Virtual and Physical Meeting

During these days of Coronavirus lockdown, many Christians were struggling to reconcile between physically meeting at a meeting place or using the online means to still continue to meet. As far as I am aware of the truth in the Bible I offered my understanding of the word to the fellow brothers who had a doubt and asked for clarification. I offered my reply as such:

Not abandoning our assembly together

Hebrews 10:24-25And let us consider one another so as to incite one another to love and good works, Not abandoning our own assembling together, as the custom with some is, but exhorting one another; and so much the more as you see the day drawing near.

Yet we are subject to God's appointed authority.

Romans 13:1-5Let every person be subject to the authorities over him, for there is no authority except from God, and those which exist are ordained by God. So then he who resists the authority opposes God’s ordination, and those who oppose will receive judgment to themselves. For the rulers are not a terror to the good work, but to the evil. Do you want to have no fear of the authority? Do what is good, and you will have praise from him; For he is a servant of God to you for good. But if you do what is evil, fear; he does not bear the sword in vain; for he is a servant of God, an avenger for wrath to him who practices evil. Therefore it is necessary to be subject, not only because of wrath but also because of conscience.

At present, we, in the church in Gurugram as with all the local churches globally wherever the lockdown or meeting restriction is being imposed because of the current global pandemic, NOT BECAUSE OF PERSECUTION FOR OUR FAITH IN CHRIST JESUS, we meet and fellowship virtually online via Skype or Zoom or any online means possible to still NOT ABANDON OUR ASSEMBLING TOGETHER YET STILL SUBJECT TO AUTHORITY.

By the way, the church, in Greek, ekklesia, means an out-calling. This word is used in reference to a called-out congregation. The genuine believers are called out of the world to belong to Christ. As far as practicality allows we must assemble together physically, even otherwise, we must still assemble together using online means, for fellowship, prayer and for the word of God.

May the Lord be our wisdom to carry on and live out our Christian life no matter what the outward circumstances may be.

To my above reply another brother asked, if we can consider virtual meeting as that of physical meeitng, my reply is as below:

Worship God in Spirit

Our meeting for fellowship, prayer, the ministry of the word of God, etc., whether physically or virtually, MUST BE IN SPIRIT AND TRUTHFULNESS FOR THE BUILDING UP OF THE BODY OF CHRIST.

Ephesians 4:12

For the perfecting of the saints unto the work of the ministry, unto the building up of the Body of Christ.

John 4:21-24

Jesus said to her, Woman, believe Me, an hour is coming when neither in this mountain nor in Jerusalem will you worship the Father. You worship that which you do not know; we worship that which we know, for salvation is of the Jews. But an hour is coming, and it is now, when the true worshippers will worship the Father in spirit and truthfulness, for the Father also seeks such to worship Him. God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truthfulness.

The best is to meet together physically in Spirit if practicality allows, at a designated meeting hall or house to house. 

Acts 2:46And day by day, continuing steadfastly with one accord in the temple and breaking bread from house to house, they partook of their food with exultation and simplicity of heart.
Acts 2:42And they continued steadfastly in the teaching and the fellowship of the apostles, in the breaking of bread and the prayers.

That said, once we can meet physically, the virtual meeting should NOT substitute our physical assembling together. This is just for the time being according to the ongoing situation. Come what may, may we all continue our fellowship, prayer, ministry of the word,...steadfastly.

Having offered my understanding of the word, I must also continue to meet with the saints in whatever way possible. The Christian life is a congregating or flocking together life. How long the lockdown will go on, I have no idea. No matter what, my enjoyment of my Chrisitan life and church-life should go on and on...