Why We Need One Another to Make Disciples
Discipleship has been called “a long obedience in the same direction,” but it is not a solo journey.
Image by Ahnaf Sakil on Pixabay
In his book Knowledge of the Holy, AW Tozer observes that even though our concept of God is fundamental to everything else about our spiritual life, it is difficult for anyone to know what he or she actually thinks about God:
Compared with our actual thoughts about Him, our creedal statements are of little conse-quence. Our real idea of God may lie buried under the rubbish of conventional religious notions and may require an intelligent and vigorous search before it is finally unearthed and exposed for what it is. Only after an ordeal of painful self-probing are we likely to discover what we actually believe about God.
He’s right, of course.
It’s easy enough to declare our adherence to the traditional language about God, easy to imagine that the words carefully crafted by our spiritual forebears convey our own view of God. But our actual practice may be different, as other factors have created a kind of caricature, a distorted picture of the Almighty.
Our own family background, the influence of popular theology, or the perspectives of people we admire can cultivate unconscious assumptions that distort our understanding of the God who reveals Himself in Scripture. And without knowing it, the God we think about is only the caricature, not the Holy One of Israel, Ruler of Heaven and Earth. This is no ruse. We are not being hypocritical; we are simply blind to our blind spots.
Which makes me wonder if Tozer is too optimistic.
Knowing how easy it is for me to lie to myself and how difficult it is for me to detect my own blind-spots, could any amount of “intelligent and vigorous search” and “painful self-probing” be sufficient for me to uncover my own actual view of God? I’ve got my doubts. I’m not sure I am even capable of detecting my blind spots, precisely because I am blind to them.
This is one of the reasons we need one another so much: to help us see things about ourselves that we are incapable of seeing, or unwilling to see. When we listen carefully to one another, when we discuss the Scriptures together, when we hear one another pray, we can help one another uncover our deep heart attitudes about God. And about a whole host of other crucial matters: the authority of God’s Word, our assurance of our salvation, our identity in Christ, and so much more…
We need one another as traveling companions, not only to encourage and support one another but also to probe and admonish each other.
Who are those few people you know well enough that they have your permission to ask you those probing, uncomfortable questions that will expose your heart?
Cherish those spiritual friendships.
Invest in them.
You and your friends need one another.
Persevere,
Paul Pyle
Pastor of Discipleship
Compared with our actual thoughts about Him, our creedal statements are of little conse-quence. Our real idea of God may lie buried under the rubbish of conventional religious notions and may require an intelligent and vigorous search before it is finally unearthed and exposed for what it is. Only after an ordeal of painful self-probing are we likely to discover what we actually believe about God.
He’s right, of course.
It’s easy enough to declare our adherence to the traditional language about God, easy to imagine that the words carefully crafted by our spiritual forebears convey our own view of God. But our actual practice may be different, as other factors have created a kind of caricature, a distorted picture of the Almighty.
Our own family background, the influence of popular theology, or the perspectives of people we admire can cultivate unconscious assumptions that distort our understanding of the God who reveals Himself in Scripture. And without knowing it, the God we think about is only the caricature, not the Holy One of Israel, Ruler of Heaven and Earth. This is no ruse. We are not being hypocritical; we are simply blind to our blind spots.
Which makes me wonder if Tozer is too optimistic.
Knowing how easy it is for me to lie to myself and how difficult it is for me to detect my own blind-spots, could any amount of “intelligent and vigorous search” and “painful self-probing” be sufficient for me to uncover my own actual view of God? I’ve got my doubts. I’m not sure I am even capable of detecting my blind spots, precisely because I am blind to them.
This is one of the reasons we need one another so much: to help us see things about ourselves that we are incapable of seeing, or unwilling to see. When we listen carefully to one another, when we discuss the Scriptures together, when we hear one another pray, we can help one another uncover our deep heart attitudes about God. And about a whole host of other crucial matters: the authority of God’s Word, our assurance of our salvation, our identity in Christ, and so much more…
We need one another as traveling companions, not only to encourage and support one another but also to probe and admonish each other.
Who are those few people you know well enough that they have your permission to ask you those probing, uncomfortable questions that will expose your heart?
Cherish those spiritual friendships.
Invest in them.
You and your friends need one another.
Persevere,
Paul Pyle
Pastor of Discipleship
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