Life Together
Introduction
Life Together written by Bonhoeffer is a simple read but profound. It is an insightful and helpful guide toward godly fellowship, often ignored in individual lives and among the Christian community. The book is divided into two parts: Individual fellowship with God and Community fellowship with God. Initially, Bonhoeffer calls believers to model themselves after Jesus’ way of living.
Summary
Dietrich Bonhoeffer’s main idea in the book is to understand the principles of living life together from a biblical perspective because it gives the right direction for life together. So, he begins by opening a biblical perspective from Psalm 133 on the blessing believers possess in a united Christian community, which many may not experience. Dietrich also says that when we live in a Christian community, scripture mentions that we are to be scattered by our enemies. According to Bonhoeffer’s view, “Christians belong not in the seclusion of a cloistered life but in the thick of foes.”
Bonhoeffer also shares his perspective on not idealizing the community with our dreams. Instead, he encourages the church to participate in the foundation of Christian fellowship laid by God. After talking about the visible blessings of the community, Bonhoeffer shares his perspective on how the Christian community should spend its time together. He encourages starting the day by worshipping God and he strongly emphasizes morning devotions through the reading of Scriptures, both from the Old Testament and the New Testament. He also encourages mastering several hymns so that one can sing them from memory. Dietrich also emphasizes the importance of free, genuine prayer. In addition to all this, Dietrich points to the importance of table fellowship, which we all love.
In the next chapter, Bonhoeffer mentions Christians who seek the company of others because they cannot live alone. But Bonhoeffer encourages, in lonely hours, one should expect nothing from silence except a direct encounter with the Word of God, for the sake of which they have entered silence. In the following chapter, Bonhoeffer encourages engaging in ministry in different ways in the Christian community. He starts by mentioning the importance of guarding against judgmental attitudes and controlling our tongues in the community we participate in. He shares that one should associate themselves in the community with humble means and an active, helpful attitude, encouraging them to bear one another’s burdens. Bonhoeffer also emphasizes the importance of proclaiming God’s Word in the community, as God’s Word brings comfort and admonition. Bonhoeffer also includes about the importance of authority in ministry. According to Bonhoeffer, genuine spiritual authority is found only where the ministry of hearing, helping, bearing, and proclaiming is carried out.
In the final chapter, Bonhoeffer invites the community to confess their sins to their brothers in the Christian community. According to Bonhoeffer, confession leads to a breakthrough to new life, where old things are passed away. So, where there is a break with sin, there is a conversion. According to Bonhoeffer, confession is the most profound kind of humiliation. It also leads to the ignominious dying so that we may share in Christ’s cross. Dietrich defines confession as conversion and discipleship.
Bonhoeffer also warns that if a person does not confess their sin in the community, it will lead that person to withdraw from the community. That person will become isolated and destructive. So, Bonhoeffer says that sin must be brought to light. Dietrich also highlights to whom one must confess their sins. It should only a brother under the cross can hear a confession.
Evaluation
Bonhoeffer has given an excellent precise manual on community spiritual formation. His perspectives are healthy and correct because they are biblical throughout the book. The strength of this book is that Dietrich doesn’t make his perspectives overly appealing by using fancy sentences. Instead, he simplifies his perspective and supports it with Biblical Scriptures, helping the community live their life together in the right way. As I went through the first chapter of this book, I was instantly blessed because it’s very realistic, healthy, and has practical theology, which we must embrace in our Christian community.
Community as Roses & Lilies: Bonhoeffer reminds us that if we have a Christian community, we must feel blessed. He defines these blessed communities as “Roses and lilies of Christian life is the communion with other Christians.” This quote should lead individuals to greater gratitude for the community God has placed them in, avoiding an unthankful, complaining heart. Instead, as Dietrich would highlight, we ought to thank God on our knees for the community we are in and count it as a privilege, as many may not have the opportunity to experience these blessings. For example, the imprisoned, the sick, the scattered lonely, and the proclaimers of the gospel in heathen lands stand alone. Therefore, when Dietrich comments that “the physical presence of a Christian brother is a source of incomparable joy and strength to the believers,” it carries great weight.
