I'm with Cyprian on this; there are no Lone Rangers in Christian life...
There is no more one organization known as "the
Church", but there is one organism, living and filled with the Spirit,
worldwide, without borders and we can call it "the Church" or the
Body of Christ. Through that living organism there are many organizations that
make up "the church" in localities. We MUST be born again; we MUST be
born from above into new life, into the organism -- the life known as the Body
of Christ. We then must obey the teaching of Scriptures to regularly meet
together, regularly worship together, regularly serve together, regularly
minister to one another together...in other words, be local, small bodies
inside the worldwide Body.
There is so much more which can be said of the Church, both
the organism and her various organizations, but the fact remains we are either
in the Church or we are without Christ. And, if we are in the Body, we should
be part of some local body. Yes, that can be difficult; it's ALWAYS difficult
to be in relationships of any sort, but "together" seems to be a
command of God.
Cyprian said: “The spouse of Christ cannot be adulterous;
she is uncorrupted and pure. She knows one home; she guards with chaste modesty
the sanctity of one couch. She keeps us for God. She appoints the sons whom she
has born for the kingdom. Whoever is separated from the Church and is joined to
an adulteress, is separated from the promises of the Church; nor can he who
forsakes the Church of Christ attain to the rewards of Christ. He is a
stranger; he is profane; he is an enemy. He can no longer have God for his Father,
who has not the Church for his mother.” — Cyprian, Treatise on the Unity of the Church, 6.
There are several organizations that think they are alone
"the Church", and it is true the Church is not united worldwide as an
organization. However, it is apparent the organism is unified. Where believers
dwell together in living, true doctrine, we see there the organism alive and
thriving.
Me? Yes, I am a part of a local body, and I love it. I
wouldn't trade it for anything! I am loved and allowed to show love and share
gifting. I am encouraged, instructed, exhorted, chastised, corrected, received
in fellowship and sent together to serve.
"Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without
wavering, for he who promised is faithful. And let us consider how to stir up
one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the
habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day
drawing near." (Hebrews 10:23-25 ESV)
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