I don't need to...

 I cannot count the number of times someone has said to me, “I don’t need to go to church to worship God.” It has typically been said by one who preferred to fish, hunt, golf, camp, vacation etc. on Sunday morning. I have to say I knew one man who went to the deer stand and memorized scripture. That man was at church to worship week in and week out he went hunting during the week.

The above statement is true. I always ask in response, “Do you?” If we are not intent to honor God from our gratitude, our pain, our joy, our all, then do we? An honest answer is no. There are too many distractions from without and within. It’s too easy to stay at home in the bed, too easy to have a late brunch, too easy to…well you fill in the blank. Other people hold us accountable.

Another statement is, “I don’t need to go to church to be a Christian.” Again true, as Jesus guarantees your salvation and entrance into heaven. It can also be said you don’t need to live in the same house to be married. Again that is true as well. In both cases I would like to explore the nature of the relationship stated. How close do you think that man and wife are if they don’t spend time together? Living together as man and wife is where the rubber meets the road. It requires each to defer personal preferences for the common good of the relationship. If you are not living together you don’t have to do that. You can continue to be how you want and not be challenged as to who you are now or who you hope to be in the future. In both cases church attendance and marriage, failing to be there creates a vulnerability for evil to exploit.

Corrie Ten Boom, Christian and Ravensbrück death camp survivor writes:

“When a Christian shuns fellowship with other Christians, the devil smiles. When he stops studying the Bible, the devil laughs. When he stops praying, the devil shouts for joy.”

Be sure that evil will exploit your vulnerability. It is always slow and methodical. One step follows the other until you realize you are lost with no relationship to speak of except the fact you are married and/or a Christian. That is no relationship on either account.

Those statements while being true seem innocent but their practical application reveals an underlying sin problem. The same old one. We want to be God. We want to be in control. We want our cake and to eat it too. One example would be the couple who are “married” but their relationship is more like friends with “benefits” or the believer who lives how they want to everyday because they are “saved.” In both cases we might ask if there is any kind of relationship at all. The relationships lack any real intimacy. They also lack the blessing of intimacy.

I myself have at times wrestled with “why the church.” Church people can be so aggravating. Come to think of it so can spouses. You know I’m right. Why? Because they don’t act like I want them to. Did you see that? “Like I want” like I’m god or something. Come to think of it I don’t act like I want to often. An ongoing relationship with the church and a spouse can teach us to love people like they are, to love them in spite of their “problems,” just like Jesus loves. Ugh, I need my wife more than I thought and the church as God is using both to shape me into the image of Jesus here and there.

 

In HIS Service and Yours!

Bro G