The Privilege of Belonging
Laurence J. Peter, an American educator and author, once said, "Going to church doesn't make you a Christian anymore than going to the garage makes you a car!" Truly belonging to Christ's church is more than having one's name on the church's record book. It implies a realization of what the church is and of one's own role in the church.
In numerous places Paul refers to fellow believers as saints (Eph. 1:1, Phil. 1:1, Col. 1:2). This word has today acquired a meaning that it did not have in Bible times. Saints are not perfect or holy people; they certainly are not people who have been declared to be "saints" after a long and complex ecclesiastical procedure long after they die. "For Paul [and for other Bible writers], the term saint had none of the stained-glass window connotations that it has for us. A saint was not some ancient, larger-than-life, perfect Christian, but anyone called and set apart by God who became part of the community of faith."—John C. Brunt, The Abundant Life Bible Amplifier: Romans (Boise, Idaho: Pacific Press® Publishing Association, 1996), p. 42.
What major role is given to those who belong to the church-the "body of Christ"? How should each "saint" relate to all others? 1 Cor. 12:12-27.
A church member is not to be reduced to a statistic. Every member of the church has a unique role to play and a particular contribution to make. No one can be missed without causing at least a measure of dysfunction of the body. At the same time, no member can claim that his or her contribution is far superior to that of someone else. The metaphor of the body with its many members sublimely illustrates this truth. Some parts appear to be more vital than others. The heart, the brain, the lungs, and the stomach may seem among the most prominent parts, but the functioning or malfunctioning of some minor gland often also proves to be a matter of life and death.
| How do you fit in with your local body? Are you content with the role you play? Are you jealous of someone else's role? Are you a dead, lifeless organ? Or maybe you are trying to take on more than you need? How can Paul's words help you better understand what your role should be? |
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