It’s important that we stay in the mainstream of Christian life and thought. Those that do not end up in small groups that have a “We are the only ones” attitude. They must be, they think, because they appear to be the only ones who teach and preach certain doctrines.
Insecurity inevitably ends in legality, and legality in bondage and control. Some people feel comfortable with rules and peer group pressures that dictate their relationships and activities. But it’s quite healthy to cheerfully admit that you don’t have answers to some questions. The 7000 who had not “bowed the knee” to the false God Baal were not living in caves but among those who worshipped Baal.
The Church is not an ethereal, airy-fairy mystery; it is people just like you. People that God has forgiven for Christ’s sake, people who have been baptised in water, people who have received God’s Holy Spirit. However imperfect they might appear, they are not so in the sight of God, who sees them through His perfect Son.
If a house is on fire or in danger of imminent collapse, you’d very quickly leave it. Likewise, you would “come out from among” a church that taught right was wrong and wrong was right. (Sadly, such churches are not uncommon nowadays, some of them historic ones founded by great men.)
An attitude of “we must be right because they are wrong” may be self-justifying, but it can end up isolationist. I do not agree with Jehovah Witness doctrines, and wish they were more open to the views of those who open their doors to them. A bit more personal thinking from them, as distinct from group thinking, would be welcome.
Nonconformist Christians are our brothers and sisters in the Lord Jesus. If being separate from the rest of the Church — and there’s only one, really — is what ‘floats their boat’, that’s OK. But they could do themselves a favour by visiting a large church nearby. (Don’t worry, if you are one and have been hidden away in a small group, it’s unlikely that anyone there will recognise you.)
One man said to me: “I don’t come to church, Peter, because I don’t like some of the people there.” He was a nice bloke. So I said to him: “It’s probably good that you don’t come, because if you did some people might leave the church.” I was kidding but he was nonplussed at the thought and came to church now and then.
Jesus commanded us to love everyone, not just those we like. Some people might like you more than you think, and even if they don’t they should love you anyway because they want to be like Jesus and he loves everyone.