And if they were all one member, where were the body?
If all were reduced to a single member there would be no body at all, for a body exists only as many distinct members joined together in one living whole. The church is that body under Christ as its Head and center of life and power, organized for service, so that to be joined to Christ is to be joined to His church. God Himself sets each member in place and gives different gifts, offices, and lines of work as He pleases for the good of the whole. No member can take the place of all the others, and no worker, branch, or institution can stand alone as an independent whole. The members therefore depend on one another, supplying what another lacks, caring and suffering and rejoicing together, and acting in harmony under the intelligence that governs them.
Body Needs Many Members
If all were one member there would be no body, for a body exists only as many distinct members joined together. Different gifts and roles are given as God chooses, and each member is needed and essential to the perfection of the work. No member is outside the body or unnecessary, and no member is to judge another gift by its own or claim to have no need of another. Treating differences as grounds for factions is forbidden, for separation among believers fails to show the power of the truth, and the lesson belongs together with the practice of love and with caring for one another in loving fellowship. What one lacks is supplied by another, as people of different minds, experience, and abilities counsel with and assist one another.
The members have different places, offices, and functions, and no single member can replace all the others. The hand or foot may do humble work without being head or heart, yet its service is important and effective, and its worth depends not on size but on love and motive. No one member is complete or possesses every qualification needed, so the members depend on one another and together form a complete and useful whole. It is God's order for some to serve in one line of work and others in other lines, all under the same Spirit and all for the good of the whole body. Each has an appointed work according to ability and must be active rather than idle, laboring in concerted effort without despising, envying, judging, or contemning others, without carnal emulation and pride, and with each particular contribution respected. Even a small gift can advance the work when varied gifts, abilities, and traits are valued, put to use, and joined in unity.
The members depend on one another to make a perfect whole, acting in harmony in obedience to the intelligence and laws that govern the being. As the different members of the human system unite to form the entire body and each performs its office in obedience to the intelligence that governs the whole, so the church is to be united in one symmetrical body subject to the sanctified intelligence of the whole. The church is like a well-regulated body formed by the union of all its members working under the head, each worker standing in an appointed station with his own office and place, speaking the truth in love, without fitful, spasmodic movements. Each part is to be respected, encouraged, sustained, and duly recognized, with no envy and no evil thinking, evil speaking, or evil acting. God has made people necessary to one another so that no one can serve successfully in independence, but each uses entrusted abilities under God's direction to help others and contribute to the perfection of the whole, with many or few in church capacity constituting members of Christ's body as hand, head, ear, eye, or limbs. Christlikeness blends every quality in harmonious proportion into a symmetrical whole without exalting one virtue at the expense of another, without antagonism, so that when one suffers all suffer, and usefulness grows by harmonious energy and sympathy of every part with the whole and by exercise of every gift for the benefit of the whole. Amid the perils of the last days every mental and physical power must be cultivated in right relation to each other, as God's gifts for character after the divine likeness, and the more believers drink of the Spirit the more they are animated and united by surpassing love.
The human body from head to feet and from eyes to feet illustrates this variety, for life rejects uniformity and requires diversity. This diversity is God's plan to meet the varied makeup, minds, and organizations of people in the world, since the strength of one servant is not the strength of another. All belong to one body centered in Christ as Head, with different offices and different gifts and operations by the same Spirit. Therefore each is to cultivate and use God-given powers and qualities, keeping personal will, identity, and independent natural traits instead of being governed and managed so completely by others that individuality is destroyed. No one is to force other minds to bend to personal ideas or mold judgment and character to human ideas, lest human training spoil what God would accomplish through a class others could not reach. Each must be left free for God to convict the heart and develop individual powers for a special work, laboring united with others to become more efficient, with brethren allowed their own individuality, figures, and ways of presentation without speaking the very same things in the same words and without contradiction, in an unseen, conscious, indivisible unity that interests and educates varied minds.
