“You might be the only Bible that someone ever reads.” This phrase has been repeated in youth group rooms and from pulpits across our country. The sentiment is good. It is a reminder for individual Christians to take seriously a biblical ethic. If believers claim to believe the Bible is true, then they should follow it so that their lives would reflect that truth. Moreover, non-Christians often will not start with the Bible in their search for God but, instead, may first interact with a faithful Christian. Thus, to put the matter more plainly, we must live out the Bible.
However, a challenge with the phrase, for all its merits, is that it is too individualistic. It focuses too heavily on one person’s exhibiting of biblical truth. The Scriptures speak more often about the exhibiting of biblical truth in the context of the Christian community. We are to demonstrate what we believe as we interact with “one another.” For that reason, we need to balance an emphasis on the individual with an emphasis on the church, remembering that “your church may be the only Bible someone ever reads.” In this piece, I argue that Peter Berger’s concept of “plausibility structures” is helpful in this regard and can be applied to our conception of the church, especially regarding eschatological realities.
Plausibility Structures
Sociologist and theologian Peter Berger coined the term plausibility structure to denote the belief-forming structures that exist in society. In his own words, “each world requires a social ‘base’ for its continuing existence as a world that is real to actual human beings. This ‘base’ may be called its plausibility structure.”[1] Berger argues that the way a particular society is formed allows certain beliefs and ideas to be more plausible than others. Moreover, we are inclined to believe things that those around us believe as well. While Berger’s position tends toward a deterministic explanation of the relationship between social structures and the plausibility of beliefs, it is fair to note that the specific social context of a person informs the plausibility of certain beliefs. Hence, we are more likely find certain things plausible in 2023 that we would not have in 1023, and vice versa.
Of course, this idea can work for or against the Christian’s impact in the world. As Christians we must realize we are participating in social structures that make the plausibility of Christianity more or less compelling to those around us. To be sure, sin—as it does everything in creation—affects plausibility structures too. Mark Allen and Joshua Chatraw point to Romans 1:32, noting that sin is social, not just individual, and can effect on the world around us.[2] As believers, we want to demonstrate not only the reality of God but also the reality of a life lived in light of God’s reality. Therefore, we must demonstrate socially that there are certain things and practices people should consider believing. And the best place to practice this goal, I argue, is in the context of the church with an eye towards the greater culture.
The Church
The church can exist now as a kind of plausibility structure to give the outside world an idea of what is possible. For example, think of the kind of unity and reconciliation that is available for people within the Christian faith. Our churches should provide communities where people of all backgrounds and people groups can come together in worship of the resurrected Christ. When we do this, we are practicing for the eschaton revealed in Revelation 7. In that passage, John the Revelator tells us that people from every nation, tribe, people, and language will stand before the throne of Christ and, in unison, proclaim, “Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!” (ESV, v. 10) Here, on full display, is the true reality for the Christian at the end of all things. Every believer will be fully at peace not only with themselves but also with each other and the Creator. It is the full renewal of what began at Pentecost. Each person retains their personality and uniqueness, and yet there is no division and perfect unity.
The church has the opportunity—today—to live as a demonstration of the reality in Christ as a kind of rehearsal. Just like we rehearse before major performances or events in our lives, we may—even now—practice the eschatological truths we know to be true. We can begin to know our lines, how to act, and how to practice in light of our final day. As we do so, and as we encourage others to observe, we give them a glimpse of the truth of Christianity.
As a Church, we can rehearse the Bible for people to read and watch—not just in peaceful reconciliation but in all commands that the Scriptures give to the Christian community. We can rehearse as we love one another (John 13:34), live in harmony with one another (Romans 12:10), care for one another (1 Corinthians 12:25), bear one another’s burdens (Galatians 6:2), forgive one another (Colossians 3:13), and comfort one another (1 Thessalonians 4:18). We can weep with those who weep and rejoice with those who rejoice (Romans 12:15).
The words that we use as we interact with other believers are a demonstration of a truer reality. The way we extend forgiveness and grace, even when we ourselves have been grievously wronged, point to a reality beyond our own. The material sacrifice in which we now participate shows that one day we will but walk on gold and swim in crystal, with no concern of lining our pockets. Certainly, we do not interact with one another artificially, yet we know that it is not complete but that we are practicing for a truer reality in the end of time. All the while, those who are looking at Christians can see a possibility of a better, truer, and more fruitful life practiced before them.
Conclusion: A Rehearsal
Certainly, as Christians we must attend to our individual personal spiritual lives, realizing that we are embodying Christ for our neighbors. But let us not forget that we are never purely individuals. We are part of the body of Christ. The contours of our relationships within the church allow us, in the present, to image the truthfulness of Christ’s work more fully as we prepare for His plans in the future.
[1] Peter L. Berger, The Sacred Canopy: Elements of a Sociological Theory of Religion (Garden City, NY: DoubleDay, 1969), 45.
[2] Joshua D. Chatraw and Mark D. Allen, Apologetics at the Cross: An Introduction for Christian Witness (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2018), 156.
August 10, 2024
Thank you for this good post.
Joseph Davis
Vicar, Grace Episcopal Church, Spring Hill, Tennessee