My question is this Crow, if you are pleasing the Lord in what you do, why is it necessary to attempt and organize the remainder of us? Will we not stand before Jesus to receive our own rewards? If I determine to give through the assembly I attend, do you have a problem with that? Do you have a special group you want supported more than another? I do hope you realize that we all march to the God of our salvation according the His direction for each of us through the Holy Spirit, and not man. I have seen whole families kept through trials for years at church and I am satisfied with that. I truly am not worried that Ceasar doesn't care for me; God does He shall supply all our need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.
If you see a relationship with Christ as simply one on one, then what I say will mean nothing to you. If instead you see strength in the Body, the potential in unity, a greater love for our Lord and our neighbors in working together, then, it might. You say, "we all march to the God of our salvation according to His direction for each of us through the Holy Spirit," but I have to assume that direction does not include His commandments and His call for us to become One in the Body in your thinking. You say, "He shall supply all our need," but have to assume you think those needs aren't to be filled as One in the Body.
Two thousand years ago very specific- and simple- commandments and direction were given to the first believers. They did their best for a time, but over time it all began to fracture. No unity, no oneness, and no longer so specific and simple to understand. Different takes on all this began to encroach. Judgements and rationalizations and justifications to stray away from the commandments and directions. The purity of our Savior, the course of the path, the progression to the worldly living He wishes His children to have all became blurred. And from that seems to have come the rationalization that commandments aren't necessarily commandments, that the Body does not mean unity, and we, as individuals, really don't have to do anything but say we believe Christ died for our sins.
There is a better life waiting to happen. Yes, "He shall supply all our need," but we are settling for so much less than He wants to supply. And that "supply" flows through us, not just to us. We are commissioned- no, we are
commanded to find that better life. The love for our Lord and the love for one another are not suggestions, and they have nothing to do with eternal salvation. He gave those commandments for now, for this earthly time of living. He has given us eternity, and said, "It is finished", but has also given us the means for better right now. His work is done. Ours was supposed to begin long ago. Separately, we may find eternity, but together we change the world. But nothing changes unless we try. All I'm trying to do (by His direction) is get people to try.
