Life Principle 28
No Christian has ever been called to “go it alone” in his or her walk of faith. (Heb 10:24-25)
No Christian has ever been called to “go it alone” in his or her walk of faith. (Heb 10:24-25)
Life’s Questions
There are many reasons that people don’t attend church. Some refuse to join a church because they’ve had a terrible experience with “religious” people. Others live so far from a biblically-sound congregation that they feel it isn’t feasible for them to be active members. At times, people are shy and find it difficult to open up to others, or they have so many responsibilities that they don’t think they have the energy to participate adequately. Finally, there are those who are so frightened of being rejected that they isolate themselves from others—including other Christians.
God created each of us for fellowship with Himself and with other believers—which is why Life Principle 28 instructs, No Christian has ever been called to “go it alone” in his or her walk of faith. No matter what reason we have for separating ourselves from the Body of Christ, it pales in comparison to why God wants us involved in the church. We need love, encouragement, fellowship, accountability, and a spiritual outlet—and it’s through other believers that God provides all those things.
What the Bible Says
Read Acts 6:8–15. What was Stephen accused of?
Read Acts 7:51–60. What did Stephen condemn the Jewish leaders of (Acts 7:51-52)?
What did they do to him (Acts 7:58-60)?
Read Acts 8:1–4. What happened after Stephen’s death? How did some Christians respond to the persecution (Acts 8:4)?
Many of the believers remained in Jerusalem. What would you have done if you had been in their shoes? Would you have been tempted to go into hiding?
Read Hebrews 10:19–25. Why should believers worship God openly and with great confidence (Heb 10:19-21; also see Heb 4:14-16)?
What is our confidence based on in all situations (Heb 10:23; Heb 10:35-36)?
Why are we to meet together regularly (Heb 10:24-25; also see Heb 3:12-14)?
*** Stir up in the New Testament means to incite or stimulate. We are to encourage and motivate others to be faithful to God. In the same way, Paul admonished Timothy to “Stir up the gift of God which is in you ... For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.” (2 Tim. 1:6–7)
What It Means
The Jewish community was extremely close knit. They shared ancestry, land, traditions, and a center of worship. However, when Jews began to believe in Jesus as their Messiah, they were disowned and persecuted by their loved ones and neighbors. Some were scattered throughout the world, while others remained in Jerusalem to weather the storm. All must have been intensely aware of the persecution that they were in danger of. Yet the writer of Hebrews admonished them to encourage one another and remain steadfast in their faith (see Heb. 3:13).
They needed to draw confidence from other believers, and so do you—especially during the most difficult times. Other Christians will help you grow in your faith, and they will give you the love and support that you need to face the challenges ahead.
Life Examples
Read 1 John 3:13–19. Why should we not be surprised when the world opposes us (1 John 3:13; also see John 15:17–19)?
How does our unconditional love for one another show that we belong to Christ and are saved (1 John 3:14; also see 1 John 4:7–11)?
When we refuse to show love to other believers, why is it a condemnation against us (1 John 3:14-15; also see 1 John 4:20–21)?
What should we be willing to do for other believers (1 John3:16; also see John 15:13)? What impact does this have on our opinions, prejudices, and biases?
What does this passage admonish about sharing with those in need (1 John 3:17-19; also see James 2:15–17)?
*** Love one another; as I have loved you ... By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another. (John 13:34–35)
Living the Principle
Do you find it easy or difficult to open up to other people? Do you consider yourself a loner or are you naturally drawn to others? Regardless of your personal makeup, you need to understand how important it is for you to be part of the church. This will be more challenging for some than for others, but being involved in a Bible-believing congregation is indispensable for all Christians. Bombarded by worldly pressure and ungodly influences, no one can stand by themselves for too long. Either you will be destroyed by the stress or you will drift away from the faith. Also, you will miss out on the abundant life that God planned for you because an important part of expressing that life is showing unconditional love to other believers and receiving it from them in return. That’s not possible if you refuse to participate.
Are you involved in a local church? If you’re not, you need to be. Make sure that you attend a church that will encourage you, keep you accountable, challenge you to grow, help you to express your spiritual gifts, and feed you the meat of God’s Word. Remember, the Body of Christ isn’t complete without you, so don’t wait any longer to fulfill the role that you were created for.
*** Your participation in a local church protects your personal fellowship with God.
How will you live out Life Principle 28 this week? Discuss your involvement in the local church and encourage each other in your service for the Lord. Then spend time in prayer, asking God to draw you into intimate communion with Himself and to transform your life, so that you can affect the world for the sake of His kingdom.
