Embrace the Common Good for the Sake of Others and Our Faith
I often write about the importance of Christian unity. I even covered it in my dissertation. Yet I live in a society that celebrates the individual. These two ideas stand in conflict with each other.
We can’t achieve the unity of believers when we embrace the precept of individualism.
The Downside of Individualism
Today we’re quick to celebrate the rugged individual. They chart their own path. They run counter to the crowd. They stand alone. We applaud their dogged determination and celebrate their results. This is individualism at its highest.
Individualism, however, goes beyond the celebrated—and unbiblical—trait of self-reliance. At its core is selfishness. The needs of others don’t matter, only the needs of self.
When individualism is elevated above all else, we’re able to see its true roots. Its foundation is one of pride.
For the individualist rejects what others say. That’s because the opposition is wrong and they’re right. Only they know the proper path to take. They reject hearing counter narratives. Yet this is the epitome of arrogance.
Yes, we need strong leaders to guide us. But we must be wary of their motivations. We must examine where they’re leading us.
We’ve replaced the unity of believers with an embrace of the individual.
Embrace the Common Good
Unity—as opposed to individualism—embraces the common good. It elevates the needs of the group over the wants of the individual. As followers of Jesus, we are a group—the body of Christ.
To honor God and be our best witness to a world that needs him, we must get along.
This means we must live in unity with our fellow believers. We must act for the common good of our faith—and our Savior.
Seek First the Kingdom of God
Instead of seeking charismatic leaders to follow—that is, embracing individualism—we should first seek the kingdom of God and his righteousness (Matthew 6:33.
Jesus promises that when we do this, we’ll then receive what we need: clothes, food, and drink. And I suspect we’ll receive much more.
In this way, we depend on God. This contrasts with individualism. Individualism relies on self and not the Almighty.
We must place our trust in Jesus and not ourselves.
Peter DeHaan writes about biblical Christianity to confront status quo religion and live a life that matters. He seeks a fresh approach to following Jesus through the lens of Scripture, without the baggage of made-up traditions and meaningless practices.
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