One of the strangest things I hear from many who profess to be Christians today is a strong disdain for the church, which often leads them to forego membership and attendance at a local church body. While the specifics of the individual situation varies, the rationales can generally be divided into one of two categories (and frankly, there is often much overlap between the two): 1) “I’ve been hurt by the church,” and 2) “The church is full of hypocrites.” Is either reason a justification for one’s willful separation from the body of Christ?
I would argue emphatically they are not. The Bible provides vivid imagery of the church (the body of Christ, the bride of Christ), which underscores her importance. Within the church there is community with brothers and sisters as well as communion with Christ. One of the beautiful aspects of the Christian life is that we are not called to walk it alone. First, each of us receives the gift of the Holy Spirit’s permanent indwelling at salvation. Second, we are brought into the body of Christ, lived out in the relationship of the different members of the church. Some of those who have walked away from the church try to justify their position by stating, “The Bible never says we have to be formal members of a local church.” It is true there is no such direct command, but then again, the term “trinity” doesn’t appear in the words of Scripture, either. Just like our understanding of the triune nature of God, however, the concept of church membership is found so pervasively throughout the writings of the New Testament that I believe the idea of a “churchless believer” would have been inconceivable to those writers and viewed as a contradiction in terms.
In addition, each believer is endowed with specific spiritual gifts in unique proportions, which God has given to them so that He might be glorified through their use in serving one’s brothers and sisters in the church (1 Pet. 4:10-11; those of you who have been part of our spiritual gifts study on Wednesday nights have a firm understanding of this concept). Building on the imagery of the body, Paul shows the Corinthians how each person is an integral part of the body of Christ – the church – and when parts of the body start thinking they don’t need to be involved, the whole body suffers (1 Cor. 12:12-31).
I empathize with those who have been hurt by people in the church – I’ve suffered many heartaches as well and cried many tears. Yet the option to walk away from the church is one God does not allow for those who belong to Him. Is the church full of hypocrites? No, I don’t think it is. There are some, to be sure, but what is often meant by this phrase is the church is full of people who are imperfect, who mess up, and who are struggling with sin. No church is perfect, because it is filled with people like you and me. Church is messy, because life in a fallen world is messy, but let’s purpose in our hearts to love one another, extend grace to one another, and stand firm for, with, and in the church that Jesus came from Heaven to seek. Just something to think about…
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