One Aspect of Modern Faith We Get Right: Community

I wrote another recent post being critical of modern Christianity, but, truthfully, there are things walking with Christ offers in that belief system that can’t be found anywhere else, such as community.

The sense of community as brothers and sisters in Christ is something I love, and I have felt Christ’s love through it.

We are to be salt and light, which both change things in this world for the better. Light lets us cut through the darkness, and salt seasons food for enjoyment and increased palatability.

The community offered in fellowship is second to none in many denominations, even some that mainstream Christians find senseless or off the base of the faith (Some of the nicest and most wholesome people are Mormons, for example.)

I dislike adding to God’s Word and when other people do it, especially those that are to lead the flock to greener pastures and purer waters. Sometimes that makes me heated, and perhaps sharp against the institutions in the faith.

Standing firm for what we believe, but also allowing room for those outside the fold to learn the ways of God, is a balanced approach.

Look at how welcoming the apostles were to new Gentiles coming into the faith. They started them off with four restrictions, and while they weren’t technically supposed to keep the Law of Moses as Gentiles, the apostles offered them genuine community and fellowship between them and Jews for the good of the faith uniting the separated into one new man, as Paul states.

This type of community and acceptance is unique among religions, even if their tenets aren’t necessarily bad.

While we’re not supposed to tolerate sin in the camp, we can offer a sense of community to those outside of our experience as well. I never defend sin, but I will always defend Jesus’s approach in communing with others while offering them eternal life through repentance.

I think most Christians balk at this idea because many times they assume it must be some gay man defending other gays or something and it makes them uncomfortable. Which is odd, because I’m as straight as they come and I want people to experience God’s love and mercy, not to mention His enduring grace for our pasts.

Some people have tattoos as reminders of where they’ve come from (not a sin if not done for the dead), and some of us have markings further within us. Some of our markings hide in the depths of the heart, waiting for a community to shoulder our burdens, so that we don’t have to do this all alone.

Again, while I’m critical of pastors for adding to God’s word, I understand some of them are working with the best knowledge they have and they’re trying to do right in purity of heart.

That’s commendable before God, who searches the minds and hearts of His people.

I don’t always agree with people on things (and I say this because there’s certain people, I’m not always fond of, who stunt the gospel), but that doesn’t mean I don’t offer honest praise and understanding when they have a good take about things.

The faster we heal our disagreements, the faster community spreads and the believers hold all things in common with each other, sharing burdens and giving us accountability.

Christian community has no rival. It is unique and multi-faceted.

There is a now but also future aspect to the Kingdom of God. It will be a literal kingdom in the distant future, but it is also within us.

The community of believers is the kingdom made manifest to our own and others. We know justice must rule, mercy must triumph, and God must be all in all, but the world does not know this.

They see peculiar people, and perhaps, will wish to love like we do. Perfect love is what we are to embody.

The Son of Man came to save lives, not destroy them.

Sure, some people have more of a spirit of Elijah (who mocked the false god Baal with some funny dialogue with false prophets), but we aren’t called to that in 99% of cases.

The righteous will one day shine like the stars forever, and I look forward to that day, even if I don’t believe it will be in my lifetime.

But a little slice of heaven is already on offer if we step into our community roles in the Body of Christ.

We are His arms and legs in this world.