절름발이 신앙 (Imbalanced Faith) 최영기목사  

인간에게는 지성(知), 감정(情), 의지(意)라는 세 가지 중요한 기능이 있습니다. 인격적으로 이 세 가지가 균형 있게 발달해야 하듯이, 신앙생활에서도마찬가지입니다. 하지만 우리는 종종 이 중 한쪽에 치우친 '편중된 신앙생활'에 빠지곤 합니다. 더 큰 문제는 자신이 치우쳐 있다는 것을 모른 채, 그것이 곧 정상이라고 믿는 데 있습니다.

지적으로 편중된 신앙생활은 말씀을 아는 것에만 집중합니다. 성경 지식을 깊이 탐구하고 신학적인 논리를  세우는 데 몰두합니다.  이들은 말씀을 신앙생활의 유일한 기준으로 삼습니다. 하지만 기도는 상대적으로 약하고, 이웃을 섬기는 일에는 소홀하는 수가 많습니다. 그러면서도 자신과 다른 방식으로, 뜨겁게 기도하고 열정적으로 봉사하는 사람들을 보며 감정적이거나 무분별한 행동이라고 비판하기도 합니다.

감정적으로 편중된 신앙생활은 뜨거운 찬양과 기도, 성령의 임재를 체험하는 것에 몰두합니다. 이들에게 신앙은 느낌과 경험입니다. 체계적인 말씀 공부를 등한시하고, 봉사나 구체적인 행동에는 적극적이지 않은 경우가 많습니다. 기도를 많이 하는 것이 믿음의 척도라고 생각하며, 말씀과 행동에 집중하는 사람들을 차갑거나 영성이 부족하다고 비판하기도 합니다.

의지적으로 편중된 신앙생활은 행동하는 믿음을 가장 중요하게 여깁니다. 봉사와 사역에 모든 에너지를 쏟으며, '하나님의 나라'를 현실 속에서 실현하려 노력합니다. 이들은 행동하지 않는 믿음은 죽은 것이라고 주장하며, 말씀 공부나 기도에만 시간을 보내는 사람들을 탁상공론만 하는 사람이라고 치부합니다.

우리 모두는 각자 타고난 성향에 따라 이 세 가지 중 한쪽에 강점을 가지고 있습니다. 중요한 것은 자신의 강점을 아는 것만큼 약점을 깨닫는 것입니다. 제 경우를 예로 들면, 저는 지적인 성향이 강해 과거에는 찬양 시간에 손을 들고 뜨겁게 찬양하는 사람들을 보며 '쇼하는 것'이라고 생각했습니다. 하지만 이것이 제 약점임을 깨닫고 감정적인 부분을 보완하려 노력하니, 저 또한 찬양에 깊은 은혜를 받고 자연스럽게 손이 올라가게 되었습니다.

진정한 신앙 성장은 이 세 가지가 균형을 이룰 때 가능합니다. 자신의 강점은 자랑스럽게 여기되, 약점을 인정하고 보완하려는 노력이 필요합니다. 지성, 감정, 의지가 조화롭게 어우러질 때 비로소 우리는 온전한 하나님의 사람으로 설 수 있습니다.

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Human beings are made with three essential faculties: intellect, emotion, and will. Just as a healthy person needs all three to develop in a balanced and well-rounded manner , so does a healthy faith. However, many of us fall into an imbalanced faith life—focusing too heavily on just one area. What’s worse is that we often fail to recognize our imbalance, convinced that our way is the only “normal” expression of faith.

An intellectually imbalanced faith centers on biblical knowledge and theology. People in this category are deeply invested in studying Scripture and see the Bible as the sole authority for their faith. While their pursuit of truth is admirable, they often neglect prayer and acts of service. They may even criticize those who pray passionately or serve sacrificially, dismissing them as overly emotional or lacking discernment.

 

An emotionally imbalanced faith is marked by intense worship, fervent prayer, and a constant pursuit of spiritual experiences. For these individuals, faith is primarily about what they feel. But they often lack grounding in the Word and tend to avoid practical acts of service. They may measure a person’s faith by how long they pray or how moved they appear in worship—and criticize those who focus more on Scripture or deeds as being spiritually dry or disconnected.

A willfully imbalanced faith elevates action and service above all else. These individuals pour themselves into ministry and are driven to realize the Kingdom of God here and now. They emphasize that faith without works is dead and often view those who spend time in study or prayer as unproductive or disconnected from real-life ministry.

Of course, all of us naturally lean toward one of these areas, depending on our personality. The key is not to suppress our strengths, but to recognize and address our weaknesses. For example, I’m intellectually wired. I used to look down on people who raised their hands in worship, thinking they were just putting on a show. But once I acknowledged my emotional deficiency and intentionally worked on that area, I began to genuinely experience God’s presence in worship—and found myself raising my hands freely.

True spiritual maturity comes from balance. We should be grateful for our strengths, but also humble enough to recognize  blind spots and seek to grow in them. When our intellect, emotions, and will are aligned, we become whole, fully-formed followers of Christ.

 

금주의 한마디

신앙생활 하다가 어려움이나 갈등이 생기면 그것을 성장과 성숙의 계기로 삼아야 합니다. 남의 죄가 아니라 나의 죄를 볼 수 있는 것이 성장하는 신앙인의 자세입니다.