Earlier this week I was speaking with a colleague about church. He’s not a Christian, and when asked if he would consider going to church his response was quite vivid: “If I went, the whole church would burn down”. What a response! His view of church and the people within, told him that he wasn’t good enough to set foot within the front doors of a Christian chapel. And should he choose to do so, it would ruffle so many feathers and cause offence to many people.
This view of the church is widespread and ultimately, I believe it comes from a lack of understanding who and what Jesus achieved through his life, passion and resurrection. Even in Christian circles, a genuine understanding of what Christ achieved for humanity can be lacking. Yes, we have a relationship with Jesus, speaking with him regularly through prayer, but do many people understand how God atoned for humanity, making this relationship possible?
In theological circles, there are numerous opinions or “motifs” that have been developed to explain the work of Jesus and the difference He makes to humans individually, but also corporately as the Body of Christ. These motifs come under the banner of soteriology, which is the study of salvation.
Over the next few weeks, I’ll be posting a series on many of these motifs, each one aiming to elaborate on the benefits Christ provides people in our modern context. Each post will be informative, practical and include lots of applications, and I trust that the Holy Spirit will use these to help you along your journey of spiritual transformation.
Until you hear from me again, may God richly bless you!
In the meantime, remember that all people are welcome to meet with Jesus – no one is out of His reach.
“Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly.”
Matthew 11:28-30 MSG.
Leave a Reply