Christian Membership

I have two books on my desk at work right now. The first is called "32 Ways to be a Champion in Business" by none other than the inimitable Earvin "Magic" Johnson (this appeared on my desk the other day with no inscription or explanation and I can only take it to be a practical joke...so if you happen to be the one that left it here, please solve the mystery and present yourself along with an explanation) and the second is a daily readings compilation from C.S. Lewis called "The Business of Heaven." Magic Johnson is not the inspiration for today's entry, by the way...

The Lewis quote centers on the idea of "Membership" and, more specifically, the Pauline / Christian meaning behind the word "member." I recommend you take a quick read through this link as a reference point:

http://tinyurl.com/ku7qfy

Maybe I'm pulling too much out of Lewis's text...or, far more likely, I am carrying way too much baggage into it! I think I am just hard-wired to assume, by default, that God is a generalist...and that the only battle in Christianity is the line that seems to be drawn somewhere between me in my seat and me kneeling at the altar - the "in or out" line of forgiveness that is the foundational cry of evangelical churches: come to the altar and you will be saved.

Not that this foundation isn't critical...but there are after-effects that can sometimes linger when we allow ourselves to be identified simply as "in" or "out." Such a simplistic valuation lends itself to the very definition that Lewis is, I think, rallying against: the unfortunate idea that we are generic 'units' in God's economy.

We are not generic. We are not units. We are not simply one more chip on an othello board turned from black to white. We are individual and important and even critical to His plans. We have a role to play that is exclusively ours. Not that God's will depends upon us, but we are invited to play our part in uniquely fulfilling His will...His plans.

Even more important, I think, is this idea that the body of Christ suffers damage when it loses a member. I don't mean this like the body of Christ is cumulatively 100% and then drops to 99%...I mean it in the sense that losing my pinky-toe impacts my ability to maintain balance and to fully function in the manner I was created to be. And, to me, the idea of "losing a member" isn't about death or distance - it is about letting our brothers and sisters in Christ be taken out by the enemy...or, worse, watching them slumber and allowing them to continue to sleep (the ultimate and most successful of Satan's attacks).

Man, that's like trying to walk when your leg is asleep - or waking up with your arm dangling limp at your side and trying to make coffee!

The promise and hope of Christ is freedom. Out of the pulpit I tend to hear incrimination..."why aren't you free - why aren't you pursuing - why aren't you being more?" (This is not an indictment of my pastor, it is an indictment of my ears.) Among my group of brothers I tend to hear..."I wish he could be free - I hope his heart comes alive - I would love to see him experience this better." Sounds better, doesn't it...but it is still about that person, that "other," and not about "us" as a whole.

What I guess I hear Lewis saying here is that our motivation needn't be purely altruistic because it isn't just about having a good heart for others...it's about having a heart to see the entire body healed! It's about realizing that every individual member, EVERY INDIVIDUAL MEMBER, must become fully alive and functioning and playing his or her part. Otherwise we all suffer.

Lets say I read this morning that 7 soldiers were killed yesterday in Afghanistan. I can make note of that fact. I can, perhaps, mourn that statistical loss. I can even add it to a running total of soldiers "lost" in the war effort this month, this year...this war. But, somewhere in Afghanistan, a patrol is adapting to overcome the loss of a real person who provided unique value to their collective objective. Men are adapting to that specific loss and its impact on their ability to function. Heck, leaders are likely requisitioning new people with similar skills because they can't stop doing whatever that soldier was doing, but they don't have that soldier -- that 'member' of their team -- available to do what they need anymore!

You see...if this idea of "membership" in Christ is more than just an "in" or "out" proposition, I am forced to operate under the assumption that members of the body MUST be fully functional or I CAN NOT FULFILL my role in the body, either. Seems like God would cover this somehow in the bible...oh wait, see 1 Corinthians 12.

So...do I want to see men come alive in Christ and experience the freedom He has to offer? Yes I do. For their sake...and for mine.