"This people honors me with their lips but their heart is far from me." Matt 5:23, 24
Many of us feel that if we "go to church," sing the songs, pray the prayers, drop a few bucks into the basket, listen to the message and take the communion, we are doing all that God requires of us. Of course we need to be "good people" and "do the right thing" but for the most part, we are in pretty good shape.
Others feel that all they have to do is (say they) believe. It is not even necessary to "go to church" because the people there are a bunch of hypocrites anyway. They get their morality from televangelists or worse, their own reasoning.
In reality, Christianity is about a relationship and in any positive, healthy relationship, there are a few things that are required. First, it needs to be sincere. We can all spot a fake, God more than any of us. For some it may take a little time, but insincerity will always be able to be discerned sooner or later. Second, it requires effort. Healthy relationships involve both give and take and that not always in equal measure. Similarly, sacrifice is almost always required in one way or the other. No party has things their way all the time, but willingly gives another priority at their own expense from time to time. Finally, positive and healthy relationships require some sort of structure. Whatever they may be, their are agreed to rules of behavior and interaction that define the relationship and govern the activities thereof.
Beloved, this is not meant to be an exhaustive list. I am sure we could all come up with a number of other things that would be true. The point is that it is not about "going to church." It is about participating in a relationship with both God and siblings in the faith. And it is about doing so with sincerity of heart rather than just going through the motions.
In Revival,
Lee
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