We have been posting much about the alternative to “church-life.” By “church-life”, we mean the activities that revolve around the membership of an organization, the required activities to be in good standing with that organization, and the amount and type of fellowship inherent in that arrangement. The alternative has been the focus of this chapter.
What we can apply from the example of first-century interaction is that fellow Christians, who lived together in the same town, interacted daily with one another. That doesn’t mean that each person necessarily saw every fellow Christian every day of the week. What I have written is that their lives were wrapped up in each other’s life. Paul wrote in 1 Timothy 5:1-2, “Do not rebuke an older man but encourage him as you would a father, younger men as brothers, older women as mothers, younger women as sisters, in all purity.” We still have older men and women. We still have younger men and women. The counsel given here is just as applicable as it was when given to Timothy to impart to saints in Ephesus. The passage in Titus 2:1-10 is just as timely and applicable today, also. It reads, “But speak thou the things which become sound doctrine:
1) That the aged men be sober, grave, temperate, sound in faith, in charity, in patience.
2) The aged women likewise, that they be in behavior as becomes holiness, not false accusers, not given to much wine, teachers of good things; That they may teach the young women to be sober, to love their husbands, to love their children, To be discreet, chaste, keepers at home, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God be not blasphemed.
3) “Young men likewise exhort to be sober-minded. In all things showing yourself a pattern of good works: in doctrine showing incorruptness, gravity, sincerity; Sound speech that cannot be condemned; that he that is of the contrary part may be ashamed, having no evil thing to say of you.”
4) Exhort servants to be obedient unto their own masters, and to please them well in all things; not answering again; Not purloining, but showing all good fidelity; that they may adorn the doctrine of God our Saviour in all things.
These are the roles that would be represented in any given community of saints and the treatment of one another in their daily fellowship and walk of life. It certainly does not describe the fellowship of a local church organization as they meet at their appointed times for worship and Bible study.
As pointed out, their lives were shared very closely but with respect for their roles. They had the privilege of oversight in the elders who were so involved in their work that they were more worthy to receive physical support than the desolate widows. No doubt, they sat at the table of many homes and shared their food and home. Today, we can still draw strength from one another and measure our words by the Scriptures. We can provide support and be available to bear burdens too grievous to bear alone.
So, if this is the alternative, the real test of discipleship is before us all. God is not interested in church membership, how much you give in the collection plate, how often you attend services, lead a prayer, or any other active part you may have in a local church organization. He has always cared about our individual lives of sacrifice (cf. Romans 12:1-2). As you read through this and imagined how saints interacted together in the same city, how many of you thought (1) “I do not want to spend that much time with certain ones” … “She’s such a know it all. I’d have a hard time spending any more time with her.” Or, “He gives me the heebie-jeebies.” (2) “I don’t like the way he looks at me….. She smells so bad that I just about gag every time she’s around me.” (3) “I like the privacy of my home…. they don’t make their kids obey them. They’ll break every nice thing I have.” (4) “I don’t mind going to church a few times a week, but I have a life to live and work to do and I’m not going to spend my time and waking hours listening to someone tell me how to live. I get enough church in our assemblies without hearing more from him.” (5) “You want to pray? Here? Now? Why?” (6) “You want to hold me accountable? I don’t think so. I can manage that on my own.”
These are the lies of Satan that have infiltrated the hearts of the unsuspecting. They are content in their appointed times for gatherings and their Bible studies and worship services. Influenced by today’s home life, a wall has been built around the home to protect the privacy and personal interests of individuals’ choices. Even if able to enter the barriers, there are clear rules of an entrance that requires a prior invitation. Once in the home, other rules must be honored, such as the length of time for the visits, and the topic of conversation. Granted, some rules of privacy and the time of day are expected and advised. Yet, this does not represent family ties. Some of the best examples I have seen are the close physical ties exhibited in some physical families. Even then, that there are understood rules to follow, everyone recognizes that if they get a call in the middle of the night from a brother, the brother is so important to us that we never question whether it should be answered. If it’s that important for the brother to call at that time of day, it must be important to him. Family is seen coming in and going out among each other like is seen in the example of Paul in Acts 9:28. It reads, “So he went in and out among them at Jerusalem, preaching boldly in the name of the Lord.”