The Christian Life
It is, of course, a little presumptuous to claim to present the Christian life in a short unit. Centuries of Christian experience have formed a rich tradition that can’t be fully mined in a lifetime, much less a couple of pages. Moreover, each Christian forms with God’s help her or his own life, working out one’s own salvation, as St. Paul says, with fear and trembling. But we will try to give you a starting point for your own thoughts and prayers about the kind of life you are called to live.
Let’s begin with the Baptismal Covenant which those who are being confirmed with renew. Look at the Confirmation service in the Prayer Book (416-417). The first part of the Baptismal Covenant contains the ancient creed generally called the Apostles’ Creed (here put into question and answer form). This part of the covenant is a set of belief statements, some of which we’ve already considered. Read through these and make a note of any questions that you may have.
In the second part of the covenant (417), we turn from statements of belief to a commitment to a particular kind of life, a life marked by a unique set of values. Read carefully these statements. The first is a commitment to the life of the church. This statement mirrors the description of the life of the newly-formed church in Jerusalem in the Book of Acts (2:42). The second commitment addresses our personal struggles with evil and our need for repentance and amendment of life. The third commitment concerns our need to share the Good News. Note particularly that this is to be “by word and example”. The next two statements commit us to lives of love. First, in our personal lives as we look for Christ in everyone we meet and serve God by serving them. Second, by working together to fight systems of injustice and violence, promoting human dignity. Put it all together and you have a good basic description of a Christian life.
How can we even begin to live like that? The short answer is by God’s grace (grace is the church word for the freely-given love of God, guiding and supporting us). Christian experience over the years is that while it is very hard to live up to these promises, it is nearly impossible without support. So the commitment to continue in the apostle’s teaching, the fellowship, the breaking of bread and the prayers is not so much a fulfillment of duty as a key to our own fulfillment. We are nourished and guided by the church community, by prayer, by worship, and by the Sacraments. Carefully read the sections of the Catechism on pages 856-862, noting any questions or insights you have.
One final word: although I have made a distinction between belief and practice, the truth is that our living as Christians comes out of our understanding of God, of the Creation, of the human predicament, and, especially, of the consequences of accepting Jesus as Lord. I think what we believe is important. What I sometimes dislike is when Christians argue about the details of belief, while neglecting the more important imperative of living out the promises of the Gospel. Rather than worrying about what others believe and what God thinks about that, we are called to bring good news: good news of God’s love in this world as well as in the world to come.
Please feel free to talk to me about questions, ideas, and concerns this unit raises for you. Take some time to reflect on these two questions: If I commit myself to this kind of life, how will my life change? If St. Alexis is to embody the Kingdom of God in our community and better support you in your journey, how do we need to change as a church?
