Better Together
In a recent sermon I preached Ephesians 3:10 bibrefephesians3 bibrefephesians3v10, that the church makes known the manifold wisdom of God in heavenly places. The church is Christ’s Body, an assorted mix of individual members joined together under His headship. We’re better together, not meant to be separated.
While not written to the church, Proverbs 18:1 bibrefproverbs18 bibrefproverbs18v1 certainly applies for us in the church.
Whoever isolates himself seeks his own desire;
and he breaks out against all sound judgment.
The NKJV translates the second-line summary: “He rages against all wise judgment.” That seems extra dramatic until we remember a few things. We were made for relationship, not isolation, because we were made in the image of the Triune God. In addition, we remember that sin isolates and, where there is sin, there is sinful blindness to our sin and every man sees himself as right. Soon Mr. Right is off by himself and “seeks his own desire.”
But we’re better together. Iron sharpens iron (Proverbs 27:17 bibrefproverbs27 bibrefproverbs27v17) in contact. Hiding in the sheath all day dulls the edges of our hearts.
We need each other, for protection against sinful blindness and for shared, intensified joy. We were made male and female–in particular, husband and wife–for two to be one. It’s not good for man to be alone (Genesis 2:18-25 bibrefgenesis2 bibrefgenesis2v18 bibrefgenesis2v19 bibrefgenesis2v20 bibrefgenesis2v21 bibrefgenesis2v22 bibrefgenesis2v23 bibrefgenesis2v24 bibrefgenesis2v25). We were made as believers, individual members of one body. We wisely fight isolation in our corporate meetings, our smaller groups, and our family fellowship times as we value and depend on one another. Let us not be guilty of isolating ourselves, even in our minds, and raging against wisdom.