Quite often people say something like, “What I believe is true for me;I don’t impose it on others.” Or, “What I believe is just between God and me; I don’t talk about it to other people.” Or, “What others in the church may believe or say doesn’t affect me; I believe what I believe.” Behind these ways of thinking is the idea that there is no connection between what we personally believe, and what we publicly say and do – i.e. that our Christian faith can just be a private matter.
But the Christian Gospel is a truth that strives, boils and seethes to reach every member of the human race, and draw them into unity in itself. God called Israel to be a “light to the nations” (Is 42:6). Jesus Christ called us to go to all people, striving in faith to bring them to obedience to the truth of the Gospel as His disciples (Mt 28:18-20). This is part of the great joy of God’s good news; God wants to bless all the families of the earth! (Gen 12:3; 22:18).
There is an essential connection between what we personally, privately believe, and what we publicly say and do. Bearing in mind that, as a part of a Christian denomination (like the UCA), to some extent we actually support and endorse what that denomination says and does. We always need to strive for integrity between our personal faith, and what we say and do before all people.
The Christian message is public truth.
Grace in Christ, Jonathan