Life Lessons to Remember
There are many reasons that people don’t attend church. Some refuse to join a church because they’ve had a terrible experience with “religious” people. Others live so far from a biblically-sound congregation that they feel it isn’t feasible for them to be active members. At times, people are shy and find it difficult to open up to others, or they have so many responsibilities that they don’t think they have the energy to participate adequately. Finally, there are those who are so frightened of being rejected that they isolate themselves from others—including other Christians.
God created each of us for fellowship with Himself and with other believers—which is why Life Principle 28 instructs, No Christian has ever been called to “go it alone” in his or her walk of faith. No matter what reason we have for separating ourselves from the Body of Christ, it pales in comparison to why God wants us involved in the church. We need love, encouragement, fellowship, accountability, and a spiritual outlet—and it’s through other believers that God provides all those things.
What the Bible Says
Read Acts 6:8–15. What was Stephen accused of?
Read Acts 7:51–60. What did Stephen condemn the Jewish leaders of (Acts 7:51-52)?
What did they do to him (Acts 7:58-60)?
Read Acts 8:1–4. What happened after Stephen’s death? How did some Christians respond to the persecution (Acts 8:4)?
Many of the believers remained in Jerusalem. What would you have done if you had been in their shoes? Would you have been tempted to go into hiding?
Read Hebrews 10:19–25. Why should believers worship God openly and with great confidence (Heb 10:19-21; also see Heb 4:14-16)?
What is our confidence based on in all situations (Heb 10:23; Heb 10:35-36)?
Why are we to meet together regularly (Heb 10:24-25; also see Heb 3:12-14)?
*** Stir up in the New Testament means to incite or stimulate. We are to encourage and motivate others to be faithful to God. In the same way, Paul admonished Timothy to “Stir up the gift of God which is in you ... For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.” (2 Tim. 1:6–7)
What It Means
The Jewish community was extremely close knit. They shared ancestry, land, traditions, and a center of worship. However, when Jews began to believe in Jesus as their Messiah, they were disowned and persecuted by their loved ones and neighbors. Some were scattered throughout the world, while others remained in Jerusalem to weather the storm. All must have been intensely aware of the persecution that they were in danger of. Yet the writer of Hebrews admonished them to encourage one another and remain steadfast in their faith (see Heb. 3:13).
They needed to draw confidence from other believers, and so do you—especially during the most difficult times. Other Christians will help you grow in your faith, and they will give you the love and support that you need to face the challenges ahead.
Life Examples
Read 1 John 3:13–19. Why should we not be surprised when the world opposes us (1 John 3:13; also see John 15:17–19)?
How does our unconditional love for one another show that we belong to Christ and are saved (1 John 3:14; also see 1 John 4:7–11)?
When we refuse to show love to other believers, why is it a condemnation against us (1 John 3:14-15; also see 1 John 4:20–21)?
What should we be willing to do for other believers (1 John3:16; also see John 15:13)? What impact does this have on our opinions, prejudices, and biases?
What does this passage admonish about sharing with those in need (1 John 3:17-19; also see James 2:15–17)?
*** Love one another; as I have loved you ... By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another. (John 13:34–35)
Living the Principle
Do you find it easy or difficult to open up to other people? Do you consider yourself a loner or are you naturally drawn to others? Regardless of your personal makeup, you need to understand how important it is for you to be part of the church. This will be more challenging for some than for others, but being involved in a Bible-believing congregation is indispensable for all Christians. Bombarded by worldly pressure and ungodly influences, no one can stand by themselves for too long. Either you will be destroyed by the stress or you will drift away from the faith. Also, you will miss out on the abundant life that God planned for you because an important part of expressing that life is showing unconditional love to other believers and receiving it from them in return. That’s not possible if you refuse to participate.
Are you involved in a local church? If you’re not, you need to be. Make sure that you attend a church that will encourage you, keep you accountable, challenge you to grow, help you to express your spiritual gifts, and feed you the meat of God’s Word. Remember, the Body of Christ isn’t complete without you, so don’t wait any longer to fulfill the role that you were created for.
*** Your participation in a local church protects your personal fellowship with God.
How will you live out Life Principle 28 this week? Discuss your involvement in the local church and encourage each other in your service for the Lord. Then spend time in prayer, asking God to draw you into intimate communion with Himself and to transform your life, so that you can affect the world for the sake of His kingdom.
Life Lessons to Remember
- Meeting regularly with other believers helps to safeguard us against drifting (see Heb. 3:13).
- We have a responsibility to use our gifts to encourage other believers (see 1 Peter 4:10).