It has been some time since the last blog. Several significant events have occurred since my last blog. One of the most significant was the time I spent with fellow pastors and church members from the International Baptist Convention and the ministry of the guest speaker to the convention. It was a blessed oasis of spiritual refreshment. Recently the Lord has been very present to guide in significant messages for ministry, and a spirit of renewal seems to be growing among His people in His body at IBC Munich. It is an exciting time for the church.
Today I am mindful of a devastating disease which attacks joints, tissue, and blood cells of the body. Lupus for some unknown reason turns on the body and attacks it. It can have a tragic effect on the organs of the body and will severely limit the function of the body and the quality of life of the person afflicted by it.
As I think of this disease I am reminded of the words of the Apostle Paul in Colossians 1:18 as he speaks about the preeminence of Christ, who is the head of the church. He then identifies the church as His body. The image of the church as the body of Christ is used by Paul in I Corinthians 12 to describe the importance to the body of each member of the body. I highlight this in order to suggest that often we find the body of Christ afflicted with Spiritual Lupus as the members of the body seem to turn on one another. The consequence is that the body is so focused on itself that it eventually comes to a place of compromise and defeat. This can even result in the destruction of a local body of Christ. Spiritual Lupus is devastating when it afflicts a church, because it can reduce the church to a "valley of dry bones" as seen by the prophet Ezekiel.
The question which is put to Ezekiel is, "Can these dry bones live?" (Ezekiel 37:3) Dr. John James answers this question for churches that seem to be devastated by this dreadful disease of Spiritual Lupus. He declares it in the title of his book: Dry Bones Can Live: How to Be a Part of a Healthy Church. Dr. James emphasizes that the treatment of reconciliation and covenant should be applied when a church appears to be a "valley of dry bones."
Dr. James focuses us on Matthew 18:15-20. Today I want to highlight two points made by Dr. James. First, when we are offended, hurt, or perceive ourselves to be the object of someone else’s negative judgment of us, we should go to that person and seek to be reconciled. Second, if the person does not hear us, then we are to take one or two others along with us. These two points will determine our personal spiritual health and the health of the church, and could even provide the cure for Spiritual Lupus.
Note how this can be the cure. First we are to go to the one we believe has offended us and speak directly to him or her in love. This is a cure for Spiritual Lupus, because we often go to those that we know will support or empathize with us, and we deliver a negative report to them about the “one who has offended us.” I wonder if any of us have ever been guilty of doing such a thing. (Perhaps we should all read I John 1:8 before we answer the question.) The moment we deliver such a negative report, we introduce the dreadful disease of Spiritual Lupus into our spiritual lives and the life of our church.
Next note that if our brother/sister doesn't hear us, then we are to take one or two others with us. This will necessitate a discussion of the offense with others. It is here that those who are receiving the report bear the responsibility. Dr. James points out the question which must be asked when one person begins to share a negative report about another: "Are you telling me this in order for me to be part of the reconciliation process?" This question is the preventative medicine we need to have in our hearts and minds in order that we do not introduce Spiritual Lupus into our lives. We must apply the preventative medicine, but the cure also requires restitution. We need to be able to go to those about whom we have given a negative report, and we need to ask their forgiveness; then we must covenant with the Lord not to deliver a negative report about another in the future.
If Spiritual Lupus is affecting your life and the life of our church, then let me recommend that you reconcile with your brothers and/or sisters and covenant with our Lord not to do so in the future. Such action is, after all, the only cure. Let us be reconciled that we might fully abide.
