The Pious Fellowship
He who is alone with his sin, is utterly alone…. The pious fellowship permits no one to be a sinner. So everyone must conceal his sin from himself and from the fellowship. We dare not be sinners…. So we remain alone with our sin, living in lies and hypocrisy. The fact is that we are sinners! Dietrich Bonhoeffer
I’ve not read much at all of Bonhoeffer. What little I know comes through class discussions in college or seminary and the PBS documentary on the hundredth year of his birth earlier this year. He was a hero, a martyr. A man who gave his life for what he believed. So I don’t know his teaching. It has pricked my interest to look further. This was a quote of a quote in a book I’ve been reading. (I hate that. Find the original info and then reference that. I’m sure my hatred is based on my laziness.)
I don’t intend to parse verbs here but there are some things I have a different bend on. First of all, the overall comment has its effect and place. The truth in it is undeniable and deserves attention some 65 years after it was first penned. I don’t have experience from the day it was written but today it completely hits the bulls-eye. The part that speaks most to me is “The pious fellowship permits no one to be a sinner.” Two points of view on this.
As a human, I want to first blame someone else. So, the pious fellowship is it. And they (we) are a big target, a mantle that we have earned. If I remain superficial, is that your fault? What weakness, what lack of ego-strength can I blame on you? It is only when I muster the courage to confront my weakness do I become strong. This is done in fellowship – “confess your sins to each other…so you may be healed.” (James 5:6) The tiny chick needs the struggle of forcing its way out of the shell to gain strength for living. So we to must face our fears and live in open communion with others.
Now if you’ve been burned. If others were not worthy of such honor and blinked. I can see how it would cause retreat. This has happened. However, we cannot, we must not retreat! For our sake and theirs. This is the process of growth – we must grow on. We have no other choice. Now we, secondly, as the pious fellowship, must recognize this and change. We must foster an atmosphere of openness and acceptance to assist in the aloneness of the masses. Don’t we all long for this? Is this not the craving of our heart? I need “unconditional positive regard.” There is an old song by the Bill and Gloria Gaither entitled, “I am Loved.” One of the lines:
I said if You knew You wouldn’t want me,
my scars are hidden by this face I ware.
But You said My child My scars go deeper
and it was love for you that put them there.
And the underlying message of the old Cheers intro: “I want to go to a place where everybody knows my name.”
Jesus is the unconditional lover. He totally accepts. Then something magical takes place – we are changed. We want to do the changing first and then the acceptance. Jesus doesn’t do this. He has changed my nature. I am no longer a sinner. My identity is Him. Sadly, I do sin. But I’ve found that I sin less with an understanding of my identity and the support of others who accept me unconditionally as I open myself to them. I am not alone in my sin unless I choose to be.
I’ve not read much at all of Bonhoeffer. What little I know comes through class discussions in college or seminary and the PBS documentary on the hundredth year of his birth earlier this year. He was a hero, a martyr. A man who gave his life for what he believed. So I don’t know his teaching. It has pricked my interest to look further. This was a quote of a quote in a book I’ve been reading. (I hate that. Find the original info and then reference that. I’m sure my hatred is based on my laziness.)
I don’t intend to parse verbs here but there are some things I have a different bend on. First of all, the overall comment has its effect and place. The truth in it is undeniable and deserves attention some 65 years after it was first penned. I don’t have experience from the day it was written but today it completely hits the bulls-eye. The part that speaks most to me is “The pious fellowship permits no one to be a sinner.” Two points of view on this.
As a human, I want to first blame someone else. So, the pious fellowship is it. And they (we) are a big target, a mantle that we have earned. If I remain superficial, is that your fault? What weakness, what lack of ego-strength can I blame on you? It is only when I muster the courage to confront my weakness do I become strong. This is done in fellowship – “confess your sins to each other…so you may be healed.” (James 5:6) The tiny chick needs the struggle of forcing its way out of the shell to gain strength for living. So we to must face our fears and live in open communion with others.
Now if you’ve been burned. If others were not worthy of such honor and blinked. I can see how it would cause retreat. This has happened. However, we cannot, we must not retreat! For our sake and theirs. This is the process of growth – we must grow on. We have no other choice. Now we, secondly, as the pious fellowship, must recognize this and change. We must foster an atmosphere of openness and acceptance to assist in the aloneness of the masses. Don’t we all long for this? Is this not the craving of our heart? I need “unconditional positive regard.” There is an old song by the Bill and Gloria Gaither entitled, “I am Loved.” One of the lines:
I said if You knew You wouldn’t want me,
my scars are hidden by this face I ware.
But You said My child My scars go deeper
and it was love for you that put them there.
And the underlying message of the old Cheers intro: “I want to go to a place where everybody knows my name.”
Jesus is the unconditional lover. He totally accepts. Then something magical takes place – we are changed. We want to do the changing first and then the acceptance. Jesus doesn’t do this. He has changed my nature. I am no longer a sinner. My identity is Him. Sadly, I do sin. But I’ve found that I sin less with an understanding of my identity and the support of others who accept me unconditionally as I open myself to them. I am not alone in my sin unless I choose to be.
posted by brent at 1:56 PM
3 Comments:
A wise man once said that error rides in on the wings of truth. I see that in Bonhoeffer's statement.
He who is alone with his sin is truly utterly alone. God never intended His children to face sin alone, but with the body of Christ as a sheild, a protector, an encourager, a corrector! I truly do have sympothy for those who find themselves without partners in the body of Christ who can join their faith together with them in overcome those habitual sins.
Here is the truth that we as believers can speak to one another, that also happens to reveal Bonhoeffer's error: "God made Him who knew no sin to become sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him." (2 Corinthians 5:21) When I began to understand my imparted righteousness from Christ, then I began to find consistency in overcoming habitual sin.
benjamin
2 Pet. 1:2-4 is the passage that brought this truth to light for me along w/ several others.
My point is the sin is our (my) failure to be intimate - to freely give my heart to others without fear or pretense. And, to promote an atmosphere of intimacy. What silent messages am I giving that say, "I love you, you can trust me with your heart." I have found that intimacy is hard work. It is easy to maintain business and do a decent job from all appearances. However, to truly love another as Christ has loved me, this is something else all together. The pious fellowship seemingly promotes business relationships not intentionally but by default. As Adam in the garden hid from God, so we (the pious fellowship) hide from each other and therefore from God. It's like asking someone how they're doing but not really listening (or caring) for the answer.
Intimacy is the pathway to freedom and maturity.
I, like all men, am a sinner. In this treatise, however, I must confess I have not mastered giving unconditional love. In reading this, re-reading it, and thinking over this I discovered I love quite conditionally. I have heard others say behind my back that I am sometimes two different people. I strive (self effort) to avoid being a hypocrite in my life, however, I have just had my eyes opened. I love those who measure up to my standards, or at least show an effort to measure up to what I believe is "goodness."
This line "My point is the sin is our (my) failure to be intimate - to freely give my heart to others without fear or pretense," regardless of what it means to others or how it was intended, reveals to me I do not love unconditionally because I don't often see others as worthy or deserving of my love. I don't want to freely give my heart. In reality, I must confess I do require others to earn my love.
Father forgive me....
mc
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