Can You Serve God On Your Own?
"I don't need a church; they're all fakes and hypocrites anyway! I can serve God all by myself!"
As we've seen, Satan will do anything he can to get Christians away from their churches. He knows the church can expose his lies and stop him from destroying a Christian's life. Because he knows this fact better than most Christians do, he will stop at nothing to get them out of the local congregation. One of his favorites methods is this one-two punch combo:
1 - Introduce some kind of hurt or offense between believers in the same congregation.
2 - Follow that up with the false doctrine that church attendance isn't really that important to a believer.
If going to church isn't something that's necessary to be a Christian, then why put yourself through the hassle of being around other believers?
So let me ask you a question: Can you serve God by yourself?
Biblical Reasons NOT To Attend Church
From Scripture, I can see only four valid reasons a Christian wouldn't gather together in a local church: three of them good, and one acceptable.
First, the merely acceptable reason: When you need to withdraw and recuperate. Jesus would withdraw from the crowds of believers, and go off by Himself to rest and pray. It is OK to go on vacation and rest once in a while...and that may mean missing a service or two. BUT...don't ever think that this is a vacation from spiritual things. Your Bible and your prayer time should still go on vacation with you.
And when you return, you go back to the House of God.
Second: When (or IF) you are sick. I believe in healing. I know that God's Word makes it clear; He does NOT want you bound up in sickness. I also know that we live in a fallen world, and sometimes healings need to be fought for. This is why James 5:14-15 says this, "Are any of you sick? You should call for the elders of the church to come and pray over you, anointing you with oil in the name of the Lord. Such a prayer offered in faith will heal the sick, and the Lord will make you well."
Notice two things here:
One, this passage assumes you're a part of a local church...a church that also has elders who believe in healing.
Two, this passage instructs you to stay home and call the elders to come to you. If you're facing a sickness that's contagious - one that will try to attack other members of the church - then it's Biblical to have the elders come help you fight it at home.
Then, when your healing comes, go back to the House of God.
Third: When you are in jail. I don't suspect this is a common reason for American Christians to miss church. When a church member doesn't show up to a service, my first thought usually is not, "I wonder if they're locked up today". But in other countries, where Christians are being imprisoned for their faith - this is a common and righteous reason to miss church. It's a shame to American Christians to think that many of our international brothers and sisters are actually in jail for going to church.
And once they're released, they go back to the House of God.
Fourth: When you are called to an area where there is no church. (Notice, I didn't say "where there is no church that you like.") Throughout history, God has called men and women into uncharted territory. Many of them were sent to areas where the gospel has never been heard before. Of course there won't be any churches to attend when they get there. But let's be clear: If God called them to that place, there will usually be a church there when they leave!
When you look to the Bible as a pattern, you can see how God sends people into "unchurched" areas.
1-They would be called out of faithfully attending a local congregation and sent to this new area.
2-While they are there, they would start a local congregation from new converts, and teach them to faithfully attend.
3-Then, they would either stay in that church as an overseer, or they would set an overseer in place and go back to their home church.
You Can't Do This Alone!
Other than these four occasions, we must faithfully and consistently assemble with other believers in a church! Why? Because there are commands in Scripture that we can't obey alone...which means we cannot effectively serve God by ourselves.
How could you obey these commands without being a part of a local church?
- "Be of the same mind toward one another" - Romans 12:16
- "Receive one another" - Romans 15:7
- "Admonish one another" - Romans 15:14
- "Greet one another" - Romans 16:16
- "Wait for one another" - 1 Corinthians 11:33
- "Serve one another" - Galatians 5:13
- "Bear with one another" - Ephesians 4:2
- "Forgive one another: - Ephesians 4:32
- "Speak to one another in songs, hymns and spiritual songs: - Ephesians 5:19
- "Comfort and build one another up" - 1 Thessalonians 5:11
- "Confess your sins to one another" - James 5:16
- "Be hospitable to one another without grumbling" - 1 Peter 4:9
- "Be submissive to one another" - 1 Peter 5:5
These commands are all about when we come together. You and I cannot obey them out on our own - we need each other for this!
It's in the local church that the Ephesians 4 ministry gifts serve God by equipping us with the truth (Ephesians 4:12).
It's in the local church that we obey God by submitting to the elders (1 Peter 5:5), by following their doctrine carefully (1 Timothy 4:6), and by imitating them as they imitate Christ (1 Corinthians 11:1).
It's in the local church that the ministry of helps have a chance to obey God by serving the people (1 Corinthians 12:28).
It's in the local church that we obey God by having something spiritual to share. (1 Corinthians 14:26)
Even when you have been offended by something in your church, that church has still given you a chance to obey God and forgive them - something you'd never have alone!
When someone in your church rubs you the wrong way, you can rejoice in the opportunity to "bear with them in love". You couldn't obey that command until that fellow believer annoyed you!
Taking it a step further: Even when an serious wrong is committed against you by another Christian in your church, that person's sin has provided you with the chance to serve God. You now get to follow Jesus' direction in Matthew 18:15-17...another passage we cannot obey alone.
So, can you serve God by yourself?
No....You just cannot obey God completely unless you're fully attached to a local church.
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