p. 4 | The Holy Spirit by John Orr Corliss

Pacific Press Publishing Association · Mountain View, California · Jun 21, 1910

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 37, No. 24.

The Holy Spirit

By John Orr Corliss

IX. The Church Complete in Every Gift

THE church is an assembly of people "called out," or separated from the world, to be governed from heaven, instead of from earth. It is therefore designated as the "church of the living God." 1 Tim. 3:15. It would seem the greatest folly, to assume that an organization with this pure and lofty title, should rest on so frail a foundation as a mere man. Strange indeed, that one sunken so low in sin as to become alienated from God and His government, needing the infinite power of Christ to heal the breach, should become the groundwork of so holy an institution as the "church of God." Matt. 16:18. Stranger still would it seem, that Christ should come forth from God (John 8:42) for the purpose of establishing His church, bearing the name of God, and then place the honor of its foundation upon a puny, unstable man, thus robbing God of the glory which was His own.

There was a good reason why the church of Christ needed a more substantial foundation than mortal man could provide. God’s earthly assembly was to be a stately column, towering high above sin’s desolation,—a "polished shaft" toward which might ever hopefully be turned the eye of inquiry for basic truth. 1 Tim. 3:15. This pillar and foundation of stable fact, became such through its adoption as the "body of Christ," who is the "Amen," the "faithful and true Witness" of Jehovah Himself. Eph. 1:23; Rev. 3:14.

Not only has Christ transferred His earthly presence from the single fleshly body of nineteen centuries ago, to His adopted church of to-day, made up from many members; but He constitutes Himself its head, or guiding energy, the preeminent chief over all things pertaining to His work. Col. 1:18. No human force was delegated to lead God’s sacred assembly; not even the angels of heaven were to be entrusted with a work so high and holy. Too much was involved in the plan. The blood of God’s Only-Begotten must be cast into the balance. The highest angels were commissioned to assist in the work; but the sacrificial One was anointed to stand above them all. Heb. 1:6-9. He alone was to bring "man sons unto glory," as the "Captain of their salvation." Heb. 2:10.

A Fully Endowed Church

For this reason, the Sanctifier and the sanctified became blended in one body as brethren (verse 11), Christ as the Head of the church, and all its members as subjects of His impulse. Eph. 5:24. This indwelling of Christ with His people is the great mystery of the ages; yet, great as the enigma, this is the only hope of glory for man, or the composite church. Col. 1:26, 27. But even more glorious things have been spoken of the body of Christ. It is the chosen medium through which the infinite wisdom of God’s eternal purpose in Christ, is to be laid bare before the highest powers of heaven. Eph. 3:10, 11. Only through the uplift of men from the lowest strata of degradation, to the high plane of equality with the angels, can the infinite love and mercy of God be fully known. Then will the church appear glorious, without a single stain of sin, having been washed white in the "blood of the Lamb." Eph. 5:27.

The church being made the agency for such an indescribable work, it would seem necessary for it to be especially endowed for its allotted employment. This was not forgotten by the Master of the earthly household, when ascending to the place whence He came. Accordingly various positions were made ready for those best adapted to fill them. These included apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, and teachers, for the building up of Christ’s body,—the church,—to the full stature of its divine Head. Eph. 4:11-13.

In order to the proper occupation of these places, God bestowed qualifying gifts to meet every emergency. To one was given special wisdom for counsel; another received superior knowledge for instruction; persevering steadfastness characterized a third person for initiative. Of others, some wrought miracles; some prophesied; others were for discerning motives; additional ones had the gift of tongues, while some interpreted the meaning of the tongues. Besides these, were gifts of healing, supporting, and directing. 1 Cor. 12:8-10, 28. These were all necessary in the church, because Christ Himself possessed them all. In Him are "hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge." Col. 2:3. "In Him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily." Verse 9. The perfect church, being Christ’s body, must be clothed with all these attributes; otherwise it could not well stand in His place on earth, to speak and act for Him. His mind being the directing agency of the church as its head, He would speak through and operate

in the church, as He did in His fleshly body of nineteen hundred years ago. Since His bodily presence has been transferred to heaven, the church is His fleshly body, to operate among men. Therefore all the gifts of Christ are necessary in the church to the perfect working of His will among men. No one has all these gifts, but they have been distributed in "diversities of operations," to every man severally as God wills. 1 Cor. 12:6, 11.

These many gifts were as members set in the church, to give it form and efficiency, as the members of the human body give the body comeliness and strength. As parts of the human body are under control of the head, and in action express the will of the directing power, so each agency in the church has been established through which to express the governing wish of its infinite Head.

A Fulness of Gifts

No human form can do certain acts required, if the member is missing which was specially set in the body to do that work. For instance, destroy the organ of sight, and no other member of the body can take its work; it is the same regarding the organ of hearing; remove the feet, and the body is permanently crippled. So with the church; let a single gift of the Spirit be set aside, and the church has lost its fulness of power to enter the many avenues of efficiency assigned to it.

The reason for this is quite evident. Every good gift is from God, and is meant for the uplift of those to whom it is sent. James 1:17. To ignore but one of these gifts, is to offer insult to the One bestowing it, and begets a disregard for the promptings of other gifts which are from the same source. Every gift of the Spirit is offered as a means by which God would witness with His church in its work among men. Heb. 2:4. It matters not through which gift God would testify to men in His earthly assembly; to neglect that gift, is to set aside, and make a thing of naught, God’s effort to bear witness of Himself in behalf of man’s salvation.

True, large portions of the professed church have long since lost sight of these particular gifts which make a perfect organization. But in the near future, when Christ comes to claim His own, there will be found a waiting church, the members of which will be like their Master, because of having received His Spirit in its fulness. 1 John 3:2. These will have been enriched "in all utterance, and in all knowledge," through the complete "testimony of Christ" having been "confirmed" in them. Being thus made blameless through receiving every gift of the Spirit, it may be well said of them, Truly they are "waiting for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ." 1 Cor. 1:5-8. Happy people indeed, who are thus found when Christ appears in the clouds of heaven.