You’re now part of the collective.
There is a sacrifice that covered a leader’s, an individual’s and a community’s sin. When someone violated God’s word unknowingly and when it was made known, they needed to take care of it through a sacrifice called the sin offering.
I find it interesting that a community can sin, not just an individual. Each person must make their own choice to believe in, love and then follow Jesus. Yet, at that point of belief, we’re placed into a group that is expected and needs to walk with Jesus as a group. Doubt it? Look up all the one-another clauses in the New Testament! You can’t do a one another on your own. No, we do them as a church – a group of people called by Jesus toward Jesus.
In America, we hold to a principle of “rugged individualism” that teaches it’s up to each individual to solve their problems and make it on their own, without outside help. This cultural idea has infected the American church. We’ve made our walks with Jesus all about us – our needs, our wants, our dreams and then make our choices.
And yet, we fail to realize that we’re part of a group where individual choices do indeed affect others – positively or negatively. Let’s stop letting the culture infect us. Rather let’s start infecting the culture with Jesus. My friends, there will be a time when you’re really going to need another believer walking with you. Start walking with them now.