We're one but we're not the same

A quote that grabbed me some year ago now is that of Pastor Bill Hybel’s:

‘There is nothing like the local church when the local church is working right.’

It is interesting to look through the Scriptures to get some ideas about what the church might look like at its best.

'..you know how one ought to behave in the household of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and the bulwark of the truth.’ 1 Timothy 3:15 - New Revised Standard Version.

The word pillar is relatively easy to explain as a support; but bulwark might need some clarification. A bulwark is a defensive wall to hold out the enemy or in naval terms a wall above the deck for protection. So the church has to be the support and defender of God’s truth. History might reveal a different side of things where we too often we have been the betrayer and perhaps even the enemy of God’s truth.

Part of my personal musings of late has been the issue of oneness. We can best be a pillar and bulwark if we are one. Not one in the sense of never disagreeing, or getting frustrated and annoyed with each other from time to time; but one in a commitment to the road ahead and a deep desire to see lives changed for good.

One of the most commonly asked questions of Christianity is a request to explain the Holy Trinity! Now, I have my fair share of goes at it and have experienced enough train wrecks to know that I fail just about every time. Nowadays rather than explain, I like to get people reflecting on the ONENESS of the Triune God.

In the first three verses of the Book of Genesis we have all three aspects of God mentioned. Verse one ‘when God created’ and then verse two ‘while the SPIRIT of God, followed by verse three, ‘Then God said (a WORD is spoken). In John’s gospel we read:

'In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.’ John1:1
So rather than focus on explanations it is exciting (for me anyway!) to think about this oneness in God. This incredible unity that I believe is held out to us.

‘Then God said, “Let us make humankind in our image, according to our likeness..”’

Genesis 1:26

So the Genesis story gives us this amazing picture of the creative, life giving and love giving God deciding to create on planet Earth beings that are ‘according to our likeness’! That rates fairly high on the WOW scale.

The thing is, when this is done God decides – according to Genesis 2:18 - that it is not good!! Something is missing and that thing was a companion. We cannot exist in isolation. We are designed for unity and oneness. We tend to shrink this down to the act of marriage but I think that we cheapen this concept by simply holding it inside the rites of a wedding ceremony.

The church of the living God is called to reflect the image of God. I think that this becomes excitingly real when we understand the centrality of oneness. It is easily disrupted; but when it is given room to flourish, it can become a powerful force for change. Who knows, we might even begin to transform the world. There really is nothing like the local church when the local church is working right.

Cheers - John