I was thinking about the labels we have
for one another. We are all generalized and compartmentalized based
on our gender, skin color, theology, church affiliation, political
affiliation, how much we make, where we live, who we hang out with,
what type of music we listen too, the clothes we wear, and so many
more different ways. We're divided into groups based on those things
and given a label. We're either democrat, republican, independent,
liberal, conservative, fundamentalist, geek, nerd, jock, hipster,
redneck, country, poor, wealthy, outsiders, or insiders. And those
are just a few of labels we are given and give to others.
I often use labels when I preach. I
generalize a group of people into a label and speak about them in
some way. Often it's to try to make a point and get us to see that
the other is not our enemy and sometimes that point fails. This week,
as I read Ephesians 4, I started to wonder what if we rid ourselves
of those labels? What if we were truly neither republican or democrat
or independent but followers of Christ? What if we were one body and
one spirit in Christ?
Ephesians 4 is a pastor's dream passage, I think. It's one of the few Pauline quotes that is able to truly
transcend time and context. If a church is struggling and in disarray
the pastor is able to pull up Ephesians 4 and urge that his/her
congregation remember they are united through Christ. The thought of
being united in Christ is ironic in thought. Christ said that he had
come not to bring peace but a sword. That he would divide sons from
the fathers, daughters from their mothers, son in laws from their
father in laws, and daughter in-laws from their mother in-laws. Our
enemies would come from our own household. And the truth of Christ is
that he does divide. The reality of who Christ is and what Christ
commands us are things that would divide a house.
But that doesn't mean we cannot come
together. We may be divided on issues and the public sees this
division and believes that if Christians are unable to be in unison
then what truth does their gospel hold. The reality of being a
follower of Christ is that we are in constant conflict: conflict with
how the world is and how the world should be; conflict with one
another over the meaning of Christ's commands; conflict in
reconciling what the prophets, Christ, and Paul say concerning the
poor, the government, same-sex relations, greed, the oppressed,
theories of atonement, wealth, war, etc. We are in constant conflict and
that's okay. Conflict is not bad. It is one's reaction to conflict
that matters.
Life is full of conflict. Good stories
involve some form of conflict and we've been working towards a faith
that believes we are supposed to live without conflict. Conflict is a
part of life, a necessary part. Without conflict we tell boring safe
stories that are not true. A church that says they do not experience
conflict is a church that is telling a safe story. They are not
living in the fullness of God. Living in the fullness of God means
there is going to be conflict. There is conflict because each of us
is different. Each of us has been given a different gift by God and
if these gifts are gifts from God then diversity is gift as well. The
list of gifts Paul gives is different from the ones in Romans and 1
Corinthians. The gifts he lists seem most likely to be a list found
in church leadership. The gifts of the laity are listed in the other
letters.
Cecil Sherman once said, “Of the four
mentioned, at least two are rarely used in the Baptist church.”1
He said he didn't know of a Baptist church with an apostle. Once
though there was a Baptist association in Virginia that made Samuel
Harris an apostle. He kept the job for a couple of years before
resigning saying that no person should have such authority over a
Baptist congregation. “We do have prophets,” Dr. Sherman said,
“Though many are not preachers.”2
The politics of being a pastor requires having a majority and
prophets don't fit the role of pastor. Occasionally someone will be
prophetic. They will speak for God but we do not recognize them until
afterward. Then, looking back, we see them for that they were: a
prophet.
We have evangelists and have pastors
and teachers. Cecil observed those who have evangelists don't need
them and those who don't do. Pastors and teachers are common and
those offices are filled to the highest standard.
Four different gifts listed, each
important and each different. Each position, each gift means we will
have different personality traits but why does God create us so
differently? To equip the saints for the work of ministry, for
building up the body of Christ, until all of us come to the unity of
the faith. It takes all personality types to accomplish this goal.
Being different is a gift from God and something we should celebrate
not hinder or impede. We've been created differently and given
different gifts because we cannot come to the unity of faith if we
are all the same.
You and I need one another if are to
continue telling this story God is writing. We need our diversity and
our differences because if a church is full of people who are all the
same then conflict remains hidden and we have not found the fullness
of God. It is in our diversity, our differences we start to see the
fullness of God's kingdom at work. Jesus chose twelve disciples all
different from one another and often in conflict with one another.
But they were chosen to help build up the church and equip the saints
until all came to the unity of the faith. You and I are a part of
that story and we must tolerate, no, love one another with the love of
Christ if this story is going to continue to be told through the
church.
You and I are as different as different
can be: each one of us with our different viewpoints, politics,
interpretations, theology, social standing, hair color, height, and
our gifts. Yet, we have been asked to walk together and tell this
never ending story God is writing for the world. If we cannot. If we
cannot learn to fully love one another for our differences then we
will struggle to appreciate each other. If we cannot stay in the room
and have serious conversations about the tough issues, then we tell
the world our gospel isn't true.
Unity is not found in majority votes or
agreements but in working to achieve a common goal and that goal is
to fulfill the commandments Christ has given us; and we will fulfill
them together; and we will overcome the conflict together. Because if
I have the story right, it's going to take all of us to do church.3 We can do it if we lift one another up without labels.
1Sherman,
Cecil. “A Church and Its Diversity: Ephesians 4:1-16”,
Formations Commentary: Romans-Revelation.
Smyth and Helwys Publishing Inc.: Georgia, 2006 (95-96).
2Sherman,
96.
3Sherman,
97
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