This has been on my mind a lot lately. I have been big on community for a long time, but recently in discussions I have been having and things I have been reading, I have seen just how important community is--especially for the Christian.
For today's article I am going to throw out some presuppositions and see if I can get any reactions.
For starters, Jesus came announcing that the Kingdom of God is at hand. After his death and resurrection he ascended to the right hand of the Father to rule creation. Thus making him the King of the Kingdom. This is part of the basic Christian worldview. Therefore, people who claim to be followers of Christ are in essence recognizing that Jesus is their King.
While some may say that Jesus is their personal Savior, and this is true, there is more to the relationship than that. If Jesus is your King, that makes you part of the Kingdom. My point here is that your relationship with King Jesus also creates a relationship with others in the Kingdom by making you aware of your place in the Kingdom. Therefore, being a follower of Christ makes you part of a community. To deny the community is to deny the Kingdom, and to deny the Kingdom puts into question one's relationship with the King.
I will tackle the benefits of the 'Kingdom Community' next week, but for now, how does this sit?
Sits great with me. Sounds like you've read the gospels (esp. Mark), Paul (pretty much all of it) and the Old Testament (esp. the Pentateuch.
ReplyDeleteI typed a bunch of stuff (that I lost when I tried to log in) about how we've mistranslated the Nicene Creed, which does NOT say "I believe," but "We believe." It is not my personal little confession, but our confession, we who have been baptized into Christ. I'll have to write that up sometime.
Keep writing and teaching and preaching and living this Kingdom stuff.
Marc, you had fallen off my radar! Picked you up from Kloha's post at Concordia Theology. I hope things are well in your part of the Kingdom!
ReplyDelete@Jeff, thanks! I really appreciated your article.
ReplyDelete@Moyer, how are you doing! I hope things are well with you too! Shoot me an email sometime.