Posted by
DTAllen on Thursday, November 06, 2008 4:47:11 PM
Are you a part of a small group or some other community of believers? Being connected together in biblical community is both a privilege and a responsibility of all believers. Too often, I’m afraid, it’s ignored by many Christians.
Paul Simon, composed the song, I Am a Rock. When released in the spring of 1966, it quickly rose to number three in Billboard Magazine.
I am a rock, I am an island. I’ve built walls, A fortress deep and mighty, That none may penetrate. I have no need of friendship; friendship causes pain. . . . I have my books and my poetry to protect me. I am shielded in my armor, hiding in my room, safe within my womb. I touch no one and no one touches me. I am a rock, I am an island. And a rock feels no pain. And an island never cries.1
Unfortunately, this song reflects the thinking of many young people today. It sounds strong, it sounds defensible, it sounds safe, it sounds American! But, it is wrong. It is not biblical, God-centered, or Christlike. God didn’t make man to be alone, to experience life alone. He was made to be in community with others. He was created in the image of the triune God and God, by His very nature and plurality of persons, dwells in community. Although denigrated by sin, Jesus Christ came to provide reconciliation with God and restoration with fellow mankind.
The Apostle John wrote, "And this is His commandment, that we believe in the name of His Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, just as He commanded us" (1 John 3:23). Believing expects that we will live in harmony with others here on earth. For although your salvation is personal, it is not private. Pastor John Ortberg wrote,
When I am in isolation, I feel lonely. When I am in community, I experience what might be called ‘fullness of heart.’ The human heart is forever empty if it is closed in upon itself. In community - the divine community especially - a heart comes alive. To experience community is to know the joy of belonging, the delight at being known and loved, the opportunity for giving and growing, the safety of finding a true home.2
The emphasis on true biblical community has not been the norm in our churches for some time. Theologian Darrell Guder noted that, "The evangelistic gospel of contemporary postmodern, post-Constantinian, North Atlantic Christianity is thus largely individualized. As a result of the historical process of the separation of church and state, and the progressive dis-establishment of religion, the Christian presence has also been privatized."3 Fortunately, this is now changing. Church researcher George Barna suggests that this trend is being reversed. He wrote,
Individuals involved in the Revolution of faith that is currently redefining the American Church are predisposed to communal activity. Why? They’ve been exposed to biblical teaching that emphasizes the relational nature of God and the connectional character of ministries. As much as they may appreciate the intensity and gutsiness of John the Baptist, they recognize that a solitary voice in the desert has less effect than a united voice in the marketplace.4
The need for biblical community is the fulfillment of the requirement to practice the fruits of the Spirit in our lives. It is within the body of Christ that is most easily affected. It may be possible to say that you possess the first fruit of the spirit - love, but the proof of its existence comes when it is evidenced within relationships. The same could be said for each of the other fruits of the Spirit as they are relationally experienced. Biblical Christianity cannot be lived in isolation. If you haven’t connected to a group already - find one! It will revolutionize you’re life!