One Anothering

I was privileged to listen to a couple of pod casts on Christian Community a few days ago that I stumbled across, hmm,( right off the bat I have to clean up my theological language, don't you just hate that?), more like I was providentially guided, as I was looking for some articles on the means of grace.

The issue of how we relate to one another in the corporate body has been on my mind lately. The question I have been wrestling with, is how does progressive dispensational Reformed baptist theology (can you really be reformed, dispensational and baptist?) compared to confessionally reformed covenant theology, work itself out in the christian home and local congregation?

I have finally given up my dispensational leanings. Boy, what a struggle. Not the difficulty of wanting to let go of that brand of theology but more like the difficulty and struggle of studying the scriptures and reading and reading and studying. Man, I mean really, whew! No, really I enjoyed it and by God’s grace, will continue to enjoy it. Even though I don’t fully understand CT, I know enough to understand this is the more biblical lens with which to view scripture.

One of the questions that I kept rolling over in my mind was what do the two systems look like worked out in the life of the believer and in the context of family and the corporate body, practically. You know, where the rubber meets the road kind of stuff. What would it look like if you are raised being catechized from an early age and being brought up in the proper understanding of the covenants and covenant community?

I think the two theological frameworks affect this biblical idea of the corporate body far more than I realized. Or maybe it was just MY poor understanding of scripture and a poor view of anthropology and ecclesiology that encouraged an unhealthy since of individualism. Could be. Maybe it is just this western view of Christianity that is partly to blame.

A proper biblical account of corporate life is understood more fully just by understanding the covenants and how they work. When you are raised in that type of environment, the environment where the covenants and the covenant promises are properly taught and reinforced ,it would seem that there is a greater advantage by constantly being reminded of how God works within the lives of his covenant people, individually and corporately. I mean how can you really understand the corporate body appropriately when you see the church as separate from Israel?

I listened to these young pastors wrestle with thoughts and ideas of how one should live in the actual community of God’s elect and I realized that this is a problem within CT churches as well. Culturally we have to admit that we are a nation of individualists. We have brought that spirit of individualism into the local church. It’s uncomfortable to have somebody involved in your life. It can get messy. Well we don’t mind if they stay at a safe distance like, via phone, face book, and text messaging. Much safer, much, much safer.

One of the pastors brought up the fact that we give a pass on those who dub themselves introverts. Everybody in the church is not the same. Yes, we have different personality types. Maybe some are trying to justify their independence and individualistic attitudes. Maybe, just maybe. Could be. Oh the difficulty of dying to self!

Everyone likes to share their success stories but most of us do not want to share our failures. We don’t want anyone butting into our business. We all at times want to be left alone. But that does not make it right.
We obviously can’t be friends with everyone in our local church. In fact, without a proper gospel understanding we may never have been friends with any of the people we know in church.

We are made new/redesigned by God to live among other believers, to share our gifting with the body. Not just on the times listed on the church sign or in the church bulletin.
Not just a willing to help, but also a willing to be helped. That is life within the corporate body as we glorify our great God and Savior.