Ephesians 3: 15,16 reads "Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love."
One of the Christian fellowships I spend time at has been studying the book of Ephesians. The purpose was to understand what it means for us to be the body of Christ, the church, and what it means to be individual members of this body.
The excerpt above speaks directly about these two topics. What I've learned and hope to continue learning is:
1) Individually, each member must be working properly. Personal devotion is important, but involvement in the Church is what Paul herein stresses. I, an individual member of a (the) body, can not function as such a member without the involvement of absolutely every other member. My spiritual health is directly related to the proper functioning of the greater Christian community - that which I directly identify with (local church, family, etc.) and the worldwide body of Christ (churches and believers in Africa, Bangkok, Vatican City, etc.).
2) And, one of the greatest personal needs that I can see in the church is greater emphasis on the importance and involvement of every member. Seeing as how we were not designed to function as Christians outside of the community, there's this need to feel as though we're important and make a difference within our Church. Maybe that need is not felt or noticed. This is often the case and may be a result of our own improper understanding of what it means to be the church.
So, we are in need of personal spiritual health in order to build up the body of Christ. And, our spiritual health depends upon our involvement with and being spiritually fed from the local Christian community (not merely fed by direct preaching of the word, but also fed in the sense of expressing our knowledge and love of the Word toward each other).
Thoughts, ideas? Pray, share, think, act . . . that the "body [will] grow so that it builds itself up in love."
You are a precious member of the body of Christ. Thank God for all of you that share in this faith!
posted by PB&K @ 6:49 AM
4 comments
4 Comments:
I can definitely see what you're saying. I've got a great book at home that I could point you to that's all about Christian community: "Breaking barriers : the possibilities of Christian community in a lonely world"
by Lyle D Vander Broek.
Still, one of the hardest things for Christians is to find a church to become a part of. It's pretty easy as a student because there are student groups to join up with. But how do you find your place without that? Perhaps this is a topic for a future post.
-DC
in true god fashion, god urges us to depend on one another while the world screams, do it alone!! its no wonder that we are often not only afraid to give encouragement, but are also afraid to seek it. even paul would retreat to christian brothers to be fed and encouraged and only as well as they were able to offer that to him was he able to continue his work in god's kingdom.
i think ur right that we seek to be held important by those around us...we have a deep desire to feel useful. it also seems so against our natural desire to humble ourselves before others and allow god to teach us thru them, i know i struggle with this much more than i care to admit. but as the scripture you presented says, god has a task and a role for each of us...and not so incoincidently, one that will bring us the greatest joy we could ever hope to have...if we would only embrace it!
Hey Paul-
I just found your stash of photos online. What great pictures!! :) Thanks for keeping my insights on foreskins and basketball schrimmages anonymous, Rick.
Nina mentioned that you're dating someone named Charlize, and even a discussion with Sarah did not clear up the mystery. Why had Paul never mentioned her before? Is she from Kansas? Is she blonde? How recently have they been acquainted? Sarah vowed to do some research, but I assumed that if Kansas has computers, they probably have eligible young women too.
Then I got an email from sage Nina, who would never tell a lie. She wrote in direct, concise prose, a little like King Solomon:
"paul & charlize see each other every day.
they go out for long dates several times each week as far as I know.
paul has special clothes for when he goes out with charlize.
they can often be seen hand in hand(lebar).
charlize is paul's bike."
A little disappointed that I didn't get to see what Charlizes from Kansas are like, I wondered if perhaps I should check to see if "guillable" really isn't in the dictionary.
keep up the handlebar holding,
Lila
While I can agree with your assertions, I also agree with DC. It can be difficult to find a church community, where one can find a fitting function to improve spiritual health and contribute to the functionality of the greater Christian community. Indeed, it is a wonderful thing to know that you're making a difference and contributing. But does this always happen within a bonified church? The need of purpose is definitely felt and noticed, lest despair. We may seek encouragement but who will give it? Perhaps the question is: how can we incorporate people on the fringes into that sweet spot?
I definitely struggle with place & function - much more than I want people to know. And I drink up encouragement like a thirst. Sometimes finding our place is a journey. There is a destination. But sometimes our route isn't exactly clear (or even as we planned) as we navigate around the road construction and impasses.
"Not all who wander are lost." - J.R.R. Tolkien
Something you should take to heart when you go cycling in public:
"Maybe you should put some shorts on, or something, if you want to keep fighting evil today." - The Bowler, Mystery Men
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