Unifying All in Christ God's Purpose for the Church He has made known to us his hidden purpose—such was his will and pleasure determined beforehand in Christ—to be put into effect when the time was ripe: namely, that the universe, all in heaven and on earth, might be brought into unity in Christ.—Ephesians 1:9,10 (New English Bible) Richard Doctor Today nearly all mankind wander without purpose on the parched ground of alienation from holy things. What peace the most troubled souls will know when through our assistance they willingly come back to be held in God’s embrace! (Psalm 91:4) While changing sinful habits is never a simple or painless process, part of our purpose as members of Christ’s body is to reconcile those lost through sin to God, seeing them return to him with songs of joy. Beyond this, as living stones in God’s temple, we shall enjoy an unspeakable closeness with our bridegroom and Jehovah for eternity (1 Peter 2:5; Ephesians 2:22). Then all shall appreciate our Savior’s sacrifice in pouring his soul out unto death that "all in heaven and on earth, might be brought into unity." It is only then that Christ Jesus "shall see the travail of his soul and be satisfied" (Isaiah 53:11). God’s purpose for the church once was hidden. Developing a church—the body of Christ —is far from the most straightforward method to bring all things on earth back into unity with God. Certainly "the church" was an unfamiliar concept to the Jewish nation in Jesus’ day. It was hidden wisdom. Yet if the church’s purpose is so that "all in heaven and on earth, might be brought into unity in Christ," a new question appears. After all, except for Jesus, which of us directly knows anything about heaven? Are we to think that heaven needs the healing ministry of Christ? Keenly aware of our perplexity, Paul describes God’s purpose as a mystery: "[He] made known unto us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure which he hath purposed in himself" (Ephesians 1:9). We need to remember that a mystery is something revealed to those initiated in the secret wisdom of Christ; a mystery is not something confusing. The church is here to develop clear thinking and witness to God’s love through Jesus. Its members are to be a blessing to each other even now and so fulfil the law of Christ (Galatians 6:2). Amazingly they are here to labor as "workers with him" to see God’s will fully accomplished (2 Corinthians 6:1). "Unity" Means Putting on ChristMany Christians and heathen are willing to suffer, die, or endure whatever sacrifice is required for their clan, religion, nation, and their concept of "unity." Even more are willing to inflict suffering and death on others with whom they are in conflict regarding any of these, again in the name of "unity." Unity in Christ, the purpose of the church —God’s "mystery"—stands apart and reproves these works of darkness. Christ’s spirit of sober mature judgment has no part in our fallen religious passions. The rebuke of Jesus to James and John when the Samaritans slighted them on their journey to Jerusalem is just as forceful today: "When his disciples James and John saw this, they said, Lord, wilt thou that we command fire to come down from heaven, and consume them, even as Elias did? But he turned, and rebuked them, and said, Ye know not what manner of spirit ye are of. For the Son of man is not come to destroy men’s lives, but to save them. And they went to another village" (Luke 9:54-56). How quickly we take offense at the real and imagined insults of life! How challenging and narrow this way is when our purpose as unifiers grasps our lives. What need to develop character-likeness to Christ, that we might shine forth the spirit’s graces (Matthew 13:43). On one side we need to have our doctrinal swords sharpened against the whetstone of continued study in eager preparation to defend truth: "For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart" (Hebrews 4:12). Yet when these erring ones are turned from their blindness, they will need the healing of Christ and the church. Christ and the church are partners in providing the needful healing love. From this perspective we can see the profound depths of wisdom in the words of Jesus: "But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you; that ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust" (Matthew 5:44,45). Paul showed the practical balancing of the narrow way in his ministry. When informed of the open sin in Corinth, he unhesitatingly passed judgment: "For I verily, as absent in body, but present in spirit, have judged already, as though I were present, concerning him that hath so done this deed" (1 Corinthians 5:3). Later reports on the effect of this rebuke reached Paul, and he just as swiftly applied healing balm: "Sufficient to such a man is this punishment, which was inflicted of many. So that contrariwise ye ought rather to forgive him, and comfort him, lest perhaps such a one should be swallowed up with overmuch sorrow. Wherefore I beseech you that ye would confirm your love toward him" (2 Corinthians 2:6-8). A narrow way indeed is the course of wisdom Paul walks in this matter. But his purpose is always clear: "[that] all in heaven and on earth, might be brought into unity in Christ." "We