“Well has Isaiah prophesied of you hypocrites, as it is written, ‘This people honor me with their lips, but their heart is far from me…in vain do they worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.’
For laying aside the commandment of God, you hold the tradition of men…Full well you reject the commandment of God, that you may keep your own tradition.” Mark Chapter 7.
I love it when incidents in my life come together like one of my stories. This morning I was reading a friend’s Facebook post and he was discouraged with his efforts, not in getting his investigative results out on social media, but that people were not flocking to the truth.
I refrained from commenting with all those encouraging him to hang in there because the truth will prevail. I withheld comment rather than be the lone voice of reality in explaining to him that people don’t particularly care for the truth unless it serves them in some way. Truth telling is a lonely occupation, even among a community that shares your sentiments.
I then headed off to church, where the pastor presented a fine message about people being the church rather than going to church. He shared about how the church is a community more than anything else and took a mild swipe at people who were substituting online church for actual community. (Though this practice was at one time encouraged by the church.)
It seems since churches told people it was okay to stay home for fear of a virus, it has become the preferred practice and now some churches and pastors aren’t happy about it.
Well, who is to blame?
I seem to recall this lone, Lost Crusader warning about this seven months ago and telling churches they would rue the day they backed his cowardly practice. I guess the day has arrived.
The church and its messengers trying to put the lid back on the Pandora’s box they opened because some governor mandated they stay at home are going to fail because they now have zero credibility as God’s voice in the community. The virtual Christian is here to stay unless churches and pastors publicly repent of the evil they have done in shutting the doors and call the stay-at-homes to do the same.
Christian worship is not predicated on the weather, governmental approval, or how “trying the times” and for the very reason that I heard this morning---we are to be the church, not go there…and to be the church we must come together as one body.
It is time, and high time, for the church to abandon modern church infrastructure, and the tyrannical cronyism of denominations with the government and media. We need a return to first century practice. That is, if anyone still remembers what that is.
If Christians wish to be the church, perhaps the best route is to throw off the modern trappings, the masks (and not just the ones for disease prevention), the fear and the promotion of it, and subservience to government…and actually BE the church.
That will not be an easy task, tradition is deeply ingrained in our culture. If we are to have the power of the kingdom, I remind you, “The kingdom of God is not in word, but in power.” Power is born (and dies) by practice acted out in everyday life. That is, in being what we claim to be.
Unlike my Facebook friend, I do not expect people to flock to this truth. I am used to walking the less crowded path…to me it has always been proof that it is the right path. I do expect to be condemned by my fellow Christians for speaking it.
If you happen to be in my neighborhood next week, drop by for some ancient practices…you won’t find me at a church building or among the cowering community of CoVid19 Christians. I’m done with that. And if you see my messages here, it is not because I am pandering to the virtual Christian. It is because I have posted them here for years, do not provide them as a reason to stay at home, and do not intend to abandon my practice of sharing the Gospel.
Maranatha