"There is one body and one Spirit,
just as you were called to the one hope of your calling,
one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all,
who is above all and through all and in all."
We must no longer be children,
tossed to and fro and blown about by every wind of doctrine,
. . .speaking the truth in love,
we must grow up in every way into him who is the head,
into Christ, from whom the whole body,
joined and knit together by every ligament with which it is
equipped,
as each part is working properly,
promotes the body's growth in building itself up in love."
In the 4th chapter of The Letter to the Ephesians (4:1-16), Paul's
idea of
"church" as the "body of Christ" comes into
sharp focus. Healthy bodies and
healthy churches have many members working together in different
ways as a
unified organism. Likewise, unhealthy bodies and unhealthy
churches have many
members working against each other in different ways to prevent
greater
organic unity.
In a healthy church, whether we're talking about congregations or
denominations, no one part of the body is more important than
another. All
the parts are necessary for the proper functioning of the whole.
Specifically, in the text before us, the Apostle Paul is
proclaiming a
relationship between Christ's Church on earth and God's cosmic
plan of
salvation---a crucial, difficult leap to make but Paul makes it.
As the chapter opens, Paul refers to his experience as a prisoner
and upholds
that life-experience as a model for the Ephesians to follow. As a
prisoner in
the Lord, he exhorts the Christian community to live lives of
humility,
gentleness and patience. These characteristics are encouraged
precisely
because they promote unity in the church. It's true! But,
regardless of where
we stand on the issue of church unity, whenever we, as members of
any
Christian congregation or denomination (myself included), lose our
humility,
gentleness, or patience, we most certainly lose our credibility
and the whole
"Body of Christ" suffers.
According to Paul, a life devoted to the unity of the "body
of Christ" is a
life worthy of one's baptism. However, such a life is not simply a
life of
half-hearted pleas to "get along." Rather, it is a life
wedded to the belief
that, indeed, there is only one body, one Spirit, one Lord, one
faith, one
baptism and one God who is above all and through all and in all.
In this
sense, a life lived in service to the unity of the Church is a
life lived
with and in the Spirit of God.
Some have said that I have already spoken too much from the pulpit
about
Church unity---about ecumenism, interfaith cooperation---about
making a
divided Church, whole. Others insist I have not said enough! You
may find
this hard to believe, but I was prepared to "let it alone for
good" and then,
along came this morning's Epistle Lesson. Whatever does one do
with this text
if they count themselves among those who would divide the Church
or, remain
separate unto themselves, over matters of doctrinal emphasis or
interpretation?
Those who say they favor inter-denominational cooperation, but
reject most
attempts at organic unity, contend that the doctrinal differences
between
churches, even those of very similar historical backgrounds, are
just too
great. And yet, here you have it! According to scripture,
the call to real
Christian unity will simply not be satisfied with furtive attempts
at
"friendly cooperation." That fact of New Testament faith
leaps off the page
at you!
Even if you try to make the case that "the call to church
unity must have its
reasonable limits," those limits (whatever they might be)
could not possibly
include the issues that are tearing Lutherans apart even as I
speak. At least
not in the heart and mind of St. Paul who, it has been said, knew
the heart
and mind of Jesus Christ better than anyone else.
The issues that divided Christians and their congregations in
Paul's day were
far more contentious and divisive than anything Episcopalians or
even Roman
Catholics could throw at us! After all, Paul was talking
about bringing
"gentile Christians," in places like Ephesus, together
with "Jewish
Christians," in other Mediterranean communities. The
congregations or
churches Paul was concerned about and communicating with from
prison were
divided not over issues of church governance, but whether or not
to keep
centuries' old dietary laws and whether or not Christian males,
infants and,
yes, even adults must be circumcised! Now, I would think
that would be cause
for tension and anxiety!
Well, after this strong, clear statement promoting the advancement
of unity
in the Church as the heart of the Gospel, Paul instructs his
friends
concerning the individual gifts and roles, which they must apply
and assume
if church unity is to become a reality. Even as Christ gave
himself as a
"sacrificial gift" to the New Testament people of God,
we must be prepared to
sacrificially give of ourselves that the unity of the Church, the
very Body
of Christ may be served.
The very purpose of the Christian Church, its congregations and
their members
(as envisioned by the Apostle Paul) seems to be not just as
nurturing vessels
for right belief (doctrines, dogma, practices, or what have you);
and not
even, as vehicles for promoting Christian spirituality and the
true Faith.
Ultimately, the purpose of the Christian Church, its congregations
and
members is to build up and strengthen the body of Christ by
fostering unity
among God's children, to heal and hold together the very
"body of Christ,"
through good times and bad times, and to be a source of hope for
the future
of mankind---a truly organic example "human
togetherness" alive and at work
in the world.
Think about it. I guess I could be wrong and, in the eyes of
some, I'm sure
I am! But, that's all right.
