Is Church a "must do" for Christians?A question was once put to the well know writer and social commentator, C.S.Lewis, whether attendance at church was really necessary to a Christian way of life.
There are many ways you could answer this question (I'll mention another at the end of this article). However C.S.Lewis responded with a way of thinking about Church that I'm guessing few of us would normally consider:
"I disliked very much (Church) hymns, which I considered to be fifth-rate poems set to sixth-rate music. But as I continued on (at Church) I saw the great merit of it. I came up against different people of quite different outlooks and different education, and then gradually my conceit* just began peeling off. I realised that the hymns (which were just sixth-rate music) were, nevertheless, being sung with devotion and benefit by an old saint in elastic-sided boots in the opposite pew, and then you realise that you aren't fit to clean those boots. It gets you out of your solitary conceit."
*conceited = to think overly well of ourselves in comparison to others.
Conceit is certainly something that Christians often are guilty of. We'd do well to ask ourselves if any of the misgivings we have towards Church are born of our own conceit, rather than lying in the faults of others.
There are many ways you could answer this question (I'll mention another at the end of this article). However C.S.Lewis responded with a way of thinking about Church that I'm guessing few of us would normally consider:
"I disliked very much (Church) hymns, which I considered to be fifth-rate poems set to sixth-rate music. But as I continued on (at Church) I saw the great merit of it. I came up against different people of quite different outlooks and different education, and then gradually my conceit* just began peeling off. I realised that the hymns (which were just sixth-rate music) were, nevertheless, being sung with devotion and benefit by an old saint in elastic-sided boots in the opposite pew, and then you realise that you aren't fit to clean those boots. It gets you out of your solitary conceit."
*conceited = to think overly well of ourselves in comparison to others.
Conceit is certainly something that Christians often are guilty of. We'd do well to ask ourselves if any of the misgivings we have towards Church are born of our own conceit, rather than lying in the faults of others.
................
Of course there are many reasons for meeting regularly with other Christians. When we speak of Church being essential for the Christian, we are not speaking of dedication to one or other of the denominations. We are not speaking about visiting a building. We are not meaning membership in some institution. A church is nothing other than a body of believers who meet regularly in Jesus' name, to declare His death and resurrection, and love each other.
Christianity can be PERSONAL, but it can not ever be PRIVATE. We are called to read God's word publicly, and proclaim Jesus name in Baptism and the Lord's Supper. We can experience at a PERSONAL level the public reading of God's word, Baptism and the Lord's Supper.. but none of these things can be done PRIVATELY.
When we attempt to do express our faith privately, we are actually robbing Jesus of some of the Glory that is rightfully His.
We could frame our opening question in the following way "Is it really necessary for a Christian to give Jesus the Glory that is rightfully His?" - Anyone even pretending to follow Jesus would have to answer that question with an un-hesitating YES!
Wouldn't it be strange for Jesus followers, to ask when they can reasonably avoid giving Him Glory?
In fact, the book of Hebrews expects that as the Day of Jesus' return gets closer, we'll meet more regularly, not less (Heb 10:24-25).
If we want to be hungry for Church like we used to be... maybe we could start by repenting of the conceit we feel towards others, and pray that God would stir up within us a hunger for Jesus' Glory to be proclaimed. That might get things kick-started.
Posts
1 comment:
Matthew 5 : 14-16
"14 You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hid. 15 No one after lighting a lamp puts it under the bushel basket but on the lampstand, and it gives light to all in the house. 16 In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven."
Post a Comment