We’ve all met them, and at some point a lot of us have been the person who thought we could live the Christian walk without the church, or other Christ followers—the body of Christ.
There are two core thoughts that leads 99% of people down this road: “I don’t need anyone else, I can do this on my own.” Or, “They are all wrong and I am right, so I don’t need them.”
In Paul’s letter to the church in Rome, he gives the church the doctrines by which to build their faith in the first half of the letter. The. In the second part of his letter, he lays out how this grace and spirit-filled life operates and looks.
In chapter 12, Paul addresses those in the church who might become proud, thinking they are better than others. This idea they are better than others leads them to think that they don’t need the others.
But Paul addresses this straight on.
“Don’t think you are better than others.” To think you don’t need each other or the church is a prideful statement.
We need and belong to each other. Paul says you belong to each other. The arm belongs to the hand and the hand belongs to the arm. The arm doesn’t say “I don’t need my hand today.” To think you don’t need others is to think of yourself more highly than you ought.
The reality is we were made to belong to one another. We were made to support one another. We were designed and positioned to care for one another. We were called to equip one another. To say I don’t need you is to think of myself more highly than I need to. It’s as if I’m “drunk” on me and I need to “sober” up.
We are all parts of the church, the body of Christ and we need each other. Denominations need other denominations. Baptists need Pentecostals. Presbyterians need Charismatics. Reformers need seeker sensitive. Why? because we belong to each other and we shouldn’t think that our way is the only way or our expression is the only expression
This is why I cringe when someone starts talking bad about another church. We are called to belong to each other not separate ourselves from each other.
The way we are there for each other is by identifying our spiritual gift and using it. If you can serve then serve. If you can lead, then lead. What has God equipped you with so you can use to minister to someone else? How has God positioned you, even though it’s uncomfortable for you, to belong to someone else? Whatever God has gifted you with, use it to belong to the body of Jesus.
My next step:
Identify and use my gift and help others to identify and use their gifts to minister to each other.