To Church or Not To Church?
It is fully understandable why some people have issues with “church”. Even such a strong advocate of the church as the great German theologian and martyr Dietrich Bonhoeffer was led to muse how the institutional church seemed at times completely at odds with the Christian faith. Nevertheless, it is telling that essentially no one who has completely left the church has gone on to any level of true kingdom fruitfulness. The great ones stayed and became reformers because in spite of its flaws the church is a beautiful thing and clearly God’s plan for the redeemed.
Often people read the last chapters of Paul’s letter as if they were basically throw aways. That is a great pity indeed. Look closely at this chapter.
We see people saving up to help others. We hear of a great desire to see, and spend time with, one another. Oh yes, be sure to take care of this one. And I’m trying to send more help your way. It hasn’t completely worked out yet, but it will. You are not forgotten at all. Let me remember some familiar faces and names to you; people who love you and think of you often.
Think of the letters you may have received. (This was a more common even before the advent of the Internet.) Getting instruction was OK, but the real thrill came from hearing personal news. The really big thrill came from seeing, “I love you. I care about you. I want to see you.” I’m quite sure this last chapter meant more to most of those in Corinth than all of the other chapters put together.
Can you go to heaven without going to church? Sure. You can celebrate holidays without family or friends as well. But the richness of having these relationships in the Lord...that is what God has intended for us.
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