Organized Religion

“Iron sharpens iron, and one man sharpens another”
(Proverbs 27:17, ESV).

“I don’t like organized religion,” the man declared. “I can grow just as close to God watching a sunset as I can singing songs and praying in a church building.”

There are those who feel that they can live their Christianity in isolation from others, that in fact their Christianity might be better for living away from “organized religion” (by this term do they mean “other Christians”?).

I always smile when I hear the term “organized”
religion. Have you ever seen how a church committee functions? It would get done a lot quicker if you just gave the job to the church secretary.

Most churches I know get things done more in spite of their “organization” than because of it! Yet when Christians gather for worship and Bible study, when they talk about good things, wholesome things, and spiritual things, they are helping each other to see God’s will more clearly.

It seems to me that what the speaker was really trying to do was to avoid his responsibilities to others. Is there really such a thing as a Christianity where one lives on a deserted beach, communing in a pure fashion with the Creator, yet never reaching out to help or influence his creation?

The only thing that sharpens iron is iron, and the only thing that sharpens people is people!

–by Stan Mitchell @ www.forthright.net