Oh that we ... and all men, might discern the Body of Christ.

When the body is discerned, within the church or fellowship, no one needs, for example, a special class to know their “spiritual gift.” IF you are in the body AND discern the body, you know you are an elbow or a thumb, you know your relationship to the Head, and have great Joy and Love for every part and your supplying role . The unity of/in the Spirit is abundantly evident.

How can those, outside of His body, discern His body when those in the body cannot discern Him. When the body of Christ is discernible by those that do not know Him, they are drawn to that body.

This may well be God's perception of what we call revival: believers and un-believers discerning the body of Christ. The Father loves the Son. God loves the body of Christ. He always has and desires that all men discern Him. I have confidence in this.

Since July 4th, this is how He is leading me to pray: that the body of Christ be discerned. There have been many elaborations on this.

In the Love of God
Joan

Those who are HIS are known of HIM
by HIS very Name; by their confession
of faith in the Savior, and by HIS
Spirit of truth that bears witness in
us and through us that we are HIS
very own!! We are also known by the
love we have for one another!!

_________________
Martin G. Smith

Two elaborations:

Nee, July 12, commenting on "From whom all the body fitly framed and knit together through that which every joint supplieth. Ephesians 4.16."

"If we have seen the body, ... When I come to the meeting ... As we all function, the life of the entire gathering will swallow up all death."

THE HANDIWORK OF GOD: Psalm 19:1 The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth his handiwork. This is true on earth also: His handiwork. We are made for His pleasure (Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created. Rev. 4:11).

Co-incidences, divine appointments, are His handiwork. Jesus, born the Son of Man, was His handiwork down through the ages. The Body of Christ is His handiwork, and each of us, throughout our lives on earth are His handiwork. Uniquely knit together in our mother's womb He continues. What a blessing to discern the Body of Christ. What Divine Love.

Joan,

Thank you for sharing on the need for the Church to discern the Body of Christ. We are truly members one of another, and we need each other. Even those members that are the least esteemed in the Body of Christ serve a vital function and are needed.

God is not pleased when one man (leader) takes the place of the body. All are living members and should also be functioning members. God needs that one talent members to do his part for the good of the Body.

Mike

_________________
Mike

JoanM, thank you for this timely post. When we read in 1Cor.11:29 regarding examining ourselves and discerning the Body at the Lord's Supper, it is in the context of waiting for one another and esteeming one another equally; not making distinctions of rank based on any status. Yet most interpret it as meaning that we must contemplate on Christ's bodily death and examine our lives to see if there is sin. Though that interpretation is partly correct, it is missing the immediate context and therefore missing an important matter, that of discerning the Body of Christ, the Church, as a priesthood of all believers who are equal in rank yet with differing functions.

you stated: