Better or Worse?

"Now in this that I declare unto you I praise you not, that ye come together not for the better, but for the worse." (I Corinthians 11: 17 KJV)

Going to church, at least in this day and time, can be dangerous for your spiritual health! Oh yes, a shocking news report indeed! What gives one the authority for saying it? Certainly the words of Paul give us authority to say so. Besides this, a close inspection of the overwhelming majority of Christian churches, existing today, gives credance to this spiritual "drudge report" or "report card."

Paul, viewing the state of things at the "Church of Corinth," gave his denunciation in strong language and his words could just as well be translated as saying - "You all would have been better to have stayed home and not gone to church at all!"

"If any man think himself to be a prophet, or spiritual, let him acknowledge that the things that I write unto you are the commandments of the Lord. But if any man be ignorant, let him be ignorant." (I Corinthians 14: 37, 38 KJV)

These are also hard words, bordering on sarcasm (all sarcasm is not bad), but they reveal much.

It is perfectly proper and right for every individual Christian, if he cannot find a church that acknowledges what Paul has written, on theology, and church government and practice, and such things, then, well - "just let him be ignorant!" is the advice and admonition of Paul.

"At my first answer no man stood with me, but all men forsook me: I pray God that it may not be laid to their charge. Notwithstanding the Lord stood with me, and strengthened me..." (II Timothy 4: 16, 17 KJV)

So, if one cannot find a church or group of Christians which will be an "help" to the individual Christian, he is warranted to worship God alone and outside of a organized group. After all, does the church exist for the benefit of the individual, or vice versa? It could be both, but is one paramount? Surely the individual is not less important than the body or the group. Sometimes a Christian must, like Paul, "stand alone."

"Ye observe days, and months, and times, and years. I am afraid of you, lest I have bestowed upon you labour in vain." (Galatians 4: 10, 11 KJV)

There are lots of churches that we ought to fear becoming part of. There are so many cults out there today masquerading as Christian assemblies, and yet "Ichabod" is spiritually written over the doors.

"Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them." (Romans 16: 17 KJV)

So sad that men in churches do just the opposite today. Rather than avoiding such people, they are put into leadership positions in many churches! Tragic!

"Now we command you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye withdraw yourselves from every brother that walketh disorderly, and not after the tradition which he received of us." (II Thessalonians 3: 6 KJV)

"And whosoever will not receive you, when ye go out of that city, shake off the very dust from your feet for a testimony against them." (Luke 9: 5 KJV)

Every Christian, if he wants to "keep his garments white," will seek to avoid the company of heretics, of schismatics, and those who do not teach apostolic truth.

"Also, thou son of man (Ezekiel the preacher or pastor), the children of thy people (members of the congregation) still are talking against thee by the walls and in the doors of the houses, and speak one to another, every one to his brother, saying, Come, I pray you, and hear what is the word that cometh forth from the LORD. And they come unto thee as the people cometh, and they sit before thee as my people, and they hear thy words, but they will not do them: for with their mouth they shew much love, but their heart goeth after their covetousness. And, lo, thou (the spiritual leader) art unto them as a very lovely song of one that hath a pleasant voice, and can play well on an instrument: for they (enjoy to) hear thy words, but they do them not. And when this cometh to pass, (lo, it will come,) then shall they know that a prophet hath been among them."

How relevent is this scene today for those who are called of God as was Ezekiel? How often do church members select a preacher who has a good sounding voice, one that is melodic, one that never has any offensive tone, etc., and yet who does not exhort, reprove, or rebuke?

"And Jacob awaked out of his sleep, and he said, Surely the LORD is in this place; and I knew it not." (Genesis 28: 16 KJV)

How many Christians today are so ignorant of being able to discern the hand and presence of God in their lives, and in their churches!

God help us all to pray for discernment of spirit, for direction on when to withdraw from disorderly brothers, and when to avoid such as preach not the truth of God's word, and thereby keep ourselves from being infected.

Sometimes the individual Christian may need to spiritually quarantine himself from other groups of disorderly churches, for if he does not, he will "come together (with the group), not for the better, but for the worse."