THE BODY OF CHRIST
One of the characters in Charles M. Schulz “Peanuts” cartoon was a boy by the name of Linus Van Pelt, who is heard to say, “I love mankind…it’s people I can’t stand!” (The Complete Peanuts, Vol. 5:1959-1960). I believe there are times in all our lives where we can relate.
So what is the problem? Why don’t we have a world where folks reach out and touch one another? Why is it that we seem to have a lot of folks who are pretty good at lifting their hand and blocking out those with whom they disagree?
Paul wrote to the church in Corinth and said in 1 Cor 1:10, “I appeal to you, brothers, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree with one another so that there may be no divisions among you and that you may be perfectly united in mind and thought.” (NIV)
Today, in the Christian community, we seem to be having the same problems that Paul address with the church in Corinth. We are not always of the same mind and spirit of Christ. We have divided the Christ along the lines of laws and grace, along the lines of biblical interpretations and understandings, along the lines of exclusion and acceptance. Our worship services have become battlegrounds because of our taste in music or manner in which it is performed.
What is the solution? A starting place would be for us to realize that we are all one in Christ. We may not all look alike nor think alike, but what we share in common is Christ. In addition, let’s not forget what division in the Body of Christ will cost us. Diversity is okay; division is unacceptable.
1 Cor 12:12-13, 27
12 The body is a unit, though it is made up of many parts; and though all its parts are many, they form one body . So it is with Christ.
13 For we were all baptized by one Spirit into one body — whether Jews or Greeks, slave or free — and we were all given the one Spirit to drink.
27 Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it. NIV
That’s my view of things.