"What is the point of church [part 2]"

Most people think that by going to church you are racking up points with God. It's as if God is in heaven waiting for you and when you get there He is going to give you all your rewards for sticking it out every dreadful Sunday morning. "At least if I go to church than God is pleased with my sacrifice," that's what some might say.

I believe that a lot of people in this generation have it all wrong for their reasons of going to church. They say, "Well, my parents go so I figure it's the right thing to do," or they say, "we can't forsake the assembling of the brethren." It's true also in today's church world that if you miss a week here or there people get a bit worried as if you might be backsliding.

While there are many shallow reasons for going to church, I do believe that there are many valid reasons for the body of Christ to gather on a regular basis. Last time, we talked about the desire to "belong" and that belonging to a body gives us comfort and joy knowing we are part of something and we are known and wanted. There is also other reasons why we as Christians love to be part of the body of Christ and one of those reasons is a sense of "Security". Not only do we desire to belong but we also love the feeling of being secure.


1st Security:
Now there are two types of security we feel when we are involved or taking part in a church service. First, the security we feel is a physical security. When we gather we experience a freedom from risk or danger giving us a sense of safety. It seems that when we engage in a worship service we do not sense any feeling of uncertain danger from anyone or anything, it's as if the Holy Spirit provides a surrounding atmosphere and a certainty in the minds of the gathered believers. We know that as lovers of God, while we are together, gathering in fellowship, we are sure He is protecting us. It's just as a father protects his children when they are in his presence.

Now, of course we do not need to meet together to feel security from Christ but the point of the article is concerning gathering as believers to be what we call the church. So please, don't misunderstand me. I feel secure much of the time when I am out of fellowship just because I know that God holds the world in His hands, it's just that I feel that when we gather, something supernatural happens. The only problem being is that our frailty gets in the way and we mess everything up. If we just let God be God and believers be believers, than we have an amazing church with much power.


2nd Security:
The second security we feel is much better than the first if you want my opinion. Not only do we feel a sense of physical safety when we gather but most importantly we feel a spiritual security. When we gather together we experience a freedom from doubt, anxiety, or fear, giving us a sense of confidence. Isn't it true, when you enter a church that you frequent, you feel the weight of the world lifted from your heart of hearts. Isn't it true, when you talk and pray with others within your church community that you forget of the realities in the real world. Now where does that come from, that sense of security? It seems that something supernatural happens when we come together as the body of Christ. Jesus says that where two or more are gathered in my name, there I am. Jesus surrounds us, Jesus comforts us, Jesus secures us. There are healing's(seen and unseen), there are miracles(seen and unseen), there are times of salvation(seen and unseen) during these gatherings and Christ is the maker of them all.

Seemingly, if these things don't happen when you meet together than I would suggest that there is something missing. Either, man has come in and made it a show, tradition has drowned out all that was real, or the Holy Spirit of God no longer resides in such a place. If that is the situation my prayers are with you and you can be confident and secure in Christ knowing that; this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we have asked of Him. (1 john 5:14-15)


You see, many days I have woke in the morning with a feeling of anxiety. I begin to pray and it subsides, but only a little. I then open the Scriptures, and a little more, the anxiety goes but there still remains a small amount. But it's when I find myself walking into that place, where we as a body have set apart to gather as the church, that I feel it subside entirely. It's where I go to find peace among the storm, it's the place I hide when the rains come, and it's under those wings of Christ's body that I find "security" like no other.

Security...
It's just another point to the point of Church.