Enjoying a healthy body? .......... Parables 623

December 29, 1998

Rheumatoid arthritis and AIDS are quite different disorders but both are related to the auto-immune system. In RA, the body becomes confused and attacks its own joint fluid as an enemy. Without lubrication, bones grind and wear against each other causing pain and disability.

In AIDS, the auto-immune system is not confused; it just quits. The body loses its capacity to fight external enemies and dies from illnesses such as pneumonia.

While the human body is an amazing organism, these two conditions illustrate how one part working contrary to its intended purpose produces painful and even deadly results.

The New Testament uses the human body as a metaphor for spiritual unity. Those who believe in Christ should function together, just as the parts of our body should.

For instance, the Apostle Paul talks about spiritual gifts by pointing out that each believer has a different gift, just as each part of the body has a different job to do. The eye is not the hand and the hand is not the eye. Each needs the other so all can function.

As a body has many members so it can work properly, so does the Body of Christ. This analogy helps Christians appreciate both our oneness and our differences. It also illustrates the importance of working together. When each part of a healthy body cooperates, that body is strong and productive. The Bible says, “From Christ the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and build itself up in love, as each part does its work.”

However, this analogy also can describe what happens when Christians set themselves against one another. If we do not appreciate our differences, reject unity and refuse to cooperate, we are like a malfunctioning auto-immune system. The results are just as disastrous.

In love, we function like healthy bones and ligaments but if we do not keep ourselves in right relationships with mutual support and instead begin fighting, we are like rheumatoid arthritis. We are destroying necessary “lubrication” and begin to wear and grate against each other.

Loving one another is vital, not only to our health but to our appearance. Jesus said the world will evaluate us by our love (or lack of it) for one another. If the Body of Christ malfunctions, we experience personal and corporate pain and become crippled, even totally disabled, in our ministry to others. Besides, the Bible says if one member hurts, all hurt. In-fighting is like shooting ourselves in the foot.

A malfunctioning Body of Christians has another problem suggested by the analogy and how a human body suffers if it has AIDS. Spiritually, the Bible is clear that the Christian struggle “is not against flesh and blood” but is against “the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.” When we pit ourselves against each other, we become helpless against external enemies. Satan and the powers of evil can easily defeat us.

Paul wrote that if we “yield to God and resist the devil, he will flee” from us. Notice what comes first: yielding to God. The Bible defines that simply as loving Him and loving one another. Jesus said that we show our love for God by loving other Christians.

Everyone wants a healthy body. We do what we can with rest, proper diet, exercise and regular care. In fact, these exercises occupy a major portion of our lives. What a difference it would make if we gave as much attention and effort toward maintaining health in the Body of Christ.

A place where all should be welcomed ............. Parables 353

January 19, 1993

KEEP OUT--MEMBERS ONLY!

Is this merely a sign on Johnny’s backyard tree house? Or one we might find on the back door of the meeting place for an exclusive organization? Perhaps, but unfortunately some people think it is also the sign on the front door of every church. Consequently they think they are not welcome inside the door.

What is the church anyway? Only a building? Another exclusive club? A place reserved for religious zealots? A social organization for humanitarians that like to feed the hungry and give clothes to the poor? Or some sort of secret society that makes its members do strange things?

Most people hold one or more definitions like these, at least some time in their life. I used to think church was something you “did on Sunday,” a ritual like school on Monday to Friday and movies on Saturday nights. It took me some time before I thought of church as a place people went to find out about God and worship Him.

However, not every “church” helps people find about God, at least God as He reveals Himself in the Bible and in Christ. For that reason, the church of my youth and young adulthood didn’t do much for me. I could not have offered worship based on true knowledge but attended Sunday services simply because it was the thing to do.

It was not until my life turned upside down that my reasons for going to church changed. I wanted to know God and wanted His help to set it right again. I did not always like what I heard but persisted until the truth of who He is and what He has done became clear to me. Only then did I begin to understand what “church” is all about.

Church is not just a building, even though we call the building “the church”. It is not just an event either, even though we say we enjoyed “going to church”. And it most certainly is not a game; we cannot “play church” and be honest with ourselves, others and God.

Rather, church (specifically the Christian church) is a collection of people who love God and have faith in Jesus Christ. His church is a living body, a vibrant community of folks who admit they are sinful and know they cannot earn eternal life but have received it as a gift from God. They meet together to worship Him as Creator, Redeemer, and Lord of their lives, and to be instructed in their understanding of God. When functioning as God intended, members of His church lovingly encourage each another to forsake sin and serve God and one another.

While this list of “church” activities may seem unfamiliar, it is not bizarre. A genuinely biblical church is never anything like a secret society where its members do weird things.

Neither is the church exclusive. While the body is made up of those who believe, anyone who wants to learn about God can attend church gatherings. Even if a person does not believe, what better place to find out what believing means?

Is every group that calls itself a “church” like what I just described? Sadly not. Some talk about God but have departed from the Bible and historical Christian beliefs. Others operate more like social clubs than centers of worship. A few call themselves a church yet worship Satan. For these reasons, if anyone really wants to find out what “church” is supposed to be they need to look beyond all the signs and labels and put their foot inside the door.