The traditional American ideal is
rugged individualism. But the Bible pictures the Christian church as a body
(Romans 12:4,5; 1 Corinthians 12:12-27; Colossians 2:19). A body is made up of
different parts that are intimately connected and work together as a whole. Now
this stands in contrast, not only to traditional individualism, but to the
modern idea that reduces everyone to replaceable cogs in the impersonal machine
of society. Rather, the picture we are given is that each part is different and
each part is important. Now it is true that we are all to be conformed to the
image of Christ (Romans 8:29; 2 Corinthians 3:18; Colossians 3:10), but that
image can express itself in different ways through different people. Consider
the writers of Scripture; God used them to write His Word, but He did it
through their various personalities. A good picture of this is a stained glass
window. It is made of many different sizes and colors of pieces of glass. But
it is only when the light shines through that the picture emerges. In the same
way, it is only when Christ works through our lives that we become the full
expression of what God wants us to be.
Now I do not want to give the
impression that what is produced when Christ works through us is merely the
expression of the unique individuality that we already possess. Rather, as C.
S. Lewis points out in “Membership” (in The Weight of Glory), our identity in
the body of Christ is not a matter of who we are but of what God is making us
into (Ephesians 4:15,16; 2:10; Philippians 3:12-16). In some cases this process
may actually involve cutting away things we regard as vital (Matthew 5:29,30)
in order to be made into the person God wants us to be.
But the one thing that is clear is
if we are to become a body we must do it together. The Christian life is not
something I am to go alone. This would be like seeing a disconnected eye or
hand walking around by itself. Nor is the community there to serve my
individualist purposes, but we are there to accomplish the goals of the head.
Now each part of the body will, by being part of the body, have its real needs
met. But when one part puts its selfish desires before the good of the whole
body, it becomes destructive. We are admonished in Scripture to promote the
unity of the body by putting others before ourselves (Philippians 2:1-11;
Ephesians 4:1-6; Romans 12:9-21). But the result of this should be a community
where we learn and grow together. Now I know from personal experience that the
Christian church is not a perfect place with perfect people. (We are not going
to see that this side of Glory.) But we are commanded by God to unite together
with all our imperfections as His people that we might together accomplish His
purpose in the world.
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