The Church is a Paradox

The Church is a paradox. She is the Bride of Christ, “spotless,” “holy,” “washed,” (Ephesians 5:25–27), the “pillar and foundation of truth” (1 Timothy 3:15), the body of Christ (1 Corinthians 12:1ff.). And yet she only appears in this world hidden under the guise of poor sinners, flawed leaders, tensions, divisions, and even false teaching. This is at once both disturbing and comforting. It is disturbing because we find ourselves in such “spotted” congregations, denominations, and Christendom. It is comforting because— despite its outward appearance, despite the fact that there have been times in the history of the church when the pure teaching of the Gospel all but disappeared from the public confession of the Church and its practice—nevertheless, the “gates of hell shall not prevail against it” (Matthew 16:18). The Church endures because Christ endures, and he will never let his Gospel go un-believed, until the end of time. That’s worth rejoicing over, especially in the times in which we live. And there is also comfort in knowing that because the Church exists well beyond the genuine Lutheran Church, we will also find truth spoken by others. And when we do, we are free to heartily and gladly acknowledge it as such.

This is why neither people nor faith in the heart are the infal- lible marks of the Church’s presence. Wherever the Gospel and Sacraments are—enough to bring people to true faith in the true Jesus—there is the Church (Augsburg Confession VII). Genuine Lutheranism retains this tension, the paradox of the New Testament.

Nowhere is this better illustrated than in Paul’s Corinthian correspondence. Consider St. Paul’s manifold and ongoing struggles with the congregation in Corinth. Despite his year-and-a-half stay with them, they were soon beset by internal division (1 Corinthians 3:10ff.), philosophical misinterpretations of Christ (1 Corinthians 1:22ff.), moral problems (1 Corinthians 5:1ff.), law suits (1 Corinthians 6:1ff.), problems with marriage (1 Corinthians 7:1ff.),numerous doctrinal problems resulting in problems with practice in worship, over food sacrificed to idols (1 Corinthians 8), over the Lord’s Supper (1 Corinthians 10–11), over disregard for the weak and needy. Some were even denying the resurrection (1 Corinthians 15)! It’s no small irony that, precisely because of the all the problems the apostle had to address, the Church for all ages has had such a helpful and clear apostolic teaching on all these matters and more, including joy. “We work with you for your joy, for you stand firm in your faith” (2 Corinthians 1:24).

Here is the amazing and joyous thing. In both of his letters to the Corinthians, Paul never regards them as anything but the precious body of Christ, his dear fellow believers. He began his long first letter of speaking truth to error, fully acknowledging this troubled bunch as Christ’s own Church.

To the church of God that is in Corinth, to those sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints together with all those who in every place call upon the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, both their Lord and ours: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. I give thanks to my God always for you because of the grace of God that was given you in Christ Jesus, that in every way you were enriched in him in all speech and all knowledge—even as the testimony about Christ was confirmed among you—so that you are not lacking in any spiritual gift, as you wait for the revealing of our Lord Jesus Christ, who will sustain you to the end, guiltless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is faithful, by whom you were called into the fellowship of his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord (1 Corinthians 1:2–9).

Paul ends the epistle on the same positive note. We know that the “holy kiss” was the sacred sign of fellowship, the “passing of the peace” before the Holy Communion. The greeting in toto is a fervent affirmation of church fellowship:

The churches of Asia send you greetings. Aquila and Prisca, together with the church in their house, send you hearty greetings in the Lord. All the brothers send you greetings. Greet one another with a holy kiss . . . My love be with you all in Christ Jesus (1 Corinthians 16:19–23).

In the body of these letters, joy is repeatedly spoken of, taught, and expressed. And joy is taught all the more profoundly as a result of the problems. “If one member suffers, all suffer together; if one member is honored, all rejoice together” (1 Corinthians 12:26). “I wrote as I did, so that when I came I might not suffer pain from those who should have made me rejoice, for I felt sure of all of you, that my joy would be the joy of you all” (2 Corinthians 2:3). “I am acting with great boldness toward you; I have great pride in you; I am filled with comfort. In all our affliction, I am overflowing with joy” (2 Corinthians 7:4). “I rejoice, because I have perfect confidence in you” (2 Corinthians 7:16).

The secret of living a good news life in a bad news world is knowing that despite our manifold weaknesses and sins, precisely of Christians and the Church, Christ remains wherever, so far as and so long as, Christ and his Word are heard and to the extent that true Baptism and the Lord’s Supper remain. That is the expansive joy of generous, faithful Lutheranism. Thus genuine Lutheranism is simply genuine Christianity. And Christianity, with all its manifold weaknesses and sins, is far broader than genuine Lutheranism. There is a time to “separate” (Romans 16:17), and we bear the burden, knowing that the Church is found geographically and temporally far beyond the limits of churchly fellowship. But it is shocking to me how tolerant and longsuffering Paul was with his mission congregations. It’s a model for us. He spoke divine truth— “Love does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth” (1 Corinthians 13:6)— in the most patient and loving manner, and he did so with joy even in the midst of his sorrow. And his speaking of the truth in love was blessed.

Matt Harrison, “A Little Book on Joy,” pp. 166f.