“Christian community is a priceless gift.”
Thoughts from daily Bible reading for today – January 16, 2025
Run from anything that stimulates youthful lusts. Instead, pursue righteous living, faithfulness, love, and peace. Enjoy the companionship of those who call on the Lord with pure hearts. 2 Timothy 2:22, NLT
The Christian life is an invitation to become by grace what Christ is by nature. It is the radical pursuit of Christlikeness in every area and aspect of life. An encounter with the living God changes everything. There is not a single part of our lives that is unaffected by the renewing and transforming presence of God with us.
The nearness of the Lord enables us to turn away from our desires that lead us astray. As St. Paul reminds us today, the presence of the Lord invites us deeper in the way of righteousness, faithfulness, love, and peace. And yet, Paul also offers an additional insight that is easily overlooked, especially in our individualistic Western culture: this is a communal pursuit, striving together with other faithful men and women as we pursue the presence of God.
With the advent of the printing press, we received an incredible gift and blessing in the ability to distribute the Bible like never before. As literacy rates increased, so did the ability for people to read and study the Bible in personalized ways. Most of us likely take for granted that our homes have multiple copies of the Bible on our shelves, not to mention instant access to virtually every translation in existence with only a few clicks of the mouse. This was unheard of for the entire history of the Christian faith! For the vast majority of Christian history, when the Bible was studied or heard, it was in the context of a community of believers. As such, it was in a community of believers that its truth was embodied and lived out.
While holding fast to the gift of personal Bible study, can we simultaneously rediscover the timeless wisdom of communal discipleship and mutual support in the life of faith?
Simply put, we need each other. In order to “flee youthful lusts” and walk the narrow way to the very end, we must have “pure-hearted” brothers and sisters in the faith who lift us up when we are down and invite us back when we stray from the path. Christian community is a priceless gift to be enjoyed. As Paul says, we are to “enjoy the companionship” of those given to us as a gift by God. Say “yes” today to a life of transformation, journeying with the family of faith as we together become the people God is calling us to be.
Prayer
Father, thank you for the gift of brothers and sisters in faith. May we receive their companionship as a gift and walk together in faith as we journey toward your kingdom, through Christ our Lord. Amen.
Application
Give thanks today for the “companions in faith” that the Lord has given to you.
Related Reading
Ecclesiastes 4:9-10; 1 Thessalonians 5:11; Hebrews 10:24-25
Worship Resource
Phil Wickham: Battle Belongs
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