Former professional wrestler, Jesse "the body" Ventura, is the governor of Minnesota. And this is not a movie coming to a theater near you, it is political reality in one of the states of our union. What seemed impossible, perhaps even ridiculous, came to pass. Why? Part of the reason probably lies in our culture's fascination with celebrities, and embarrassingly, the overwhelming popularity of professional wrestling. But most analysts agree that the major factor was something else. It was voter disgust with partisan politics. If you are fiercely loyal to either the Republicans or the Democrats, you may not see it, but the majority of people in our country are sick of seeing representatives of these two parties constantly fighting with each other. Rather than working for the good of the nation, many politicians in both parties make their top priority the defeat of the opponent. Rather than judging an issue as to whether or not it is best for our country, many politicians judge an issue as to whether or not it can be used successfully against someone in the other party. It's not about what is best for us as a whole people, it's about winning and losing.
The gubernatorial election in Minnesota may be only the first in a string of surprises which are to come. The two major political parties may be in for some more severe jolts if they do not get the message. Most citizens of our nation are tired of dissension and factionalism. They want to see cooperation and unity of purpose. Do they expect to see Democrats and Republicans agreeing on everything? Of course not. But most voters have become very skeptical about how much of what is taking place is honest disagreement and how much is simply partisan politics. It was said first by Jesus, and then picked up by Abraham Lincoln: "A house divided against itself cannot stand." (Matt 12:25).
And what is true about the nation is also true about the church. The Body of Christ is to be a united community, not a number of separate and distinct groups which quarrel with one another. The church is to be a fellowship of faith where Christians bind themselves to one another so that we may work and worship together.
But what the church is supposed to be is not always what it is. Although it is called to be a united community of believers where people strive for harmony in their relationships with one another, sometimes it dissolves into opposing factions who bicker and squabble with each other if given half an opportunity. And dissension within the Christian community is hardly a new phenomenon. Divisive forces have emerged within congregations since the very first churches took root.
This morning's passage from 1 Corinthians informs us that internal agitation was tearing the fabric of the church in Corinth. This congregation was less than twenty years old, yet it was in imminent danger of splitting apart. News of the crisis was delivered to the Apostle Paul who had first brought the Christian message to Corinth and had established the church there. Messengers came to Paul and informed him that there was conflict in the congregation. The members had separated themselves into at least four distinct groups. One group was saying, "We belong to Paul." Another group was declaring that they "belonged to Apollos." A third group stated, "We belong to Cephas." And a fourth group said "We belong to Christ." In other words, the people of the congregation were separating themselves into four camps and delineating distinct differences between them.
In many ways, differences are a good thing. Human beings are wonderfully complex creatures who do not all see the world in the same light. And it is often because of our differences that creativity and imagination and wonder are spawned. Although we usually appreciate it when people agree with us, we know that if everyone agreed with everyone else all the time, it would drive us mad. Our differences add depth and beauty to life.
But while differences can enrich our lives, they can also divide us from each other. When differences between people are simply matters of personal preference, there is generally not a problem. But when differences represent strident disagreements, conflict and polarization can result. The squabble that erupted last week between Jerry Falwell and Richmond's Catholic Bishop Walter Sullivan is a case in point. It may serve as a contemporary example of what was going on in the church in Corinth back in the first century. One prominent leader held one position while another prominent leader disagreed with him sharply. Jerry Falwell claimed that the Antichrist would be a Jew, and he further surmised that this individual might be alive today. Bishop Sullivan spoke the sentiment of many mainline pastors when he called Falwell's remarks "outrageous."
The Apostle Paul would not have been so naive as to think that such disputes would never arise among Christians. Neither would he encourage church leaders to remain passive when they believed an injustice had occurred. But he would issue strong words of warning to everyone involved in a dispute to make sure that the position they were endorsing was designed to elevate Christ and not themselves. Danger lurks very close at hand when we become certain that our way is the only right way. When I become convinced that I am right and others are wrong, it becomes tempting to stifle what they have to say. It becomes very inviting to shut off all dialogue and to demonize those people who don't see things as I do.
In the dispute in the church in Corinth, personalities had become more important than the core Christian message. People were lining up behind different leaders, who most likely represented different lines of thought, and in the process the Body of Christ was being torn apart. Paul wrote to the members of the congregation to remind them that unity was much more important than the things which were threatening to divide them. In fact, unity must be one of our highest aspirations in the church, because if it is not, minor differences can escalate into major conflicts.
Each year in a city in the Midwest, three thousand people bring their own musical scores and get together for one evening to sing Handel's Messiah. People from all walks of life, some talented and some not so talented, raise their voices to sing of the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. One man who has witnessed the spectacle several times says, "It sends chills up and down my spine to hear so many people sing the Messiah together. Something special happens. There's a marvelous coming together that occurs, differences fade into the background and the people are united in common purpose."(1) And that is how it is supposed to be within the church. People are to cooperate with one another in the name of Christ and work with unity of purpose for the good of all.
Thus arrogance, which claims self-importance and the certainty that my way is the only right way, is a deadly threat to the well-being of any congregation. Believers who honestly seek to follow the way of Christ, will strive instead to develop a spirit of humility. And Christian humility does not mean becoming a wimp who serves as a doormat for others. Being humble does not mean letting others take over. Rather, Christian humility is based on the wise recognition that all human beings make mistakes and sometimes I am blinded by my own personal agenda. Although it appears to me that I see things clearly and others are mistaken, it could be the reverse.
The Body of Christ is to be like a loving family where the members genuinely care for each other and stand up for each other and pray with each other and forgive each other. There will be times when we will have honest disagreements - we simply won't see everything eye to eye - but our concern for one another must be beyond question, because Christ tells us that it is our love for one another which demonstrates concretely our love for God. I always like the way this is put so delicately in the First Letter of John where John writes, "Those who say, I love God,' yet hate their brothers or sisters are liars." (1 John 4:20) He spells it out clearly and succinctly. If we do not express our love for one another, do not even think about mentioning our love for God.
And our unity as a congregation is not only necessary so that we will support each other, but our harmony strengthens us so that we may carry the love of Christ out into the world, a world which is hurting; a world which is badly in need of what Christians have to offer. We will be unable to do that, if we do not have peace and unity within the church.
I am very grateful that our church family does not resemble that church in Corinth where strife and conflict were the order of the day. But it never hurts to be reminded that where human beings are involved dissension can erupt creating rifts between people.
We must continue to handle any disagreements we encounter with fairness and civility. The good of the church must always take precedence over an individual's particular agenda. We must be alert to divisions and factions which could arise, threatening to sever the bonds between us. And we must tear down any walls we find that divide us and replace them with bridges of understanding and reconciliation.
We are responsible for insuring harmony and unity within the church. For us to be successful, we must keep our eyes focused on Christ, and allow his spirit to flow through us.
NOTES
1. William J. Carl III, "Unplanned Dissonance," Preaching Biblically: Creating Sermons in the Shape of Scripture, ed. Don M. Wardlaw (Philadelphia: The Westminster Press, 1983), pp.129-135.
© 1999 Gregory Knox Jones, all rights reserved