Attitude and Apostasy

 

Many reasonably good people seldom, if ever, “go to church”. Meeting with others to study the Bible, God’s word, and to publicly worship Him is something easily ignored in our busy world. To these, church is where one goes to a wedding or a funeral, but little more. The early Christians didn’t just “go to church” - they were the church. Still today, we are the ekklesia, the “called-out-ones” - called out of the world by the gospel of Christ to be a light to the world. We are a community of believers, commonly referred to as “the body of Christ” and even “the bride of Christ”. In Christ we are bound together in “one body” with one Spirit, one hope, one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all “…who is over all and through all and in all” (Ephesians 4:4-6). As such, to not meet with other Christians to encourage one another and jointly express our devotion to the Lord is not considered an option. The Lord said, “…where two or three come together in my name, there am I with them” (Mathew 18:20). His directive for the partaking of the “Lord’s supper” was, “…do this in remembrance of me” (Luke 22:17-22; 1 Corinthians 11:23-26). From the first to today, the church, consisting of penitent baptized believers, “…continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine, in the fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers (Acts 2:42). Acts 20:7 tells us that, “…on the first day of the week …the disciples came together to break bread.” It wasn’t long before some Christians were becoming neglectful in their assembling together and were admonished, “…let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching” (Hebrews 10:24-25). Christians are not called to be “lone rangers” in our world hostile to God, but to be bound together with brothers and sisters in Christ in a common struggle. Sharing together in worship and in the Word of God should be something much desired by those who love the Lord.

[Psalm 51:7-13] “Do your own thing” seems to be the motto of many people today. But if we look around us and witness the news of everyday events, we know that our society is coming apart at the seams. Our culture shows the sure signs of coming destruction and anarchy because so many people are enslaved to sin and caught up in doing things their own way. The only hope for the survival of our society is a change of attitude and a turning to God by individuals who recognize their need of God’s help in order to live successful lives. Before we can change our bad attitude, we have to admit to it and seek the needed strength to change. Having a good attitude means getting rid of bad attitudes. Paul says it is a process of putting off our enslavement to sinful practices by putting our confidence in the resurrection of Jesus Christ (Colossians 2:8-13). This involves dying to the influence of sin in our lives by realizing that Jesus died in our place, for the wages of sin is death for the sinner (Romans 6:23), so that we could be freed from sin and have life with Jesus (Romans 6:1-14). Many people will not admit they are enslaved to sin, and many have no desire to be servants of righteousness. Noah had a good attitude. He believed God and followed God’s instructions in building the ark which saved eight righteous souls from death when God cleansed the earth of sin (Genesis 7). The church is an ark of sorts. Peter said that mankind is saved today by having an attitude like Noah and obeying God (1 Peter 3:20-21). God is patiently waiting as the church is being built. Apostasy is culturing doom. Are you obeying God?