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Where do you come out?
Jan 12, 05:10 PM
“Just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, so in Christ we who are many form one body and each member belongs to all the others.” Romans 12:4
What do you think is the most important part of following Jesus Christ and living the life set before us in the Bible? Every human being who has encountered the reality of God in Christ must process that encounter and make certain decisions as to how life will be lived in response to it.
People do not all come to faith in the same way. Some encounter Christ in the Scriptures, some in church, some through the love of others, some through life experiences, and some by a direct revelation of the Holy Spirit. Many come to faith by a combination of all of these factors. Who knows what it is within the human heart that rises with faith to believe the revelation of God? But some people hear, their hearts respond, and faith is born. At some point in the process, however, one must come to the Scriptures and encounter the Biblical witness of Jesus Christ and the way of life laid out for us who seek to follow Him and shape our lives in accordance to His teaching and example.
Throughout the centuries men and women have encountered this witness and have prayerfully, thoughtfully, and often agonizingly sought to understand and act in response to what they believe is the truth of God and God’s will for their lives. Obviously, not everyone comes out in the same place. There are those who have come to the conclusion that helping the poor is the best obedience one can give. Others have taken a more monastic and contemplative tract, believing that mystic communion with God is the best manifestation of faith. There are those who have fought the battle for truth and seen themselves as being called to defend the faith against heresy. Others fight the battle for social justice for the oppressed. Some are soul-winners who passionately seek to share the faith with others in hopes that they, too, might come to faith in Christ. Some are prayer intercessors, some are teachers, some are missions people, some are worship people, and some dedicate themselves to the development of vital Christian community.
Not all of these are “professional” ministers. In fact, most aren’t. They lives their lives, raise their families, and work their jobs. But each of these people have faithfully encountered the Biblical witness of truth and made their own decisions as to how that life is best lived. No one of them has cornered the market. If done in faith and humility, each is a worthy manifestation of the reality and love of Christ because Christ Himself is living out His life through these believers. All are necessary. They form a complete whole in the earthly representation of Christ. No one of them should disparage the other – each should honor the other.
If you have ever wondered why Christianity seems to have so many manifestations of its life, this is the primary reason for it. We encounter God, we seek truth, and we earnestly desire to live out that life in the best possible way. We do not all come out at the same place.
Where do you come out? Where do you fit in?