Certitude

Scripture:

John 17: 7 Jesus prayed to his father: “Now they know that everything you have given me comes from you.  For I gave them the words you gave me and they accepted them. They knew with certainty that I came from you, and they believed that you sent me. 

Luke 1:3 With this in mind, since I myself have carefully investigated everything from the beginning, I too decided to write an orderly account for you, …so that you may know the certainty of the things you have been taught.

Acts 2:42 They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.

Reflection:

Certitude: the freedom from doubt, especially in matters of faith and life.

According to A.W. Tozer, a deeper life in Christ can be found, yet how many actually seek it?  What leads us into a deeper life in Christ? 

The early church lived out their faith in Christ Jesus with certitude. They found a deep life in Christ expressed through their daily routines that were forged with a confidence in Christ Jesus. Their certitude about life and faith included:

1. Faithfully meeting together in fellowship, breaking bread together in homes and praying together.  
2. Dealing thoroughly with their own sin nature, crucifying self and living through the Spirit’s power. 
3. Never defending themselves, but trusting the Lord would be their defender.
4. Never accepting any glory for themselves, but giving all glory for any success to Christ.
5. Celebrating together often through a shared life in community. 

The certitude of these ideas, vows and lifestyle commitments had powerful outcomes in the growth of the early church. The church added tens of thousands of new followers of Christ precisely because they were certain about how to live life in Christ and that this new life was attractive and authentic to a religious culture that was so weighed down by traditions and legalism. 

Maybe we need to regain these community lifestyle commitments once again.  Our roots tend to be shallow. When the storms of life come, to many do not have the depth and strength needed to weather the storms.

My admonition today is this: Let’s live in Christ with a certainty that is developed in shared community. Let’s live life with the freedom from doubt, especially when it comes to matters of faith and life…and let’s do it together!

I’m certainly thankful for my brothers and sisters in Christ.

David