For those about to whine, we salute you...

"...It was he who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers, to prepare God's people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.
Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of men in their deceitful scheming. Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into him who is the Head, that is, Christ. From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work." - Ephesians 4:11-16

Now yesterday I helped lead a service project with a College and Career group in my city. Before the event started, there was a Saturday evening service at their church and I ran into several C&C people who asked 'what are we doing tonight'? Once many of them (around half) learned that we were doing a service project, I got various negative responses. Some people had 'things to do'. Some simply didn't like service projects (and admitted it openly...?). Some made excuses about ambiguous 'prior committments'. Now who's kidding who?

I have been involved in churches and church groups for 27+ years so far. I have often shrugged out of service projects because they don't seem entertaining or 'fun' enough. I have often made excuses for myself and wanted to 'be fed' and 'get something out of it' when it came to church programs, activities, worship and the like. Thanks be to God that I once read Ephesians 4 and did some exegetical study in it. Ephesians says several interesting things...

1. All church offices and leaders exist for a purpose. That purpose is "to prepare God's people for works of service". For what purpose? "So that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ." Service builds up the body in unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Song of God. Service also is a component in the attaining of maturity.

2. With service, and the corresponding fruits that it bears (unity, knowledge of Christ and maturity), Christians are non longer "tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of men in their deceitful scheming". Consequently, those who do not serve may expect to have the opposite ring true in their lives. Those who are not mature, and who do not know service, may be blown around by heresy and every crafty teaching.

3. The body is "joined and held together by every supporting ligament...as each part does its work". Being in the body of Christ require some work. Relationships take work and mature relationships are built upon the foundation of service.

I'm not going to go into a whole "biblical view of work" or a whole "biblical understanding of relationships", but it struck me last night that the people who are consistently excited about the Bible, enthusiastic about purity and righteousness, growing in love for the Lord (and the consequent obedience) and are generally respected as men/women of God, were all there and willing to serve.

On the contrary, those who are not seriously concerned about the word (as evidenced by behaviour and desires), those who are currently doing foolish things like 'missionary dating' (and violating clear teachings of scripture), those who constantly complain about church 'not meeting my needs', those who consistently complain about life and those who hold to some heretical ideas all, consistently, wanted no part of service.

What's going on? Why are we, as Christians, so freaking stupid? Well, I think I know why...but that's for another rant post. I've probably offended more people than it's worth...Until next time,

The Armchair Theologian