The English poet, John Donne, is credited with the quote, “No man is an island”. Meaning none of us exist completely independent of all else and other members of our race. No matter how isolated a person may choose to be, or feel they are because of circumstance, it most likely isn’t accurate. It’s a sad comment that many people who attend or visit churches today, wind up getting the impression that they also are still alone...spiritually. The closeness and unity spoken of in Scripture seems to be sadly lacking in too many instances.
Romans 12:4 For just as we have many members in one body and all the members do not have the same function, 5 so we, who are many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another.
There are numerous passages which expound on this. In John 17, Jesus prays that we will be one even as he and his Father are one. A ‘community of unity’ which transcends what we would normally experience in this life. Unfortunately, this would require a selflessness which does not often resemble what the world considers ‘normal’ either. If we looked deep enough, we would find this can only occur when God has control of us through His spirit. When we truly become what Scripture accurately translates as slaves of Jesus. Servants of the cause of Christ which returns us to right standing before Almighty God. The intent is to also to have that standing reflected all around us; in our homes, in our jobs, in our fellowships. Why is it that this condition seems to grow more elusive in each generation? Simple, we’re selfish.
All too often, our best, and seemingly most righteous, acts and thoughts revolve more around our own situations and interest than in a humble sense of servitude to the Cause. The shiny lure of self centeredness has been carefully constructed and polished by the demonic influence of our adversary. Little of what you are exposed to in the course of an average day does not somehow promote the fact that it’s really all about you. Examine the influences embedded in any media or venue and see if this is not so. ‘Have it your way’, the famous Burger King quote, is indeed the mantra by which far too many of us consciously, or subconsciously, order our lives and thinking. And it is a trap none of us are totally immune to.
Are we then, attempting to live as encapsulated saints? Picture a standard pharmaceutical capsule with a small magnet placed inside it. If you throw a group of them in a box, they will cluster in some fashion due to the ‘field’ which surrounds them. They are attracted to each other and will order themselves in the proper alignment so that they can stick together. But turn one around and that end will repel instead of attract; the unity is broken. That is analogous to our condition in many ways. But there may be a deeper problem.
What if the substance which comprises the capsule walls is also diminishing the magnetic field? In other words, what if the insular approach to life, where I’m always on alert for me and mine’s best interest, is wreaking havoc on my spirit life by tempting me to defy Donne’s statement and be an island in spirit if not in physical reality?
It sometimes seems we only peek out of those capsules when we go to a Bible study, church meeting or interact at among a group of other ‘saints’. Then we quickly retreat into our little shells on the way home. If the followers of Christ are my true family, where is the tribal mindset I read about amongst God’s people in both the Old and New Testaments? Where is the true family relationship supposedly generated by the spirit of Christ within us? And what are the roots of this dysfunctional family condition?
One problem has got to be denominations. It would take a long, serious study to outline the doctrinal differences which have surfaced throughout the centuries and created a splintered ‘Body of Christ’. You would think that members of a supernaturally powered coalition, like we read of in Scripture, could research and resolve such issues and come to an understanding of what it is we all believe. Hasn’t happened so far; probably never will. Although I did pass church signboard the other day which proclaimed ‘Pre-Denominational Christianity’. I plan to check it out.
But, the second area of divide is closer to home. Can you count the instances you know of in which church members inside the same denomination have a ‘falling out’? If you’ve been involved with organized religion for any length of time, you could probably pen a page or two of your own on the subject. Perhaps you even feel some were justified. There are some valid reasons for abandoning ‘fellowship’, just read I Corinthians 5. But, by and large, most lack of fellowship and love between the saints today stems from too busy, too self oriented.
Back to the magnet illustration. We are most likely supposed to behave the way a bunch of unobstructed or uncoated magnets would. That pile will realign itself every time you shuffle one out of place. If you mix up the poles, those affected will instantly attempt to reconcile the polarity difference and group back into a cohesive condition. And guess what; in that condition they represent a much stronger field and are harder to separate.
I propose to you that Americans today have been conditioned to place ourselves on the throne of our hearts and to displace God and his purposes through Christ. To let our cares and concerns act as the center of our little universes. The preponderance of evidence makes any other conclusion suspect. Inside what is supposed to be a ‘family of believers’ this has resulted in our encapsulation. It has also made our efforts to promote Jesus weak and ineffective.
This is not the only area of concern but it is as good a place to begin as any. Carefully examine the walls you live behind. Are you an Encapsulated Saint...to any degree? Try some of that brutal honesty we talk about here and, take off the masks; park the egos. If we can’t be totally honest with ourselves, we can’t be honest with others. As my granny used to say: