Relationships: Model of Christ

495 relations after the model christi“For by the law I died to the law, that I might live to God. I am crucified with Christ. I live, but not I, but Christ lives in me. For what I now live in the flesh, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself up for me" (Galatians 2,19-20).

There were serious spiritual problems in the church of Corinth. She was a richly gifted church, but her understanding of the gospel was damaged. Obviously there was "bad blood" between the Corinthians and Paul. Some questioned the apostle's message and his authority. There were also demarcations between siblings who belonged to different social classes. The manner in which they "celebrated" the Lord's Supper was exclusive. The rich were given preferential treatment while others were excluded from actual participation. Partisanship was practiced that did not follow Jesus' example and violated the spirit of the gospel.

While Jesus Christ is certainly at the center of the celebration of the Lord's Supper, we must not ignore the importance God attaches to the unity of the body of believers. If we are one in Jesus, we should also be one with one another. When Paul spoke of the true appreciation of the Lord's body (1. Corinthians 11,29), he also had this aspect in mind. The Bible is about relationships. Knowing the Lord is not just an intellectual exercise. Our daily walk with Christ should be sincere, intense, and real. We can always rely on Jesus. We are important to him. Our laughter, our worries, he sees it all. When God's love touches our lives and we taste his indescribable heavenly grace, the way we think and act can change. We want to be the holy people our Savior imagined. Yes, we have to contend with our personal sins. But in Christ we have been declared righteous. Through our oneness and our participation in it we are reconciled to God. In him we were sanctified and justified and the barrier that alienated us from God was removed. When we sin after the flesh, God is always ready to forgive. Since we are reconciled with our Creator, we also want to reconcile one another.

Some of us are likely to deal with disagreements that have accumulated between partners, children, relatives, friends or neighbors. Sometimes this is a difficult step. Stubborn pride can block our way. It requires humility. Jesus likes to see his people strive for harmony whenever possible. When Jesus returns, an event addressed at the sacrament, we will be one with him. Nothing will separate us from his love, and we will be safe in his caring care for all eternity. We want to reach the wounded in this world and do our part to make the kingdom of God visible in all walks of life today. God for us, with us and through us.

by Santiago Lange


pdfRelations according to the example of Christ