CAN ONE BE A GOOD CHRISTIAN AND NOT BE PART OF ANY CHURCH? Many people pose this question. Not a few are actually trying to make their way to heaven and not be a member of any church. They wish to just live an individual, autonomous “Christian” life. They may keep the Ten Commandments, abstain from any really evil practices, donate to some good charities, be good family members and good citizens; but are not part of any church. May they by this obtain the flavor of God and eternal life? It is readily conceded that one may be a good Christian and not be a part of any denomination. In fact, the Lord never authorized, nor approved of anyone being a member of a denomination. The ‘Lord never required that one be a member of a denomination. That is a far cry from admitting that one can be a good Christian and not be part of any church. The Lord’s church is not a denomination. The one who is a Christian will be a part of the Lord’s church (Matthew 16:1 8). If he is not a member of the Lord’s church, he is not a Christian in any sense. The Lord adds all the saved to His church (Acts 2:47). The saved are the only ones who are Christians. Perhaps the confusion which prompts this question is caused by a misunderstanding of what the church is. Many view the church as a kind of a social club, an organization to hand out food from the pantry to anyone who asks and to pay rent and utility bills for those who get themselves into a bind. They see it as a group of fallible (even hypocritical) people whom one may voluntarily choose to associate with, or he may choose not to. They see that it makes demands of its members and places obligations on them of which they desire to be free. They fail to see the church as the Bible pictures it: the blood-bought body of the saved (Acts 20:28: Ephesians 5:23), the object of Christ’s love (Ephesians 5:25), a part of God’s eternal purpose (Ephesians 3:10-Il), the product of God’s planning and inseparably tied into God’s scheme of redemption (Ephesians 1:22-23). The church is the Lord’s doing, not a mere association of claimants who follow Christ based on human wisdom. Apart from the church, one’s spiritual vitality vill wither and die. He just will not thrive and live. Even with the faults which are invariably found in some church members, the church is still necessary for anyone who lives a Christian life. Marvin Rickett
Posted on: Mon, 01 Jul 2013 08:35:52 +0000
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