One Body

Dear Friend,

There have always been controversies in the church. There was much division in the young congregation of Corinth long ago. Paul wrote at least two letters to these Corinthians. He urged them to find their unity in Christ despite their differences. In his first letter to them, he encouraged them to remain united by asking them to consider the church to be like a human body. The human body has many different parts. Yet all these different parts function together for the benefit of the whole body. So it is to be in the church.

We today might do well to pay attention to what Paul was trying to teach the Corinthians. There are still controversies with us today that threaten to divide us. But rather than focus on what divides us, we need to focus most of all on what unites us - Jesus Christ. The oneness that we have in Christ should always be stronger than whatever might threaten to divide us. Even with our differences, we are still one body.

The issue of homosexuality is a potentially divisive issue for Christians today. There are good and faithful Christians on both sides of this issue. Some Christians feel that homosexuality is a terrible sin. Other Christians feel that a long-term committed same-sex relationship is something good. Many Christians on both sides of this issue are certain that their side is right and that the other side is wrong.
As Christians, the Bible is our guide telling us how to live (especially to have faith in God). There are people on both sides of the issue of homosexuality who are very much trying to follow the teachings of the Bible. But how can Christians be seeking to follow the teachings of the Bible and yet come to such different conclusions? How can that be? I will attempt to answer this important question in this letter.

First, different understandings of the Bible happen because we are all sinners. We tend to interpret the teachings of the Bible according to what makes sense to us and to what we want the teachings to say. None of us can perfectly interpret and understand the Bible. I know that I sure cannot. It is as the Apostle Paul wrote: " ...now we see in a mirror, dimly ... " (1 Cor. 13:12a). Because I am a sinner, everything I write in this letter is somewhat flawed at best and some of it might be outright wrong. I understand if you disagree with some of what I have written in this letter. I very much realize that I am seeing in a mirror dimly.

Second, different understandings of the Bible happen because our human limitations severely limit our understanding of God and his ways. God tells us through the prophet Isaiah: "For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts" (Is. 55:9).

Third, different understandings of the Bible happen because all of us read the Bible through different "lenses" that are our life experiences. Everything that happens in our life shapes how we view the world around us. For example, people who grew up during the Great Depression tend to view the spending and saving of money through different "lenses" than those who grew up in prosperous times. A person who has been surrounded mostly by anti-gay thinking probably views the Bible with a different "lens" than the "lens" used by someone who is homosexual or by someone who has a close family member or friend who is homosexual.

Fourth, different understandings of the Bible happen because each one of us tends to focus on certain Bible verses and also tends to ignore others. All of us have our favorite Bible verses and stories. And all of us have certain verses and stories we tend to overlook or think are less important. One of many verses in the Bible I tend to overlook is Psalm 137:9, which states: "Happy shall they be who take your little ones and dash them against the rock!" There must be a reason why that verse is in the Bible, but I don't know what it could be. I tend to focus much more on those verses which encourage us to be kind and compassionate to others. People who are convinced that homosexuality is wrong probably focus on the several Bible verses that condemn homosexual acts. People who are convinced that homosexuality is good probably focus on those verses which speak of God’s love for all people and also on those verses that teach that each person is created by God.

Fifth, different understandings of the Bible happen because of the question as to which teachings of the Bible still apply to us today. Do all the teachings of the Old Testament still apply to us as Christians? What about the law commanding that all males be circumcised (Genesis 17:10)? What about the law commanding whoever curses a parent should be put to death (Exodus 21: 17)? What about the law that commands that every seventh year the fields should not be planted (Exodus 23:10)? What about the law that commands that anyone who disobeys resting on the Sabbath should be put to death (Exodus 31:15)? What about the many laws commanding that animals should be sacrificed to God? What about the law prohibiting the eating of pork (Lev. 11:7)? What about the law commanding that anyone caught in adultery should be stoned to death (Lev. 20:10)? Do all these Old Testament laws still apply to us today as Christians? I don't think so. These are laws of the Old Covenant. And in Jesus Christ we have a New Covenant. The teachings of Jesus supersede and fulfill the laws of the Old Covenant. I think that as Christians we need to primarily follow the teachings of Jesus. So different understandings as to which laws in the Bible still apply to us today is another reason Christians interpret the teachings of the Bible differently.

It is no wonder then that Christians often differ on what the Bible teaches. There have always been issues in which Christians disagreed. During the time of the Civil War, many Christians disagreed as to whether or not slavery was in accord to the teachings of the Bible. A hundred years ago, many Christians disagreed as to whether or not drinking alcohol was in accord to the teachings of the Bible. When our country went to war in Iraq, many Christians disagreed as to whether or not going to war was in accord with the teachings of the Bible. Many Christians today disagree as to whether or not capital punishment is in accord with the teachings of the Bible. There have always been issues over which Christians have disagreed. Maybe when we get to heaven, we will have all the right answers. But for now, we "see in a mirror dimly."

Sometimes these differences can cause hard feelings among Christians. I know-that the current struggle over the issue of homosexuality has caused tremendous heartache and pain for some Christians. We can share our views about homosexuality (or any other issue), but it is very important that we respect the views of other Christians being mindful that they also are trying to follow the teachings of the Bible and be faithful Christians. And when we are sharing our own views, we need remember that we are all sinners and have an imperfect understanding of God’s Word.

Despite all our differences, it is so important to remember the oneness that we have in Christ. So let us remember the illustration given by the Apostle Paul - a human body has many different parts and yet is one body. So the church is made up of many different members and yet is one body -the body of Christ. The unity we have in Christ is far stronger than issues that could divide us. In Christ we are indeed one body.