Choice. Personal wishes. Cultural and familial, etc., traditions. And doing X, Y and/or Z “your way”? Sure. Of course. True for every one of us.
So if and when you think you really KNOW someone consider this:
Can you literally read their thoughts? Are you with them 24/7 in each room of the house and when they go out the door, outside, say, solo into the woods? Of course not.
So those who do or do not attend a local fellowship of professing Christ-followers… same deal, no?
Do “they” really know you and how deeply? Do you really know them and to what depth or extent?
See, regardless of all the things we say, even do -there are levels of knowledge about each of us only God Himself has. Such is not only true of us but others. In the practical there is at least one caveat. The issue is the degree to which we confide in at least one other person on earth, and/or maybe a small group, recovery meeting, etc.. Voluntarily.
These are elements of fellowship (biblical Greek “koinonia”) that are often overlooked, not discussed though we make judgments about one another with whatever limited (often severely so!) knowledge of others and also whether positive or negative without anything close to full knowledge of who a person habitually (or in some cases occasionally) truly is. Do we know as God knows what they really think and do and why? There are plenty of obvious gaps in our judgment due to what I mention here.
It is for these reasons I think three things:
The church without such voluntarily accountable relationships is continually in deep need. This is one of the reasons I’m fairly sure the church on earth will always be in such need. The issue is whether you and I are willing to actually do anything about it in our own life.
The cost to us in our “private” lives is often as tragic as it is often if not for the most part, avoidable.
The cost of not risking local, close personal accountability to a greater extent than most people including professing followers of Jesus often means our lives are likewise in continual need for not taking the risks involved. Such a state affects gatherings of people as it surely does individuals.
As always, thanks for stopping by! -Glenn
glennkaiser.com 