“You’re overreaching!” Most people know about the tendency to overreact to something. If there is concern or abuse in one area, the inclination is to swing so hard in the other direction that concern or abuse can develop there as well. I can’t begin to tell you how often I have swerved hard to avoid one ditch, simply to end up in another—yes, this is both figurative and literal.
Of course, this is totally understandable. When confronted with a problem, specifically one that is trying or particularly difficult, we want the solution to avoid ever experiencing a repeat. So, the best way to never see the original problem again is to effectively stress its opposite. However, in doing so, we often simply switch one problem for another.
You have undoubtedly heard some variation of the teaching that Christianity is a personal decision, an individual relationship between the believer and the Redeemer; that our standing with God is not something we inherit, or gain through others, but that it arises from our individual connection to, and our personal faith in, Jesus Christ. The stress upon this teaching is crucial—it reflects the clear biblical understanding of our relationship with Christ. For each and every one of us, we stand before our God and either claim the blood of Jesus as our own, or reject His mercy and goodness. I truly hope and pray that you have heard this explanation, and that you have taken it to heart.
But, where does such an emphasis come from? Why has this been stressed so stridently for the past decades? Well, at this point, you can probably guess—it is part of the pendulum swing from an earlier, deficient approach.
For hundreds of years, the Church exercised an enormous influence in Western civilization, to such a degree that it was not unreasonable to expect that every person in Western Europe was exposed to and understood the Gospel message. Simply living in a society that was so saturated with the presence and teaching of the Church seemed to qualify you as a “Christian.” This mentality—that you are a Christian simply by being part of the culture—is the very definition of the ditch we MUST avoid!
And so, the pendulum swings. Now, it is not unusual to hear Christianity described as a “me and Jesus” kind-of-thing; that the personal relationship is all that matters, and any communal identity is a distortion of the Gospel. Institutions like the Church or a small group or accountability to another believer are all seen as superfluous at best, and more likely, as a distraction from one’s pure connection with the divine. And thus, we find ourselves in the other ditch.
The Bible absolutely describes the importance of an individual, vibrant faith in the Lord, and there is no substitute for it. Like David, we must individually examine our hearts as we stand before our God. But, equally so, the Bible portrays our salvation as a corporate, collective one. We are not, nor will we ever be, alone. Built into the redemptive plan of God is His goal of gathering a body of worshippers, the Church. Existence outside the Church is way outside of God’s plan.
Somehow, we have to steer the course, emphasizing that the cross brings us into a personal relationship with Jesus, and, equally so, into a vibrant community of believers—and losing track of either one lands us in a ditch.
This and more will be covered this week in worship, as we see the Church in action in Acts 2:42-47.
- What does it mean to “devote” yourself to something (verse 42)? How would that show itself? From your lifestyle, what would someone say you are devoted to?
- Four things are listed here that the early church was “devoted to.” What would modern expressions of each be?
- Following verse 42, a series of “results” are listed as an effect of verse 42. What are they, and how do you imagine they were received by outsiders?
- The first part of verse 47 lists two consequences of the Church’s existence: “praising God,” and “having favor.” How are these linked? How might they be seen in opposition? How should we measure each in our own lives?
- The last sentence describes the impact of the church’s early work. Note who does what here… who is the active Agent in all of this? How should that impact the way we look at Hebron Church today?
By Henry Knapp