Confirming the minds of the disciples, exhorting them to continue in the faith, and that we must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God. Acts 14:22
Based on the dialogue between Jesus and Peter about the concept that they had generated of Him, in which it is emphasized that revelation can be of two types, human and divine; we could say, answering the question, that faith can be lived in two ways: in the church, which would be equivalent to saying, according to the church; or, outside the church.
It is not the same thing, although perhaps we are talking about the same element.
The church orders the way of living the faith of its parishioners, according to its conciliar customs, according to its doctrinal norms, which many times are not necessarily biblical, and according to the experiences in community that the church developed while it struggled to affirm itself as such.
This is not the aspect that we want to develop, because to live the faith according to the church it is enough to affiliate with the church of our preference, and they will guide us on how to live the faith within according to their community.
Living the faith outside the church is our concern and the subject of today’s teaching. Living the faith outside the church is completely different, and it takes a firm decision to want to do it in order to do it.
Don’t misunderstand me, I don’t mean that you should not be part of a congregation, or that I encourage people to get out of it; what I mean is that people today are so used to others programming their life regimen, preparing their diet, regulating their exercise regimen, etc., and they forget that life is the result of our decisions and actions.
Thus, living the faith outside the church means becoming stewards of our time, judges of our actions, inspectors of our attitudes, and jurors of our thoughts.
Living life in the church is simpler, obviously, because by attending an average of twice a week, participating in extracurricular activities, and being part of the administrative support of the church, is more than enough; as it is said from many pulpits, I enjoy the benefits of the work of the cross, and the communion with the Father.
To live the faith outside the church, on the other hand, is to be accountable to no one, but to act as if my supervisor is behind my shoulder watching everything I do, and hearing everything I say.
To live faith outside the church is to confront myself all the time with the model of my faith, Jesus, and to discover in the defeat and frustration of sometimes not understanding what is happening, the training school that He designed for my discipleship formation.
Living the faith outside the church is a constant struggle, not only against the principalities of evil that lie in wait for me, but also against how to reconcile my faith convictions with a world that imposes pagan and atheistic ways of resolving a situation.
To live faith outside the church is to see myself as a spectator and protagonist of my own life, as if it were a race that I must win. What to do when a competitor falls, do I continue, do I stop? What to say when someone is troubled, do I talk to them about Christ, or do I just show empathy?
Living the faith outside the church is more complicated, it is not enough to confess myself as a “believer”, the life of faith demands from me a code of conduct, it demands wisdom to act, prudence to answer, and discernment to stop.
To live the faith outside the church is to reconcile all the time my faith with daily reality, without allowing that not having acted as I should have acted fills me with guilt and betrays myself by making me believe that this life of faith is not for me.
To live my faith outside the church is to remain firm in what I believe, in what I learned from reading the Bible, even if the world outside shouts louder and its cries sometimes provoke persecution, finger-pointing, criticism, misunderstanding of my actions and even being singled out for things we never said or did.
In the face of all this, is there a faith protocol to help me live my faith properly? Yes, there is a protocol; we share it below.
– GIVE THANKS TO GOD IN AND FOR EVERYTHING.
In everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you. 1st Thessalonians 5:18
There is a spiritual virtue behind the attitude and activity of giving thanks.
The texts where Jesus appears giving thanks are texts where the supernatural work of the Holy Spirit is shown.
In the miraculous multiplication, in the breaking of bread during the holy supper, in the communion with the disciples in Emmaus, in the resurrection of Lazarus; all of them are examples of how faith is lived outside the church.
Giving thanks to God in everything and for everything is Jesus’ recommendation to ensure that the life of faith does not stagnate.
… freely ye have received, freely give. Matthew 10:8
And it is the condition that prevents Satan from approaching us,
… We also receive good from God, and shall we not receive evil? In all this Job sinned not with his lips. Job 2:10
David recommends and emphasizes that the basis of worship to God is precisely an attitude based on thanksgiving.
Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise; praise him, bless his name. Psalm 100:4
– SHARE WITH OTHERS
To share with others means to make others partakers of the benefits that God gives us; by doing so, God makes his covenant with us firm and establishes our righteousness upon others,
Was it not expedient for you also to have mercy on your fellow servant, as I also had mercy on you? Matthew 18:33
Jesus presents it in the model prayer and establishes it as the foundation of communion with the Father.
Our Father who art in heaven … And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. Matthew 6:12
To share with others is to extend a spiritual covering over them, of mercy, to make them partakers of salvation,
And those who have faithful masters, let them not despise them as brethren, but rather serve them better, because they are faithful and beloved and partakers of the benefit. This he teaches and exhorts. 1 Timothy 6:2
Closing the subject. Living faith in Christ Jesus is a resurrection theme. To live according to him who overcame the world and prevailed over the principalities of wickedness that regulate daily life.
To live faith as crucified to the flesh, but alive in the Spirit. To live the faith as dead to sin, but alive to Christ. Living faith as present in Christ but absent to the demands of pagan life.
Living the faith as losing all, but having gained all for Christ’s sake.
God bless you.
Help us share the Word. Share it with your family and friends.
Pastor Pedro Montoya
