Victorinus: I want you to know that I am now a Christian.
Simplicianus: I shall not believe it, or count you as a Christian until I see you in the Church of Christ.
Victorinus (laughing): Is it then the walls of a church that make a Christian?
(From a 4th century conversation, as passed on to us in Augustine's Confessions.)
Over 1600 years later, the same conversations take place. Certainly it is not the "walls of a church", but can we claim Christianity as our faith apart from fellowship with his Church? OR can we be Christian without the fellowship of other Christians? OR can we have fellowship with Christ apart from fellowship with one another? (Another good question is this: can we have true and complete fellowship with one another apart from fellowship with Christ???)
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As Paul Harvey would say, here's "The rest of the story"...
ReplyDelete"he became bold-faced against vanity, and shame-faced toward the truth, and suddenly and unexpectedly said to Simplicianus,— as he himself informed me—"Let us go to the church; I wish to be made a Christian." But he, not containing himself for joy, accompanied him. And having been admitted to the first sacraments of instruction, he not long after gave in his name, that he might be regenerated by baptism—Rome marvelling, and the Church rejoicing. The proud saw, and were enraged; they gnashed with their teeth, and melted away! But the Lord God was the hope of Your servant, and He regarded not vanities and lying madness. "
Victorinus got the message.