“. . . Is it possible that our criteria for such decisions are out of line with the Lord’s? What if he wants our present church commitment to be a dominating priority, and we relegate it to a matter of small importance? Will this not make all ideas of guidance an empty delusion? Clearly, it is vital for us to know the ‘rating’ our existing church commitment should be given on our scale of priorities. This article will show that some of the other guidance factors are subservient to this . . .”
Encouraging loyalty
Two concepts arising out of the expression ‘the body of Christ’ should help us to develop the supportive, devoted attitude which we ought to have for our local church. This magnificent term (used in 1 Corinthians 12.27) may refer in Scripture both to the entire, world-wide Church of Christ, and to an individual congregation. As we have seen, the term speaks of a harmonious, closely organised unit, with interdependent parts and limbs. But it also speaks of a person’s presence. Just as we are present in a place when our body is there, so Christ is seen in the world by his church. Every (spiritual) local church is his representative body in the world.
Surely, then, the local church, as his representative body, must be treated with the utmost respect and consideration. As members, we are the body of Christ! Whatever we do for his representative body, we do for him and to him. Whatever we fail to do for the church, we fail to do for him. If I am lazy or indifferent toward my church – the body of Christ – I am lazy and indifferent to him. If I am disloyal to his body, I am disloyal to him. How can I hurt the body of Christ, or abuse it? How can I lightly leave or forsake it?
To further stir our loyalty to the local church there is a second idea suggested by the term ‘body of Christ’. It is that of the sanctity of life. The word ‘body’ reminds us that the local church is a living thing. Supposing we see a person lying in the street, injured and bleeding; what do we do? Do we just pass by? If we do, we will afterwards feel sick and desperately ashamed, because there is within everyone a powerful respect for life, and we cannot betray that instinctual responsibility for the preserving of life without paying a price.
As Christians, we should possess a similar instinct for the health and well-being of the body of Christ, the local church. Viewed spiritually, it is a precious, living body, Christ being alive in its members, having bound them together to represent him in the world. How can we allow it to be hurt? How can we bear to see limbs torn out? The world allows and encourages abortion, which is an outrage against the sanctity of human life, but the indifference shown by some believers to the body of Christ is to some degree a similar outrage in the spiritual realm.
When church members uproot and move as though their place in the body of Christ is of no significance, it is because they have lost their sense of awe and respect for the local church as the body of Christ. What a precious and important thing the congregation is! It is far, far more than a ‘convenient arrangement’. It is something to which we owe special love, loyalty and service, so long as it remains a worthy church.