Members Only

Growing up in the 80s was pretty rad. Awesome even. Great music, fun and freedom. One trait of that decade – materialism was rampant and people seemed to be defined by what they owned. One product that was very popular was a line of racer jackets called Members Only. Their tagline was – “when you put it on, something happens”. All the “cool” people needed one “to belong”. I could never afford one.

Our verse today is just 12 words that seem to be a throwaway line amid an incredible passage about love, marriage, and the church. I have spent the past few days contemplating and asking the Holy Spirit to help me make sense of this verse. There are so many spiritual truths to unpack that I recommend you read and re read this passage several times. The Greek word for “member” is melos which means “a limb of the body”.  Does that mean that we are “limbs” of Christ’s body? In a sense I understand that it means we are limbs of the body of Christ – His church. But it appears that we are also part of His glorified body. The surrounding verses talk of man and wife becoming one flesh when married and that is a picture of the groom (Christ) with His bride (the church). So, when we become Christians, we become one flesh with Christ, in a spiritual sense. That truth changes my daily decisions and how I am currently using my body – what I am watching, eating, and doing. Our body is where the Holy Spirit abides. We are “members only” with Christ – a very exclusive and expensive club. The cost has been paid by Christ on the cross, even though we could never afford it. He clothes us with His righteousness so we don’t need ordinary jackets.

Dave R

   ’69 / ’83   Quarryville  PA