The Lonely Tribe
“After this many of his disciples turned back and no longer walked with him. So Jesus said to the twelve, “Do you want to go away as well?” Simon Peter answered him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life,” John 6:66-68
“But when Cephas came to Antioch, I opposed him to his face, because he stood condemned. For before certain men came from James, he was eating with the Gentiles; but when they came he drew back and separated himself, fearing the circumcision party. And the rest of the Jews acted hypocritically along with him, so that even Barnabas was led astray by their hypocrisy. But when I saw that their conduct was not in step with the truth of the gospel, I said to Cephas before them all, “If you, though a Jew, live like a Gentile and not like a Jew, how can you force the Gentiles to live like Jews?”” Gal. 2:11-14
“Should I post something about this on Facebook? What if someone unfriends me if I do? All my friends are saying this thing, I guess I should too. Am I complicit in my silence? I might lose friends if I say something and I might lose friends if I don’t say anything. Why do I have to choose sides? What if I disagree?”
The only thing growing as fast as tribalism in America is – ironically – its exact opposite, loneliness. The only common mantra that every disparate group has these days is, “You’re either with us or against us.” I can’t tell you how many Venn Diagrams I’ve seen trying to depict that an individual holds to certain views that are not in contradiction with holding other views. There’s one thing that Americans seem to do really well these days and that is pick teams. It doesn’t take long for the dust to settle and for one particular viewpoint to get claimed by one team and it’s opposite view by another team. And if you don’t believe every tenant of that team, then you don’t really believe that one particular claim. Can I believe that black lives matter, but oppose the black lives matter movement? Can I be concerned about the health and safety of all and yet disagree with government recommendations? Can I strive for justice for the oppressed but not espouse critical race theory? Can I submit to the government without agreeing with the government? Can I make a decision based on wisdom and have people not assume it is based on fear or ignorance? Can I choose to do something different than those around me but still feel like a member of the group? Will you doubt that my love is genuine if I act differently than you?
In all of these self-diagnostic questions that have been thrust upon us as of late, one tension has been constant in them all, the tension between the individual and the group. And the irony is that the more we feel a need to be attached to groups the lonelier we end up feeling. The individual gets lost in the crowd. And if you threaten the creed of the tribe you are then threatened with exile. And loyalty to the truth might mean disloyalty to the tribe.
I am often amazed at the contradictions of Simon Peter. He can claim undying loyalty to Jesus, and yet deny him three times. Thankfully we’re not saved based on our consistently held positions but on Jesus holding to us. When Jesus wondered whether his disciples would leave him, Peter makes the bold statement, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life, and we have believed, and have come to know, that you are the Holy One of God.” (John 6:68-69) And Jesus’ response is stunning too, “Jesus answered them, “Did I not choose you, the twelve? And yet one of you is a devil.” He spoke of Judas the son of Simon Iscariot, for he, one of the twelve, was going to betray him.” (John 6:70-71) Why did Jesus decide that Peter’s declaration that Jesus is the Messiah would be a good moment to capitalize on the fact that he would be betrayed by one of the twelve whom he had chosen? Well, don’t forget his question that he led with. “It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh is no help at all. The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life. But there are some of you who do not believe.” (For Jesus knew from the beginning who those were who did not believe, and who it was who would betray him.) And he said, “This is why I told you that no one can come to me unless it is granted him by the Father.” After this many of his disciples turned back and no longer walked with him. So Jesus said to the twelve, “Do you want to go away as well?”” (John 6:63-67)
There is only one true unity that will last, and that is the rock that is Jesus Christ. All other unities have foundations of sinking sand. You and I are members of the body of Christ is the Father wills it and the Spirit gives us life. But, if we identify ourselves with this group or that group, eventually the group will betray us, it will demand a loyalty that belongs to God alone. Only when we fear God do we have the freedom to be alone. But in the fear of God and the freedom of the Spirit, we find the one true belonging that we were made for, the body of Christ.
Since the beginning of the church there have been various factions. Peter found himself fearing man and choosing a side, the circumcision party, and even Barnabas was led astray by his hypocrisy. That is the power of the group over you. We’re more lemming than we’d like to admit. Expressive individualism says, “I want to be different, just like everybody else.”
Unity with the tribe does not mean unity in the truth. Tribalism makes the individual feel like nothing without them and yet smothered with them. But only the diversity of the body of Christ is able to maintain the uniqueness of the individual members of the body while not demanding uniformity to the group.
“For by the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think with sober judgment, each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned. For as in one body we have many members, and the members do not all have the same function, so we, though many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another.” Romans 12:3-5
When Jesus observed that many were leaving him and that even one of his disciples would betray him, there was one demarcation between those who were with Christ and those who were not, some believed the truth and some did not. When Paul confronted Peter to his face, it was on this basis: that his actions were in contradiction with the gospel. The truth of the gospel is what unifies Christians. It is not dependent on the flesh. The Spirit awakens souls as he pleases to the life of knowing Jesus Christ personally as the only source of truth and freedom from sin. The gospel states that God has marked off a people for himself, and all other loyalties will threaten to hypocritically divide us and be contrary to that gospel unity.
The truth of the gospel of Jesus Christ is far superior to any other claims of loyalty. Do we feel more at home among those who agree with us on the current event issues or among those who confess that Jesus Christ is Lord? Do we gravitate to our confirmation bias, or do we gravitate to the preaching of God’s word? Do we lead with the latest medical study or social commentary article or are our first thoughts on what God is speaking to us through is word today? The beauty of the diversity of the body of Christ is that we are all wretched sinners saved by grace and that we don’t have to pass a social awareness test in order to be accepted in. We don’t want everyone in the church to agree with us on the issues, because then our unity would be suspect. Are we united in truth or in our opinions? There is a way that we can know the difference between the two. Jesus is the one who has the words of eternal life. Where else shall we go?