“It was for freedom that Christ set us free (Galatians 5:1).
What will become of the “Church of the Online Revolution?”
We all know members who are still worshipping at home and, praise the Lord, will eventually make their way back to the pews. But concerning are those who haven’t, and those who won’t.
Never before have whole churches accepted that “The assembling of the saints” includes those who are remote by choice.
Online services have been, and will continue to be, a great blessing. However, they do have inherent flaws. The chief of these being that lack of personal day-to-day contact with our brethren. When this is lost, it is hard ground to recover, and something that will require more readjustment than we might think.
On a good day it is easy to cry, “Every Christian has the freedom to conduct their Christian life as they see fit!” On a bad day, however, the thought of such freedom conjures up visions of churches run amok. This is when some concerned Christians turn into palace administrators and speak of erecting guardrails at every turn.
Christians who have treated other Christians like children needing constant care have hamstrung whole congregations. This must never be! Though the mature have a vital role as teachers, mentors, and friends, it is the responsibility of each one of us to aspire to spiritual maturity. And this, of course, is our goal.
The free Christian ‘sees fit’ that his life reflects the image of Christ. He also ‘sees fit’ that the welfare of the church is first and foremost in his life. The apostle Paul, the champion of freedom, ‘saw fit’ to give up his freedoms so that others could be delivered from the slavery of sin. He said:
“I have become all things to all men, so that I may by all means save some” (1 Corinthians 9:22).
John Staiger
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