“…I Might as Well Go with My Husband”

She is a very friendly lady. She seems genuinely happy on those rare occasions when we meet. She’s visited one of the worship services where I preach with a mutual friend of ours. When I visited with her in her home after that, she told me that she enjoyed the experience. Recently, when I saw her, she told me the same thing. 

However, as I encouraged her to return, she also told me that she has “a church home.” She was very kind when she said it. She appreciated my concern, but the message was clear. She has a church home and is not all that interested discussing any other possibilities.

It wasn’t always that way. In our conversations, I learned that one of the families where I preach used to pick her up when she was younger and take her to Bible study and worship with them. Please notice the word “take.” The word is not “bring.” Although the family I am writing about worships with us now, all of what this lady was talking about happened elsewhere.

She has told me about how she enjoyed those childhood experiences. She’s told me on more than one occasion about the friends she made–and still has–because of those experiences. She also told me something else that made my heart sink.

If you noticed the title above, it starts with an ellipsis. Those three dots indicate that there is more to the quote and, sadly, more to this lady’s story. Here is her entire quote (at least as I remember it):

“___________ has always had a history of splits, disagreements, and not getting along. When I got married, I decided that I might as well go with my husband.”

May I ask what to me is a sobering, introspective, and eternally important question? May I ask which, if any, of the following groups of people please the Lord? Is He pleased with a group of people with–

• a name that cannot be found in His Word?
• an organizational structure that is lacking in biblical authority?
• worship that is foreign to the teaching of the New Testament?
• a “plan of salvation” that cannot be justified by the Bible?
• a quarrelsome, divisive, and ungodly attitude and atmosphere?

I am not, in any way, arguing that none of those first four things listed are unimportant. They are, without a doubt, extremely and eternally important.

While we strive to preach, teach, and practice the truth about all of those matters, may we never forget these words from the lips of the One whose name we wear:

A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; just as I have loved you, you are also to love one another.  By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another (John 13:34-35, ESV, emphasis added).

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