The Christian life and experience cannot be lived vicariously. This means that you cannot live the Christian life by clinging to the coat-tails of another Christian, nor can you live your spiritual life through someone else. Nobody lives your life, but you. Reading your Bible with your spouse or children is no substitute for reading the Bible on your own. Praying with others is no substitute for praying alone before God. These activities are important, but they do not replace your personal responsibility towards God. There are many, however, who think like this and live like this.
At best, it teaches dependence on the practice or the other person(s), but not on God and in God. It is necessary, but personal relationship is between you and God. We do not live our marriages through someone else (that would be considered adultery – either in the mind or in the body), but our relationship is only with our respective spouses. The same applies to children and even to all other relationships. The same can be said of corporate worship and private worship. It is biblical to worship God corporately – God requires it, but God also requires personal worship. To neglect either one is wrong. Corporate worship is essential and personal worship is essential. Corporate worship is necessary in the life of the Christian.
Personal worship can never take the place of corporate worship. When the church gathers together, heaven itself is engaged in worship lead by Jesus Himself (Heb. 12:18 – 29). There is no reason to absent oneself from church unless physically laid up in bed due to serious illness, otherwise hard effort must be engaged in to come and meet with God’s people, because that is where Jesus is. Any responsibility or duty requires effort, diligence and habit. Philip Henry said, “Be sure you look to your secret duty; keep that up, whatever you do; the soul cannot prosper in the neglect of it. Apostasy generally begins at the closet door.” Many of us attempt to live our Christian lives without the Lord Jesus Christ. It cannot be done. We need direction and wisdom to live as the Lord desires. God has provided this through the means of grace – the Bible, prayer, and the Lord’s Supper.
Observation of these is essential to fruitful Christianity and effectiveness in life. Is it possible to share Christ genuinely with others, if our lives are undisciplined in the things of Christ? Some preach Christ out of envy and rivalry, others out of goodwill. Some preach Him out of selfish ambition without sincerity and with false motives – cf. Phil. 1:15 – 18. We want to live Christ and proclaim Christ in every area of life for the glory of God. The truth of the indwelling Christ and His power in us and through us is one that we must grasp with heart and soul. To live Christ is life – true life. Do we feed on Jesus as He has asked us to? Do we submit gladly and willing to His will? Do we meditate on the riches of God’s Word letting them soak into us? Are we motivated by love to Christ and for Christ? Are we concerned for the perishing of this world? Let Christ live His life in you this week. Man’s highest end is to glorify God and to enjoy Him forever. Are we bringing glory to God through obedience and are we enjoying God day by day? Jesus is the hope of glory.