Post by Caretaker on Feb 11, 2012 13:29:51 GMT -6
It was Dietrich Bonhoffer, a prominent theologian in Germany, who returned to preach and work against the Nazis and who was imprisoned and hanged for his convictions, who coined the phrase, "Religionless Christianity".
From my own perspective it can mean being divested of all outward forms, rituals, observances, of our faith, being stripped down to the very essence of our heart alone with Christ alone. If we were to be taken from our fellowship, the congregation, the sacraments, hymns, and rituals, thrown into a cell without any solace in or support and encouragement from Christian fellowship and Brotherhood, would our faith remain intact?
Could we ourselves remain strong in the Blessed Assurance and amazing grace from God's Throne?
We must each search our own hearts, and see if our faith is so deep in our hearts that nothing including death could ever separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Romans 8:
35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?
36 As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.
37 Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.
38 For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come,
39 Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
__________________
From my own perspective it can mean being divested of all outward forms, rituals, observances, of our faith, being stripped down to the very essence of our heart alone with Christ alone. If we were to be taken from our fellowship, the congregation, the sacraments, hymns, and rituals, thrown into a cell without any solace in or support and encouragement from Christian fellowship and Brotherhood, would our faith remain intact?
Could we ourselves remain strong in the Blessed Assurance and amazing grace from God's Throne?
We must each search our own hearts, and see if our faith is so deep in our hearts that nothing including death could ever separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Romans 8:
35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?
36 As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.
37 Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.
38 For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come,
39 Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
__________________