Each Lord’s Day I try to write a little blurb about the importance of gathering with the saints. About 6 out of 10 Sunday posts are corrective in tone because I’m addressing the problem of those who belong to Christ while choosing to live apart from His bride and the local representation of the universal, invisible church as seen in an assembly within their community. Churches are flawed in much the same way as every other organized group which is comprised of sinners. Yet we clearly see that the quickness with which some people walk away from the local church or live with jaded hearts toward it is disproportionate to the way other flawed people groups are treated. Today I submit a verse that I believe sheds further light on why some choose to lay claim to a relationship with God while absolving themselves of any call to interaction with a local body of believers.
“Whoever isolates himself seeks his own desire; he breaks out against all sound judgment.” – Proverbs 18:1 {ESV}
“He that separateth himself seeketh his own desire, And rageth against all sound wisdom.” – Proverbs 18:1 {ASV}
“He who separates himself seeks his own desire, He quarrels against all sound wisdom.” – Proverbs 18:1 {NASB}
“A loner is out to get what he wants for himself. He opposes all sound reasoning.” – Proverbs 18:1 {GWT}
Simply put, some people prefer to be alone and in charge of their own input/outflow more than they desire to be part of something larger than them. The motivations range from fear to arrogance to indifference to bitterness…but the result is the same: a choice not to rub lives with others that share your same destiny. They choose isolation because it offers a safety that integration does not. Did you notice that the verse says that this is not a sound, reasonable, wise way to live? I have a natural maverick spirit which causes me to be suspicious and skeptical of movements, unions and crusades. I simply don’t have a strong desire to get caught up in something hollow and uber-structural. This same part of my personality also allows me a susceptibility of failure as I am prone to dismiss people as under-significant at times. Yet I am not allowed to blindly allow this part of me to override the clear teaching of Scripture which states that I am no longer my own. I have been bought out. I’m under new management and He details that I not only belong to Him… but also to others. Were it not for God’s lavish grace to me I would likely be one of those who got his eternal gift from God and left others alone completely. I would tell myself that I was staying out of their way, honoring their private decision to gather together while I employ my private choice to remain at a distant. I would never spite their gatherings but I would see no need for me to be a part of it. I would, as the Proverbs above states, seek my own desire, choose it with little sense of needing to do otherwise and then consequently do what I want for myself.
The word we are avoiding here is selfishness.
The Lord’s Day has been set aside for 2,000 years by Christians as a time of gathering for worship, prayer, togetherness and instruction. It is not only assumed in Scripture as being the norm, it is also commanded for the followers of Christ in Hebrews 10:24-25 in the context of having a focus on others, not ourselves. Yet what person wants to receive reluctant compliance to a mandate from someone they love? I suppose I write these Sunday blogs to have us all consider that there is a serious heart issue in play when those who share eternal connection with the redeeming, loving, supreme and gracious Heavenly Father have no desire to be with one another for an uninterrupted time of mutual benefit and reflection on the first day of the week. What has happened to us as God’s children?
If you read this early and would like to gather with the saints but have no place to call your home church, then please know that we at Meadow would love the chance to worship alongside of you today, to serve you, to receive your service and to draw strength from each other. Don’t stay alone so you are ensured of getting what you desire out of a Sunday. Your independent desires fall short of the Lord’s as do my own. It is also true that the results from our own desires come up short from what He otherwise offers us. Trust God to be true to His word and trust His grace to be sufficient to you. Then, give that same grace that is always changing you to others who need it desperately. The church is not perfect…
But in the end it is the only thing presently on earth that will be. Love the church by faith. Love her with all her shortcomings. Love her with her undeniable flaws. Hey, just love her the way God loves you every single day of your life.
I think staying away from church could also be considered as robbery …
Yes of course there can be times & seasons & emergencies when we just can’t get there; and yes of course we can treat the whole “must be there” attitude as legalism (pleasing men & hoping to please God along the way).
But when we COULD be there – and deliberately choose NOT to – then we should at least try and be honest in our actions, and confront ourselves with what the action implies. “I have other priorities, other desires; worshipping God, meeting with the people of God, & being taught from the word of God, isn’t that important to me”.
As a result :-
* we rob God of His moral uprightness, by showing by our actions that we think His commandments are wrong (or at least questionable, or due for an update for the 21st century)
* we rob God of His rule in our lives by saying we will not obey what He says
* we rob God of the delight He should enjoy in seeing all the “One anothers” of the New Testament being worked out in practice
* we rob God of the honour due to Him by putting other things first – which dethrones Him from first place in our lives
* we rob God of our contribution to the worship of the gathered flock
* we rob the church of our contribution to the worship of God
* we rob the church of our contribution to the life of the church, where each individually-gifted and individually-fashioned and each individually-placed member of the church has a part to play (see I Cor 12)
* we rob the church of our contribution to the mutual edification and exhortation and comfort that we need to be there to offer
* we rob ourselves of the opportunity to worship and be uplifted by the worship of the gathered church
* we rob ourselves of the opportunity to share in COMMUNION (ie sharing with others) around the Lord’s table
* we rob ourselves of the opportunity to love, and be loved by, those who would be our brothers & sisters, and to develop bonds of fellowship with them so we can help them and they can help us
* we rob ourselves of the opportunity to turn aside from all the pressures and problems and distractions of everyday, and to be reminded that we are just passing through this world on the way to glory
* we rob ourselves of the opportunity to be fed and encouraged and exhorted from the word of God by men whom God has gifted and provided for our help
* and yes I will mention Malachi 3:8 in passing!
After all, who is it that whispers ” yes of course you can skip church today … you won’t enjoy it …the preacher takes it all too seriously … you know it makes you uncomfortable … it wont help you … nobody will miss you … there’s a good film on … there’s a good game on … you’re tired … “? The same one who whispered in the garden of Eden “Hath God said…?” And since when has he been a truth-telling faithful guide to what is good?