From Such Turn Away

The Bible gives us the following instructions:

“Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised;) And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works: Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.”

The Bible tells Christians to assemble together so that we can encourage one another, teach one another, and help one another while we are awaiting the Lord’s return. Christians should want to meet and fellowship with other Christians. However, some people suppose that going to church meetings makes them Christians. Does joining a church, sitting on a pew, and claiming the title of Christian make one a Christian? Many are faithful to attend the meetings of a local church and claim allegiance to a certain denomination and its traditions and dogmas, and they assume this means they are pleasing God, even though they live carnal lives. Consider these further instructions from the Bible:

“Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them."

Who is the Lord referring to in this verse? The Bible gives us the following warning:

“This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.”

These are people who attend church meetings and claim to know God. They have an outward “form” of godliness, but they do not truly concern themselves with holiness, and from them we are told to turn away. From churchgoers. From people professing to have faith in God. We are to avoid those who are against Christ, and that practice and promote unrighteous living - these people have a knack for entrenching themselves in the local churches. There is no virtue in just attending the local church services. We must be very cautious when it comes to who or what we are listening to, and who we are fellowshipping with. That does not mean that we cannot fellowship with others who may interpret some areas of scripture differently, but it does mean that we should avoid those who reject the Lordship of Christ and those who make allowances for sin in the lives of Christians. We can seek to convert these people and show general courtesy, but we are to avoid them in the sense that we are not to fellowship with him. Light cannot fellowship with darkness. We should be searching for true Christ followers to fellowship with, and oftentimes they will be found outside of the institutional churches. I want my wife, my children and their wives and husbands, and my grandchildren, to know and walk in the truth. I want my family to walk on the narrow way that leads to life, not on the broad way of churchianity and dead works that leads to destruction. We don’t need buildings, suits and ties, pulpits, and church bulletins to do this. Let them have their 501c3 status and their worldly respectability.

We need to set our hearts on following Christ and obeying him no matter the circumstances or the consequences. We should seek to fellowship with others who want to do the same.