It often saddens me when some good kind delightful person, says that of course they believe in God and Jesus too but not in “organized” churches. What a sad thing, that we are who church members have presented such a negative picture. We have not shown ourselves as the body of Christ, people in whom Christ dwells and who reach out to the Christ in each other.
The Christian faith began with a basic love for Jesus in response to his love for us. It took hundreds of years to work out the basic belief that is in implicit in our commitment to him. For the individual, this process starts with us in childhood as we live and grow in him. We develop our beliefs supported by the community as we too support them. It is important that as little children, we feel accepted and loved and soon understand that love is the love of Jesus dwelling in each person. Early on it is important that we be accepted as young men and women, capable of responsibility. God’s children loved, his own and our own. We become “the blessed company of all faithful people”.
As we grow in faith, we also develop beliefs; some of our beliefs will grow in different directions. Let us pray that our faith and love remain strong. Let us not concentrate on proving ourselves right but meditate on his love so that we may eventually be shown his truth.
Alfred Lord Tennyson wrote a long poem in memory of a friend. In it are these words:
A strong son of God, immortal love
Whom we that have not seen thy face
By faith and faith alone, embrace
Believing where we cannot prove
St. Paul in his letter to the Romans Chapter 1, verses 11- 12 wrote:
I am longing to see you so that I may share with you some spiritual gift to strengthen you -
or rather that we may be mutually encouraged by each other’s faith, both yours and mine.
Hugh Latimer (c.1487 – 16 October 1555) was a Fellow of Clare College, Cambridge and Bishop of Worcester before the Reformation, and later Church of England chaplain to King Edward VI. In 1555, under Queen Mary, he was burnt at the stake, becoming one of the three Oxford Martyrs of Anglicanism. He said:
If you will build a glorious church onto God,
see first yourselves to be in charity with your neighbours
and suffer not them to be offended by your works.
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