In the 2nd chapter of Acts, close after the filling with the Holy Spirit, Peter lifted up his voice and said to the people in Jerusalem:
"Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly that God hath made that same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ." (Acts 2:36 KJ21)
When the people heard this, they asked: "...Men and brethren, what shall we do?" (Acts 2:37 KJ21)
"Then Peter said unto them, "Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all who are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call." (Acts 2:38-39 KJ21)
At that very moment the first Christian church was "born":
"Then those who gladly received his words were baptized, and that same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls. And they continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, and in the breaking of bread and in prayers." (Acts 2:41-42 KJ21)
About three thousand souls formed a community!
Now, some twenty centuries later, this is still happening: Christians do form a community in order to thank, honour, praise and bless the God of Israel together. They feel the need to be fed by the Word of God, and want to spread the gospel.
Our Redeemer, Jesus Christ, called His followers "the salt of the earth" and "the light of the world". With these titles come great responsibilities. Salt is needed to purify: Christians have to spread the gospel. Billions of people, near and far, need to be purified from their sins by the blood of our Saviour. Salt also has a preserving function: we have to preserve the Word of God and its values for life.
Light is needed to chase away darkness: this too is the result from spreading the gospel in a loving way. Light also is a beacon of hope.
Over the centuries, regrettably, the Christian church, and especially the Roman Catholic church, did have its flaws:
the crusades, the inquisition, the selling of indulgences, the blessing of weapons during World War 2, the attitude towards the people of Israel, sexual abuse due to celibacy etc. to name a few.
There have been wars between catholics and protestants, which makes me wonder what their ministers and/or leaders told them. I'm sure it wasn't:
"Therefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath; for the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God." (James 1:19-20 KJ21)
Of course the church also had and has its positives, but, as most of the time, the negatives are the most spoken of.
The good have to suffer for the bad...
As a result of all mishaps from the past and in the present, lots of people have lost their faith in the church: some still do believe, but they are so disappointed and/or frustrated by "the church", therefore they avoid any contact.
All Christians together are the Church. Unfortunately they are not all sincere, there are also so-called Christians who don't seem to have a relationship with God. There are people whose faith is "mutilated", f.i. due to traditions. People who have heard that they are sinners, but who never have been told that they are safe in Gods Hand, when they believe in Jesus Christ.
They do know a lot about the Bible, but do they understand the message? Are they "...born of God." (1 John 3:9 KJ21) And if they are, have they grown in grace and knowledge?
Can a Christian live without the Church?
Can a fish live without water?
The Bible teaches us the following:
"Let us hold fast to the profession of our faith without wavering (for He is faithful who promised), and let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as ye see the Day approaching." (Hebrews 10:23-25 KJ21)
So, why should we forsake "the assembling of ourselves together" and not obey the Word of God?
"Now there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. And there are differences of administrations, but the same Lord. And there are diversities of operations, but it is the same God who worketh all in all. But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit thereby: For to one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom; to another the word of knowledge by the same Spirit; to another faith by the same Spirit; to another the gifts of healing by the same Spirit; to another the working of miracles; to another prophecy; to another discerning of spirits; to another divers kinds of tongues; to another the interpretation of tongues. But all of these that one and the selfsame Spirit worketh, apportioning to every man individually as He will. For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body, so also is Christ. For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we are Jews or Gentiles, whether we are bond or free, and have been all made to drink into one Spirit. For the body is not one member, but many. If the foot shall say, "Because I am not the hand, I am not of the body," is it therefore not of the body? And if the ear shall say, "Because I am not the eye, I am not of the body," is it therefore not of the body? If the whole body were an eye, where would be the hearing? If the whole were hearing, where would be the smelling? But now hath God set the members, every one of them, in the body as it hath pleased Him. And if they were all one member, where would be the body? But now there are many members, yet but one body." (1 Corinthians 12:4-20 KJ21)
If we do not join our brothers and sisters, we will withhold them and ourselves from Spiritual gifts. Every Christian has received a gift, which, at the same time, means that he/she lacks other gifts. Therefore we do need each other to complete the body! Perhaps others have the same gift as you and I, yet everyone will handle it in a unique way.
We have been called "members of one body", so tell me: is a hand able to function without the body?
A Christian should not, and is not allowed to willingly live life separated from his/her fellow believers. The Word of God leaves no doubt. The following passage tells us that our Redeemer loves, sanctifies, cleanses, nourishes and cherishes the Church. Who are we to ignore?:
"Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for it, that He might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the Word, that He might present it to Himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that it should be holy and without blemish. So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies. He that loveth his wife loveth himself. For no man ever yet hated his own flesh, but nourisheth and cherisheth it, even as the Lord the church." (Ephesians 5:25-29 KJ21)
I pray that all, who have not already joined their brothers and sisters, will seriously consider these words, and seek a Christian church which loves the truth and sincerly wants to obey the Word of God, for Jesus is the Way and is the Word of God!
Find a church where elders can watch over you, where traditions will not become obstacles, where Biblical guidelines will be obeyed, where there is true love between brothers and sisters:
"Have kindly affection one for another with brotherly love, in honor preferring one another" (Romans 12:10 KJ21)
That's where a born again Christian can "...grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be glory both now and for ever. Amen.” (2 Peter 3:18 KJ21)
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