Going Rogue

 "I was ready to be sought by those who did not ask for me; I was ready to be found by those who did not seek me..."  (Isaiah 65:1, ESV).  

There comes a time in our spiritual journey that we leave the bosom of the family and go on to maturity and search things out for ourselves, whether they are true and even work.  Our pilgrimage commences at this point of venturing out in faith as Abraham did to his call from God from Ur of the Chaldeans.  Children ultimately grow up and launch out into the world at large to fend for themselves voluntarily and gratefully, if not expectantly; likewise, we all need to test our wings and go on to find our ourselves spiritually speaking.  Just why are we here?  Where are we going?  What difference do I make?  What is my impact and do I matter?

These types of queries cannot be addressed when one is in a place of security without, but needs a bit of a challenge or push to find faith--if we never take this leap of faith, we will never find Christ as our personal Savior.  The church and family can do a lot to prepare us, but life is bigger than this, and to venture out on the day of independence; but woe is us if we are unprepared and find ourselves alone fighting the Anfectung or onslaught of Satan, who has targeted us in order to neutralize our faith--i.e., exposure to secular philosophy in academia.

There's nothing wrong with a bit of rebellion if one never loses track of who is ultimately in charge.  Keep your eyes on Jesus and wherever you go you will not be alone.  We are to question authority but recognize and respect it too. "When you pass through the rivers, I will be with you," says Isaiah 43:2.  We all need to fight our own battles or at least be prepared to and know that it comes with the territory.  When we are sure of our salvation, and this is a command, not just to satisfy idle curiosity, we can dare to be different, and most of all, dare to make a difference.  This implies we have a thick skin and know who we are, having strong faith that is not dependent on what others tell us, good or bad.  The strongest faith is in the Word of God and knowing our spiritual birth certificate, or favorite verse of assurance will keep us adrift or afloat during the flood.

The strong faith of the church father Athanasius was that, if the whole world was for Pelagius, he'd be contra mundum, or against the world!  We cannot base our assurance on what the people say and especially what our friends say, but must rely solely upon the Word as sola Scriptura or (the Scripture alone--one of the battle cries of the Reformation). Don't take anyone's word for it, but God's!  There comes a time when we are called to be a Daniel and stand alone, or take notice of the authorities and establishment and seek to reform it--there's always room for improvement, and even the church is meant to be semper reformanda or always in reformation.

No believer can survive alone without the aid of the church body--sheep need a shepherd, and some believers seem to forsake the assembly together of themselves (cf. Heb. 10:25) and go astray as a result.  We all need regular spiritual checkups and must get our spiritual batteries charged too by the body working and meeting together.  Our gifts are for the well being of the body, not just for our selfish or personal use.

Some believers are really out on a limb, so to speak, and know they are on dangerous or doubtful territory and need to be brought back into the fold--believers acting or living like goats jeopardize their testimony and this is not God's design.  They need to get connected and stay focused on Jesus, so as not to go their own way and do their own thing.  "All we like sheep have gone astray, we have turned every one to his own way,..." says Isaiah 53:6, ESV. Christians are not meant to just look out for number one, but to meet the needs of the body--each others' needs.  We don't want to be like the Israelites in Judges 21:25, who had no king, and everyone "did what right in his own eyes."

The lesson is to get connected, to find your niche or spiritual gift, to strike some chord that will last to eternity, to invest your life in some divine mission that will outlast it, to resonate with those in your circle of friends or sphere of influence.  Church, as Christ's institution, is the vehicle and M.O. to propel to maturity and to exercise your gift, and this is where we get the motivation, fellowship, an opportunity to serve and to do its mission:  The Great Commission.  No one going rogue can do this, for this is a group activity and effort, and one must be in tune with the body and accountable to those within.

In the final analysis, don't ever go it alone without a contact person or group to stay in tune with.  Keep in touch, as if with your own flesh and blood, and remember, your church family is meant to be as close as a real family and to give you spiritual as well as family ties! There's no place for spiritual Lone Rangers or lone wolves in God's plan--get with the program, as they say! In sum, the safest place to be is UNDER AUTHORITY!   Soli Deo Gloria!