Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is. ( I John 3:2 )
For as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body, so also is Christ. For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free, and have been all made to drink into one Spirit. For the body is not one member, but many. ( I Corinthians 12:11 )
Have you ever traveled to a foreign country and immediately felt insecure or lost? You carefully look around and observe strange faces; you hear unfamiliar languages and notice that people could be more friendly. You promptly erect a barrier and create emotional distance. Despite all the unfamiliarity, you remember that this place is not your home where you will spend eternity. How will you adjust your life to fit into these new surroundings?
Once you become familiar with the culture and customs of your new surroundings, how do you begin to see yourself as an integral part of that community? Coming into the body of Christ can also be a challenge because you have entered another culture. Now, a new life begins, and you have to adapt to this new life and your new family. Living for God is different from your former lifestyle. Paul wrote,” Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things become new ( II Corinthians 5:17).”
Everything shifts as we let God mold us into the creatures He wants us to be. When a baby is born into a family, much nurturing and guidance occur. Sometimes, the child feels misplaced and has to learn how and where they fit into this new family. As a result, just like siblings disagree, there will be disagreements in the church. To continue pressing on and fulfilling God’s will, we must understand the tactics and schemes of the devil. We must realize that we are not fighting with each other but with spirits
Paul reminds the Ephesian church to be fully armored because this is not a battle between each other. He wrote, “ Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.” We must recognize the devil’s tricks and distractions because we are in a spiritual conflict with evil. Paul continues to write,“ For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.” Let’s not forget that everyone in the church is not sold out to Jesus.
Some have a different agenda. They have been assigned as undercover agents representing their father, the devil. They were planted in the church as proxies of Satan to run you out. The devil does not want to lose you, so he does everything he can to discourage you. This is the very reason that we have the same mind as Christ. Jesus understood His mission, and He was not going to be deceived or tricked by Satan. Likewise, as children of God, we have been given the power to put Satan in his place. Therefore, as believers, we should be able to see ourselves differently, regardless of what others think. Our priority is to please God and obey His word.
As a believer, knowing that you are an integral part of the Christian community is vital. Firstly, you must know who you are in Christ and the purpose of your being placed in the church. The church is compared to the body, which has many parts, and each part is necessary for the body to function efficiently. One needs to understand and recognize how they are connected as members of one body, the body of Christ, each with unique gifts and roles that work together to benefit the church.
The blame game has to stop; each person must take responsibility for their spiritual growth and offer support and encouragement to fellow believers. Everyone should prioritize unity and diversity within the Christian community and adopt humility and servitude by following Jesus’ example, as written in John 13:1-17. Subsequently, one should be able to see themselves closing generational gaps by building bridges and spiritual connections that bind the body of Christ together in love.
Lastly, as the first church did, commit to studying Scripture, fellowshipping, and participating in worship and prayer. Acts 2:42 reads, “ They continued steadfastly in the apostles’ teaching and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and prayers.” We are representatives of Christ and must see ourselves as such. We are Royalty children of the King of Kings, Jesus Christ! Kings’ Kids!
