Real Spirituality is not a Birthright

Lessons from the Creek (Part 1)
This Thanksgiving weekend marks the 20th anniversary of the annual fall youth rally at Cathey’s Creek (the congregation where I grew up). Over the past two decades, I have learned many lessons on the banks of that Creek.

The congregation that I grew up attending was established in 1819. According to Churches of Christ in the United States, the Cathey’s Creek church of Christ is in the top 11 oldest congregations in America (several congregations being established the same year). Renowned preachers such as T.B. Larimore, A.G. Freed, H.A. Dixon, and R.L. Whiteside have preached on occasion at this church. This congregation has a rich history and a lasting heritage. I take pride in coming from this congregation, knowing that I stand on the shoulders of giants of the past.
While it is a blessing to come from such a long-standing congregation, it can also be a curse. The curse of older congregations is the tendency for members to view their faith as a birthright.
The church is extremely strong in Middle Tennessee with many congregations like Cathey’s Creek that have rich histories. There are members of churches who can trace several generations that have all attended the same congregation. Such family loyalty to a church can be a rich blessing. Unfortunately it can also be a curse.
Some people attend a certain congregation out of a sense of family loyalty, cultural expectation, or social contacts. As a result, the church becomes a glorified social club, the site for a weekly family reunion, or a penance paid in order to receive grandma’s free lunch after church.

"The curse of older congregations is the tendency for members to view their faith as a birthright."

There are some individuals who have false assurance of salvation based upon the faith of their forefathers. One man may live an immoral life using profane language, being addicted to tobacco and alcohol, and being involved in sexual immorality. Yet this same man may feel confident in his “religion” because he was born into a strong church where his father and grandfather are leaders.
True spirituality is not a birthright. One is not “born” into a right relationship with God by virtue of his physical parentage. Neither can one feel confident in his “religion” simply because he was born into the “right church.”
This point is made clear in the Bible. In Jesus’ day there were men who were born Israelites. Some of these men took pride in being automatically “born into the saved nation.” They used all the right terminology, knew all the right doctrines, and could quote Scripture. Yet Jesus says to them, “This people honors me with their lips but their hearts are far from me” (Mark 7:6).
Too many people in the church are like the Israelites. You should not think you are right with God just because you attend a church that preaches all the right doctrines, worships just the right way, and follows all the right protocols. It is possible to attend a faithful church but be personally unfaithful. The Apostle Paul wrote, “For he is not a Jew who is one outwardly…but he is a Jew who is one inwardly” (Rom. 2:28-29). By the same token, a member of the Lord’s church is not a Christian who is one outwardly, but one who is a Christian inwardly.
True spirituality is not obtained by physical birthright. In order to be right with God one must be truly converted and “born again” into God’s family by being transformed into the image of Jesus Christ.