They replied, "Let one of us sit at your right and the other at your left in your glory." (Mark 10:37)
Considering the last paragraph of yesterday’s meditation regarding handing over a post to others for the purpose of spiritual discipline, some might think that it is too ideal and unrealistic. Despite the importance of religious discipline, they may insist that with the advancement of age, holding a suitable post in a church is necessary to maintain one’s honor. Such idea usually invites a dogfight in a church as they try to get a position of elder of the church. It is abnormal. What the Korean churches is where abnormal takes the place of normal?
The above reality is caused by ignorance of the centre of Christian faith and inexperience about this. If a church is a friendly society then such discord can be arisen. However, the church is not a friendly society. A church is purely an eschatological Messianic community. In other word, it is a community to enter into the mystery of the cross. To take a post means to take up a bigger cross and greater spiritual responsibility. Then does it have a sense to compete with others in taking greater cross?
If I am a lay Christian then I will do my best effort to live in a piety life not taking any role in a church if possible. I will regularly attend a traditional liturgical worship service and read the Bible or theological books at fixed hours. What more else is needed to me? I will define a church activity at a minimum. I do not want to spend my time doing unimportant matters.
Today the believers of Korean church are dedicating their entire life to the church activity almost mechanically. They are handled by the church activity. It is obviously a self-torment. Despite doing this they do not recognize the seriousness of the situation. Can their lingering desire for the position in a church be brought to an equal footing with the idea that such vigorous activity in a church is the manifestation of a faithful life?
Considering the last paragraph of yesterday’s meditation regarding handing over a post to others for the purpose of spiritual discipline, some might think that it is too ideal and unrealistic. Despite the importance of religious discipline, they may insist that with the advancement of age, holding a suitable post in a church is necessary to maintain one’s honor. Such idea usually invites a dogfight in a church as they try to get a position of elder of the church. It is abnormal. What the Korean churches is where abnormal takes the place of normal?
The above reality is caused by ignorance of the centre of Christian faith and inexperience about this. If a church is a friendly society then such discord can be arisen. However, the church is not a friendly society. A church is purely an eschatological Messianic community. In other word, it is a community to enter into the mystery of the cross. To take a post means to take up a bigger cross and greater spiritual responsibility. Then does it have a sense to compete with others in taking greater cross?
If I am a lay Christian then I will do my best effort to live in a piety life not taking any role in a church if possible. I will regularly attend a traditional liturgical worship service and read the Bible or theological books at fixed hours. What more else is needed to me? I will define a church activity at a minimum. I do not want to spend my time doing unimportant matters.
Today the believers of Korean church are dedicating their entire life to the church activity almost mechanically. They are handled by the church activity. It is obviously a self-torment. Despite doing this they do not recognize the seriousness of the situation. Can their lingering desire for the position in a church be brought to an equal footing with the idea that such vigorous activity in a church is the manifestation of a faithful life?
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