Connections and Church

In Ephesians 5:21-22, Paul writes about how a man leaves his father and mother and is joined to his wife, and that the two become one.  But then, Paul completely changes direction.  He says that this is a mystery, but that he is referring to Jesus and the church, not to a husband and wife.

Today, I was reading from a book titled "Essential Church" by Sam and Thom Rainer, a couple of pastors and researchers on religious matters.  In the chapter I was reading, they made this statement: "Trying to be a Christian with a connection to the local church is like trying to have a marriage without interacting and communicating with your spouse."  I was struck by the depth of that statement. 

None of us who are married can imagine being married to our spouse and yet not ever seeing or being in touch with that spouse.  We wouldn't even call that a marriage, but something more like a divorce or a separation.  Yet, sadly, that is how many people seem to be in their relationship with God and with the local gathering of God's saints.  It's almost an attitude of "they'll be there when I need them, but only when it's good for me."

God made us all to be in connection with one another, and those connections are a vital part of our faith.  While it may be our personal, individual faith that brings us into God's reign and the kingdom of heaven, God has never intended for that faith to be held in isolation.  The Good News is something that is shared and rejoiced in among one's fellow believers.  It is a cause for joy and celebration, that we have been rescued, and so have others, and we all have that in common.

Sadly, there are many reasons for this disconnect, far too many for me to go into today.  But perhaps it shows us the very simple, yet very profound truth.  For the local gathering of God's saints in Jesus, personal connections with one another are vital to keeping the unity and the faith with one another.  Without those closer, personal connections, faith is damaged, unity is damaged, and we succumb to the American isolation that our society so fervently proclaims as ideal.