In a recent Saturday night worship service I like to attend, a friend I knew from a particular 12 step program showed up and asked me if I still went to that fellowship. Puzzled by his questioned, I said "yes" and asked him why he asked me. In answering, he admitted that he also continued to go, but wondered if he should--given Psalm 1. Intrigued by his answer, I opened my Bible to Psalm 1 and read it.
For the purpose of this post, I offer the Psalm in its entirety:
How happy is the man who does not follow the advice of the wicked or take the path of sinners or join a group of mockers! Instead, his delight is in the Lord’s instruction, and he meditates on it day and night. He is like a tree planted beside streams of water that bears its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither. Whatever he does prospers. The wicked are not like this; instead, they are like chaff that the wind blows away. Therefore the wicked will not survive the judgment, and sinners will not be in the community of the righteous. For the Lord watches over the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked leads to ruin. -Psalm 1 (HCSB)
Right off the bat, I can see my friend's quandary with this issue. He loves the fellowship he has attended for years and yet questions whether he should even be there--as a Christian among many non-Christians. My contention was [and is] as follows: being at a meeting in that fellowship does not necessarily indicate that you are following sinful advice or taking a path that leads you from God into sin. I have seen many different paths in that fellowship over the years and the one which leads to God is the one I chose. Had I not attended meetings at such an organization, who knows if or when I would have got clean and sober and removed the things that I used to block myself from a relationship with God. A relationship of surrender. As much as I needed His grace to get right with Him (something I could never do on my own good works) I needed the help of others He placed in my path to achieve a state of sobriety.
Associating with people who are not Christians is unavoidable if we are to live in this world and be an effective witness for Christ. I work with people who are not Christians and have no choice if I wish to make an income sufficient to pay my bills and support myself and my family. Jesus never told us to stay away from the world. He just doesn't want us to follow the ways of the world. In fact, He said and did the opposite: Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe everything I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” -Matthew 28:19-20 (HCSB)
If someone at a meeting tells you that you do not need God to have a happy and sober life, then you are hearing the advice of the wicked that will eventually lead you to ruin. As a Christian, that is obvious to me. But, chances are good that you will find many who will encourage you to seek God. God makes it clear that, if you seek Him, you will find Him. The verses below support that assertion:
But from there, you will search for the Lord your God, and you will find Him when you seek Him with all your heart and all your soul. -Deuteronomy 4:29 (HCSB)
You will seek Me and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart. -Jeremiah 29:13 (HCSB)
I must note here how important I think it is that we always maintain close fellowship with other believers and spend time daily studying God's Word to us, the Bible. In fellowship, we strengthen each other for the task at hand.
Now all the believers were together and held all things in common. They sold their possessions and property and distributed the proceeds to all, as anyone had a need. Every day they devoted themselves to meeting together in the temple complex, and broke bread from house to house. They ate their food with a joyful and humble attitude, praising God and having favor with all the people. And every day the Lord added to them those who were being saved. -Acts 2:44-47 (HCSB)
For the purpose of this post, I offer the Psalm in its entirety:
How happy is the man who does not follow the advice of the wicked or take the path of sinners or join a group of mockers! Instead, his delight is in the Lord’s instruction, and he meditates on it day and night. He is like a tree planted beside streams of water that bears its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither. Whatever he does prospers. The wicked are not like this; instead, they are like chaff that the wind blows away. Therefore the wicked will not survive the judgment, and sinners will not be in the community of the righteous. For the Lord watches over the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked leads to ruin. -Psalm 1 (HCSB)
Right off the bat, I can see my friend's quandary with this issue. He loves the fellowship he has attended for years and yet questions whether he should even be there--as a Christian among many non-Christians. My contention was [and is] as follows: being at a meeting in that fellowship does not necessarily indicate that you are following sinful advice or taking a path that leads you from God into sin. I have seen many different paths in that fellowship over the years and the one which leads to God is the one I chose. Had I not attended meetings at such an organization, who knows if or when I would have got clean and sober and removed the things that I used to block myself from a relationship with God. A relationship of surrender. As much as I needed His grace to get right with Him (something I could never do on my own good works) I needed the help of others He placed in my path to achieve a state of sobriety.
Associating with people who are not Christians is unavoidable if we are to live in this world and be an effective witness for Christ. I work with people who are not Christians and have no choice if I wish to make an income sufficient to pay my bills and support myself and my family. Jesus never told us to stay away from the world. He just doesn't want us to follow the ways of the world. In fact, He said and did the opposite: Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe everything I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” -Matthew 28:19-20 (HCSB)
If someone at a meeting tells you that you do not need God to have a happy and sober life, then you are hearing the advice of the wicked that will eventually lead you to ruin. As a Christian, that is obvious to me. But, chances are good that you will find many who will encourage you to seek God. God makes it clear that, if you seek Him, you will find Him. The verses below support that assertion:
But from there, you will search for the Lord your God, and you will find Him when you seek Him with all your heart and all your soul. -Deuteronomy 4:29 (HCSB)
You will seek Me and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart. -Jeremiah 29:13 (HCSB)
I must note here how important I think it is that we always maintain close fellowship with other believers and spend time daily studying God's Word to us, the Bible. In fellowship, we strengthen each other for the task at hand.
Now all the believers were together and held all things in common. They sold their possessions and property and distributed the proceeds to all, as anyone had a need. Every day they devoted themselves to meeting together in the temple complex, and broke bread from house to house. They ate their food with a joyful and humble attitude, praising God and having favor with all the people. And every day the Lord added to them those who were being saved. -Acts 2:44-47 (HCSB)
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