Has the church ever taken the place of God in your life? Before you answer this question, let me tell you that this article isn't meant to harm you – rather, it hopes to set you free.
When the Bride is Looked at as the Groom
The Bible tells us that Christ is the Bridegroom that will come to take His Bride, the church, pretty soon. Simply put, the church is waiting for Him to return to take her with Him. And while she does, she prepares herself for that exciting moment.
One problem that I've seen among many Christians, however, is that instead of pursuing the Groom and being excited for His coming arrival, they instead put their focus on the Bride. They give their lives for the church, even without knowing Christ. Sad.
Church Versus God
I've seen many Christians base their spiritual growth on their level of involvement in the church. The "higher" the position they have, the more "mature in the Lord" they perceive themselves to be. This is wrong.
Our growth in God is not quantified by our leadership role in the church we are in. I've seen youth leaders who seem to know about God, but actually lack the discipline to read their Bibles. I've known church leaders who talk so much about church growth and vision, but fail to reach out to their families, their friends, their colleagues, and the needy strangers around them.
Worse, their foundations on the cross and the resurrection are shaky or even nonexistent at all.
Our growth in God isn't also measured by the amount of time or money we give to our churches. Many think that if they spend lots of time in the church doing volunteer work, they are "closer to God than ever." In fact, I've known people who think that they're "pursuing their calling" by leaving their families behind and giving their possessions to the church.
They end up regretting their choices after realising they were wrong.
Know the Difference
Friends, let me spare you the unnecessary disillusionment: I've heard reports of former church people who left the institution and became confused about God's real character. We shouldn't confuse church with God. God is God, and church is just a bunch of people following and worshipping and waiting for Him.
Christ loved you so much that He died for you and raised you with Him in His resurrection. He set you free for Himself, and not for another. He is the one you should pursue and please more than the people who love Him, too.
