We Christians are human, yes I know, that's a total revelation, worthy to have its own chapter in the bible (I tried to make a joke and now I realize that the fact that we humans is in genesis chapter 2). And as we are humans, humans are also animals, pack animals, social animals to be precise. We christians often look upon the Lord as the only thing we need. Give us a bible, and a place to pray and many will say that's all we need. Even if the Jesus teaches us that God is a very important thing in our lives, he also teaches us how God wants us in community. God wishes for us to congregate and worship, whether is in a tent in the middle of the dessert (Exodus 36:8-39:43) or in a Church built on solid rock (Matthew 16:18). Weather it is 2 people alone (Matthew 18:20) or in Church (Jesus goes and preach at the synagogues: Luke 4:16).
Now, Alright you say, "I will go every sunday to church (Sigh...) If I have to, I'll be there" But I think that that's not what Jesus, and ultimately God wants us to do. God has made it REAL Clear that there's nothing that he dislikes more than fake faith, fake doctrine, and fake worship. God longs for us to love him and accept him willingly and wholeheartedly. The Lord desires us to be in community with other Christians for a simple reason, He is there with us, he teaches us to carry fellow men's burden as well (Galatians 6:2) just how He carries our sin away, as He is in communion with Us, He wishes Us to be in communion with Others.
Furthermore, it is important for us to live among other Christians, why? because even if we never reach a point where we need explicit help from others, we are always being tempted, we are always fighting laziness, disbelief, among many other issues. In my personal experience, I was a Christian that was 120% in, no question, I was part of not one, but two youth groups I'd be the first to sign up for volunteer work at my church, I'd listen to Christian music all day because it made me feel awesome, for short, I was committed like I had never been before. But once I moved and found myself with no church to go to... my belief stayed, but my commitment went away slowly, lying made a strong come back in my character, laziness thrived, Porn reappeared as a regular part of my week, and my tolerance for all kinds of sin became too high (even though it should be 0...) I Started to speak less and less with Jesus, prayer was common, but nothing like it used to be, and I started to become each day more like the world, trying to save my life, but loosing it instead. What was the outcome? I considered even leaving my faith for a Girl, to become mormon, maybe not really in belief, but in actions, basically be a christian in private, and a LDS mormon to everyone around. I sugar coated it with saying "well, I'm still following the bible, and I'd be baptized in the name of The Father, The Son and The Holy Spirit" ... "I'm not really Denying Jesus I'm simply adjusting my worship" and finally, a big big mistake "If God wanted for me to not do this.. I wouldn't be with this girl or he would have pulled me out long ago".
Now looking back I see I was just justifying abandoning Jesus and joining a false doctrine. And had I not moved to another city for Med School... this would be now maybe called "The Mormon Times" and I'd be talking about how Jesus is not God or how we can baptize the dead. Yes, I was right.. God took me out of that situation, but much later than I expected, but He did used that mormon girl to teach me about my faith and to give me a revival, otherwise, I would have never looked up for Evangelical churches in this new city and my self destructing path would have continued.
Now, I'm Revived in my faith, I'm following Jesus like never before, more than even before leaving church the first time, now I want to preach, even if its online, as Jesus commands us. I'm not anxious about what will I say when questioned about Him (Luke 12:11 & Matthew 10:19). I Love the Lord like I had never loved before, and His love changed me, the difference? well, I had a believer that pushed me to read the bible and to become a true disciple of Christ even if she was not a Christian like me, and now more than ever, my Church has, in few weeks simply amplified all of the above, I'm thankful that the Lord did not fulfill MY plan, but His, thanks to Him, I'm back in community with others christians.
The point I'm trying to make is, Jesus, wants us to live in communion with other Christians, with other followers of Him, why? because it helps our faith, it strengthens it, it nourishes it, and it allows us to be closer to him.
Worshiping SHOULD NEVER be an obligation, IT SHOULD ALWAYS be an HONOR, and something we look forwards to.
