We are commanded to love God with all of our heart, mind, and strength. We strive for this by the help of the Holy Spirit, but our sin-stricken flesh prohibits us from loving Him perfectly. But one thing we can be certain, strive as we might, our striving will fall that much more short if we are not faithfully committed to the Body of Christ expressed in the local church.
I dare say, our love for God is tainted the further detached we are from His Bride in the local church. Sin keeps us from loving God with all of our hearts, and lack of love for God’s people is certainly sinful, and hampers our “love potential” for Christ.
However much we think we love God, we do not love Him as much as we can and should the more distanced we are from His local body. We might even say their is a proportional relationship between our love for God and our love for His people in the local church.
Ultimately, this means more than having Christian friends, it means more than co-laboring in parachurch ministries, it means more than internet ministries and fellowship, and it means more than Sunday worship. The one-anothers are meant to be practiced in the context of the local church. We are called to faithful service to one another. We are called to build one another up. We are called to bear one another’s burdens. We are called to sacrifice for each other, and stir one another to be zealous for good works, and so much more.
In his article 40 reasons to be a part of a local church, Jesse Johnson writes,
Is it possible to live a faithful Christian life without being a faithful part of a local church? I’ve heard many people make the argument that it is indeed possible—especially if there are no good churches around. I disagree.
At the bare minimum, there are forty different commands in the New Testament to live life in some sense with other believers. While certainly it is possible to do some of these with Christians in general, the weight of this list should convince you of the necessity of having on going relationships with other believers.
And those relationships are only strengthened by the fellowship of the local church. In fact, I submit that some of this list is simply impossible to obey if you do not have the kind of ongoing and ever increasing fellowship with other believers that only comes through ministry in a local church.
I agree with Jesse. It is impossible to fulfill these commands faithfully outside the local church. It is therefore impossible to love God as much as we possibly can in these yet-to-be-glorified bodies outside loving Christ’s Bride expressed in the local church.
airō 
peterjfoster
August 24, 2013
I agree that we should be part of a local church. Sometimes I have to ‘grit my teeth’ and do it but I know this is the right thing to do. Or maybe this could be broadened to ‘Fellowships’ – not actually a church but a meeting of worshipers in a home, room, hall etc.
Justin Edwards
August 24, 2013
Hi Peter, thanks for commenting. I believe Scripture clearly teaches that we are to gather with one another for corporate worship under the leading of God-appointed elders in the local church. While some churches may have their beginnings in homes or halls, ideally (and biblically) these beginnings are under the guidance of an elder, usually by the efforts of church planting by another local church. One characteristic of the Christian life is submission, and one primary way this is practiced is submitting to the authority of the local church. You might find the following position paper helpful from John MacArthur: http://www.gty.org/resources/positions/P11
Justin Edwards
August 24, 2013
Also, Peter, I encourage you to watch this excellent message on the model local church: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QkhbGHrvgkM
Brian Ottinger
August 24, 2013
Amen brother. Reading this made me think of this analogy. If you take a jar(represents Christian life) and put a rock(which represents a person) In it and then fill it with sand(represents sin). With just one small rock, the sand would overtake the rock and cover it.Now take the same jar and fill it with a bunch of different rocks of all different sizes. Filling the jar completely with rocks(local church) now enter the sand. The sand(sin) would still be present in the jar. However. It would no longer overtake you. That is the importance of submitting to the church and fighting sin together. I don’t know if this made any sense. I am not feeling well, so if this sounds crazy, that is my excuse. God bless you brother. Thank you for posting this
Justin Edwards
September 1, 2013
Brian, did you borrow that or make it up yourself? That is good! 🙂
Brian Ottinger
September 1, 2013
lol, brother, reading your blog made me think of it. I had forgotten I wrote this. Glad it made sense. Love you brother. Hope to get together with you this semester. I will be staying in Mebane on Monday nights all semester
Justin Edwards
September 1, 2013
It made perfect sense and was really good. I might even borrow it. 🙂 Yes, let’s try to work something out soon!