Many times, I think that we tend to look back at the first century church as far better than twenty-first century believers. But were they really? James, Peter, John and Paul spent much of their time attempting to show them their faults and encourage them to be consistently productive. These apostles had been given complete understanding concerning the Body of Christ and the gifts of the Spirit. Paul writes in Ephesians 4:16, “from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love.”
Here Paul speaks of growth and what is necessary to continue to grow spiritually. There are two types of growth. The first is symbiotic, which is a give and take type of growth in relationships where both sides benefit. The other type is parasitic growth where one feeds off the other. This type is never reciprocal, but rather always one-sided; the same person is giving time after time, while the other is always taking. Symbiotic growth is characterized by such words as “yes, I have needs, but I am also willing to give since everyone needs to benefit.”
Our bodies are made up of various systems, each serving a specific purpose. These are the nervous system, circulatory system, skeletal system, muscular system, lymphatic system, and the immune system. These are interdependent, relying upon each other for their own survival. When either of these goes down, the entire body is negatively impacted. If each of these systems had a free will, one might choose to stop performing its God-given function and attempt to sit back and do nothing while sucking the life out of the body as a whole.
A church that is performing as God has designed and thus growing, is a symbiotic church. But a church that is sick and anemic, is parasitic due to one or more of its systems (members) choosing to exercise their free will and refuse to perform their duties. They have chosen to become self-absorbed and draw the life out of the body that they are a part of. The result is the entire body becomes weak and dysfunctional.
In 1st Corinthians 6:19, Paul writes, “Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own?” He’s saying here that we have no right to become a spiritual leech and when we do so, we are sinning against both God and the body, the Church of Jesus Christ.
We must fight the urge to feel entitled to live the self-absorbed life of a parasite. Otherwise we will move from being offended about one thing or another while never offering apologies or other acts of reconciliation. Meanwhile, those around us will be weakened and opportunities to glorify our Savior will be missed. Giving of ourselves to others is not a sign of weakness. It is one of our greatest strengths and privileges.
First, thank you for sharing.
We must desire God!
For many years after leaving the family nest I lived to myself, at the same time I felt something missing in my life. I was a Christian occasionally attending church but not feeling the so called “I belong here.” The problem was with me not understanding God’s Holy Bible although I had read His work time and again, still I had an emptiness within.
I am so blessed that God never gave up on me, He sent a neighbor to invite me to her church of which when I attended she was not to be found. Never-the-less I began to attend regularly and signed up to teach.
As time passed I moved and again dropped from church, God began to tug at my heart (the Holy Spirit) to come back home, his house. I prayed He would show me which house, after praying I decided to attend FBCV where I would sit on the back pew. Later I became a member 1983. I attended a ladies class of which no one said a work to me, I promised God I was there to worship Him and Him alone, I kept that promise.
I almost allowed myself to be consumed with hatred when I learned my spouse was having sex with other women, so much so I could taste hatred, but I knew I didn’t love God if I hated anyone.
I sometimes watch other members around me and wonder how a person (couple) can attend church with their children then stop when the nest is empty, but then that is between them and God. My business is to make sure I am in church to worship God and God alone.
I thank God he provides Bible study to help people like myself to learn how to grow close Him. But you are right we should share what we learn with others in the hope that they to will grow close to God.
You, brother Wayne, have chosen the best part, that is to give your whole self to God and his work not being distracted by the world. For those of us who are married we, like Paul wrote to the Corinthians, he that is married cares how to please the spouse, of this I have clear understanding.