your relationship with God is probably not as personal as you think…

I feel comfortable saying that a lot of Christians (particularly under the age of 55) believe that the Church isn’t that important.  They would answer questions about why they don’t serve, tithe, or even attend a Church by saying that their relationship with God is personal.

There is some truth to that: Each person is held accountable by God for their life and He is the only judge of righteousness (2 Timothy 4:8)

But our relationship with God is anything but personal and most of the Bible (which guides) us was written to a group and not to an individual, so when need to be careful when applying Scripture to our lives.

Examples:

Jeremiah 29:11  “For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.”

I have often heard people quote this about their specific destiny, not considering that their “destiny” fits in with the Church as a whole.  This verse is written to Israel who were God’s people, which is now the Church (Christians).  If you are quoting this, you are quoting that God has a plan for the Church.  In fact many people’s role in advancing the Church has involved dying.

1 Corinthians

Ok, I could have actually said all of the letters Paul wrote to the Churches; Romans, 1 Corinthians, 2 Corinthians, Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, 1 Thessalonians, 2 Thessalonians  and then the other books written to a group like 1 and 2 Peter, Hebrews, and James.    Be careful applying the teaching of these books to you personal life alone, remember that they are written to people who are connected to the big picture.

Matthew 7:9-13 Pray then like this: ”Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name.  Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.  Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.

When Jesus teaches us how to pray (if anything is personal, its prayer), He is actually teaching people to pray with the group in mind (maybe corporate prayer).  Our Father, our daily bread, our debtors, lead us not into temptation.

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I hope that when you read the Bible, you are always thinking of personal application and then thinking of others.  Even in the passage where Jesus tells us to remove the plank from our eye before removing the speck from our bothers, we are still to remove the speck from our brothers; Jesus just wants us to be able to remove specks without our sin getting in the way. (Matthew 7:5)

Any thoughts/questions?

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