There's always been a "great outcry" and even a "complaint" against the Christian church from people with a "worldly view" that the church won't fellowship with the world and tends to stay behind the four wall of the church building and fellowship only with itself. What the world doesn't understand about the social makeup of God's Church is the Christian in it is a "called out body of people"Firstt they are called out to live by the oracles of Holy Writ- The Bible and then to evangelize the world in order to gather a people of every race, and creed for the Lord Jesus Christ. A friend of mine on facebook raised an important and true assessment of the plight of the modern church.This is my sincere response to the complaint he raised with true accuracy. Except where there are revisions in this brief article, much of what I say here was said on his facebook post....
Let me start by saying I share his position, but for a much deeper reason than maybe he 's aware of. I understand why this dilema exists.: There exist basically two highly probably explanations why we have the dilema he raised and I hope to by the aid of the Holy Spirit give sound reasoning in the following perspective:
First, when Christians truly fellowship with other Christians, according to (Proverbs 27:17: "As iron sharpens iron, So a man sharpens the countenance of his friend". NKJV) the Bible says it is "iron" sharpening "iron" that is "stronger friends sharpening the new found "weaker friends in the faith"... to prepare them to go out into the world along with those who are strong and compel "non- christians" to become "one with Jesus Christ" and plead with them to make him their "Lord and Savior"....The Church is both a school and a hospital full of "recovering sin addicts"! and because of this fact; in the same manner the world's sin-addicts cling to one another, ...you see a whole lot of "clinging" within the church fellowship! It's a habit they learned while in the world....
Now, at some point while in "spiritual" rehab,(the sanctification process) the patients get well enough to go back into society and share the "wonderful and glorious" experience of their rehab... that is to tell the good news that Jesus is the WAY, the TRUTH and the LIFE... and invite those who they meet and mingle with to meet HIM. They testify to the world: "What a wonderful change has been wrought in my life since Jesus came into my heart!" They do this by continuing the rehab program of the church ( which is based on 4 "biblical perscriptions: FELLOWSHIP, STEWARDSHIP, CORRECT BIBLE DOCTRINE AND FINALLY EVANGELISM.
For the many of Pastors. preachers, Ministers and Teachers and anyone else who feels the same way; What my friend correctly proposed can only be done if....and only if....the "true Christian" is living by the same standards Jesus did while he traveled to spread the good news...... Unfortunately, unlike Jesus, there are too many who attend church who profess to be Christians but aren't willing to fully embrace what this really means, especially in terms of how God wants to order their lives versus them having the attitude:" Okay God, now that I'm saved, I'll take over from here!"....
You have to walk the walk and not just talk the talk! The reason is simple: if you don't and keep pertetrating a lie, when those who do go out, not to fellowship, but to befriend and show the "non-Christian" a more excellent way, many "non-Christians" in the world will cry: The Church is full of hypocrites! Let's face real facts: the world sees a " hyprocisy" in many "professed Christians" who are in reality in church, but are not really in Christians; they are just in the fellowship In the Book of Jude, Jude called them "Nicoliatanes"....or to translate: the great pretenders!
Second... while it is the mandate of the church to "evangelize" the world, a fellowship with those who are not truly seeking to be saved will oppose a "real challenge" to the one who goes out , but is not fully equipped to handle the "interactive fellowship". We go out to gain our brother and sister ...not to return to our old "stomping gropund where we lived in darkness.and show them by word and deed the advantage of a Christian life fully connected to Jesus Christ.
Contrary to what it seems, the Christian needs their fellow Christian and the fellowship that develops along with the relationship, just as much as tobeying he mandate that compels us to go out and make disciples. You know as well as I know that there are many "weak members" of the faith that cause and stir up unnecessary drama within the church fellowship...That's a part of the rehap process too! It's called "spiritual withdrawal" Regeneration by the Holy Spirit makes the rehab sucessful and the person truly becaomes a "new creatrion in Jesus Christ! Imagine that same person out fellowshipping with those who are" not of the way" having the same "carnal attitude" they are going to face..yet making the claim to represent Christ....That weak Christian will fool around and end up back in the world doing worse than they were doing the first time.
When strong Christians go out into society, knowing the real purpose and lovingly focus on that; evangelizing wherever God sends to to whomever He sends them to ...the results will be othen a "new convert" in Jesus Christ and a true and lasting fellowship with them. Finally Remember the Scriptures are explicitly clear on this :Righeousness can't have "real fellowship" with unrighteousness...They are "polar opposites" and we were told by Christ Himself to come out from among them and be separated from them. May God bless all who reads.....