[Peter Debelak]

Originally Posted by YP0534

Probably your fitting in in a particular congregation is according to your personal preference or family tradition rather than the cross of Christ and we really should submit to the Lord with regard to where and how we meet.

Are we free to choose among assemblies (all other things being "equal") according to personal preference?

I think is a key sticking point. Of course, I would agree that we can't just meet anywhere we like IF the Lord has somewhere particular He desires me to meet, even if it is against my preference.

However, are we certain - in a context where there are numerous free groups or others that aren't in division to choose from - that meeting based on our personal preferences is contrary to God's will?

This issue is a similar discussion to whether God permits freedom to use rock-bands or freedom in how we preach the gospel to wide varieties of people.

While slightly off-point, below is something I had written previously in a conversation with someone about the use of rock-music to reach young people, both as a gospel tool as well as a practice in the regular assembly. I think it bears on this question concerning the liberty we may or may not have in pursuing "preferences" - be it in choice of assembly, in practices of the assembly, or in preaching the gospel:

Christ Himself, Paul and the other apostles spoke much about and often confronted the need for freedom in the gospel. The point, of course, is not "freedom for freedom sake," but rather should have one end, to bring the all-inclusive Christ to others! At the end of the day, people should be not be focused on "methods," but rather their First Love, Christ. However, Christ is so expansive and he himself made himself all things to all men, that He might reach people where they were at. Whereever Christ, or Paul, went they could build bridges to their hearers.

The open invitation of the gospel brought the clash of Jewish and Gentile customs and lifestyles. As Christ became "the end of the law for righteousness," Old Testament ceremonial laws had to be approached in a way that now clarified the grace and freedom we enjoy in the gospel (Colossians 2:13-3:2). As Paul and others expanded the reach of the gospel to other peoples, the ways of approaching people changed.
On one hand, in the one new man, there is no Jew and there is no Greek. (Col. 3:11). There is only Christ who is all in all. The Lord is Lord of all, with abounding riches for all who call on Him (Rom 10:12). On the other hand, when preaching the gospel, Paul became "all things to all men" in order to reach unbelievers with the gospel of Christ. Take a look at 1 Corinthians 9. He became a Jew to reach the Jews. He lived under the law to reach those who lived under the law. He became weak to reach the weak.Consider Paul at Athens beginning a philosophical discussion using their heathen poets. (Acts 17). Consider Paul’s reasoning for circumcising Timothy (Acts 16:3)) but refusing to circumcise Titus (Galatians 2:3-5).

Yes, it is true that gospel is just “just Christ Himself” and our various methods or preferences could get in the way of that. But we should not say that as a slogan "We must preach Christ alone" in retort to those who would use "methods" or "culture" to reach people. In 1 Corinthians 9, Paul was being extremely practical, not simply speaking "high truths." When he said he became all things to all men, it was a practical statement. He compares preaching the gospel to the training of an athlete. His "methods" were so that his preaching wasn't mere "shadowboxing." The phrase, "the gospel is just Christ Himself" is a true one, but if we are not reaching people, we might be "shadowboxing." What we think is "just Christ" may actually be our own unexamined practices, habits or culture.

Paul explicitly addresses this freedom in 1 Corinthians 9:19-22: 19Though I am free and belong to no man, I make myself a slave to everyone, to win as many as possible. 20To the Jews I became like a Jew, to win the Jews. …21To those not having the law I became like one not having the law (though I am not free from God's law but am under Christ's law), so as to win those not having the law. 22To the weak I became weak, to win the weak. I have become all things to all men so that by all possible means I might save some.
and in Galatians 5:1: It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery
Note that it doesn't just say "Christ has set us free." That phrase would mean simply we are free from sin. Rather, this verse doesn't just tell us what we are free from, but also what we were freed for: namely, for freedom. Of course, this is not a freedom to do whatever we wish. Indeed, we are slaves of Christ. But, in order for the multifarious wisdom of God (which far exceeds our human-contrived methods) may be made known through the church, we must realize that we are free from our traditions, our cultural ways of doing things - to pursue and to preach Christ however He might lead us.
And again, the purpose is always to lead others to Christ. The gospel itself should never be perverted simply for "success"- but the message of the gospel far exceeds the boundaries of any one method.

The way that Jesus dealt with the woman at the well (John 4) was out of the norm and in the end he brought the conversation and focus back to the central foundation – Christ Jesus reminded the disciples (John 4:34-35) to keep their eyes open and look around to see the fields ripe for harvest. We need to see that we’re free to make changes in anything to which God’s Word doesn’t speak directly. So, for example, we can change musical instruments used in worship, or the times of worship, or the technologies we use. The bottom line still needs to help us to be better able to share the Word with more clarity with more people so that in the end they can clearly see Christ.

In conclusion: "You, my brothers, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the sinful nature; rather, serve one another in love" (Galatians 5:13).

If our object is Christ, and to serve one another in love, do not restrict one another freedom to fulfill this command unconstrained by our limitations of traditions or methods.

Is there a parallel to the "choice of assembly" question?

Peter