WE have seen by the Scriptures that the church in the world is the body of Christ and the building or house of God; and that Christ’s people, his called-out ones, are members of this his body, are “lively stones” in this building, and are members of that “household of God.” Of this building Christ is the “foundation,” the “chief corner,” the life and the light of all the stones that compose the building. 1 Corinthians 3:11; Ephesians 2:20; 1 Peter 2:3-5.MEDM November 7, 1906, page 155.1

Of this household Christ is the father and head. Isaiah 9:6; Hebrews 2:13; 3:6. Of this body Christ is the head; he is likewise the head of each particular member of the body, because of his being the head of the body, Colossians 1:18; 1 Corinthians 12:27; 11:3.MEDM November 7, 1906, page 155.2

Of this building, which is the church or the house of God, Christ is the builder; as it is written, “Upon this Rock I will build my Church.” Matthew 16:17, 18. It is a “Spiritual house,” built by him “for an habitation of God through the Spirit.” Ephesians 2:22.MEDM November 7, 1906, page 155.3

Taking the human body as the means of illustration, this body of Christ, which is his church of which his called-out ones are the members, is presented for our thought and comprehension thus: “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. 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 every one of them in the body, as it hath pleased him. And if they were all one member, where were the body? But now are they many members, yet but one body. And 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.... Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular.” 1 Corinthians 12:12-27.MEDM November 7, 1906, page 155.4

Thus Christ’s called-out ones are members of him, and compose his body, the church, just as the members of the human body—hands, feet, eyes, etc.,—compose the human body. And Christ is the head of his body the church, exactly and as truly as the human head is the head of the human body. And Christ is the head of each particular member of the church which is his body, exactly and as truly as the head of the human body is the head of each particular member of the human body.MEDM November 7, 1906, page 155.5

The head of the human body is the intelligence, is the will, is the judgment, the decision and the direction, of the whole human body, and of each particular member of the human body. So also is Christ the intelligence, the will, the judgment, the decision, and the direction, of his whole body, and of each particular member of his body, which is the Church.MEDM November 7, 1906, page 155.6

No member of the human body—no arm, no leg, no hand, no foot, no finger; not even any joint of any finger—can make a single intelligent motion, except as, in that particular motion, it is directed, by and from the head. Just so no member of Christ’s body which is his church, is to perform any action, and can not perform any Christian action, except as in that particular action, he is directed by and from Christ who is his head. Thus is the will of God done in his people on earth, as that will is in heaven.MEDM November 7, 1906, page 156.1

No member of the human body is ever directed or controlled in its action by any other member of the human body. Every member is directed and controlled in its every action by and from the head alone. So also it is in the body of Christ, and among the members of his body, which is his Church.MEDM November 7, 1906, page 156.2

While in the human body no member directs or controls any other member in what that member shall do, at the same time all other members of the human body respond promptly on the instant, to the slightest intimation from the head that they shall help any member of the body in whatever that member may be directed by the head to do. So also it is in the body of Christ, and among the members of his body which is the church.MEDM November 7, 1906, page 156.3

Thus there is no schism, no division, and no friction in the human body, nor among the members of the body, because each member is directed and kept in all its ways by and from the head alone. And thus, and thus alone, it is or can ever be that there shall never be schism, or division, or friction in the body of Christ, and among the members of that body, which is the church. Then no member claims, and much less asserts dominion over another’s faith, but each and all are helpers of the other’s joy; no one seeks to please himself, but only “to please his neighbor for good unto edification”—to his building up. 2 Corinthians 1:24; Romans 15:1, 2.MEDM November 7, 1906, page 156.4

From the Scriptures and from the facts of the divine illustration given, it is perfectly plain that as Christ is the builder of the house which if his church, so also he is the organizer of his body, which is the church. Nor are we in this left to this conclusion, evident as it is in its perfect plainness; it is even more plainly stated in the word of Scripture. Read it:—MEDM November 7, 1906, page 156.5

“But [we] speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ: from whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love.”MEDM November 7, 1906, page 156.6

Again: “The Head from which all the body by joints and bands, having nourishment ministered, and knit together, increaseth with the increase of God.” Colossians 2:19; 1 Corinthians 3:6.MEDM November 7, 1906, page 156.7

It is not by might nor by power, it is not by manipulation nor by machinery, it is not by any human contrivance or conception, it is not by any initiative or action of the members that this organization by and from the head is accomplished, but “by my Spirit saith the Lord of hosts.” As in the human body it is God who hath by his creative power “set the members every one of them in the body as it hath pleased him,” so also in the body of Christ, which is his church, it is God, who by the power of his brooding, organizing Spirit hath set the members every one of them in his body.MEDM November 7, 1906, page 156.8

“Wherefore he saith, When he ascended up on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men.... And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; for the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ; till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ.” Ephesians 4:8-13.MEDM November 7, 1906, page 156.9

“Now there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. And there are differences of administrations, but the same Lord. And there are diversities of operations, but it is the same God which worketh all in all.MEDM November 7, 1906, page 156.10

“But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal. For to one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom; to another the word of knowledge by the same Spirit; to another faith by the same Spirit; to another the gifts of healing by the same Spirit; to another the working of miracles; to another prophecy; to another discerning of spirits; to another [divers] kinds of tongues; to another the interpretation of tongues; but all these worketh that one and the self-same Spirit, dividing to every man severally as he will.MEDM November 7, 1906, page 156.11

“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 Corinthians 12:4-13.MEDM November 7, 1906, page 156.12

The Holy Spirit, then, is the only means of the organization and unity of the body of Christ, which is the church. And from Christ, the head, alone, through his Holy Spirit alone it is unified, and organized and led in the work of Christ in the world. It is impossible that it should be otherwise, because:—MEDM November 7, 1906, page 156.13

First, Christ is not only the head of the church, but “he is the head over all things to the church, which is his body.” Ephesians 1:22. Anything therefore, relating to the church, anything whatever pertaining to the church, which is ever said or done or purposed, of which Christ is not the recognized head, is vanity itself in addition to its being the usurpation of his place and authority, by whomsoever done, said, or purposed.MEDM November 7, 1906, page 156.14

Second, “the church which is his body,” is “the fulness of Him that filleth all in all.” Ephesians 1:23. Then how could it be possible that any conception of the church, could be correct except only his own divine conception? And how could it be possible for that divine conception to be accomplished by any other than his own divine Spirit?MEDM November 7, 1906, page 156.15

O, there is due to the individual, to the church and to the world a far deeper and broader view of the church of Christ than is held to-day by even the membership of that church. And that is to say that there is needed to-day by the membership of that church a deeper baptism of the Holy Spirit, and a more earnest seeking for this, than there has ever been in this world since the glorious day of Pentecost.MEDM November 7, 1906, page 156.16

“Ask and receive.” “He that asketh receiveth.” “Receive ye the Holy Ghost.”MEDM November 7, 1906, page 156.17

October 31, 1906

November 14, 1906