I’m reminded again this morning how wired I am (not the “good” wiring, me thinks) to read Scripture as if it’s meant for me the individual rather than me the member of a community. I can “amen! — I’ll do that” pretty quickly one moment and then “what!?! — you want me to do that?” just as quickly the next. Case in point, some verses in my Hebrews 12 reading this morning.

Pursue peace with everyone, and holiness ​— ​without it no one will see the Lord. Make sure that no one falls short of the grace of God and that no root of bitterness springs up, causing trouble and defiling many. And make sure that there isn’t any immoral or irreverent person like Esau, who sold his birthright in exchange for a single meal.

(Hebrews 12:14-16 CSB)

Pursue peace. Pursue holiness. Check!. Got it. Will do. By Your grace, for Your glory. Thanx for speaking to me this morning, Lord.

What? There’s more? With everyone? It’s a team sport? Um, okay. I’ll get together with everyone for 90 minutes once a week, 2 or 3 weeks a month, and we’ll get ‘er done. That should do it. Easy-peasy!

What again? There’s even more? Pursuing peace and holding on to holiness means that I’ll make sure no one else misses out on the grace of God and that I’ll make sure no root of bitterness springs up in our midst. And that I’ll make sure that immorality and irreverence for God isn’t found in our spiritual family? Okay, now that seems a bit extreme.

I am so quick to underline the commands about pursuing. But I had to do a double-take and go back and mark the commands to make sure. Did I mention that I tend to be wired to filter God’s word through a me mindset rather than a we mindset?

If church is easy, then I’m thinking we really aren’t doing church as Scripture envisions. We’ve been so cooked by the boiling water of the worldly way of expressive individualism which has subtly raised the temperature of the “watch out for number 1” waters around us, that we totally miss that most of what is written in our New Testament is not written to individuals but to a community of believers. Yes, I’m exhorted to take personal responsibility for obedience. But I’m also expected to do it in the context of community where I take on some responsibility for the obedience of others. Make sure that no one falls short of the grace of God.

If doing church doesn’t get messy at times, then we’re just mingling and not really fellowshiping with other sinners saved by grace who are but works in progress like us? And I’m wondering if that’s because we’ve answered an ancient question with an errant response. “Am I my brother’s keeper?” (Gen. 4:9). Based on this morning’s reading, “Evidently, yes.” Make sure that no root of bitterness springs up, causing trouble and defiling many.

When’s the last time I was involved in drawing alongside a brother or a sister who was “overtaken in any wrongdoing” (Gal. 6:1)? When’s the last time I called someone on being overtaken? When’s the last time I knew someone well enough to do so? When’s the last time I loved someone enough to do so? We are called the household of God, a family (Eph. 2:19, 1Tim. 3:15, 1Pet. 4:17). Think back on doing life when you were in the same house with your family — and not just the good, but the bad and ugly too. Isn’t that kind of what church is gonna look like from time to time? We’re brothers and sisters in Christ — so, tell me what it was like growing up with your brothers and sisters from your mom and dad? If we are living in real Christian community, it’s gonna get real every so often. Make sure that there isn’t any immoral or irreverent person.

Make sure. It’s a command to obey. It’s the love of Christ in action. It’s how we are to do sanctification — together!

Because it really isn’t just about me . . . it’s about we.

By His grace. For His glory.