You’ve heard it said, “I don’t go to Church; I am the Church.” You’ve also likely heard the often repeated phrase, “Outside the four walls of the Church.” Though such sayings are usually innocent and almost accurate, they are many times used as excuses to live disconnected from other believers.
Certainly, we are to each develop a personal relationship with the Lord, and, of course, we should seek to spread the gospel to people who do not themselves attend church. But we are taught in the Scripture to assemble together as believers.
24 Let us think of ways to motivate one another to acts of love and good works. 25 And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of his return is drawing near. (Hebrews 10:24 & 25, NLT)
The Bible is clear: believers are to regularly gather together. There’s something about gathering that stirs the soul and spirit - it strengthens your faith.
12 The human body has many parts, but the many parts make up one whole body. So it is with the body of Christ. 14 Yes, the body has many different parts, not just one part. 15 If the foot says, “I am not a part of the body because I am not a hand,” that does not make it any less a part of the body. 16 And if the ear says, “I am not part of the body because I am not an eye,” would that make it any less a part of the body? 17 If the whole body were an eye, how would you hear? Or if your whole body were an ear, how would you smell anything? 18 But our bodies have many parts, and God has put each part just where he wants it. 19 How strange a body would be if it had only one part! (1 Corinthians 12:12 & 14-19, NLT)
The body does not consist of one part. You yourself do not make up the Church in its entirety. It is the togetherness of individual believers that makes up the body.
Think of how difficult it would be to fulfill certain commands in isolation. How would one use their spiritual gifts in isolation if they’re away from other members of the body? How are we to lay hands on the sick if we never connect with each other? Loving, demonstrating patience, forgiving, fellowshipping, sharing meals, encouraging - all of that requires closeness and connectivity.
So don’t let the enemy keep you from gathering. He is a defeated foe.
Don’t allow governments to keep you from gathering. Many fellow believers have given their lives in times of tyranny.
Don’t allow bitterness to keep you from gathering. There is healing in connectivity.
Don’t allow apathy to keep you from gathering. Keep your spiritual fire burning.
Don’t allow self-reliance to keep you from gathering. We all need each other.
The notion that the individual alone makes up the body of Christ just isn’t Biblical. Yes, we are the body of Christ, but we are the body of Christ together.