Bonhoeffer

Here are three quotes from the book, “Life Together” by Dietrich Bonhoeffer. The first is an excerpt from the other two. I want to discuss this idea of “no immediate access to one another”. That Bonhoeffer presented.

I have enormous respect and veneration for Bonhoeffer. Mostly because his writings have confirmed for me, indeed put into words things that God has been teaching me throughout my life. But my foundation is not upon my own experience, nor the word of man, but rather, upon the word of God.

One such question is “Why be obedient?”

Read through the following quotes and then I shall see if I have any thoughts to share, and will enter them afterwards (below)

Then, if you would, please email me your thoughts to walkingdownvimy@gmail.com

Within the spiritual community there is never, nor in any way, any “immediate” relationship of one to another, whereas human community expresses a profound, elemental, human desire for community, for immediate contact with other human souls

Life Together, Dietrich Bonhoeffer

Perhaps the contrast between spiritual and human reality can be made most clear in the following observation: Within the spiritual community there is never, nor in any way, any “immediate” relationship of one to another, whereas human community expresses a profound, elemental, human desire for community, for immediate contact with other human souls, just as in the flesh there is the urge for physical merger with other flesh. Such desire of the human soul seeks a complete fusion of I and Thou, whether this occur in the union of love or, what is after all the same thing, in the forcing of another person into one’s sphere of power and influence. Here is where the humanly strong person is in his element, securing for himself the admiration, the love, or the fear of the weak. Here human ties, suggestions, and bonds are everything, and in the immediate community of souls we have reflected the distorted image of everything that is originally and solely peculiar to community mediated through Christ.

Life Together, Dietrich Bonhoeffer

Thus there is such a thing as human absorption. It appears in all the forms of conversion wherever the superior power of one person is consciously or unconsciously misused to influence profoundly and draw into his spell another individual or a whole community. Here one soul operates directly upon another soul. The weak have been overcome by the strong, the resistance of the weak has broken down under the influence of another person. He has been overpowered, but not won over by the thing itself. This becomes evident as soon as the demand is made that he throw himself into the cause itself, independently of the person to whom he is bound, or possibly in opposition to this person. Here is where the humanly converted person breaks down and thus makes it evident that his conversion was effected, not by the Holy Spirit, but by a man, and therefore has no stability.

Life Together, Dietrich Bonhoeffer

Here are my comments so far.

Lately I’ve been wrestling with something, and have scripture to consider along with it. Our response to God’s word is faith. And that faith leads us into relationship with God through Jesus Christ.

Hebrews 11:6

It is not an intellectual assent as A.W. Tozer referred to it. It is obedience to his call to lay our life down and to follow him.

The only guarantee is salvation

1 Peter 1: the goal of our faith…

What I mean is… salvation is not a means to an end. Our salvation is the END. Are use the word “and” as we hear it in the term “end justifies the means”. This is a term which I became quite familiar with when reading such authors as Abraham Maslow, Carl Jung, etc. so rather than me trying to come up with the definition of it I will Google it stay here don’t go away I’ll be right back LOL!

“the end justifies the means” definition: 1. said about a situation in which the final aim is so important that any way of achieving it is acceptable

Cambridge

Our relationship with God is primary. Our relationship with one another, is through him. His love for each of us is equal.

The one thing I wonder at uttering is the idea that God has limited himself… by making certain things up to us! Such as loving one another, and loving this world as He loves it.

But GOD knows what he’s doing!

“The Great Gatsby” has come to my mind this morning. I was in absolute awe as I read that book. And let me always add, by “read” I mean “listened to an audiobook of” 🤨 I want you to read it!!! I don’t want to ROB you if it’s impact by my trivializing summary! It’s pure prose! With an absolutely incredible impact!

Those verses in Ephesians come to mind..

“His intent was that now, through the church, the manifold wisdom of God should be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly realms, according to his eternal purpose that he accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

Ephesians 3:10-11