Hope for Life Blog

In high school, I was a member of the National Honor Society. We met once to elect officers and once to induct new members. That’s all we did.

I am a member of a warehouse club. This allows me to make purchases at this store. I have no idea who else is a member, except that I can assume that other people who shop there are also members.

One of the credit cards I have calls me a member. They even run ads saying that “membership has its privileges.” If I’m going to be honest, however, I don’t feel any more a part of that card’s business than I do other cards that call me a client.

I’m a member of a group health insurance plan. I know some of the other members, for they work with me at Herald of Truth Ministries. But our ties don’t come from being members of this health plan, but from working in the same office.

I’m a member of the church of Christ. Not just the local group that has a sign out front saying “church of Christ,” but Jesus’ church around the world. The problem is, I have to figure out what that means, whether it’s like an honor society, an insurance plan, or something completely different.

The apostle Paul explains what it means to be a member: “Just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, so in Christ we who are many form one body, and each member belongs to all the others.” (Romans 12:4-5) In fact, Paul says that we are members of the same body in several other letters as well. When we say that we are members of the church, we are saying that we are members of the body of Christ.

Like your hand is a member of your body. It’s not optional. It’s not unimportant. It’s an essential part of what the hand is. A severed hand ceases to be a living hand. In the same way, if we are truly members of the church, we are part of it and it becomes the definition of who we are. We are members of the body of Christ or we cease to be alive spiritually.

The many ways we use the word “member” can make us lose sight of the fact that we were called to be an essential part of the body of Christ. We’re not called to join a spiritual club. We’re called to be part of something much bigger, a vital part of a living organism.

I want to invite you to become a member of Jesus. Part of his body. Part of his church. Don’t join a church club. Come form with us the body of Christ.

If you aren’t sure if you are a member of Christ’s body or need help finding a local church, we can help you with that. Leave a comment or click on Contact Us at the top of this page.

The ancient city of Laodicea had a water problem. The problem was there was no water. At least not in the city itself. There were hot springs 6 miles away near the town of Hierapolis. That water wasn’t drinkable and would lose its soothing warmth by the time it was taken to Laodicea. At about the same distance in the opposite direction, there were deliciously cool sources of water around Denizli. These waters would also lose their cool temperature when transported to Laodicea, resulting in an unpleasantly warm drink. The only water available to the Laodiceans was lukewarm at best.

When Jesus addressed the Christians of this city in the book of Revelation, he used an illustration they would understand: “I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! So, because you are lukewarm — neither hot nor cold — I am about to spit you out of my mouth” (Revelation 3:15-16). The Greek word translated “spit” is more accurately translated “vomit.” It’s an unpleasant image for an unpleasant condition: Christians who have lost their passion, who have compromised their loyalty to Christ.

Unfortunately, the world has seen too many Christians just like this. Mahatma Gandhi said, “I like your Christ, I do not like your Christians. Your Christians are so unlike your Christ.” The agnostic Sheldon Vanuaken wrote,

The best argument for Christianity is Christians: their joy, their certainty, their completeness. But the strongest argument against Christianity is also Christians–when they are sombre and joyless, when they are self-righteous and smug in complacent consecration, when they are narrow and repressive, then Christianity dies a thousand deaths.

If you’re not a Christian and that’s the only Christianity you’ve seen, then I’d urge you to look again. There are Christians who have overcome this perpetual state of apathy. They know that Christianity isn’t just about showing up at church at certain times. It’s a way of life. As Vanuaken said, such Christians are the best argument for Christianity that exists.

If you are a Christian, but find that lukewarm describes your faith, let me encourage you to go back to the basics. Focus on Bible study and prayer. Find a church and make yourself an active part of it. Reconnect with God each week by participating in the Lord’s Supper.

Nobody likes lukewarm. Nobody wants to be lukewarm. And nobody wants Jesus to “spit them out.” If you need help rekindling your faith or don’t know where to find a church to be a part of, just leave a comment or contact us through this site.