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Scripture Reading: Rom. 12; 1 Cor. 12, 14
Prayer: Lord, we pray for the churches in Your recovery. We ask You to speak to us. Show us the proper way to go on. Lord, cover us from any frustrations, attacks, or disturbances from the evil one. We trust in Your cleansing, covering, and prevailing blood.
We need to see more concerning the Body life. There are four main chapters in the New Testament concerning the Body life — Romans 12, 1 Corinthians 12, Ephesians 4, and Colossians 2. These chapters were all written by Paul, the only New Testament writer to use the expression the Body of Christ to describe the church. In order to know what the Body life is, we must study these four chapters. Even the order of these chapters in the New Testament is meaningful. Romans 12, the first of the four chapters, lays the foundation.
Romans 12 begins with an exhortation to present our physical body as a living sacrifice to God (v. 1). In order to do this, our body must be released from sin and death. In order to understand the matter of presenting our body as a living sacrifice to God in Romans 12, we must go back to chapters 6 through 8. In 6:6 we see that our body is “the body of sin.” Then in 7:24 we are told that our body is “the body of this death.” According to Genesis 1:27, God made man in His image so that man could fulfill God’s purpose. However, the fall brought in sin and death, which damaged man and annulled his body for the fulfilling of God’s purpose. The body of sin is strong in sinning against God, but the body of this death is weak in acting to serve and please God. Romans 8:11 tells us that our body is a mortal body, in other words, a dying body. In a sense, we begin dying the day that we are born. Apart from God’s salvation, we are only dying. However, when we are saved, God enters our being. He first enters our inmost part, our spirit. Accordingly, Romans 8:10 shows that life is imparted into our spirit. Then as we walk according to the spirit (v. 4), life spreads from our spirit to our mind, which represents our soul (v. 6). If we allow the Spirit of the Triune God to indwell us, to occupy us, life will eventually spread to our mortal body. In this way our body of sin and of death is recovered to become living and active for the fulfilling of God’s purpose. It is such a body that we can present as a living sacrifice to God for the Body life.
It is natural and religious to try to present our body to serve the Lord without the revelation of Romans 6—8. These chapters reveal that our body is the body of sin and of death and that our mortal body needs to be enlivened in order to be prepared, proper, qualified, and capable for God’s use. It is only such a body that we can present to God for the Body life. We cannot present the body of sin and of death to God. However, Romans 8:2 says, “The law of the Spirit of life has freed me in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and of death.” The context of this verse indicates that to be freed from the law of sin and of death means to have our body freed from sin and death. Verse 11 says, “If the Spirit of the One who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who indwells you.” This is to set the body of sin and of death free from sin and death. First Thessalonians 5:23 says, “The God of peace Himself sanctify you wholly, and may your spirit and soul and body be preserved complete.” First, our spirit and our soul are freed from sin and death. Ultimately, our body is also freed so that our entire tripartite being is freed from the dominion of sin and death. Then our body is qualified to be presented to God, for God can use only such a freed body. Thus, we need to walk according to the spirit so that our body will be freed from sin and death, given life, and qualified to be presented to God.
When our body is ready to be presented to God, our entire being is ready. We are composed of three parts, but these parts are not separate. It is impossible to have a spirit and soul that are holy and a body that is not holy. If we walk according to the spirit, our spirit, soul, and body will be free from sin and death and full of life, and our body will be qualified to be presented to God. This is a basic requirement for the Body life, for if our body is not presented to God, we cannot have the Body life. In order to have the Body life, the primary requirement is to present to God a freed and enlivened body, which is able to serve God to fulfill His purpose.
After Romans 12:1 exhorts us to present our freed and enlivened bodies to God for the Body life, verse 2 deals with our soul, represented by the mind. It says, “Be transformed by the renewing of the mind that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and well pleasing and perfect.” The order of the spirit, mind, and body in Romans 8 is reversed in Romans 12. Romans 8 reveals that we are freed and enlivened first in the spirit, then in the mind, and last in the body (vv. 2-11), and Romans 12 shows that in order to be used by God for the Body of Christ, we must first present our body, then have our mind renewed, and last be burning in spirit (vv. 1-2, 11). This is a two-way traffic, coming and going. We are freed from sin and death first in our spirit, then in our mind, and last in our body. Then we are used by God first in our body, then in our mind, and last in our spirit.
The body needs to be enlivened and presented to God. The mind needs to be set on the spirit by being filled and occupied with the things concerning Christ and renewed with the divine element and essence (8:6; 12:2). To have our mind renewed is not to change our mind but to have a new element and essence added into our mind so that it becomes a new mind. When the mind is renewed with the divine element and essence, we know God’s will, that which is well pleasing to Him. Verse 11 says, “Be burning in spirit, serving the Lord.” Thus, the body is enlivened and presented, the mind is renewed, and the spirit is burning. These are the three basic requirements for the Body life. When our being is in such a condition, we can and will function for the building up of the Body of Christ.
