You’ve probably heard some people on radio or television discussing why Christians do not like the current “orders” for them not to meet in groups of more than ten. That’s not hard to figure out: We have a first amendment right to assemble, and it sets a bad precedent when the government, for any reason, chooses to infringe on that right. Furthermore, the ruling is arbitrary: in our case, for example, we could have fifty people meeting here, and they could all sit on a different row. However, the first amendment is not the subject of this article.
Many have impugned the motives of Christians who desire to continue to meet. A few have been so insensitive as to say, “They just want the money from the collection plate.” The same people who make such pronouncements are probably the first to say that Christians shouldn’t judge other people, yet they have just practiced the very thing they insist we should avoid. Apparently, “judging” is all right for them—just not for us.
Perhaps some groups do emphasize money to the extreme, but that’s not the reason most Christians want to meet. In fact, in this day of electronic giving, such churches are probably receiving their funds anyway; thus, the criticism does not even fit. Certainly, members of the body of Christ know the necessity of giving each week. Some who are staying home are sending their checks in, and others are saving them up for when they return. They know that the church has obligations to meet whether there’s a virus or not. Missionaries still need their support, and bills must be paid locally as well. The items in the budget will not voluntarily leave because of the current crisis. The point is that we do not need to meet in order to have an offering.
So, why do Christians have the desire to meet? Some in the world would probably never understand this. We want to meet because we love each other and we like to be with each other. Well, okay, there is a command involved,
also (Heb. 10:25), and even if absence feels justified, being away just doesn’t feel right. Christians want to be with each other. Sure, we can telephone, use the mail, text, or message on Facebook. But it’s not the same as the joy of being
physically present in each other’s company—even if we are standing six feet apart! Let us all pray for a swift end to this virus so that we can get back to meeting with brethren the way the church was designed for us to do.