The Interdependence of Christ’s Church
No child of God is sufficient of himself, not even in God alone; for God has so ordained it that His whole family are bound together, interdependent, parts of one great whole. This oneness is not effected by coercive bonds, but by the one life, as God designed that it should be demonstrated in His own church, as it is demonstrated in the illustrations Inspiration uses of that church, the human body, and the vine and its branches. The head represents Christ; the vine represents Christ; and with Him every member has life connection; but the members need more than the head, the brain, the mind. The eye needs the ear, the hand needs the eye, one hand needs the other. The hand needs the arm, the arm the hand. Who ever heard of one hand binding up itself, if wounded? A knee is an indispensable member; but who ever heard of a knee dressing its own wounds? So God has placed in His church various gifts, such as wisdom, knowledge, rulership, ministering. The gift of wisdom is there to give counsel to the man of action, and the gift of ministry is to give effect to the counsel of the wise. Christ is the Head of every man, and every member has life connection with the Head. But no member can be a body by himself, and if he attempts it, the result will be a monstrosity. But he who truly unites with Christ Jesus will be an effectual part of a harmonious whole, receiving completeness from every part, and in turn blessing and adding to every part.