For the Edifying of the Body of Christ by William Ambrose Spicer

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Washington, D. C. · Feb 2, 1911

“For the Edifying of the Body of Christ”

By William Ambrose Spicer

To edify is to build up. And all the gifts in the church — whether of apostles or prophets, evangelists, pastors, teachers, or helpers — are set of God “for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ.” Eph. 4: 11, 12.

No gift is independent of the others, and all, under God, are needed to build up and bind together the people of God “in the unity of the faith;” and as the believers hold together in that unity, the assurance is that they shall not be “tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine.” They will grow up together into Christ the head.

There is no gift from God provided for separating or tearing down, but only for edifying. We have now and then seen gifts perverted. Some one with the gift of an evangelist or teacher may, it is true, disparage other gifts divinely set in the body, and essential to unifying and building up the believers. And he may seek to do a work independent of the body. Again and again we have seen it tried, and have seen that this was not of God, and that the fruits of the Spirit were not in the work. The genuine gifts are always engaged in building up the body.

“There is one body.” And as we grow, hold together and press together in the one body, we grow up into 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 [building up] of itself in love.”

Here is one illustration of this truth: The New Jersey Conference has just closed its largest and strongest annual session, at Newark. Three years and a half ago the Newark church was in sore trial. Many of them, then but new in the faith, had been led to declare independence of our organized work, and to start out on the path of separation.

The Sabbath following it was my privilege to meet in a private home with a band of members of the church, mostly the older believers, who did not propose to be led out of this advent movement. Some from neighboring churches met with them to give them sympathy and encouragement. They reorganized, and lifted again the banner of truth. Very soon nearly all who had been led away found that they were being led toward darkness; that in separating from the body, they were losing touch with Christ, the head. And in the integrity of their souls they turned about and joined the ranks again. And the Newark church has truly been “edified,” built up. Their numbers have largely increased. The Lord’s Spirit is with them in peace and unity and power; and they are soon to build a house of worship in that populous industrial center. All hearts in the conference rejoiced with them at what the Lord had done for them. The truth builds up and unites for aggressive effort.

One other case in point may be mentioned: The first Sabbath of the week of prayer I met with the church in Buffalo, N. Y. The last time I had seen them previously, they were passing through trying agitation, due to the fact that the worker who had been in charge had adopted the theory of separation and independence, and led away some. In those days Newark and Buffalo were pointed to by certain opponents of our organized work as examples of the progress they were making.

But a very different story is now told. As I joined the brethren in Buffalo in the blessed Sabbath service, in which the Lord was with them by his tender Spirit, I met some who had once been for the moment confused by the blowing winds of doctrine, but who had turned into the true way as soon as they saw whither they were being led. And how they rejoiced in the security and peace within the body! And the church has grown and prospered, and within the last year or two has purchased a church building of its own.

All the way through to the end the enemy will attack this work. We shall have to meet his devisings from without and within. But as we know “the certainty of those things” wherein we have been instructed, we know that this advent movement is God’s work for these last days. Let every power and every gift be devoted to unifying and edifying; and “let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised).” Heb. 10: 23. W. A. S.