The #3 Indispensable Element and Essential of a Thriving Maturing Christian Life
In addition to daily Meditation on God’s word and habit of Prayer /Meditation is the need to be an active part of a Bible believing local Church. God created us as a social being for a meaningful, purposeful and fulfilling life. God did not create us as a lone ranger or an island unto oneself. We need the fellowship of one another for growing our human potentials and enlarge our coast.
In Psalm 133:1, the word of God says, “How good and pleasant it is for brothers to dwell together in unity”. With Jesus being the Author of His Church (Matthew 16:13-18), the inspired writer of the book of Hebrews expressly enjoys believers in Christ not to forsake the assembly of one another.
At Hebrews 10:23-25,
“Let us hold fast to the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful;
and let us consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds, not forsaking our own assembling together, as it is the habit of some, but encouraging one another; and all the more as we see the day drawing near”.
The early Church in the Book of Acts of the Apostles describes the formation and gradual radical growth of Jesus’s Church guided and enabled by the power of the Holy Spirit increasing day by day. Evidently, the Church continues to grow and increase in all kinds of shapes and sizes in nations, languages, cultures and geography around the world.
The definition of the Church is not a building, but the assembly of baptized believers in Jesus Christ coming together to do the multifaceted work of the ministry where iron sharpens iron and thereby growing together and maturing together. While no local Church is perfect because of our human limitations, there are tremendous benefits of people of like mindedness in Christ assembling together on regular basis as stated in the quoted Scripture above. With the Holy Spirit in our individual hearts, we join and meet together for worship, Bible and Prayer Fellowship, engage in Evangelism and Mission of planting and establishing other Churches locally, regionally and internationally changing lives and winning souls for Christ’s kingdom as enjoined in the Golden Commission at Matthew 28:19-20 by Jesus Christ before departing this world to heaven. The power and impact of the Church in any community and around the world is very significantly consequential for humanity in terms of cleansing our hearts polluted by sin by the precious blood of Jesus Christ, making souls ready for Holy Spirit abode, and changing lives and turning our lives toward God. The Church also effects personal and societal morality in truth and righteousness, peace in human heart and society getting along, unity of purpose, development and hope for tomorrow and eternity. The power and influence of the Church is very immense beyond measure! Perhaps, there is no greater force changing human hearts toward God and world order than the Church that Jesus Himself established over two thousand centuries ago.
In conclusion, we must ask ourselves about our role and attitude toward the Church: Are you you a believer in Jesus Christ? Do you belong to a local Church? Are you active or passive? Is the Holy Spirit of God working actively in you? Do you consider yourself being important to growth and mission of Jesus’s Church as gifted by the Holy Spirit? I pray you answer Yes to all the questions. If not, I pray you strongly determine to join one as guided by the Holy Spirit. Sharing our life together in the Church as people of faith is a good preparation for heaven where we’ll worship God Christ perpetually and endlessly.