The Mentality of the Unchurched

The church does not have the power to save. The church cannot save. In the simplest terms it is the gathering of the saved. It is basically powerless by itself. It is a candle unused. The power to save a soul was never given to assemblies of men. That power comes only from the Holy Spirit empowering the only means of salvation that God has ordained - the Gospel. It is God alone who saves through the Gospel.

The Holy Spirit who empowers the Gospel was given to the church through the obedience of the Son. He is the Comforter who stands with the Christian to give him power and enables him for the impossible task of witnessing, against an unbelieving world, for a kingdom that no man alive has ever seen. The kingdom of God does not advance apart from the Holy Spirit empowering the very people who have been redeemed to be a part of it. It is the very purpose of creation and redemption: that these people, whose names have been written in the Lamb's Book of Life even before Genesis 1, would come to God as His own children, born of His will, to behold His glory.

This collection of redeemed, imperfect, weak, and sin-stricken people is affectionately called by Christ Himself as His beloved bride. Indeed, His very own body, for which His precious blood was poured out for. It was for her life He died.

And so the lone professing Christian, (not the ones who have no means or are in the process of actively finding a fellowship,) the one who deliberately and intentionally cuts himself or herself off from the body to remain alone without fellowship, is an anomaly. A moral rebel. A renegade believer. He or she uplifts the first commandment, but ignores the second.

There are many situations in many professing and so-called churches, by reckless leaders and oversees, that have scarred many a serious believer into unbelief. But this does not justify saying, I would rather be, because "I alone am left," 1 Kings 19:10. One cannot be in Christ and not be in His body, much less serve the betterment of His body. The branch cannot continue to have life on its own apart from the Vine. And one part cannot be of the same body which it despises to be a part of.

The Creed of the Unchurched.

"I need not be reminded. I need not be warned. I know enough to avoid sinning and do good, and I understand everything happening in my life. I belong to Christ but not necessarily His body, so I am free from any obligation to do good to it. Neither do I need the fellowship of saints. I do need the use of Christ, but I need not concern myself to be used of Him. I simply refrain from doing harm to others, without any regard to do them good. I do not need admonition and exhortation, neither must I do the same. I want the love of God for myself. There are many ways of loving God, loving others is not one of them."

"I need no instruction from the wise. I know temptation when I see it. Though I am a sheep, I do not need a shepherd. I can feed myself, and find my own way back should I want to. I need only to trust my own heart and understanding. I am confident enough to spend the rest of my Christian life alone, assuming I do rightly by living morally. I may be just a hand, but I do not need a body to be joined to. I would rather be in the company of unbelieving friends and family than with the Lord's redeemed. Yes, I do look forward to be joined to the body of Christ, but only when I am in heaven. That is the only time I can be sure I am among true believers, because I am true. Those who do and keep the will of God I do not consider as spiritual family. I have no need of a spiritual family. My spirit is content to dwell with those who openly deny the glory of my God and live in rebellion against Him."

"I would rather trust what I know God to be, than humble myself to obey what He revealed Himself to be in His word."

Blessings for being with brethren who love the Lord and
pitfalls of being a lone Christian.

    

"Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!"
Psalms 133:1

"And the eye cannot say unto the hand, I have no need of thee: nor again the head to the feet, I have no need of you." 
1 Corinthians 12:21

"And that which fell among thorns are they, which, when they have heard, go forth, and are choked with cares and riches and pleasures of this life, and bring no fruit to perfection."
Luke 8:14 

You are gifted by God with light from His Word equipping you for service that honors His name, and are able to partake of this precious command of breaking bread with the saints. "They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer." Acts 2:42

You are in the fellowship of believers who love the Lord "..so that you too may have fellowship with us; and indeed our fellowship is with the Father, and with His Son Jesus Christ." 1 John 1:3

You will be edified by fellow-believers. "Let all things be done for edification." 1 Corinthians 14:26

You have people to admonish you. "Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you, with all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another.."  Colossians 3:16

You have godly companions who desire to do you good and they will be an encouragement to you for the troubles ahead. "I am a companion of all them that fear thee, and of them that keep thy precepts." Psalms 119:63

The absence of intimate fellowship will make you calloused, apathetic, and eventually self-righteous. "Therefore, confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another so that you may be healed. The effective prayer of a righteous man can accomplish much." James 5:16

This command is for believers and followers. You cannot obey this alone, therefore you cannot obey this at all. "A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, even as I have loved you, that you also love one another." John 13:34

You have no one to encourage you. Eventually the worries and troubles of this world will overtake you and being alone you will fall away (Luke 18:14)"and let us consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds, not forsaking our own assembling together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another; and all the more as you see the day drawing near." Hebrews 10:24-25 
"Therefore encourage one another and build up one another, just as you also are doing." 1 Thessalonians 5:11
"That is, that I may be comforted together with you by the mutual faith both of you and me." Romans 1:12

You cannot practice patience and forgiveness being alone, have no one to be united to, and are therefore fruitless. "with all humility and gentleness, with patience, showing tolerance for one another in love, being diligent to preserve the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace." Ephesians 4:2-3

You are unable to serve the needs of fellow believers. This is the breeding ground for apathy. "contributing to the needs of the saints, practicing hospitality." Romans 12:13

You become dull on your own. "Iron sharpens iron; so a man sharpens the countenance of his friend." Proverbs 27:17

Your love remains stunted. You cannot say you love God without a love for His redeemed. "If we love one another, God dwells in us, and his love is perfected in us." 1 John 4:12

You are directly opposed this command. "A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another." John 13:34-35, John 15:17, Romans 12:10, 1 John 4:7

You bear your own burden, and you steal the blessings that fellow-believers may have in bearing yours. "Bear ye one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ." Galatians 6:2 

Another essential element of Christian fellowship is sharing sorrows and difficult times. We “rejoice with those who rejoice and weep with those who weep” Romans 12:15
 

Satan always hates Christian fellowship; it is his policy to keep Christians apart. Anything which can divide saints from one another he delights in. He attaches far more importance to godly intercourse than we do. Since union is strength, he does his best to promote separation.
Charles Spurgeon