2 Corinthians 5:11-21
The reading of this passage has provoked some thinking that I usually avoid in conversation because of the fact that whatever “skin” we are in, when it comes to a discussion of “wineskins”, our skin is typically pretty thin. I think of wineskins as the paradigms have and the perceptions we use to explain reality to ourselves. Within the Church, our wineskins are the individual and collective thought structures in which we attempt to contain the life of God. Every human has one, and the simple fact that we each believe that we came by ours honestly through our experience and study makes them nearly, if not completely, sacred. And, what is sacred must be protected. Thus; the thin skin. Thus division.
The combination of yielding to His Word, imperfectly to be sure, through 60 years of experience and trials, some of which He appointed; others which I created, all of which He has redeemed or is redeeming, is how my wineskin has been shaped and painfully reshaped. Note; I have not been a Christian for 60 years. But, His light shining retroactively on the 23 years I was stumbling through the darkness without Christ, has been one of the most redeemed and instructive aspects of my life. While I am aware my story does not reflect “perfected” theology, neither can I apologize for it if it does not happen to fit in with your wineskin. Even in its imperfection, I believe that it is His story finding expression through me. And, as Paul would pray, “May it be made manifest to your consciences.” If not; no harm, no foul.
As one who attempted to transition from a community-oriented local assembly to a traditional local church, I found myself frustrated because I had become a spectator to Christianity as I sat in my typical seat at the Sunday and Wednesday events. After a few years, I made the team, so to speak, when I was invited to become an elder in this “elder-governed” church. As much as I appreciated this gesture, my discomfort was not relieved. I could not escape the sense that the way we did church unintentionally created spectators. I do not anticipate that every one will understand this or agree, but I would like to attempt to better explain myself by drawing from the theological meat of this passage….and reasoning forward. The meat:
“He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him…..He died for all, that they who live should no longer live for themselves, but for Him who died and rose again on their behalf……Therefore if any man is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold new things have come….. Now all these things are from God, who reconciled us to Himself through Christ, and GAVE US THE MINISTRY OF RECONCILIATION, namely, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not counting their trespasses against them, AND HE HAS COMMITTED TO US THE WORD OF RECONCILIATION. THEREFORE WE ARE AMBASSADORS FOR CHRIST; AS THOUGH GOD WERE ENTREATING THROUGH US; WE BEG YOU ON BEHALF OF CHRIST, BE RECONCILED TO GOD.”
Paul, as well as any man alive, understood wineskins. He was an outspoken and proud advocate of his previous wineskin – The Law and the hyper-religious Jewish culture. It was while Paul was operating with zeal under the authority of his old wineskin that Jesus asked him, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?” It is this same man who has become in tune with his heart where Christ now dwells. There are no wineskin large or strong enough to contain the kingdom of God. Paul’s understanding is essential to the process of being a disciple. He says…….
“We are not again commending ourselves to you but are giving you an occasion to be proud of us, that you may have an answer for those WHO TAKE PRIDE IN APPEARANCE, AND NOT IN HEART.” I believe I am reasoning from scripture, when I say Paul was deeply concerned with pretense. Note; The event with Annanias and Saphira suggests that God may be as well. This is why I think Paul would cry foul if He saw any type of wineskin forming that encouraged, intentionally or by default, the potential of pretense. Pretense is that place where people can conceal their hearts from each other while outwardly living a religious lifestyle compliant with the existing wineskin. Does this sound at all familiar?
I believe one of the reasons Paul may have been “beside himself’ (vs 13) is because environments where pretense exists are “unsafe”. They are unsafe because there are unspoken agendas at work behind the scene eroding away the potential Life of Christ within a faith community. In these environments, there are typically, freight car loads of unreconciled offenses which completely derail the train from its mission of reconciliation. Why? Because It is not likely that the world is going to accept the Ministry of Reconciliation from us unless they see that we are first reconciled to each other. Remember; for us to be reconciled to God, Jesus taught us that we must be first reconciled to each other. (Matt 5:23-24, 18:21-35)
A related an aside; I believe the scriptures are inspired in an overlooked way. I believe it is God’s genius that there is so much in the Bible that we cannot intellectually reconcile. Some of the world’s best minds and hearts end up with opposite conclusions on various biblical topics. The great need we seem to have for certainty has led to the division of the Church organism into ever increasing numbers of wineskins. However bad this train wreck may appear, the intellectual gulf between us has left opportunity for the Body of Christ to be reconciled to each other by way of the new nature within us which has the capacity to be constrained by the love of God. It is CHRIST IN US, THE HOPE OF GLORY!
We will one day be a united and loving family, due not to a reconciliation of doctrinal differences or a synchronization of understanding, but rather due to the fact that we learned, like Paul and his team, to recognize no man according to the flesh (i e; according to titles, performance, pedigrees or wineskin affiliation). We will recognize and honor the new nature within each other. The love of God that our hearts, as His disciples are constrained by, will be made manifest to each other, to God and to the world. It is then that we will persuade men. We are not made manifest (i.e.; our testimony does not ring true) to the consciousness of the world, not just because they are vile, unclean enemies of all that is holy, but because our claim that Jesus is both savior AND LORD appears, at least at this time, to them as a half-truths at best.
I am not sure what is required to change a wineskin for everybody. I only know that it seems like mine has had to suffer some violence along the way in order to experience much transformation. In this current season of reflection, my understanding is that there are no wineskins capable, however impressive they may be outwardly, of containing the Life of God other than the one Jesus announced had come; THE KINGDOM OF GOD. I also suspect, where we are the great advocates of our particular wineskin, God may be saying to us, the same thing He spoke to Saul, “Why are you persecuting me?”
One day the over-arching, eternal, ever-expanding authority of God’s Kingdom will swallow all our wineskins whole. I believe as we, on that Great Day, stand before Him, this is going to create some significant embarrassment for us, perhaps even some weeping and gnashing of teeth.
This passage began with, “Therefore knowing the fear of the Lord……..” I confess, If there is anything that I personally fear, it is that Jesus is not receiving the reward of His suffering, which is, at a minimum, reconciliation between Himself and men for the reason that we have become a stumbling block, a discredited example, to those He loves and desires to draw to Himself.
Father, ultimately Your will shall be done on earth as it is in heaven. Help us to find the balance of trusting in this and working with You toward that end. Give us new wineskin hearts that are thirsty for the Living Water that You intend to fill us with. May the new wine spill over into our relational networks bringing healing, salvation and deliverence to all. Amen.