A home is a kingdom of it's own in the midst of the world, a stronghold amid life's storms and stresses, a refuge, even a sanctuary.
Dietrich BonhoefferRead
Christian community is like the Christian's sanctification. It is a gift of God which we cannot claim. Only God knows the real state of our fellowship, of our sanctification. What may appear weak and trifling to us may be great and glorious to God. Just as the Christian should not be constantly feeling his spiritual pulse, so, too, the Christian community has not been given to us by God for us to be constantly taking its temperature.
Interpretation
What this quote means
This quote emphasizes that true spiritual fellowship within a Christian community is a divine gift, not something that can be assessed or claimed by individuals.
Dietrich Bonhoeffer reflects on the nature of the Christian community and its relationship to individual sanctification, suggesting that both are gifts from God beyond human evaluation. He points out that what might seem insignificant or imperfect in our eyes could hold immense value in the sight of God, urging Christians not to obsess over their spiritual status or the perceived strength of their community but to trust in God's greater understanding and purpose.
Themes
CommunityGodFellowshipSpiritualitySanctification
In practice
Example use cases
This quote can be shared in a church sermon to illustrate the importance of valuing community fellowship.
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...And then, just when everything is bearing down on us to such an extent that we can scarcely withstand it, the Christmas message comes to tell us that all our ideas are wrong, and that what we take to be evil and dark is really good and light because it comes from God. Our eyes are at fault, that is all.
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Anyone who thinks that his time is too valuable to spend keeping quiet will eventually have no time for God and his brother, but only for himself and for his own follies.
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