This post follows: Walking in Fellowship
https://wordpress.com/post/wordsofencouragementinchrist.com/5509
The cross of Jesus calls us to come together to worship, fellowship, and serve together.
Biblical Command to Worship Corporately
It is important to understand that God’s Word presents worship both as a private and public endeavor. We worship God privately, but we are to worship and gather with other believers. Got questions explains worship as: (emphasis mine)
In the Bible, worship describes both a way of life and a specific activity.
Praising, adoring, and expressing reverence for God, both publicly and privately, are specific acts of worship.
In a broader sense, worship refers to an overall lifestyle of serving and glorifying God and reflecting His glory to others.
When I was struggling to attend in person, certain “friends” were quick to remind me of Hebrews 10:25:
“5Let us not neglect meeting together, as some have made a habit, but let us encourage one another, and all the more as you see the Day approaching.”
What does this verse mean? What is the context? When reading Hebrews, it’s critical to remember that the recipients of this letter were being persecuted. The author explains in Hebrews 10:32-39:
https://biblehub.com/bsb/hebrews/10.htm
To attend a gathering of fellow believers meant to risk being arrested, property seized, and loss of status in this situation. Church attendance could be costly, yet they are encouraged to press ahead in meeting together.
Following Christ requires obedience and trust. Staying comfortable and safe alone is a certain path to isolation and eventual destruction. We can be easily led astray through the schemes of the adversary. Consider that our allegiance is to Christ not this world or it’s comforts.
A good friend helps us to stay focused on the presence and truth of Christ when walking through the valleys of life.
No Lone Wolves
The Christian life was never meant to be solitary.
All of the biblical metaphors for a church indicate a plurality, never a singularity: we are a body, a flock, a building, and a holy nation.
There are no “lone wolves” in biblical Christianity.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has studied the behavior of wolves in nature using tracking devices. Wolves disperse in order to locate a mate or start a pack. Wolves are vulnerable alone and prefer “the pack.” Essentially the “lone wolf” stage is short and temporary. In nature, wolves that don’t find a mate or pack don’t survive for long.
https://www.fws.gov/story/leaving-pack
While it may “feel” safer to be alone and distant, being in this position places one in a vulnerable place. Do we have “blind-spots” in our spiritual lives? Things that are obvious to others, but that you don’t recognize?
The assembly or gathering is people, not a building.
Spiritual Gifts and Community
God uniquely gifts each member for the benefit of the assembly. Each has a special role to contribute for the benefit of the larger whole. Paul teaches about spiritual gifts in the following passages: Romans 12, 1 Corinthians chapters 12 through 14, and Ephesians 4.
For a brief explanation of the gifts and scriptural references:
https://www.gotquestions.org/spiritual-gifts-list.html
Consider that God has equipped you for a purpose! When a person is alone, isolated, and out of fellowship with other believers, how is this purpose found and practiced? Being alone makes one vulnerable to the enemy’s attacks and deception.
When we are hurt in a church setting, the tendency is withdraw and stay to one’s self. Our society/contemporary culture praises the Lone Wolf and the self-made person. Yet, God’s Word advises us to be in community with others: serving, worshiping, and becoming more like Christ. May God’s grace and presence guide you to a place of worship, fellowship, and service!
Words of Grace & Hope 