Whether we gather with few friends at our houses, and pray in our livingrooms, or if we attend to mega churches, temples, and churches with 800 members and 500 regular goers, the intention is the same, praise Jesus as we should, in communion, loving our neighbor, and just like 3 persons or "parts" make up 1 eternal and living God, each Christian is part of one community, the community of Christ.
Please let me know what you think about it, it is an honor to know your opinion on the subject.
May God Bless y'all.
Now, Alright you say, "I will go every sunday to church (Sigh...) If I have to, I'll be there" But I think that that's not what Jesus, and ultimately God wants us to do. God has made it REAL Clear that there's nothing that he dislikes more than fake faith, fake doctrine, and fake worship. God longs for us to love him and accept him willingly and wholeheartedly. The Lord desires us to be in community with other Christians for a simple reason, He is there with us, he teaches us to carry fellow men's burden as well (Galatians 6:2) just how He carries our sin away, as He is in communion with Us, He wishes Us to be in communion with Others.
Furthermore, it is important for us to live among other Christians, why? because even if we never reach a point where we need explicit help from others, we are always being tempted, we are always fighting laziness, disbelief, among many other issues. In my personal experience, I was a Christian that was 120% in, no question, I was part of not one, but two youth groups I'd be the first to sign up for volunteer work at my church, I'd listen to Christian music all day because it made me feel awesome, for short, I was committed like I had never been before. But once I moved and found myself with no church to go to... my belief stayed, but my commitment went away slowly, lying made a strong come back in my character, laziness thrived, Porn reappeared as a regular part of my week, and my tolerance for all kinds of sin became too high (even though it should be 0...) I Started to speak less and less with Jesus, prayer was common, but nothing like it used to be, and I started to become each day more like the world, trying to save my life, but loosing it instead. What was the outcome? I considered even leaving my faith for a Girl, to become mormon, maybe not really in belief, but in actions, basically be a christian in private, and a LDS mormon to everyone around. I sugar coated it with saying "well, I'm still following the bible, and I'd be baptized in the name of The Father, The Son and The Holy Spirit" ... "I'm not really Denying Jesus I'm simply adjusting my worship" and finally, a big big mistake "If God wanted for me to not do this.. I wouldn't be with this girl or he would have pulled me out long ago".
Now looking back I see I was just justifying abandoning Jesus and joining a false doctrine. And had I not moved to another city for Med School... this would be now maybe called "The Mormon Times" and I'd be talking about how Jesus is not God or how we can baptize the dead. Yes, I was right.. God took me out of that situation, but much later than I expected, but He did used that mormon girl to teach me about my faith and to give me a revival, otherwise, I would have never looked up for Evangelical churches in this new city and my self destructing path would have continued.
Now, I'm Revived in my faith, I'm following Jesus like never before, more than even before leaving church the first time, now I want to preach, even if its online, as Jesus commands us. I'm not anxious about what will I say when questioned about Him (Luke 12:11 & Matthew 10:19). I Love the Lord like I had never loved before, and His love changed me, the difference? well, I had a believer that pushed me to read the bible and to become a true disciple of Christ even if she was not a Christian like me, and now more than ever, my Church has, in few weeks simply amplified all of the above, I'm thankful that the Lord did not fulfill MY plan, but His, thanks to Him, I'm back in community with others christians.
The point I'm trying to make is, Jesus, wants us to live in communion with other Christians, with other followers of Him, why? because it helps our faith, it strengthens it, it nourishes it, and it allows us to be closer to him.
Worshiping SHOULD NEVER be an obligation, IT SHOULD ALWAYS be an HONOR, and something we look forwards to.
Whether we gather with few friends at our houses, and pray in our livingrooms, or if we attend to mega churches, temples, and churches with 800 members and 500 regular goers, the intention is the same, praise Jesus as we should, in communion, loving our neighbor, and just like 3 persons or "parts" make up 1 eternal and living God, each Christian is part of one community, the community of Christ.
Please let me know what you think about it, it is an honor to know your opinion on the subject.
May God Bless y'all.
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