Drunken Mystic

Okay, last one … for a while.

So why do it? Why move in with another couple? Why be intentional about living with other believers?

The answer is really very simple, at least for me. There are certain principles in scripture that are lacking in many ways in the lives of many Christians.

First of all, in Hebrews, it tells us to “forsake not the assembling of yourselves,” because if we lose fellowship, “an evil heart of unbelief” is the possible, and likely, outcome.

Unbelief is different from disbelief. Disbelief says, “I don’t believe Jesus ever existed.” Unbelief says, “I believe Jesus is real,” but they you don’t follow or obey Him.

As James explains, “the demons believe, and tremble!” But demons don’t follow and obey God or Christ. That is unbelief.

Lack of fellowship is a primary cause of unbelief. One of the best ways to kill a part of your body is to cut it off and leave it separated for an extended period of time. Eventually it will rot and stink, unredeemable. There is a short window of time for successful reattachment — a detailed and ardous process but necessary for full function of the body. (not a perfect analogy, but you get what I’m saying)

I’ve seen it many times. A person is on fire for God. Something usually happens: a personal, secret sin; leadership in the Church woudns him; he sees the imperfect state of the Body; or maybe just general day to day cares of this live become more of a priority. This breaks him from fellowship. First there is unbelief. “I still believe in God, but _______(insert excuse for not really following God here)”

Disbelief many times occurs soon after. “I don’t even know if I believe that Jesus is the only way.” Actually, the first step is, “I don’t really know if the Bible is true …” which then allows them to believe anything regardless of what the scripture says.

All because a lack of fellowship. You become like those you spend the most time with. Or like what you spend the most time on. If your only exposure to the Body of Christ is limited to an hour or so a week, and the rest of your life is full of worldly influences, it shouldn’t surprise us that the majority of the Church thinks like the world. We are transformed by the renewing of our minds, for good or evil. If we spend one hour a week on scripture, praise, and fellowship and 40 hours a week on movies, TV shows and other worldly entertainments — what type of person are we going to be transformed into?

This is why Hebrews also says that we should encourage one another daily, “and even more so as the Day approaches.” It’s been almost 2000 years since then. I think the Day is a little closer.

1 John also tells us that the love of God is completed in our love for one another. It is difficult to show love to people we barely see. While Paul let people know he was with them “in spirit,” he longed to actually be with them, in their physical presence. So should we.

These are the principles, and God has shown me that we are to be intentional about putting these principles into practice. In a society that pulls us into fragments and individualism, intentionality is key.

Understanding the principles does not assume one path to work over others. For us, it seems that sharing life with a handful of people is very scriptural and Christlike. At some point, He chose a select few to be with Him all the time, even though one was “a devil.”

Living life with others means being more vulnerable than you want to be. The risk is great, and you feel it. But the reward is also great. No one ever achieved much by sacrificing nothing. You have to forgive more, ask for forgiveness more. You have more opportunity to seek another’s good above your own. Others see your great need, and your deepest issues are addressed by the ministry of those around you.

This type of vulnerability is a great equalizer. Leaders cannot last on a pedestal when you need to turn on a fan after they’ve been to the toilet. But within this vulnerability leaders become more accessible and leadership oriented out of a real relationship. Every shepherd is also a sheep.

I am a weak man. I need Jesus. I need the Jesus placed in others to keep me from straying into unbelief, which is evil in the eyes of God.

This means dealing with my own imperfections and the imperfections in others in order to spur all of us on to maturity in Christ, which is love.

Love is the goal. And how may we learn love without placing ourselves in the very vulnerable position of loving and being loved? Otherwise it becomes knowledge, theory, and a song we sing to make ourselves feel better about it.

I want the reality of Christ and His Church. Everything else is vanity.

Peace.