So...a few days ago I was crushing a theology paper and inquired about your thoughts on the point of the church. After overwhelming response, I decided to weigh in on one area that I thought was helpful.
Michael Jinkins, a current theologian makes a great point that I just came across about faith. He says that there is personal faith but there is not private faith in Christ. Meaning, I can have a personal faith in Jesus, but if it is private and does not inform my lifestyle, my mindset, etc., then it is really not a personal faith.
He goes on to say about the idea of having faith in Christ and choosing not to be involved in a church community, "When we are left to worship by ourselves, what we usually worship is ourselves. Solitary religion tends toward idolatry, the worship of false gods made in our own image. The great scandal of the church according to Christian faith is not that it is full of hypocrites and sinners but that God actually reveals himself in the midst of and through the lives of these hypocrites and sinners."
So...what do ya think? Can a person be a follower of Christ and not be a part of a church community?
1 comment:
I think it's clear that Christ set up a community, a Church - the Body of Christ.
The idea that "all I need is me and Jesus" only leads to making God in your own image. We're made to be in communion with other people and this leads us to communion with God.
Speaking of "crushing a theology paper" ... I need to start one of those this weekend.
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