The need for community
"God’s purpose for man is in the church." So declares Dietrich Bonhoeffer in his first published volume (Sanctorum Communio). Of course, we didn't need Bonhoeffer to tell us this. He, in fact, only came to this understanding based on reading sacred Scripture.
In the garden we see that God is not satisfied with his very "good" creation until the climax of his creation--man--is placed into a communal setting (brought on by the creation of Eve). Later, God is not content with the calling of the individual person Abraham; instead, he expresses his intent desire to create out of this one man an entire people. At the foot of Mt Sinai the children of Israel are brought together in a great 'assembly' (LXX Greek: "ekklesia") as they are formed in the new community (the "people of God"). Much later in Biblical history, Jesus declares to Peter that he (Jesus) will build his church (Greek: ekklesia), the new "people of God". Later, Paul speaks to his "brothers and sisters" within this ekklesia in multiple epistles. We are exhorted to such things as "bearing each others burdens" "forgiving one another", "confessing one to another", "building up one another", "loving one another", and so on.
Yet it our modern Western context, it is the individual--not the community--which receives priority. Yet, by design, we were never intended to live this way. Don't get me wrong. The spirit of 'rugged individualism' has brought about great prosperity and strength in this country. And it should not be denied that there is a strong individual element in scripture. God does call us as individuals to repentence. We must individually make the choice to follow him (and yes, my fellow Calvinists, a choice must be made). But the precious truth of scripture is that as we make this choice, we become part of something greater than ourselves.
Bonhoeffer understood that repentance was the avenue of entry into the new community and the exit out of the community of Adam. The new community is unlike other communities in that the Holy Spirit lives in it. In trusting Christ, men are made members of the divine community. Being a new creation, they come to know the meaning of agape. Love seeking a response means communion with God and man. In classic Bonhoeffer language (borrowed from the continental philosophers in vogue during his day), this loving communion meant self-surrender to the "Thou" before man — either God or man.
In other words, the community was more important that the individual.
To be in community means that we exist for others. The great Other (or, as Bonhoeffer expressed it, Thou) is of course the Triune God. The Biblical language for this is to "love the Lord your God with all your heart...". God, the great Other, takes priority over the individual person. We exist for Him, and His glory. But God is not the only "other". The second "other" is found in part two of the Great Commandment, when we are commanded to "love our neighbor". Here Scripture refers to the human community. For Christians, this finds its fullest (though not only) expression in the NT Church. We exist also for the benefit of the Church. Our strengths, resources, spiritual gifts, and energies are to be used for its good.
Does this mean the individual is unimportant? Not all all. What it means is that we can only find our fullest expression as individuals within the presence of Christian community. When we have been called out of the bondage of sin by the power of Christ, we are called into the presence of the Christian community. It is only here that we learn what it means to live in the Spirit, to understand the truth of His word, and to serve and praise Him as He intends. It is only here that we discover our usefulness for the Kingdom. It is only here that the giftedness of others can be used to equip us & strengthen us in ways we could never do ourselves.
In a very real sense, to refuse to live within Christian community is not only a denial of what it means to be a Christian (and of the work Christ has begun in you), but also a denial of what it means to be human. As the old saying goes, "No man is an island". Nor were we ever intended to be.
Pastor Josh Gelatt
www.joshgelatt.com
In the garden we see that God is not satisfied with his very "good" creation until the climax of his creation--man--is placed into a communal setting (brought on by the creation of Eve). Later, God is not content with the calling of the individual person Abraham; instead, he expresses his intent desire to create out of this one man an entire people. At the foot of Mt Sinai the children of Israel are brought together in a great 'assembly' (LXX Greek: "ekklesia") as they are formed in the new community (the "people of God"). Much later in Biblical history, Jesus declares to Peter that he (Jesus) will build his church (Greek: ekklesia), the new "people of God". Later, Paul speaks to his "brothers and sisters" within this ekklesia in multiple epistles. We are exhorted to such things as "bearing each others burdens" "forgiving one another", "confessing one to another", "building up one another", "loving one another", and so on.
Yet it our modern Western context, it is the individual--not the community--which receives priority. Yet, by design, we were never intended to live this way. Don't get me wrong. The spirit of 'rugged individualism' has brought about great prosperity and strength in this country. And it should not be denied that there is a strong individual element in scripture. God does call us as individuals to repentence. We must individually make the choice to follow him (and yes, my fellow Calvinists, a choice must be made). But the precious truth of scripture is that as we make this choice, we become part of something greater than ourselves.
Bonhoeffer understood that repentance was the avenue of entry into the new community and the exit out of the community of Adam. The new community is unlike other communities in that the Holy Spirit lives in it. In trusting Christ, men are made members of the divine community. Being a new creation, they come to know the meaning of agape. Love seeking a response means communion with God and man. In classic Bonhoeffer language (borrowed from the continental philosophers in vogue during his day), this loving communion meant self-surrender to the "Thou" before man — either God or man.
In other words, the community was more important that the individual.
To be in community means that we exist for others. The great Other (or, as Bonhoeffer expressed it, Thou) is of course the Triune God. The Biblical language for this is to "love the Lord your God with all your heart...". God, the great Other, takes priority over the individual person. We exist for Him, and His glory. But God is not the only "other". The second "other" is found in part two of the Great Commandment, when we are commanded to "love our neighbor". Here Scripture refers to the human community. For Christians, this finds its fullest (though not only) expression in the NT Church. We exist also for the benefit of the Church. Our strengths, resources, spiritual gifts, and energies are to be used for its good.
Does this mean the individual is unimportant? Not all all. What it means is that we can only find our fullest expression as individuals within the presence of Christian community. When we have been called out of the bondage of sin by the power of Christ, we are called into the presence of the Christian community. It is only here that we learn what it means to live in the Spirit, to understand the truth of His word, and to serve and praise Him as He intends. It is only here that we discover our usefulness for the Kingdom. It is only here that the giftedness of others can be used to equip us & strengthen us in ways we could never do ourselves.
In a very real sense, to refuse to live within Christian community is not only a denial of what it means to be a Christian (and of the work Christ has begun in you), but also a denial of what it means to be human. As the old saying goes, "No man is an island". Nor were we ever intended to be.
Pastor Josh Gelatt
www.joshgelatt.com
Comments