Everyone in the world thinks he understands. That is what it means to think. In order to think, you have to think something. And whatever it is that you think, that is what you think.
So if you are in the grip of an error, you do not understand that error. If you did, you wouldn’t be in error. Who can understand his errors? When Scripture poses this question, it poses a profound question.
Understanding error, and understanding the truth that stands opposite must therefore be a gift of God. Apart from grace, there is no way to comprehend what is happening in the culture around us, in the church at large, in our own congregation, in our own families, or in our own hearts. But when God’s grace is poured out, the people are woven together in likemindedness, and the people have a mind to work.
Many churches are not aware of their fundamental disunity because they don’t have to work on anything challenging together. The standard operations of the congregation are on cruise control, and so simmering discontents don’t really affect anything much. But when they undertake a large project, like building a sanctuary, they discover that before you build a church, you need to have built the church.
Only a true church can build a church building in a way that glorifies and builds up the true church. When the work is done, the congregation should be closer, tighter, more committed to one another, than they had ever been before. As the bricks go together, sealed and set, the bricklayers should be even closer.
The stress of a challenge tests everything. It brings selfishness to the forefront, and it brings love and consideration to the forefront. So never forget, in the course of construction, we are building the invisible things first, and the visible things are designed to be simply a wonderful echo of them.
So let the stones cry out.
First question in my mind: to what extent and frequency should we seek to invite challenge?