There are at least three avenues to explore when we look for roles assigned to the church in troubled times.
One is the general roles assigned to humans in creation, as Jesus would say “from the beginning.” Another is Jesus’ own instructions to His followers, and a third is the plethora of exhortations by Jesus’ apostles.
It may be fair to say that we have been in “troubled times” ever since our human ancestors back in Eden decided to take on the additional role of deciding for ourselves what is good and what is evil. Considering the trouble our human race has gotten into ever since, perhaps a reversal of roles or a return to our original roles would be appropriate.
One concept that ties together almost all human responsibilities is being created to be “in the image and likeness of God” (Gen 1:26-28).
Although this may seem a nebulous concept, it makes quite a bit of sense to understand it as a responsibility, a purpose, and a role given to humans to “image,” as a verb, the invisible God within visible creation. All humans are created for this ambassadorial and priestly role in creation, in society, and in our relationships.
The role of ambassadors is not to represent their own values and identities and goals but rather those of the kingdom they represent. This is the reason the character and behaviour of those who claim to be “God’s people” is so important.
By failing to be “godly,” we are not only in danger of showing ourselves to be nasty horrid people, we are in danger of misrepresenting God by failing to exhibit the patience, kindness, and self-giving nature of God.
Perhaps one reason there are so many atheists and non-believers is because those of us given the role of imaging God have done a rather poor job of it.
Our responsibilities
Other creation responsibilities flowing from our role of being in God’s likeness include:
- Producing and caring for new life
- Ending and protecting our garden home
- Being social in helpful, faithful relationships
- Being available to “shoot the breeze” with the LORD in fellowship & worship (Gen 1:28; 2:15, 18-25; 3:8-9)
When Jesus was asked, “What must we do to do the works of God?” he responded “…believe on the one whom he sent” (John 6:28-29). We could say the primary role given to every Christian in our troubled world is to personally trust Jesus.
This may require clarifying what we mean by “the church.” Since doing the work of God is a matter of personal trust in a living person, and since institutions cannot have such personal faith, only people can fulfil this role.
Thus, the church as an institution has no role that is not first and foremost the responsibility of the people who are its members.
Becoming the body of Christ
As those who do trust Jesus, we return to our creation role of “imaging God” by “looking” and acting like Jesus. But this is not just an individual matter. This is where the “church” comes in as a company or clan or congregation, AKA, the “body of Christ.”
It is clear from this New Testament body metaphor that it is not just individual followers who should be like Jesus.
Rather all the personal relationships within the church as the body of Christ taken together are supposed to be maturing into an active representation of the character and kenotic behaviour of God in Christ (Rom. 12:5; Eph. 4:11-16).
One way to discover our personal roles is to discern which particular assortment of charismata we have personally been called to cultivate and develop (1 Cor. 12-14). Not everyone has the same kind of gifts but all the gifts are to be used for the benefit of all.
The appropriate role for Jesus’ followers is not only to exercise our own gifts in the world and in our fellowship groups, but also to receive and encourage the gifts and callings observed in others.
Act more like Jesus
Even though we have not been very good at some of the tasks Jesus gave His followers, there is little justification for presuming that we shouldn’t even try to “Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the lepers, drive out demons, … and preach the message that ‘The kingdom of heaven is near.’” (Matt. 10:7-8).
Jesus’ parable in Matthew 24 suggests that judgment may await those who hold themselves aloof from the needs of the distressed.
The letters of the apostles Peter, Paul, James and John overflow with exhortations to exhibit behaviours and attitudes appropriate for Jesus’ followers. A typical example is, “We urge you, brethren, admonish the unruly, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with everyone” (1 Thess. 5:14).
In our present political climate, I will leave it to the readers to discern what it might mean to “admonish the unruly.”
We must remember that these are not just humanistic exhortations to try harder to be nicer, better people. Jesus and His apostles all taught that even more than just good advice, we need the transforming power of the Holy Spirit is needed in order for us to live holy and loving lives.
So perhaps one of our first roles as the church in troubled times is to pray for the Holy Spirit to empower us to do “more than we can ask or imagine.”
Then as we daily depend on the “word of Christ” (Col 3:16) and the Spirit’s guidance and power, perhaps we can “turn the world upside down” (Acts 17:6) one personal, loving, gospel encounter at a time.
