A post from my Monday morning column at Zondervan’s ministry blog, Engaging Church. The post continues our discussion from last week on our “boundedness.” In his new resource Bound Together Chris explores “the simple truth that our lives, choices, and actions are linked to the lives, choices, and actions of other people.” (25) He calls this “link” the principle of the rope—an apt picture of the reality of how connected we are to one another in our good and bad choices. Today we see four important ways this principle can be applied, including marriage, families, death, and civic community. (Read the full column HERE.)
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Bound Together in Marriage
One of the chief pains of anyone in ministry is witnessing the unraveling bond of a marriage. Unfortunately the “roped-ness” of husbands and wives within the church is as weak as outside the church. Chris contends the reason is because “it is extremely difficult for people in our culture to understand the idea that we are bound together…” And because it is difficult to see the extent to which we are bound together, it is extremely difficult to have a biblical view of marriage. (123)
But the reality is that, from the very beginning of creation, God has intended “roped-ness” for husbands and wives: “The relationship between a husband to a wife is as strong as a hand to a wrist. They are one flesh. They are bound together.” (123) And it is our responsibility as family pastors, small group leaders, and youth pastors to teach this reality in order to strengthen marriages and bring men and women to repentance when they fraying that rope.
A Red Rope for Hurting Families
“How do you comfort someone who has a family member making poor decisions?” Chris asks. He goes on: “What does a pastor say to a mother or father whose adult son is homeless because of drug addiction? Or to those whose children have denied the faith? How does a pastor comfort a man who found his unrepentant wife in bed with another man? How do you counsel a wife whose husband tells her she must accept his infidelity as a way of life” (127)
These are deep questions that require deep responses. Chris thinks the principle of rope can help, for two reasons. First, it helps us understand why rebellion and discord in our family result in such deep hurt—we’re “roped” to Adam and his sin. Second, it shows how we can respond to and process rebellion in our family by remembering we’re “roped” to Christ. And the gospel is exceedingly stronger than the rope to Adam and sin. (129)
Even though their pain is real because of their “roped-ness” to unrepentant rebellious family members, Christ’s victory is greater than Adam’s transgression—”the principle of the rope is more powerful in the positive than the negative.” (132)
A Rescue Rope for Those Facing the Fear of Death
I wish I would have had this book a few months ago when a young member of my congregation passed away after a 17 month battle with cancer. While the Holy Spirit helped me navigate this difficult time with this believer and his family, the principle of the rope would have been sweet, comforting news for this man facing the fear of death, and death itself.
Because the principle of the rope insists that we are now bound together with Christ in solidarity. Using the Book of Hebrews, Chris identifies four solid ways that Christians benefit from their solidarity with Christ: “Christ established solidarity with believers so he could bring many sons and daughters to glory (2:10); Christ established solidarity with believers so he could ‘deliver all those who through fear of death were subject to lifelong slavery’ (2:15); Christ established solidarity with believers so he ‘might become a merciful and faithful high priest in the service of God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people (2:17); and Christ established solidarity with believers so he could ‘destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil; (2:14).” (154-156)
Chris ends on this comforting note: “Know that the rope between Christ and his people is firm; it will not break. We can fall from the highest cliff, yet we need not fear…Because Christ has solidarity with us in his life and in his death, we are guaranteed that we will also share in his resurrection and in the promised inheritance of eternal life with him.” (159)
Roped Together in Country and Culture
Finally, Chris believes the Church is uniquely qualified to counter the radical individualism that plagues America. Our 21st century Age is the Age of the Self, where we seek to get to do “what I want, when I want, and how I want,” with little to no regard of the effects we have on those with whom we are “roped.”
Yet, Chris insists that the Church of Jesus Christ, and only the Church, can provide the type of community needed to counter radical individualism. (175) The reason the Church is uniquely equipped is because She offers solidarity, She offers “roped-ness.” Acts 2:42-47 makes this incredibly clear. And when New Testament churches devote themselves to this model, they will offer a powerful antidote to counter the radical individualism of our day.
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How else do you see our “boundedness” at work in life? How else can Braun’s “principle of the rope” be applied?
