Several unrelated comments came together this week.
Members of Bethany Church expressing the importance of this community of believers in their lives and in that of their families over many years.
A comment by a mission strategist saying that new believers who do not connect with a church often show no signs of continuing in the faith, suggesting that the Great Commission requires the planting of churches.
Noticing all the 3rd Person Plurals in the New Testament.
Years ago, with a copy of Ephesian and a few colored pencils, we noticed that there is a lot of Church and a lot of “we” in that letter. That lead to noticing all the talk of church, community and “we” throughout the Epistles.
WE as Americans tend to think in terms of “me”. For example, is the Sealing and Guaranteeing of the Holy Spirit in Ephesians 1:13,14 something that I can know and experience? What is it that lets “me” know that I am signed, sealed and to be delivered to eternal glory?
Ephesians 1:13-14 ESV
In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, [14] who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory.
(all red words are plurals, some 2nd some 3rd person, as are the verbs thourghout)
Maybe part of the awareness of our “signed, sealed and to be delivered” status is from living in community with believers. Not just having some Face Book Friends, or a Twitter Church, or by listening to Pod-cast church. It is a living, breathing, sinning, forgiving, struggling, caring group of people who are climbing the hill together.
Just a thought.