One of my pastors posted an article that was so intricately connected to a two-hour conversation I had last night with a close friend. It was so encouraging to see the Lord provoking multiple people to the same thoughts in the same season. I was going to leave a really long comment on his blog about how his post applied directly to the conversation I had with my friend. However, after rereading my comments, I decided it would be better for me to simply post about it on here. Firstly, because sometimes blog comments can be misconstrued or misunderstood to mean something other than what the author intended. I don't want to place additional words in the mouths of the Grace Remarx bloggers. The post linked to here is merely a jumping off point for some thoughts of my own. And secondly, because I am still relatively "new" to the blogging world, especially commenting. So, all that said...I would encourage you to read the post at Grace Remarx, which is linked to below. Now I would like to expand on something that has been the meditation of my thoughts in recent days, as well as the topic of several conversations I have had:
Last night, a friend and I were discussing how there seem to be more and more first-generation believers in this age. This is a beautiful and exciting thing to see, particularly in the college ministry I have the joy of serving under. But it also presents a thoughtful issue for the longstanding believer who has never known a life of solitary faith. What I mean by solitary is that most traditional church-going individuals have historically come from a long line of spiritual family members. That is quickly becoming less common. And it should be a source of joy for the Church, as we observe the work of Christ being wrought in the hearts of those who have no explanation for the salvation they have inherited other than the express and profound mercies of God Almighty! When God delivers someone from the absolute pits of darkness where he had no exposure to or experience of any religious affections in his home, that is a distinctly miraculous event!
Unfortunately, sometimes I think we are so inward-focused on our personal spirituality and our family's (sometimes to the point that we idolize it) that we fail to properly "stir up" some of these new converts, particularly those who may be the only believing person in their family. They do not have any godly heritage cultivated in their home and so it is imperative that they be included actively in ours so that we can model it for them. I see this specifically in young adults (many of whom have been redeemed out of an entirely pagan unbelieving family) who are eagerly growing in doctrine and holy living as young believers but it is often solely the result of God's grace to incline them to righteousness and unfortunately, not from the precious investment of their spiritual family to intimately mentor them and spur them on in the faith. They need us to build them up so they are ready to go back into the fires that surround them in their unbelieving homes, so they will be encouraged to carry out "good works" in living a life that is wholly set apart from all that they have previously known.
We take for granted that we may have grown up in a home where Christ and His Word were openly taught and embraced. We so much take it for granted that we build our entire lives around our families and rarely reach out beyond the four walls of our homes. Dare I say we are almost building a fortress around our parents, spouses and children to the point that we neglect the spiritual sons and daughters God has given us to care for and beyond that, fail to reach out to those who are not even in our spiritual family yet! I am not at all trying to take away from the biblical principles of marriage and parenting, which must be pursued diligently and primarily. However, the most clear picture a young solitary believer who comes from a lost family background will ever have of what true eternal happiness is, can only be found in seeing mature believers who treasure Christ more than any earthly blessing, including family.
We are really good at coming to church every week and even participating in ministries, but are we searching out opportunities to place the needs and eternal outcomes of others before our own comforts and enjoyments? It necessarily implies sacrifice, something most of us are not willing to make (myself included). This sacrifice might mean inviting a young single mother and her children into your home for a meal. It might mean offering to meet for coffee with a teenage girl who is all alone in her spiritual journey and is being persecuted by her own parents for her new found faith. In the end, I don't really see how these things are truly a sacrifice, but instead are a privilege! It is a privilege to fellowship with other believers and to spur them on in the faith. "I belong to you and you belong to me, and we each belong to and have 'ownership' in EVERY other believer in the world" (Jerry Bridges).
Grace Remarx link:
http://graceremarx.blogspot.com/2008/12/love-and-good-worksnot-just-attendance.html
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