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Spiritual community relies on the stances of Paul on pleasing and not pleasing others. First, we must have a strong sense of self-reliance before God to engage in and share spiritual fellowship. Also, we must have that same strong sense of self to give up entitlement to share with others in graceful humility.
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My first full Sunday as a pastor was as a 19-year-old. I stood at the back to speak with persons on the way out, and the church matriarch met me. Louise was the self-proclaimed king and queen of the little congregation. She looked me in the eyes, and she informed me in no uncertain terms I had to change my preaching style. I prayed about how to respond. Then, that night I asked her to meet me in a back room. We sat down, and I calmly said, "I'm not going to change the way I preach. If I change to please you, someone else will not like the way I preach." Well, Louise and I never were close again.
Now, this autonomy has gotten me in trouble often. I am all for community, and most persons who know me seem to conclude I am a caring, giving person. I truly want to please others. Yet, I have no interest in pleasing others in matters essential to my relationship with God. Likewise, no writer or thinker has any authority over me, when I, like Emerson, experience the Spirit within my heart. Yes, these thinkers I can admire, be nourished by, and learn from, but only so far.
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This focus on the individual alone before God comes from my Baptist upbringing. One of the core teachings of the Baptist movement has been the Priesthood of the Believer. Simply put, this teaching was a radical one arising from the Reformation - but grounded in the Scripture. Basically, it says that each Christian has a right to full freedom with God, as he or she seeks to discern the truths and exercise of Christian faith.
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To know true faith, no one can be the priest only you can be for yourself. Yes, we can respect priests and other persons who serve in priestly callings, however, no other person can finally come between you and God.
Each one of us needs to go to the "closet" of Spiritual Prayer and open our hearts to the Divine Presence. There, may we receive the courage, as a gift of Grace and in love for Christ, our High Priest, to please God, even if such means being displeasing to all others. Amen.
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