When you have a burst pipe under the house… you call in the expert – a plumber.
When your car won’t start… you call in the expert – a mechanic.
When someone sues you… you call in the expert – a lawyer.
When you have a major health concern… you call in the expert – a doctor.
And when you have a theological crisis… you call in the expert…no… wait… nevermind… instead you begin thinking: “I don’t need someone to tell me about belief… I don’t need someone to instruct me about faith… I might not like their take on it… I am more than sufficient to make my own decision… I am the expert.”
It is funny how in so much of life we know that we need help by those who have been trained in areas of specific expertise, but when it comes to the matter of faith, we decide that we are always sufficient and do not need anyone else’s help.
Now don’t get me wrong, you have the same Holy Spirit available to you as Mr. Distinguished Theology Professor at the Super-Duper Preacher School (sidenote – I was unable to get accepted into that school). But while we do have the Holy Spirit available, the truth is that discipleship does not occur in a vacuum. We need others to aid us in spiritual growth. But that ain’t the American way.
We are so very independent. We don’t want anyone telling us what to do. That is why there is usually a bunch of trash piled up under the signs that say “No Dumping.” We think, “Who are you to tell me I can’t put my trash here? I’ll show you!” (Dump.)
And in the same way, we don’t want anyone telling us how to live out our faith. That is one of the problems with calling it a “Personal relationship with Jesus.” It is personal, in that Jesus saves us individually. But again, discipleship does not occur in a vacuum. The disciples were trained by Jesus. The early church was discipled by the apostles. The people in the churches were to be discipled by the pastors and elders. In the same way that “iron sharpens iron” or a metal file sharpens an axe, we are to sharpen one another. We are told to hold each other accountable for godly behavior.
The phrase “‘Personal relationship with Jesus Christ…’ could give the impression that the Christian faith is private—‘just between you and God.’ For while our faith is indeed very personal, it is definitely not private. Private Christian faith is an oxymoron.” (from ‘Creature of the Word’ by Matt Chandler)
We each want to create a system of belief and faith that is easy and palatable to us. The problem is… that just isn’t Jesus’ plan. His plan costs your life and is to be lived out in community under accountability to the rest of the faith family.
So when you consider your own personal faith, just make sure your “Personal relationship with Jesus Christ” leads you into the accountability of a Faith Family that holds you accountable to deeper and deeper levels of God-honoring thought, speech, and behavior.