In a recent dicussion about the church and why I believed that it was important to "not forsake the assembling of yourselves together" and why I felt like it was important to attend church in order to encourage one another as believers and hear God's Word taught, this is the response that I got:
"Shouldn't the people in the church, on the whole, be a different breed of people? Not perfect, but different? I think that many Christians like to "talk" about being different, and they have all the right words to sound like they are different, but they really don't want to be different!! I do believe that some people are trying to pursue Christlikeness, but I've also seen people who don't practice what they hear preached....all the while, condemning others for being sinners. It's hard for me to argue that kids need to be in church when most of the people in the church are just like everyone else...only they go to church! Church, then, only becomes a hangout where people go to have fun and then feel more righteous because of it."
Whoa...how do you respond to that? Maybe that the church is a hospital for sinners? Though we have been saved by God's grace, we still continue to do wrong things, because we are not perfect...and we never will be this side of heaven? That our goal is not perfection, but that we are striving to go in the right direction?
My heart is hurting today, because I see myself in those statements...and I don't want to be guilty of attending church for the appearance of being righteous. I truly long to be more like Christ, but I know that there are times that I miserably fail the Lord, and I disappoint people. More than anything, however, I don't want to disappoint my Lord. I desire to be a God-pleaser and not a man-pleaser...and I struggle with that!
This morning, I heard Him whisper to me, "There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus." (Romans 8:1) Thank You, Lord...your Word is Truth!
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