1 John 3:1
See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him.
As beings created in the image of God, we flourish best when we function within family. That’s why our earthly family is so important. We were not formed to thrive in isolation.
And that’s why our spiritual family is even more important. Now, just like our earthly family, we also thrive spiritually when we function in the context of a small family unit. This is where many Christians miss it. They acknowledge loyalty to the broader body of Christ, but not to a smaller, more intimate Christian community.
One reason why belonging to a closer spiritual community matters is accountability. You and I need a group of likeminded saints to whom we can be answerable. We should indeed be our “brother’s keeper”. Mature Christians understand the value of being accountable to fellow disciples. They don’t seek to function purely independently, but interdependently. You and I need one another.
Another reason why belonging to a close spiritual community matters is intimacy. Just as the Father, Son and Spirit exist in perfect harmony and love, so should we. Jesus teaches that our
testimony will be credible when we love one another (John 13:34-35). When we gel with fellow believers, our faith counts. When we don’t, our witness is weak.
Let us cherish unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace, beloved (Ep 4:3). Let us not be deceived into living isolated spiritual lives. It’s untenable. It doesn’t work. It’s wrong.
Pastor Josh