Having an enlivened body, a renewed mind, and a burning spirit depends on our walking according to the spirit. Therefore, walking according to the spirit is a basic requirement. It is also the conclusion of the first seven chapters of Romans. Chapters 1 and 2 tell us that we were fallen sinners; chapters 3 and 4 show that we were redeemed, justified, and reconciled; and chapters 5 through 7 deal with our sanctification. Then Romans 8:4 reveals that we need to walk according to the spirit. This is the conclusion of Romans 1—7. We need to see this and live a life of walking according to the spirit. The issue will be that our body is enlivened, our mind is renewed, and our spirit is burning.
When we walk according to the spirit and have an enlivened body, a renewed mind, and a burning spirit, we will be prepared for the Body life and function properly in the Body life. Our functioning will not be individualistic, as the work of many Christian workers is. The work of such ones is not to function in the Body. If we pass through the experiences revealed in Romans 1—8, we will function as members in the Body according to Romans 12. There is a great difference between working individualistically and functioning in the Body. If we migrate to establish a church in a new locality, we should not go individualistically but as a member functioning in the Body. In order to do this, we need to pass through the experiences revealed in Romans 1—8. Otherwise, it is only our flesh migrating.
My heart aches for and pities those in Christianity who are in darkness. They may have objective, traditional, doctrinal theology, but they do not have the living light. Therefore, they work in blindness. The Lord said that such ones are “blind guides of the blind” (Matt. 15:14). However, the light in the word of the New Testament, and especially in the Epistles of Paul, is clear to us. How we need to thank the Lord that He has opened His Word to us, making every portion of the Bible transparent and bright.
After we enter into the experience of functioning in the Body according to Romans 12, we can go on to the experience of 1 Corinthians 12. First Corinthians 12 is a higher stage than Romans 12. Romans 8 concerns walking according to the spirit (v. 4), and 1 Corinthians 12 concerns drinking of the Spirit (v. 13). Drinking of the Spirit is not merely for our individual enjoyment of the Lord but for the Body life. In the past those who were stirred up to drink of the Spirit but did not care for the Body life eventually lost their enjoyment. If our drinking of the Spirit is for the Body life, we will maintain our enjoyment. We should care more for the Body life than for excitement. The drinking of the Spirit in 1 Corinthians is for the Body life.
Drinking of the Spirit issues in at least three things that are recorded and developed in 1 Corinthians 12 and 14. Chapter 13 is a parenthetical section. First, drinking of the Spirit issues in functioning. No other chapters in the New Testament go to such lengths to show us the way to function as do 1 Corinthians 12 and 14. If we see the real functioning in these two chapters, we will realize that much of the preaching and teaching among Christians today is abnormal because these activities are neither in the Body nor for the Body. Paul teaches that the proper speaking in the meetings, whether prophesying or speaking in tongues, is in the Body and for the Body. When we drink the Spirit, we will function properly.
Second, drinking of the Spirit issues in embracing every member. If we drink of the Spirit, we will embrace every member, especially the weaker and despised ones. First Corinthians 12:18 says, “God has placed the members, each one of them, in the body, even as He willed.” Verse 24 says, “God has blended the body together, giving more abundant honor to the member that lacked.” We need to consider the way that God has blended the Body of Christ together. Parents desire that all their children will be healthy and intelligent so that they can have a successful education and career. However, some children are born with or develop physical and mental disabilities. God uses such children to test us. No one desires to have this kind of child, but we must love and honor such children. Similarly, in every local church there are some weaker believers. Such ones may be of any age. It seems that some only make trouble. They may be opinionated, critical, and even rebellious. No elders desire to have such ones in their church. However, just as a family cannot cut off a weaker or troublesome child, we cannot exclude such believers. If we exclude any believer, we are no longer a genuine local church.
First Corinthians 12 strongly conveys the concept that we must embrace and love every believer. Verses 21 through 23 say, “The eye cannot say to the hand, I have no need of you; nor again the head to the feet, I have no need of you. But much rather the members of the body which seem to be weaker are necessary. And those members of the body which we consider to be less honorable, these we clothe with more abundant honor; and our uncomely members come to have more abundant comeliness.” We should not despise any member whom we think is intolerably talkative, opinionated, or rebellious. If we cut off such ones, we become sectarian. We need to remember that it was God who created and saved every believer. In the past I wondered why the Lord chose to save weaker and troublesome ones and bring them into the church life in His recovery. Now I am not bothered when I see such ones; instead, I rejoice and thank the Lord, for such ones cause us to know how narrow, religious, and proud we are. Troublesome ones terminate our self-confidence because they create situations in which we do not know what to do. The need to embrace such ones may cause us to think that we are not the right person to be an elder. The church is like a family, and no member can be cut off. If we are walking according to the spirit and drinking of the Spirit, we will embrace, love, and serve the weaker and troublesome ones.
