glorycloud's Diaryland Diary ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- why go to church? why go to church? It is Tuesday night and I am tired. I just left Carol sleeping. It is too early for me to go to bed. Last night I went to bed around 9 o'clock PM. I did not sleep soundly due to pain in my shoulders and arms. My job is wrecking my body. I am always in pain due to my job. So here I sit listening to Interpol and not sure what to write next? I had a very long day at work! I know it was God that got me through another work day. I am very thankful for the Lord Jesus my Great High Priest for getting me to the end of another work day. "Now this is the main point of the things we are saying: We have such a High Priest, who is seated at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens" Hebrews 8:1. Nothing came for me in the mail today. I am expecting in the mail a book and two used CD's. All I have read today is the book on the doctrine of the Church by Bloesch and the novel "The Brothers Karamoazov" by Fyodor Dostoevsky. I do not know what I will Read this evening? Bethany is at work this evening. The men finished the work on the new windows today. The bathroom is almost done. Since putting in the new windows the house is more quiet. We still need to get new window treatments. At work today I had a million things on my mind. I made a list of things I have been discussing the last couple days with my co-workers. But right now I am not in the mood to write it all down. Everything has already been written down somewhere already in the Book of My Life which are my diaries. Right now I am on page 975 in my diary. I am always writing down my life. I am writing down the history of a poor Christian factory worker. (Carol was just put on call). There is something that was discussed at work today that I will mention since I am sitting here with nothing to do. First I need to go down in the basement and find a book to show my boss tomorrow at work. I will soon be back to tell you my thoughts. I am back the time is 8:03 PM I found the book I wanted to show my boss-the book is titled "Spiritual Disciplines Within The Church: Participating Fully in the Body of Christ" by Donald S. Whitney (Whitney also wrote the book "Spiritual Disciples for the Christian Life" that I also have in my library). Over the years working at the Egg Factory I have shared with my Christian boss my problems with the visible church. I have shared with him recently what I have recently experienced with attending church/Messiah Independent Reformed Church. My boss asked me today as we worked "Why do you go to church?" I gave the answers I have written in my diary so I won't repeat them here. I did mention to my boss to read in my livejournal about why a Christian should go to church. I do not know if I can fully answer my boss's question? I think there are many reasons why I go to church or why I want to continue going to church inspite of the problems I encounter when I am in contact with other professing Christians. I do believe there is no salvation outside the Church. I do not believe a person professing to be a Christian can live his or her spiritual life separate from a community of believers/tne public means of grace. Christians need other Christians. I recommend the book by Whitney if one wants a complete answer on why a Christian should go to church. I must confess I do not know why I go to Messiah and not someplace else on Sunday? It could be that I am scared of going someplace else.? I do like doctrinal Christianity more than any other expressions of Christianity in this fallen world. I am a Calvinist and I do not know many churches around Here that think Calvinistic spirituality is important. (I was surprised to hear my boss tell me today that the Christian Reformed Church he attends is known to be a Calvinistic church-that his minister is a doctrinal preacher-I plan to call my boss's minister sometime and ask him if Calvinism is important to him or how he would describe his gospel ministry?) My boss does not seem to see the importance of doctrinal purity in the Church. He thinks I am putting stress in the wrong place. What is important to my boss is that we love one another and not fight over doctrine. I love doctrine and my boss can not comprehend that. I do not know why my boss goes to church? I will have to ask him that tomorrow as I work at the bottom of the egg pit. I do recommend the book "The Church" by Bloesch when reflecting on why we should go to church-why we should gather with the saints for public worship on Sunday. I go to Messiah because the Bible is the focus of worship-God is the focus of worship-at least that is the goal of the worship services at Messiah. I do not why other things have to get in the way? How to close ones eyes to the religious games? Maybe it all comes down to love? Love seeks to forget all the crap that goes on in church? It is all beyond me? I just know the visible church is more important for a Christian than the sin cursed world. Well I am just rambling but the music is nice and I feel awake so why not write it all down for history? Tomorrow is a Wednesday-the middle of the work week. Well I will close to read and then go to bed. 9:23 p.m. - 2002-11-12 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
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