I am
my beloved's and my beloved is mine . . .
(Song of Songs 6:3)
I thought
of that verse when a radio preacher told his audience the idea that Jesus is a
“personal savior” is foreign to the New Testament message. He went on to tell
us Jesus came to save the “Church,” to establish a Christian community,
and (in his opinion) community salvation – not personal
salvation – is the pre-eminent focus of Scripture.
After I
yelled at the radio, I wished the guy’s idea was unique to himself. But it is
not. I’ve heard others propound from both the pulpit and in print the same
specious and biblically unsupportable idea. No wonder so many people in the pew
feel distanced from their heavenly Father. They’re told again and again in
subtle and not-so-subtle ways they are just one of a bunch. There’s really nothing
special about them or of God’s desire for a relationship with them.
What a
demonic lie that is!
Yes,
Jesus took on human flesh to save the “church” (Ephesians 5:25-27) and to
establish a ‘people’ for Himself (Titus 2:14). But texts taken out of context are
usually pretexts to teach error.
Let’s not
forget, the Good Shepherd left the ninety-nine sheep safe in the fold and
searched for the ONE gone astray (Luke 15:3-7). Jesus left the crowds and went
out of His way to minister to the LONE Gerasene demoniac (Mark 5:1-20). He
sought for the ONE blind man who’d been ostracized from his synagogue (John
9:1-38). He made a point to pass through Samaria to meet ONE woman unwelcomed
by her community (John 4:1-38).
Over and
over, the Holy Spirit makes the point through the New Testament (and Old
Testament) writers – Jesus longs for us to each know Him as our personal
savior. He longs for us to each know Him in an intimate, warm and emotional
relationship.
“What
must I do to be saved?” The Philippian jailer pleaded with St. Paul. And the
apostle answered, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and ‘you’ will be
saved” (Acts 15:25-31). “Come to me” the Lord Jesus invited, “ALL you who labor
and are heavily burdened, and I will give [each of] you rest” (Matthew
11:28-30). [Jesus said] “I will never desert [any of] you nor will I ever
forsake [any of] you” (Hebrews 13:5); And St. Paul, longing to grow in
his relationship with Christ, wrote to the Church at Philippi, ‘[Oh] that I
might know Him, and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of his
sufferings . . .” (Philippians 3:10).
Yes, the
Lord Jesus came to build His Church, but the Church is not an abstract entity.
It is comprised of individuals – each of whom is critically valuable
in God’s eyes. Without its individual members, the Church would not exist.
From
Genesis through Revelation – and the testimonies of the Saints, from St.
Francis to St. Augustine to St. Catherine of Sienna to St. Therese of Lisieux
to St. Padre Pio – the Holy Spirit assures us if you were the only person
who needed to be saved out of the 6 billion people on planet earth – Jesus
would have died for you.
And me.
Individuals.
By our
baptismal faith and ongoing devotion to Christ, you and I – singular, unique,
special – you and I belong to Christ. God personally formed us in our
mothers’ womb (Psalm 139:13). He is intimately involved with us (Psalm
139:3). He knows our name (John 10:3), how many hairs we have on our head (Luke
12:7), and not a word passes across our tongue that He does not already know
(Psalm 139:4).
Yes, we
belong to the community called the Church – which is Christ’s Body. But please,
NEVER lose sight of that magnificent truth: Jesus came to save ‘each
individual’ who makes up the Church.
That
means you. He wants to be your personal savior, friend,
confidant, and lover.
Truly, you
are your beloved’s. He is yours. And His banner over ‘you’ is love.
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