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Corporate Repentance - Robert J. Wieland

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sustain their community socially and economically,<br />

they will probably be content corporately to go on<br />

without that "white garment" of Christ's<br />

righteousness to cover their historical and<br />

theological shame.<br />

But we cannot do so, for we possess a<br />

corporate conscience devoted above all else to<br />

truth. This church was raised up by sheer force of<br />

the word of truth. Praise the Lord; our conscience<br />

will inevitably be aroused by Christ's "straight<br />

testimony." Especially in North America, the<br />

cradle of Adventism, where our "nakedness" is<br />

becoming increasingly apparent, we will sooner or<br />

later be forced by reality to face what Christ says.<br />

The realization of a shared corporate guilt saves<br />

us from the pitfall of a holier-than-thou fantasy. No<br />

one of us can criticize another; we partake together<br />

of the fault for which Jesus rebukes us.<br />

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