Living as the Family of Faith

By Jacob Hess

I hate zombie movies. I’m not a fan of horror films in-general, but zombies in particular creep me out. Why? I think it’s the fact that the horror of zombies spreads. Their infection can turn once friends into monsters. Looked at in this way, zombies could be seen as a metaphor for sin and its destructive effects as it spreads from person to person, breaking down relationships and causing heartache, but zombies also remind me of a famous metaphor from the apostle Paul where he explores the importance of the church and the dangers of trying to live the Christian life alone.

In our individualistic society, it can be easy to think we can live the life of faith alone. Paul gave no such vision for the Christian life in his letters to the early church. He wrote to the church in Corinth, 

For the body does not consist of one member but of many. If the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,” that would not make it any less a part of the body. And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body,” that would not make it any less a part of the body. If the whole body were an eye, where would be the sense of hearing? If the whole body were an ear, where would be the sense of smell? But as it is, God arranged the members in the body, each one of them, as he chose. If all were a single member, where would the body be? As it is, there are many parts, yet one body, (1 Cor 12:14-20).

This is a strange metaphor. Paul imagines the church as one giant body, stitched together like Frankenstein’s monster, each individual part performing some essential function. Imagine a hand crawling around on its own or a person stumbling around with no brain or heart pumping life through the veins. This is zombie territory, and this is the image Paul gives of the Christian trying to live for Jesus without the church. For Paul, it’s unthinkable! Each person within the church belongs to the other, and all are essential for living as God’s representatives in a world in desperate need of Him. When Jesus saved you, He brought you into the family of faith in a spiritual sense, but we must also live out that spiritual reality in a physical way among the local body of Christ. Without your investment and commitment, Christ Church is stumbling around without a hand, foot, or eye. 

The good news is that we aren’t zombies! We’ve caught a much better infection. Through Christ the old self is dead entirely, and the new self is being renewed every day by the power of the Spirit (2 Cor 4:16-18; 5:17), but spiritual growth happens best in community, not isolation. God has given us the family of faith to help us learn, grow, and thrive in this life. And also to provide opportunities for us to use the gifts He’s given to bless others. So, as the busyness of the new fall starts to pick up, consider how you might invest in your local church this season. Maybe it’s joining a Life Group. Maybe it’s serving on the AV team or as a greeter at the front door. Every part of the body, seen and unseen, are essential to the life of the church and the work of God’s kingdom. Don’t miss out on what God might have for you by trying to go it alone. You are loved and you are sent to share the love of the One who gave all away to save us. Living as the family of faith isn’t a burden, it’s a privilege. So, join us as we learn to live like family together.