WHILE it is very blessed to keep before our souls the heavenly aspect of this wonderful relationship, as it is developed in the Epistle to the Ephesians, it is highly important to understand the earthly side also as unfolded in the first Epistle to the Corinthians. In the latter, the church of God is not viewed from the standpoint of God’s eternal counsels, but in its actual working as an organization on earth. If the mind of God is desired by any as to the collective walk of the saints, it will be found fully declared in Corinthians.
Thus when the body of Christ is introduced, we read, “For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body being many are one body, so also is Christ. For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit” (1 Cor. 12:12, 1312For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is Christ. 13For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit. (1 Corinthians 12:12‑13)). Here the apostle likens the union existing between Christ and His saints to a body with its many component parts, and speaks of Head and members as “the Christ.” Marvelous fruit of divine grace and power! This was brought about by the baptism of the Holy Ghost, of which John the Baptist and the Lord Jesus spoke, and which took place on the day of Pentecost (Matt. 3:1111I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance: but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire: (Matthew 3:11); Acts 1:5; 2:1-65For John truly baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence. (Acts 1:5)
1And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. 2And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. 3And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them. 4And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance. 5And there were dwelling at Jerusalem Jews, devout men, out of every nation under heaven. 6Now when this was noised abroad, the multitude came together, and were confounded, because that every man heard them speak in his own language. (Acts 2:1‑6)). Since that moment, the body of Christ has ever been an existing thing on the earth.
The apostle proceeds to point out the responsibilities attaching to the relationship, adding some practical exhortations. First, he lays down that all the members have had their places assigned to them by God, and that there is to be no discontent. “For the body is not one member, but many. If the foot shall say, Because I am not the hand, I am not of the body; is it therefore not of the body? And if the ear shall say, Because I am not the eye, I am not of the body; is it therefore not of the body? If the whole body were an eye, where were the hearing? If the whole were hearing, where were the smelling? But now hath God set the members everyone of them in the body as it hath pleased him” (verses 14-18). God is sovereign in His disposal; to each saint He has assigned a place and function as seemed good to Him. Who are we to raise questions with God? Yet how often we hear discontent among the members of Christ’s body! How frequently do we find saints contending for a place and position to which they were never called and consequently for which they were never fitted! This is a fruitful source of hindrance to the aspirants and to others, for each undoubtedly has a part to perform that no one else can do so well. Our business is to learn our place; and whatever it be, to fill it in the power of the Holy Ghost.
But not only is there to be no discontent, God will not have contempt either from the more gifted of those less favored of Him. “If they were all one member, where were the body? But now are they many members, yet but one body. The eye cannot say unto the hand, I have no need of thee: nor again the head to the feet, I have no need of you” (vers. 19-21). It is vain for the highly gifted to suppose that they are the only essential members of Christ’s body; we cannot afford to do without the least. He who wrote this Epistle led the way in grace in this respect. We always find him respecting, and going out of his way to honor brethren of smaller gifts and ability than himself. He valued all according to their grace and endowments as received from God. In speaking of head and feet, he gives us the widest extremes possible.
The “feeble” members too are not to be slighted. We find some such in Romans 14. Souls who were slow in their apprehension of their true liberty as in Christ risen, the apostle describes as “weak in the faith,” but insists on their being received and graciously helped. If all came up to the standard, what opportunity would there be for Christian forbearance, patience and love? Let us never despise the feeble, but rather let us seek to help them for the Head’s sake. The “uncomely” members also are not to be discarded. These are more trying to walk with than the feeble, as probably most of us have proved; but it is a great help to bear in mind that, however ungainly, they are Christ’s. Not only so, but they will bear the image of the heavenly presently, even as we. Let us deal with the uncomeliness in the body of Christ as we would in our natural bodies. Any deformity or blemish in our persons we should hide up as far as possible: grace should lead us to do no less with regard to the failures of our brethren. I am not now referring to positive sin; but the many little uglinesses that are too frequently to be observed in Christ’s members, through want of watchfulness and self-judgment in His presence.
All round the apostle desires godly care to be shown the one for the other. Sorrows and sufferings should be shared and helped, even as we participate in each other’s joy. Such is the order of God for His saints in their walk together below. But how little is it realized! In early Christian days when faith was fresh, and love was warm, all this was seen in large measure, but how dim has the fine gold become! Dissension and division have marred all, to the Lord’s dishonor, and the church’s loss. Let us seek grace to walk agreeably to these divine principles in the last days. The Corinthian assembly was representatively “Christ’s body.” On this ground they stood and acted. No other ground is the mind of God for today.
W.W.F.