Worship While It’s Warm

In Paul’s letter to Philemon, he is appealing to Philemon to regard Onesimus as a brother.  Not such an easy thing to do for Philemon because apparently Onesimus was not only his former slave, but transgressed against Philemon in some way (vs.11, 18).  The heart of Paul’s plea is don’t look at Onesimus as a slave and someone that has wrong you.  When you see him, see him as your brother in Christ.

This begs the question of how do we see our brothers and sisters in Christ, especially with respect to race.  Does the saint who is African-American look on his white counterpart as a white person or as a redeemed component of the larger body, the body of which the African-American is also part of.  Does the white christian regard the latino with partiality and suspicion should fellowship dare be elevated to a greater level of intimacy than the superficial nomenclature of brother in Christ?

As I am exploring churches in Dallas, I am finding such a racial polarization that I think would not exist.  But it does and that even amongst “Bible” churches, with nearly identical doctrinal statements.  I have been to churches with all white congregations and I have been to churches with all black congregations.  And I am asking the question if through our segregated service, are we really representing the Body of Christ, or do we first see ourselves individually and corporately through racial and social lenses only applying the label of brother or sister in Christ as a matter of convenience and appropriate verbiage.  It does seem like convenience plays quite the role in our separatedness but I’ll get to that in a minute.  I can’t help but think that the  substance behind that label is lost when we segregate and choose to stay in our corners of churchy comfort.

When we come to Christ, 1 Corinthians 12 identifies that though we are many members, the Spirit baptizes us into the kingdom as part of the whole. Therefore, how we operate both individually and corporately should correspond to the unification of the Spirit in the body. We are no longer are own and the impact should be a compulsion to see ourselves as intricately linked to other members. What’s interesting is that Paul places the perspective of who we are to one another in context of spiritual gifts (vs. 1). And these are the same gifts that we are to use for one another (1 Peter 4:10) and this serves the purpose of building up the church (Eph 2:16). Because the body is who Christ died for and who is His bride. And I can’t help but think that when we segregate on the basis of race, that we are withholding the spiritual enablements that have been granted to us and reserving them for those that WE deem worthy. I believe that’s what James refers to as “partiality” and I think it must grieve the heart of God.

Therefore, I think the most important aspect of our relation to one another is that it is in accordance with a spiritual unity that must take precedence over a social or cultural one.  Here is where racial lines must take a back seat to the unity in the Spirit and identification with our position within the body - we are one in Christ.  Consider Galatians 3:28:

There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free man, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ.

And wasn’t this at the heart of Paul’s plea to Philemon?  Though he was a slave, don’t see him as that.  See him as a brother.   But more than that, treat him as a brother.  Don’t just call him that but really be that.

I do recognize that cultural foundations play a significant role in the make-up of our assemblies and ultimately, our selection of a church. Because let’s face it, it is far more comfortable to associate with people of our own race. The contrast of musical styles alone can drive each group to their separate corners and has. Preaching styles differ. The black preacher can use an impassioned homiletic that might be confused with anger. The white preacher’s deliverance may appear boring to some cultures.

But given our position in Christ, I consider our call to brotherly love and service a prompting to step outside of our comfort zone to engage in intimate fellowship with people of a different race. I found it interesting that in the service I attended this past Sunday comprised of nearly all African-Americans, one of the pastors cited the passage in John 4 where Jesus approaches the woman at the well and clarifies what true worship is, “God is a Spirit and they that worship Him must worship Him in Spirit and in truth” (vs.24). But I think the greater recognition of this passage is the fact the Jesus went out of his way to “fellowship” with a person of another race, who his human race considered contemptible and inferior. And he deviated from His linear path in order to convey what true worship was. As New Testament believers, isn’t true worship operating as the Body of Christ, linked to one another in a way that would dumbfound a worldly system defined by cultural and social norms?

Perhaps Jesus’ actions here should serve as an example for us regarding our cultural comfort.  It is easy to fellowship with people that look like us, sound like us, worship like us.  But maybe the greater law of love would have us to be a little uncomfortable in consideration of the greater good, to endure a musical style not of our preference, to gain a better understanding of the other race through meaningful and intimate dialogue and relationships.  For we who believe in Jesus and acknowledge Him as Savior are part of the church, not black church, white church or hispanic church but Church. And perhaps if we change the lens of perspective in consideration of our brothers and sisters, regardless of race, maybe we might see a little more diversity in our congregations.  That is my hope and that is my prayer.