world, but, only the Church has been given the program to save the problem of men's souls. But, the Gospel is getting diluted, maimed, twisted, deleted, covered over, re-defined, or otherwise confused by the Church - not the world!
What that means then is that the power of the Church is nearly gone, purged by her own forsaking of it (Rom. 1:16; 2 Tim. 3:5). The hope of eternal life is being traded for the hope of a worldly life. This cannot be! It is the Church who is the only - the only - voice of God's truth of salvation in this world.
If She is silent, none will speak.
That which must be heralded must not be hushed. What must be said must not go down in silence. What must be announced must not be arrested. What must be declared must not become dumb. Leave not the rooftops, the hills, the street-corners nor any other earthly pulpit unoccupied if the Gospel is for real. There is none but the Bride, the Body of Christ in this world to proclaim the glory and truth of Her Head.
If we trade in our distinction we have nothing to offer that can't be found elsewhere in the world.
And, if it can be found elsewhere in the world, why would they go to church for it? Standing like the statue of liberty with arm up high, the Church must uphold that one thing that makes her distinct from the world: the truth of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Where else can they find it?
"I am the way the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father but through Me." -John 14:6
"You shall know the truth and the truth shall set you free." -John 8:32
"The Church of the living God [is] the pillar and foundation of the truth." -1 Timothy 3:15
"We [Christians] belong to the truth." 1 John 3:19
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