Coming and Going

COMING AND  GOING

 

I have picked up messages recently from folk who seem to be continually "coming and going". Typically I read: "I'm leaving the <insert name here> movement. "And I'm aligning with the <alternative name> movement. "Well no, I was for a while, but now I'm leaving it too ......"

 

All this speaks to me of a serious instability and insecurity amongst God's people. We seem to be incapable of surviving without some kind of (man-made) support structure around us. Now please don't misunderstand me, I am not suggesting Christians should function in isolation. Far from it. We are part of the body. But the "body" is not (necessarily) the same thing as institutional structures - although these may have their place.

 

And if we look back in church history (even modern church history) we see folk leaving one thing just to - and almost immediately - start up something else. For myself I thank God that I can meet with, pray with, learn with, worship with other Christians - and can do all that without necessarily having to have access to the "Sunday-morning, steeple house" pattern. And I'm also so grateful to God for those who love me and know me well enough to exercise - amongst us - a mutual oversight and influence. But I do go along to certain buildings, in the company of others, on Sunday mornings (but not always, and not always the same buildings, and sometimes on other days of the week). If however these facilities were to disappear I would not be - in my present situation at least - deprived of the normal aspects of Christian life.

 

Ultimately (and I'm sure that many Chinese and other non-Western Christians understand this) our security, and our sense of worth and belonging, must come from our relationship with God in and through Jesus Christ. If we can fully grasp the place that we occupy in the heart of God then we might not be so inclined to jump from "this thing" to "the next thing".

 

"For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers,nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord."

Rom 8:38-39

 

Our trust and confidence is surely in the one who saved us; and not in the things, and movements, and institutions that may exist from time to time.

...and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

Heb 12:1,2

 

Your brother,

 

Colin Wilson