Much more than "a personal relationship"

John Suk writes about the shortcomings of the language of "a personal relationship with Jesus" (HT: Out of Ur). One problem is that the language of "personal relationship" is not particularly accurate. Another issue goes deeper:

Ultimately, the phrase "a personal relationship with Jesus," is not found in the Bible. Thus, there is no sustained systematic theological reflection on what the phrase must or most likely means. In fact, people experience the personal presence of God--if that is what they are really experiencing--in a wide variety of idiosyncratic and highly personal ways. Publicly, however, when people say they have a personal relationship with Jesus, it sounds like they are saying they have a relationship characterized by face-time, by talk-time, by touching, by all the things--and especially the intimacy--we usually associate with having a personal relationship with another human being.

As a result, using the language of personal relationship is bound to lead to all sorts of confusion. As a pastor I met more than a few people who experienced doubt, or perhaps anger, because they didn't experience Jesus the way their Christian friends claimed to. Not having felt his presence, or listened to his voice. . . they begin to feel like they don't have what others have. If they continue going to church they may even begin to feel like frauds, because the very frequency and off-hand familiarity with which so many Evangelicals speak of such a relationship creates social pressure to conform, to nod, "yes, I know what you mean," and to act as if such a relationship is their reality too.

Fortunately, Suk goes on to offer the antidote: the language of faith.

Update: Mark Horne offers related thoughts here.