Christ’s Brawling Bride
Imagine being at a wedding ceremony. Down front stands a handsome groom smiling, full of anticipation…anxiously awaiting his bride. The magical moment arrives as the organ reaches full crescendo and the wedding march begins. Everyone rises and looks toward the door for their first glimpse of the bride. Suddenly there is a horrified gasp! Instead of a lovely woman dressed in elegant white, smiling behind a lace veil, the bride is limping down the aisle. Her dress is soiled and torn. Her leg seems twisted. Cuts and bruises cover her arms. Her nose is bleeding, one eye is purple and swollen, and her hair is disheveled. Does not this handsome groom deserve better? Alas, His bride, THE CHURCH, has been fighting again.
So reads Karen Mains parable, “The Brawling Bride”. As a local church family, we are a part of Christ’s Church. We are His bride. What then, does Jesus see when he looks at us coming up the aisle? In us, does Jesus see a radiant bride pure and spotless? Or does Jesus see a “brawling bride”—a church family marked by conflict, bitterness, and gossip?
Judging from the letter Paul wrote them, the church at Philippi was one of the healthiest churches addressed in the New Testament. Even so, in Philippians chapter 4, we learn that the effectiveness of the Philippian church was being threatened by internal conflict. Two godly women in the church had lost their focus on Christ. They were “brawling” with each other, locked in dispute. Paul addresses the issue in Philippians 4:2-7. In verses 2-3, Paul calls both women (with the help of a church leader) to “agree in the Lord” and to restore unity in the church. Next, in verses 4-7, Paul teaches how harmony between believers—believers like Euodia and Syntyche—can be maintained within the body of Christ. As we read Philippians 4:4-5, it’s important to keep this context in mind. In verse 7, “the peace of God which surpasses all understanding” is most often understood to refer to a believer’s personal peace. While this application is not necessarily illegitimate—it is, at best, secondary. Both the context and the plural verb forms make it clear—the primary application of this text relates to corporate peace within the local church. With this in view, Philippians 4:4-5 reads, “Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice. Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand.”
How can unity in a local church—a church full of forgiven, yet imperfect, sinners—be restored and maintained? This is the question Paul begins to answer in Philippians4:4. Here, then, is the first practice that promotes unity within a church—Rejoice in the Lord always! To make sure we don’t miss the point, Paul repeats, again I will say, Rejoice. The logic behind this command is simple. It is impossible for the people of God to truly worship and rejoice together in Christ and—at the same time—be in conflict with each other. Rejoicing together over our common life in Christ—a life rooted in the wonderous and humbling grace of God—knits our hearts together. Think of it! Together we have been forgiven of our hell-deserving sin! Together, we have become “a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession…” (1 Peter 2:9)! Together, we have been given the privilege of proclaiming God’s saving gospel! Together, we have a glorious future with God in the new heaven and earth! Together, how can we not rejoice? In Christ, do we not all stand in wonderous awe at the foot of the cross? What’s left to fight about?
So what happens when we learn to “rejoice in the Lord always!”? What happens is “reasonableness”. In Philippians 4:5 Paul continues, Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Greek word translated “reasonableness” or “gentleness” carries the idea of forbearance. It means “to yield” or “to be kind” to one another. It means being willing to give the other guy (or gal) a break! In short, “being reasonable” means bearing with one another and forgiving each other like God forgives you in Christ (Ephesians 4:31-32). It’s impossible to genuinely “rejoice in the Lord” together and—at the same time—hold a grudge, stew long over an offense, or be unreasonable with each other as believers. This is especially true when we remember, as Paul reminds us, that The Lord is at hand.
In Philippians 4:6, Paul goes on to remind us that a third key to peace with God and with each other is habitually taking everything—including our conflicts and anxieties—to God in prayer with thanksgiving. In prayer—governed by Scripture—we find God’s perspective, comfort, and strength.
In summary, “the peace of God which surpasses all understanding” will naturally mark the life of our church when, together, we choose to “rejoice in the Lord always”; when, together, we choose to “let our reasonableness be known by all”; and when, together, to learn to cast our anxieties on God by praying with thanksgiving.