You must unite yourself with the Lord first, and then you will be able to be part of His body. Every one must be a lone ranger in this sense: That each one has determined in his/her heart that even if every other person on earth decided to pursue their own purposes, he/she will never abandon that One who has called them.

If one thinks himself or herself a Christ follower, then that person’s primary concern should be to follow Christ. And, from that primary concern proceeds a person’s desire to follow the commands and exhortations of Scripture, one of those exhortations being that we should align ourselves with Christ’s body (e.g. Heb. 10: 24 - 25).

http://www.gitananda.org/suurender/index.php

I hope that as you live out this type of humility in your own life that other’s notice and are impacted for eternity.

I hope that when you hear a friend speak with this level of humility that you would encourage the dialogue with them.

I would love to hear more of your thoughts on how Christians exercise the virtue of humility.

You said: If however, one cannot understand this “objective�? God, then one is forced to deal honestly with the fact that one has reached one’s intellectual limits while yet maintaining that God is real and that there is no subjectivity in the matter only unfamiliarity with the subject in question.

Now God is objective, in the fact that He exists. This is true for me because I believe it to be so. The establishment of this truth can only be approached subjectively; in the fact that I can not prove it to be so. I am convinced that the reason that so many people who say that they believe in God but their actions do not proceed from that belief is because they have fancied that God’s existence can be accepted as being objectively proven. The reason this is disasterous to a person is that their root presupposition is still doubt and not faith that God is. Then of course the problem arises, as you stated, no subjective approach can be made with any integrity. This is where faith makes it’s key move, for it encounters the God-Man, and must choose either to believe in Him or not. If faith makes that “leap” it now finds itself on solid ground. For the Lord Jesus came and was seen and touched. Now one has an objective foundation, “the rock”, to build upon. And a foundation holds together whatever is built upon it. That which is now objective to me once was subjective because I related to it objectively. But when God brought me to that moment of despair I heard the Lord Jesus call out: “Come hither to me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, I will give you rest.” And so I went to Him and now He is with me, and I am certain of this. But certain in an objective sence? No; in a subjective sense. Can anyone prove that the Lord is not in me? No; and all I am to do is live an act out of this presupposition. Am I delusional? Maybe; but I am more certain(subjectively) that Jesus is the Christ than I can accept the perception(objectively) of other men that I am delusional. Only the Lord Himself truely knows; and “I am convinced that He is able to guard what I have entrusted to Him till that day.”

Thank you so much for the encouragement.

First, I am struck by one particular phrase in this blog. It is this:

“I have chosen to believe.”

This is the root of presupposition; what one chooses to believe. This decries the subjective approach to which is seems you are advocating.

However, if one believes that God is a real “personality,” there is no subjective approach that can be made with any integrity (which is my presupposition). God is God, independently of what I believe about God. Therefore, it seems not only possible that an objective understanding of God is possible, but necessary.

If however, one cannot understand this “objective” God, then one is forced to deal honestly with the fact that one has reached one’s intellectual limits while yet maintaining that God is real and that there is no subjectivity in the matter only unfamiliarity with the subject in question.

Those are my those. You did a good job writing; it was stimulating reading.

Later man,

Rod

Amen. That is exactly the attitude that the righteous ought to have. One that says: “My life is a commitment to following Jesus Christ and walking in the manner in which he did. However it might manifest itself in the variety of circumstances and the people or persons involved, this I count as being what the Lord has called me to.” How difficult it is to trust that this is what we are called to. And it has become especially difficult when one is constantly told “to have mighty aspirations in ministry. And you can be sure that it is of the Lord based on the immediate results.” How unlike the Lord’s teaching that you mention above. God help us!

Thank you so much for your comment.

Matthew 25
Then the King will say to those on his right, “Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.” Then the righteous will answer him, saying, “Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? And when did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?” And the King will answer them, “Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.”

I find it interesting how the righteous answered him saying “Lord, when did we see….” So did the righteous know and see God’s calling? Do you see the paradox? Our Lord’s answer is the sweetest, “as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.”

Peace and Blessings