Because every believer is born of God, they are all our brothers or sisters. Therefore, we must embrace all believers. We must be careful not to become sectarian. Paul says in Romans 16:17, “Mark those who make divisions and causes of stumbling contrary to the teaching which you have learned, and turn away from them.” In Titus 3:10 he says, “A factious man, after a first and second admonition, refuse.” However, Paul also says in 1 Corinthians 12:24-25, “God has blended the body together, giving more abundant honor to the member that lacked, that there would be no division in the body, but that the members would have the same care for one another.” The drinking of the one Spirit issues not only in functioning in and for the Body life but also in covering all kinds of weak believers for the Body life.
Third, drinking of the Spirit issues in not overstepping others’ ministry, which is not to contradict others’ functioning when we function. As we function, we should always be on the alert to keep the harmony. This basic thought is in 1 Corinthians 12 and 14. For instance, 1 Corinthians 14:30-32 says, “If something is revealed to another sitting by, the first should be silent. For you can all prophesy one by one that all may learn and all may be encouraged. And the spirits of prophets are subject to prophets.” This indicates that while one is speaking, another may receive inspiration to speak. If this happens while we are speaking, we should immediately stop and allow the other one to speak. In order to not overstep another’s ministry, we should not interrupt someone who is speaking in a meeting, but if another receives a burden to speak while we are speaking, we should yield to that one. In this way there will be no contradiction or conflict among the functioning members but only harmony.
First Corinthians 12 and 14 reveal that when we drink of the Spirit, we will function, embrace every member, especially the weaker ones, and not overstep others. Chapter 13 concerns love, which is also an issue of the drinking of the Spirit. When we drink of the Spirit, we can only love, and we love everyone. Love edifies more than any gift. Prophesying builds up the church more than tongue-speaking, yet without love neither gift means anything (14:1-5; 13:1-2). Even if we do not have the gift of prophecy, we can love. Love is not a gift but an innate capacity that every believer has. Furthermore, the divine life is love. Since we have been born of God, we possess the divine life, and the divine life loves. God is the source of life. To drink of the Spirit is to drink of the divine life. As we drink of life, life saturates us. Because this life is love, it causes us to love, which allows us to live the Body life. If we do not embrace all the believers, we are not in the Body life.
Question: Weaker members sometimes say something in a meeting that is not according to the truth or conveys something negative or damaging. As leading ones, how should we respond to such situations in order to care for the church?
Answer: To take care of this kind of situation, we first need the basic understanding and attitude that the Body is welcoming and inclusive. Second, if a brother is speaking something that is not profitable to the church or may damage some of the saints, the leading ones need to exercise wisdom in deciding how to handle the situation. The wisest way may be for the leading ones to look for an opportunity to say, “Brother, that is good enough.” I have seen this done many times, and in most cases the speaking one stopped speaking. If the speaking one does not heed such a word, the elders must allow him to speak a few more sentences before asking him to stop again. However, we need to avoid direct contradiction or argument. If a leading brother stands up to interrupt the speaking one and immediately tries to correct what he has spoken, this will only do further damage. We should not address what has been spoken until a later time. Furthermore, the leading one who asks the speaking brother to stop should not be the one to speak next. He should allow the meeting to continue under the leading of the Spirit.
The effect of negative speaking on a local church depends on the spiritual education of the saints. If their spiritual education is adequate, another member will immediately stand up to speak something positive. However, it should not relate directly to the negative speaking. When someone’s negative speaking touches a certain subject, the whole congregation should ignore the subject in that meeting. It is wise to wait for another time. Perhaps six months later, the proper time will come for a leading one to speak something that will heal the wound or recover the loss.
The church is not a battleground. We should not have a combative atmosphere in any church meeting. Even if someone comes with the intention to argue, we should not respond or react. In this way the church will remain orderly. First Corinthians 14:33 says, “God is not a God of confusion but of peace.” Verse 40 says, “All things must be done becomingly and in order.” Some incorrectly interpret these verses to mean that those who attend a meeting should stay seated and quiet and that the meeting should follow a set program. However, according to the context, the main thought of the apostle Paul in writing this is that we should not contradict others or argue when we speak in the meetings.
As leading ones of the church, we have to take care of the meetings. Just as in a family, we should not cast out the weaker and troublesome ones, but we sometimes have to act to protect them and the rest of the family. If a young boy is playing with a knife, his older brother should do something to wisely remove the knife so that the young one does not injure himself or others. This should be done not to exclude the child but to protect him and the rest of the family. We need wisdom for this. Our basic concept and attitude should be to embrace everyone. While keeping this basic attitude, we need to exercise our spirit to receive wisdom from the Lord concerning how to handle each case.
