In writing the Corinthian church, Paul states: "We preach not ourselves, but Jesus Christ the Lord, and ourselves your servants for Jesus' sake" (II Cor. 4:5).
We are all attracted to the endeavors of others reflective of our own vocational pursuits.Businessmen find common interest in matters of business, commerce and related concerns; farmers share an absorption with things agricultural (those having pastored in farm based parishes can attest to the fact of such sometimes becoming a shared obsession), ad infinitum.
Somewhat similarly, we find ourselves drawn to church marquees, media promotional interests (newspaper, radio, TV, website and otherwise), outreach programming, etc. The Saturday church page of a newspaper, for example, can prove both intriguing and telling; the general theme often reflecting something of this nature: "We are this, that or the other - try us.
A not far distant church is now running a large monthly promotion endeavoring to show that, in contrast to Christendom's "hundreds of denominations," it is only within their particular sphere of identity that one finds the true "New Testament" Church. This weekend's ad dealt with Christian unity. Written by the congregation's pastor, much of his article was sound and biblical. Christ's last recorded prayer was for unity among believers (John 17;20-21); Paul's appeal was for unity in the Church (I Cor. 1:10). In other words, Christ, rather than denomination, is to constitute the impelling sense of cause. We agree.
It is here, however, that we are sometimes caught off guard. When focus comes to concentrate on the fact that it is WE who are the truly Christ centered, emphasis unwittingly shifts from "who and what Christ is" to "who and what we are." This was the issue with which Paul sought to deal in censuring not only Pauline, Apollonian and Petrine centered elements within the fractured Corinthian fellowship, but those as well who, in stressing their Christ-centered affiliation, were similarly caught up in religious rivalry and self promotion (I Cor. 1:10-13; 3:1-11).
The point is not that we must join someone else, or that they seek organizational merger with us. The objective is rather that we find togetherness in Him who, as "head of the Body" has been ordained of the Father to "have first place in everything" (Col. 1:18).
The defining attribute of that unity? 1. "All who in every place call upon the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, their Lord and ours" (I Cor. 1:2) and, 2. "All who love our Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity" (Eph. 6:24). Such was the apostle's standard. And, by the way, even those Corinthians evidencing spiritual immaturity in their quests for identification with Paul, Apollos and Cephas were included among the Corinthian believers despite their "carnality" (I Cor. 1:1-9).
We wish our brother well. We too belong to Christ.
Burl Ratzsch
