When I first became a believer (or put my faith in Christ) I did not have a background in the church, nor did I feel comfortable within the community of believers at large. I felt like an outsider, and in many regards I was. Though, at the time, what I did not realize is that we are all outsiders in some way-- and that the feeling of discomfort I was experiencing is normal and can only be overcome by perseverance and submission.
What am I saying? Well... essentially, I'm saying I needed to grow. I needed to allow Christ to transform me in this area before I would ever feel at home in His spiritual family.
However, I did not react this way when faced with such a staggering amount of unease and discomfort. In lieu of seeking the counsel of others in my church or choosing to surrender my life in every way to Christ, I chose to believe a lie. A big... huge... prevalent lie in our culture. The lie that I can be a church of one.
Are you familiar with this lie? "I don't need to be in church. I don't need other believers because it's between me and God; and He knows where I am." This lie is VERY satisfying to our American sensibilities; afterall, we do believe in rugged individualism. And Jesus does have an intimate relationship with us on an individual level. He hears our private prayers when we're alone in a closet. He is with us in the shower, the pouring rain... whenever and wherever we choose to come to Him in prayer, supplication, and/or worship.
So, if we can have a relationship with our Lord and Savior on an individual level-- and even grow in that relationship one on one with the Big Guy himself-- why do we need to be in a community of believers? Well, the simple answer is that the Bible says to... it's biblical. What does the Bible say about the need for community?
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