The One Body and Its Members

In Acts 2:42 it is said of the early disciples that "they continued steadfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers." After the conversion of Saul of Tarsus an entirely new revelation was made to the Church through this once champion persecutor of the saints; namely, that every believer on earth was united to Christ by the Holy Ghost (see Acts 9:4; 1 Cor. 6:17; 1 Cor. 12:12-27); that "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 (the) 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, 13). Then, in Ephesians 4:3, 4, we not only get the same fact plainly stated- "There is one body," but we are exhorted to "endeavour to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace"; that is, we are to maintain practically what the Holy Ghost has formed spiritually. There are two classes of Christians in the world.

One practically says, "Man has formed many bodies, and I being a member of one of these (the best according to my opinion), desire to serve its interests in every possible way I can." The other says, "God has formed one body and made me a member of it, and now I desire by His grace to serve the interests of the Head of that body, according to the principles laid down in His Word who formed it." Now, dear reader, to which of these classes do you belong? Alas! how many a precious saint of God is represented by the first!

Do you not often hear a Christian talk about "joining" this or that body? Surely such an one forgets (if ever he knew) that the only body which God in His word recognizes is the "one body" of which Christ Himself is the Head, and of which every true believer is a living member. If saved, therefore (to use a common expression), you are already a "joined member." "He that is joined unto the Lord is one Spirit," (1 Cor, 6:17). And in 1 Corinthians 6:18, using the figure of the human body, the apostle says "God HATH SET the members every one of them in the body AS IT HATH PLEASED HIM."

What sad confusion then to talk of joining some other body. Why not be content with the place God has given you in the "body of Christ," and seek through grace to fulfill the responsibilities of such a place? Now the Holy Ghost certainly never baptized believers into a "sect" or denomination. Look at 1 Corinthians 1:12, 13, and chapter 3:3, and you will see that He meets on the very threshold, so to speak, the incoming of sectarian spirit in Corinth with a most withering stroke of condemnation.

"Are ye not carnal, and walk as men? for while one saith, I am of Paul; and another, I of Apollos; are ye not carnal?" But you may enquire, 'If it is wrong to stand upon or uphold a sectarian position, is there any definite way laid down in God's word of expressing the truth of the one body?" To answer this we must look a little at what Scripture says of