If we know anything about the mind of Christ, then we must also know something about His mind for His church. In other words, if any of us have caught a glimpse of Christ then we should also have a pretty good idea of what His church should look like. Otherwise, if we can't imagine what Christ's church looks like, then how can we claim to know Christ?
So, if Christ were leading His church, what would that look like? My answer to this is... I don't know. Or at least I don't know from watching this play out before my fleshly eyes. This is the honest answer for anyone whose primary idea of "church" has been a building, a paid pastor and all the usual, western fixin's.
If your idea of church is not these things and yet you're still taking part in these things, then why? Maybe you know better... or maybe you're fooling yourself into thinking you know better. I'll believe you when you say "I know better" as soon as you start acting better.
But God's Spirit will lead us into freedom.
The first step toward freedom and obedience is to take care of our unfinished business with the Almighty. When our consciences are clear before God, then we will be free to confront any life-circumstance.
The same quality of freedom applies to God's people despite all the hardship or opposition that the world can assemble against us. Our successfulness or lack thereof is not ours to measure. It is our place to obey Christ directly and then trust Him to work out the end product of these things.
If we belong to Christ, then it is fitting that we should stumble around and fail miserably every time we try to live apart from Him.
by Patrick Roberts
Patrick is an average Christ-seeker. His goal is to turn people to Jesus Christ.
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