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AlexDooley
ChristianThoughtFinalEssay
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17December2014

CPO1014

LettingGo:ChristAttheCenterofSalvation

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asasonofthepastorofalarge,evangelicalchurchhasrevealedmuchaboutthewaysmy
homechurchandournetworkofchurchesoperateonbothacongregationaland
[Link],andGod
definitelyusesourbrokencongregationtoaccomplishhiskingdomwork,butthereare
severalareasoverwhichmaintaininganillusionofautonomyorcontrolhastakenhold,both
inthelivesofindividualswithinthecongregationandinthewayourchurchtakescareofits
[Link],asIoftenliketothinkthatmy
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certainlynottheonlyoneinwhichthismindsetpervadestheentireworldhasthecapacityto
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however,therearesomekeyaspectsofChristiandoctrinethatmustbemoreproperly
emphasizedinordertoalignourvalueswithourstatedmissionandcalling.
Fromthebeginningofhumanity,peoplehavedesiredtobeincontroloftheirown
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own
wayrather
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usthisdayourdailybread,[Link]
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frequentlydoweoperateunderamindsetofresourcefulscarcity,viewingthatwhichGod
providesassomethingthatmustbestoredawaybeforeitdisappears.
We
mustlookafter

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ourselves,
we
muststoreupforthefuture,
we
mustcreatethemostcomfortablepossible
worldforourselvesandmakeabsolutelysurethatourbeliefsandconvictionsaretolerated
andpromotedbysocietyatlargethisisoftenthetrainofthoughtthatguidesthe
[Link],the
wellbeingofindividualswithinthechurchbecomesthefocusratherthanfirstlivingoutthe
gospelbywhatevermeansnecessary,regardlessoftheconsequencestoonespersonal
[Link],whenthechurchsmainactivity
becomeslobbyingforitsownhappiness,wemakeourselvesidolatersoftheself.
Livingalifefocusedonprovidingcomfortforourselvesratherthanabandoningour
selfishnessforthesakeofthosearoundusfallsheartbreakinglyshortofourcallas
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worldaroundus,whichwesooftendo,wemustlooktoJesusastheexampleforhowtolive
[Link],foregoingour
abilitytocreatetheperceptionofcontroloverourownlivesandinsteadtrustingthatGodwill
provideforus,[Link]
usperspectiveonhowcomparativelysimpleitshouldbeforustobewillingtoliterallydo
anythingforthesakeofthegospelGodbecameahumanthroughthepersonofJesus,not
consideringequalitywithGodassomethingworthyofaccomplishment,butratherhumbling
himselfandbeingobedient,eventothepointofdeathonacross(Philippians2:58).IfJesus
istrulyourexemplar,[Link]
thatexchangingoursinful,selfcenterednaturesforthenewwayoflifetowhichGodcallsus
isinfinitelybetterthanlivinginouroldwayoflife.
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[Link],however,thechurch

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commitsitselftofollowingthecallofChristwhereverthatcallmaylead,regardlessofthe
outcome,oureffortstoreachtheworldarounduswiththegoodnewsofJesuswillamplifyin
[Link],innovativethingthechurchcandoonthe
contrary,itiswhenthechurchreleasestheillusionofhavinganycontrolovertheultimate
outcomeofitsactivitiesthatthechurchbecomesabletomoreaccuratelyreflecttheperson
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The
ChurchinaDividedWorld
,thechurchispowerlessunlessitcanactuallydemonstratethe
gospelthroughitsbehaviorthiskindofdemonstrationisimpossiblewhenthechurch
attemptstomaintainitsautonomyandinadvertentlyturnsitsfocusfromJesustoitself.
Ourtalents,strategies,[Link]
thingstoaccomplishtheworkofthegospelthroughus,yetitissoeasytoforgetthesource
ofthesegifts:not
us
,[Link],itiseasytoforgetaboutthesourceofour
[Link],givingusthefood
weneedforthedayandcallingustoactmercifullytowardothersoutofhisabundance
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unwillingtogiveupforthesakeofthegospelisthethingtheytrulyworship,andasaperson
worships,[Link],ordowebelieveinthe
powerofChristtoprovideeverythingweneed?Thechurchcannotpossiblyfunctionasit
shouldifitproclaimsitselfastheultimatesaviorbyrefusingtorelinquishcontrolandfailing
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powerandauthoritywithscriptureChristprovides,thechurchproclaimsandsharesinthe
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liveourlivestothegloryofGodtheFatherthroughthepoweroftheHolySpiritistheonly

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notplaceitselfatthecenterlettinggoofourautonomyisvitaltofully,trulylivingoutthe
gospelinthewaythatwearecalled.