Commentary on "Social Support: The Tie That Binds"

STEVE PITCHER

 

Day 1: Sabbath Afternoon, June 19, 2010 - Introduction

 

Today’s lesson is titled “Social Support: The Tie That Binds.” The lessons for this week focus on the issues related to the body of Christ. The fellowship of the various members as they support and serve one another is brought into focus.

The scripture passages that are suggested for reading are excellent of course, yet it must be noted that these are fairly random passages. The passage in Genesis identifies that God created mankind as male and female, and John 1:1-3 identifies that it is Jesus who is the creator God who brought mankind into existence. The passages in First Corinthians and Ephesians are both related to the various gifts of the Spirit given for the building up of the Body of Christ, his Church. The verses from Romans and Galatians indicate that believers bear one another’s burdens. These are three somewhat related issues in scripture and can only be used as “proof texts” for the subject of our physical bodily health. The texts do not directly deal with our physical health.

The quarterly identifies the results of a study indicating the problems of loneliness and isolation. This is indeed a major problem, particularly in our highly technological world where human interaction is often reduced to interaction through electronic devices. The scriptural passages teaching the importance of the functions of the members of the body of Christ and the psychological issues dealing with loneliness and isolation are actually two distinct, perhaps unrelated, issues.

When a member of the body of Christ is isolated he is not functioning in his God-given role in the body. Being active in the Church, while fulfilling our roles in the body, we are not necessarily decreasing the isolation felt by some members. Each of these needs to be addressed individually.

By mixing the two, the lesson author does not adequately address either issue in today’s lesson.

Of the three questions at the bottom of the page (p. 154 in the Teacher’s Quarterly) one question must be addressed. The author asks, “How much death to self will it take to be more involved?” Admittedly each Christian struggles with the issue of death to self on a daily basis. However scripture never suggests that a partial or somewhat successful death to self is sufficient. Total death to self is always in view. In Romans Paul clearly presents the issue of the old self and what it means to put that self to death. The question of “how much” is not scriptural.

The Bible is explicit in the following passage about death to self. Romans 6:6-11 reads:

We know that our old self was crucified with him in order that the body of sin might be brought to nothing, so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin. For one who has died has been set free from sin. Now if we have died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. We know that Christ, being raised from the dead, will never die again; death no longer has dominion over him. For the death he died he died to sin, once for all, but the life he lives he lives to God. So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus.*

The lessons for this quarter have been about the subject of health and healing. Although the issues of loneliness and isolation and how that relates to greater health issues are important, they are not directly related to issues of the body of Christ. If the lesson was focused on one or the other it could have been much more effective. The issue of being active in the Church and some of the benefits will be covered during the lessons this week.

Insofar as it is possible, we will attempt to address the health issues of interpersonal interaction and the functioning of the members of the body of Christ separately when they arise in the lessons this week. Of course, being an on-line Bible study, we here at BibleStudiesForAdventists.com encourage you to take these comments and discuss them with someone else in person. Let’s participate in minimizing the effects of technology on our health and interpersonal relationships.

 

Summary

1. Two issues are addressed by the lesson author: health problems related to loneliness and isolation, and the functioning of the body of Christ. During the lessons this week we will attempt to identify these two issues and not confuse them.
2. Social support (fellowship) is important to both the well-being of the individual as well as the well-being of the Church.
3. Understanding that we struggle with our old nature, death to self in scripture is always a total death and something that was accomplished in Christ on the cross (see Romans 6:6-11). Being more involved in the body of Christ is not a question of dying more to self; it is a question of totally dying to self on a daily basis.
4. Discuss these things with someone else in person. Let’s minimize the effects of technology on our health and interpersonal relationships.

 

*Unless otherwise indicated, all scripture quotations are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version® (ESV®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.”

 

GO TO DAY 2

 

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