Put Down the Knife
By Carolyn Hulliberger
"Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit – just as you were called to one hope when you were called – one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all."
By Carolyn Hulliberger
"Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit – just as you were called to one hope when you were called – one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all."
Ephesians
4:1-6
Have you ever heard the expression, “Don’t
cut off your nose to spite your face”? It is a term meant to describe a
needlessly self-destructive reaction to a problem or frustration. The reaction
does more damage to yourself than the source of your anger.
This phrase came to my mind recently in response to author Anne Rice’s renunciation of the Church. In 2004 when Ms. Rice announced her alignment with Christianity, there was much hoopla made over her high-profile conversion. This summer, she again made headlines by announcing that, “Today I quit being a Christian. I’m out.” She was clear that she still believes in and loves Jesus Christ, just not His Church. I could not help but wonder what Jesus thought of her announcement.
I don’t know what experiences led Anne Rice to this conclusion, but I do know that she is not the only one to ever feel this way. Jesus gave the Church to His people. Unfortunately, people make up the Church. Flawed, imperfect, people of varieties of backgrounds and convictions. People with baggage, with hurts, people that have the best of intentions, people with the worst of motives. People that “get it,” and people that don’t. People that mistakenly believe rules can replace relationship with the Savior. And Christ went to the Cross for us all.
Cutting off association with Christ’s Church leaves His followers vulnerable. It removes the call to accountability with other believers. It leaves us open to false teachers. We lose the opportunity to support others within the Church, and for them to support us in return. It rejects the instruction for us to use the specific gifts we were created with to work together to bring the Message to others until Christ’s return.
Colossians 1:18 says that Christ is the Head, and the Church is the body. So is it possible to separate them? To do so would be like…cutting off your nose to spite your face.
GOING DEEPER:
1. Do you see people getting in the way of the Church? Pray for how God could use you to move His Church closer to Him.
FURTHER READING:
Ephesians 4:12-16
This phrase came to my mind recently in response to author Anne Rice’s renunciation of the Church. In 2004 when Ms. Rice announced her alignment with Christianity, there was much hoopla made over her high-profile conversion. This summer, she again made headlines by announcing that, “Today I quit being a Christian. I’m out.” She was clear that she still believes in and loves Jesus Christ, just not His Church. I could not help but wonder what Jesus thought of her announcement.
I don’t know what experiences led Anne Rice to this conclusion, but I do know that she is not the only one to ever feel this way. Jesus gave the Church to His people. Unfortunately, people make up the Church. Flawed, imperfect, people of varieties of backgrounds and convictions. People with baggage, with hurts, people that have the best of intentions, people with the worst of motives. People that “get it,” and people that don’t. People that mistakenly believe rules can replace relationship with the Savior. And Christ went to the Cross for us all.
Cutting off association with Christ’s Church leaves His followers vulnerable. It removes the call to accountability with other believers. It leaves us open to false teachers. We lose the opportunity to support others within the Church, and for them to support us in return. It rejects the instruction for us to use the specific gifts we were created with to work together to bring the Message to others until Christ’s return.
Colossians 1:18 says that Christ is the Head, and the Church is the body. So is it possible to separate them? To do so would be like…cutting off your nose to spite your face.
GOING DEEPER:
1. Do you see people getting in the way of the Church? Pray for how God could use you to move His Church closer to Him.
FURTHER READING:
Ephesians 4:12-16
Along
with caring for her husband, two children and the dog, Carolyn serves Oakwood
Church in Student Ministries with an awesome group of junior high girls, and is
the treasurer for Women’s Ministries.
