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Pride is a sin in us by nature; we need to be cautioned and armed against it. All the saints make up one body in Christ, who is the Head of the body, and the common Centre of their unity. ... We are to do all the good we can, one to another, and for the common benefit. ... But as we must not be proud of our talents, so we must take heed lest, under a pretence of humility and self-denial, we are slothful in laying out ourselves for the good of others. We must not say, I am nothing, therefore I will sit still, and do nothing; but, I am nothing in myself, and therefore I will lay out myself to the utmost, in the strength of the grace of Christ.
Therefore to violate the holy covenant a person vows in commitment to and before the Church and its local expression, a church, is denial of the Body of Christ. To deny the Body is to deny the Head. One chooses pridefully and in self-righteousness to go his or her own way. This is done with the pitable excuse that he or she does not need the Church and the odoriferous scent of the person thinking he or she is too good for the Church.
Rather, let us be faithful to the Church and in its local body we are vowed to in an active participation. This means a dynamic, evolving, freely-chosen self-giving for the good of the Body: not for the Church or church to suit personal or factional preferences.
Suggestion for Reflections
1) What does the Church mean to you?
2) What challenges do you find in remaining faithful to the church you vowed to serve Christ through?
3) Is it possible to be faithful to Christ there is a time when a local church might become an unfit "body" for you to live your Christian commitment through? Explain.
4) What is meant by saying that unfaithfulness to the Church is unfaithfulness to Christ?
*See next page for information on OneLife Ministries, material on the author and his book, and sources.
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