Why competency in scriptural interpretation and application as a community is a better marker of success than how many people turn up on Sundays and how much they tithe
As with your previous posts in this series, this was very well done! Thanks for this, Matt!
I've always been struck by how Paul's comment seemingly takes for granted that the believers in Rome are, "full of goodness, filled with knowledge and competent to instruct one another" (Rom 15:14). This makes explicit your point that the whole body is to be engaged with shoring up one another in the faith, rather than just a talking head for a brief time on Sunday mornings. Of course, we need keen insights and convincing application drawn from careful exegesis by those skilled to do so. The prophetic voice of some who are gifted to proclaim the mind of God in the power of the Spirit is not to be taken lightly! But, the magnitude of weight the church (esp. in America) puts on this role is way out of balance from the emphasis Scripture puts on the whole body of believers. Your post really does move the scales in the right direction!
Thanks so much, Paul. Grateful for your insights and consistent encouragement. That's a great comment from Paul on the church in Rome, and his language is so often reflecting the aspirational reality that we are Spirit-filled saints, holy ones, and worthy to be treated with immense dignity because of who God has made us to be. My prayer is that our churches around the world believe in what is possible in God's people and adapt structures to leverage the Spirit-inspired potential we all have together!
As with your previous posts in this series, this was very well done! Thanks for this, Matt!
I've always been struck by how Paul's comment seemingly takes for granted that the believers in Rome are, "full of goodness, filled with knowledge and competent to instruct one another" (Rom 15:14). This makes explicit your point that the whole body is to be engaged with shoring up one another in the faith, rather than just a talking head for a brief time on Sunday mornings. Of course, we need keen insights and convincing application drawn from careful exegesis by those skilled to do so. The prophetic voice of some who are gifted to proclaim the mind of God in the power of the Spirit is not to be taken lightly! But, the magnitude of weight the church (esp. in America) puts on this role is way out of balance from the emphasis Scripture puts on the whole body of believers. Your post really does move the scales in the right direction!
Thanks so much, Paul. Grateful for your insights and consistent encouragement. That's a great comment from Paul on the church in Rome, and his language is so often reflecting the aspirational reality that we are Spirit-filled saints, holy ones, and worthy to be treated with immense dignity because of who God has made us to be. My prayer is that our churches around the world believe in what is possible in God's people and adapt structures to leverage the Spirit-inspired potential we all have together!