The Unity of THE Faith

Series Title:  Growing Up into Christ
This series is produced on behalf of the ELS Board for Youth Outreach. The aim of the series is to invest in the youth of the ELS by building up the households and parents of those youth in the “unity of the faith” (Ephesians 4:13). While there are many cultural chasms between adults and adolescents, the body of Christ (the Church) provides us one marvelous location where post-pubescent teens and parents are meant to be together: “One Lord, one faith, one baptism” (Ephesians 4:5)—in short, together Growing Up into Christ.
 
It has been well-documented now how infrequently families dine together: all at one table, all at the same time, all for the same meal. Perhaps they eat at the same time and at the same table, but the meal is fast food so everyone in the family is having it Burger King-style: their way. Perhaps everyone is eating the same cuisine and even at the same time, but one in front of the TV, two others on their phones, and another standing at the counter while cleaning up the dishes. Our intentions are good—having family dinner together—but in an effort to cater to each one’s perceived needs, we have forfeited both dinner and its togetherness.
The Christian church at large (and Lutheranism is certainly not immune to this) has suffered much in the past half-century or more from similar “best-of-intentions.” God’s Word often likens our weekly Sabbath rest to a family meal. Christian pastors, parents, and grandparents alike would enjoy nothing more at this meal than to have every member of the family from every generation present. Our sin-filled fear, however, is that the food (God’s Word) or its presentation (the liturgy, preaching, and hymns) won’t be able to keep all parties at the table. So the churches have offered as many different ministry menus and serving styles as possible, convinced that our innovations to the menu and presentation will effect unity upon the Church family. The present-day picture of our churches, however, looks very similar to the family dinner table previously mentioned. Even with our best intentions, the Church (yes, us included) has been forfeiting the saving contents of the faith and the togetherness which that faith (Christian teaching) alone brings.
Dear fellow concerned parents and grandparents, God’s Son lived, suffered, and died, not only to save us from our calculated and devious sins, but also from our “best-intention” sins as well. And this forgiveness and life is given to the Church—the whole Church—boomers and babies, Gen-Xers and the “Great Generation” alike. This forgiveness of sins and eternal life is packaged as a one-size-fits-all in the person and work of Jesus for sinners. This is the faith. It’s not a grandparent’s faith or youth group’s faith, the working woman’s faith or pastor’s faith. Jesus for sinners is the faith “delivered once for all time to God’s holy people” (Jude 3). What a joyous unity that belongs to the Church! God’s forgiveness for sinners in Jesus—that is a meal upon which every sinful soul from every generation is meant to dine.
Kyle Madson is a Home Missionary in Weatherford/Hudson Oaks, Texas.