Gospel Community: Safe to Speak

Sunday we began a short series to consider how the Apostle Paul presents the nature and function of the church in Ephesians 4. Christ has created a “new man” that transcends tribal communities. With Christ as our head and reason for togetherness, we are family and maintain our unity by walking in humility with one another. This is the nature of the church: one body in Christ!

But how does this organism function? First, when Christ ascended, he gave us gifts that we use to grow up into him. The gifts of Christ are diverse but together manifest his glory. Some members are given gifts to equip others, but all are given gifts to build the church. We organize around those gifts and priorities so that God’s people are built up. But notice Paul’s insistence that the church grows when each member is active in the process. Each of us has an important role to play.

Second, we maintain our unity as we walk humbly together in the realities of grace, so that we can have a loving community that builds itself up by “speaking the truth.” The church is supposed to be a “safe space.” But don’t assume that means nothing offensive or confrontational is ever said. No, the safety comes from the cross of Christ that frees us from condemnation and shame. When people lovingly speak into our lives, we respond in humility, listening to what the Spirit is saying to us. The safety of the church is found in the grace of God not the absence of illuminating truth. If you have a record to protect, or an identity that you cling to, a faithful church isn’t a safe space. The safety of the space is dependent on the humility of the individual.

Join us Sunday as we ask the Lord to help us live in the safety of the gospel, so that its “safe to speak” at church.