know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are called according to his purpose" (Romans 8:28). God’s wisdom purposes that the church be molded by struggles with sin so that the life experiences of the members of this body might be used for the "healing of the nations." These are both the bold threads of the church’s heroic experiences as well as those foundation threads of day-by-day living from which God weaves the tapestry of the church’s collective experience and communion. Jesus endured all the injustices of life while radiating God’s love because of his clear focus on his purpose. Paul tells us that the prospect of future joy set before Jesus enabled him to endure the cross and to despise the shame: "Looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God" (Hebrews 12:2). What is this joy if not the "blessing of all the families of the earth"? The Lord has given us the word of reconciliation that we serve as ambassadors of Christ (2 Corinthians 5:18-20). Fore-Knowledge Is Not "Fore-Experience"As ambassadors, what is the church’s purpose regarding all things in heaven? Jehovah has all foreknowledge. He foreknew the character of and need for the church before the foundations of the world (Ephesians 1:4). Yet our loving heavenly Father’s heart aches for the creation’s fallen state. Scripture forcibly shows that possessing foreknowledge is not to be confused with "fore-experience." Foreknowledge does not lead to emotional distance and detachment: "And God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. And it repented the LORD that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him at his heart" (Genesis 6:5,6). The depths of man’s imbalance and depravity, particularly in the service of false religion, is capable of even going beyond what God wishes to consider in his heart: "For the children of Judah have done evil in my sight, saith the LORD: they have set their abominations in the house which is called by my name, to pollute it. And they have built the high places of Tophet, which is in the valley of the son of Hinnom, to burn their sons and their daughters in the fire; which I commanded them not, neither came it into my heart" (Jeremiah 7:30,31). If even the heavenly Father with all fore-knowledge finds the actual experience with sin painful, what of the angels? Clearly they are longing to understand the things revealed to the church—"which things the angels desire to look into" (1 Peter 1:12). Lucifer was a glorious being and a leader in heaven with whom the angels worked during the great ages needed n shattered many long-term relationships. Lucifer’s fall from heaven left a wake of grief and pain. While God’s will has always been done in heaven, even in heaven the healing of wounded hearts is needed. Purposed for God’s Praise"That we should be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted in Christ" (Ephesians 1:12). Though the hymn of Paul and Silas in prison (Acts 16:25) has been lost, throughout the gospel age this final element of a "purpose for praise" repeatedly has strengthened the church. One stirring example is the reformation hymn "Now Thank We All Our God" by Martin Rinkart. This hymn was a product of the pain and suffering from the brutal Thirty Years’ War (1618-1648). At the age of thirty-one Rinkart arrived as the pastor in his native town of Eilenberg as the dreadful carnage was starting. Because Eilenberg was a walled city, it became a refuge for the desperate from far and near. Throughout these war years several waves of deadly pestilence and famine swept the city as the various armies marched through the town, leaving behind death and destruction. The Rinkart home served as a refuge for the afflicted, even though it is said that Martin Rinkart often had difficulty providing food and clothing for his own family. At the height of the plague of 1637 Rinkart was the only remaining minister, often conducting as many as forty to fifty funeral services daily. Yet, amazingly he composed sixty-six hymns and wrote religious plays. During the closing years of the war Eilenberg was overrun by invading armies on three different occasions. With these occupations came the demand for a large tribute payment from the already impoverished people. During the third occupation, it is said that the commander refused even to consider Rinkart’s request for a lowering of the levy. The pastor turned to his humble parishioners and said, "Come, my children, we can find no mercy with man; let us take refuge with God." On his knees Rinkart led his parishioners in prayer and in the singing of this familiar hymn. Like the jailer for Paul and Silas, this demonstration of spiritual fervency so moved the commander that he reconsidered and lowered the demands.* What a purpose! Through us the word of reconciliation is witnessed. Anticipating setbacks and contradictions, our ministry of unifying—that ultimate blessing—must be kept in view. Let us sanctify our trials that they might prepare us for God’s purpose in this ministry of unification to the praise of our Father’s manifold wisdom in the ages of ages. * Adapted from Kenneth Osbeck, 101 Hymn Stories, Kregel Publications, Grand Rapids, 1982 ______________ Now Thank We All Our God
—Martin Rinkart |