Participating in Community: On the other hand, Bonhoeffer also suggests that a Christian community member should not enter with demands; he must not set up his law and judge the brethren accordingly. He must not idealize the community with his dreams. Instead, Bonhoeffer says, he must enter the community with thankfulness, not as a demander or as someone who constantly complains. So, as participants of a church community, we need to avoid idealizing our beliefs based on our understanding of the community we live in. When our ideas are not met, we may clash with the community, which may affect others negatively. This could be damaging to the community. Instead, as Bonhoeffer would say, we need to participate in the community according to God’s laid foundation for Christian fellowship, not our own set of beliefs.
Daily Devotions: Bonhoeffer’s emphasis on daily devotions, thorough reading of the Scriptures, prayer, and table fellowship. Which is a good reminder for every individual in the Christian community. Some Christians avoid or have never applied this spiritual discipline of daily devotions. Therefore, this book serves as a reminder for the community to dwell every day in the presence of the Lord through different means. Also, when Dietrich mentions about lonely hours, he encourages to seek God! “Let none expect from silence anything but a direct encounter with the Word of God, for the sake of which he has entered silence.”A concrete solution, directing individuals to take their lonely time positively by seeking God. Leading individuals to enjoy the companionship of the Holy Spirit and encounter and experience his fullness of presence that brings peace, strength and joy. “God can penetrate and intertwine Himself within the fibres of the human self in such a way that those who are enveloped in His loving companionship will never be alone.” (Dallas Willard, Hearing God, 2012, p. 59).
Helping Community: Dietrich’s insightful comment on the church community thriving by helping one another, bearing one another’s burdens, and serving one another by proclaiming God’s word (which brings comfort and admonition), should be seen as the heartbeat of every church. A reflection of Jesus’ way of doing life together.
Importance of Hearing God’s Voice: Bonhoeffer also talks about building a habit of listening to one another. Which is certainly important. But it’s even more important to develop our ability to hear from God, which Bonhoeffer doesn’t stress in this book. Given that the book’s focus is on living life together and emphasizing spiritual aspects, I think Bonhoeffer could have also placed more emphasis on developing deep spirituality, where we learn to discern God’s voice clearly for ourselves and the community we live in. Bonhoeffer does emphasize having personal time with God, which helps us build a relationship with God to hear from Him. But he could have elaborated further with more guidelines on how to develop the ability to clearly hear from God.
Bonhoeffer could have talked about the means God uses to reveal Himself. For example, one of Willard’s principles of the "small voice," states that “God usually addresses individuals who walk with Him in a mature personal relationship, using an inner voice to show forth the reality of the kingdom of God as they go” (Hearing God, 2012, p. 118).
Confession: Lastly, Bonhoeffer mentions confessing our sins to one another with helpful guidelines and warnings, reminding the church to be a confessing church. When we confess our sins, Bonhoeffer notes, “it strips us of our pride; it leads to the profoundest kind of humiliation and initially leads to the ignominious dying, so that we may share in His cross.” We can note that our Spiritual Formation begins with confession, which is a holistic call to put off dead works. Then our confession leads to restoration from our broken spiritual condition. Therefore, when we talk about confession, we shouldn’t think about beating ourselves up. Instead, the importance of confession should be seen in light of restoration. This is what James states: “confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed.” This verse can be interpreted both spiritually and physically.
Conclusion
Life Together is one of the shortest, well-written, and easy-to-read books that serves its purpose and provides the right guidance to strengthen our Christian spirituality as we participate in the church community. I would encourage individuals and community groups to read this book. It will serve as a tool to enrich Christian spirituality. Through it, they will know God more in their lives, especially when they face difficulties coming into God’s presence, whether they are isolated or present actively in a Christian community.