Christ Heads United Church
The church is one body under Jesus Christ as Head, the center of life and power, made up of many different members joined together for service, so that to be connected with Christ is to be connected with His church. If all were one member there would be no body, for unity depends on many members with different functions placed by God as He chooses, and no member is outside the body or unnecessary. God dispenses different gifts, roles, offices and operations by the same Spirit as He pleases, from head to feet, and each member is needed and must be actively exercised without rivalry, self-sufficiency, crowding, judging one gift by another, measuring, or saying to another that he is not needed. Members are mutually joined and mutually dependent in the living Head, suffering together when one suffers and honored, enlightened and rejoicing together when one is honored, with grace given to each according to the measure of Christ's gift for perfecting the saints into unity of faith and knowledge of the Son of God unto a perfect man unto the measure of Christ's stature. This diversity is God's plan to meet the varied make-up and minds of people in the world, since the strength of one servant is not the strength of another, so each is to cultivate and use God-given powers and qualities, keeping personal will, identity and individuality instead of being so governed and managed by others that individuality is destroyed, while laboring united to become more efficient. Different ministries, including gospel and medical missionary work, must serve united under Christ the acknowledged Head rather than separated, showing the world they follow a heavenly Leader and not merely human guidance, and to call a work undenominational and refuse to join in heart and spirit with God's chosen people whom He will bring through trial denies this oneness and creates discord and strife.
Differences must never become grounds for factions, division, contention, strife about who shall be greatest, or party spirit, for there is no more reason for strife over greatness among Christians than among members of the body over which shall be greatest. Separation among believers fails to show the truth's power, and the lesson of many distinct members belonging together is joined to the instruction to practice love, live in harmony, and work with one common interest and cooperation with Christ in restoring in man the moral image of God. No minister is to be conscience for other men or gain an experience for them, and truth is not to be taught so believers form separate parties under different heads, for contention breaks bodily unity, comes from narrow conceptions of unsanctified minds, and calls for reformation and plain investigation. Treating individual judgment as supreme and acting as an independent single member cannot stand, since Satan works to separate such ones from appointed channels of light, and to pass by God-appointed leaders bearing responsibility for advancement of truth and think light must come directly from God alone puts a worker where he will be deceived and overthrown. Every Christian has his own God-given responsibility and sphere to work out his own salvation and the salvation of family and associates, and highest usefulness lies not so much in possession of talents as in using them through the sanctified influence of the Holy Spirit with exactitude, daily gained knowledge in righteousness, trading upon talents to do good and bless others, recognizing Christ as Master-worker and laboring under His direction as His purchased property consecrated to His service, lest the record be unfaithful servant, for those regardless of that responsibility will find no place in the redeemed family. In God's wisdom Christian is united to Christian and church to church in close relationship, so human instrumentality cooperates with the divine, every agency is subordinate to the Holy Spirit, and all join in organized, well-directed effort to give the world the glad tidings of grace, putting the church's good ahead of private judgment and laboring in love and unity rather than acting independently.
God's order is simple organization and church order ordained for unity and perfection, with every church and every conference bound together as members of one body in reciprocal dependence, learning of Jesus, cherishing dependence, building one another up in most holy faith, and seeking the Holy Spirit so light is reflected in clear bright rays. Every part of the work must work connected with every other part, joined by golden links of heaven, with all united converted agencies combined into one vast influential agency under the law of cooperation in reciprocal influence, the divine cooperating with the human and the power of the future world brought into the present by the Holy Spirit pervading His body to transform the human into divine agencies working out united plans to reveal Christ and the cross to a world perishing in sin. There are to be no kings in its midst, no kingly power with one man controlling the whole, and no centralized rule perpetuated by any branch, for every influence is to bear upon every other influence and position does not give kingly authority. No officer is appointed to order and command the Lord's laborers, for the Lord Himself is over His heritage, and the man in office should stand as leader, adviser, counselor, helper in bearing burdens, and leader in thanksgiving to God, treating fellow laborers with the same consideration he would wish to receive, as brethren learning meekness from Christ and becoming Christlike. The different branches—General Conference affairs, publishing, sanitarium work—are members of one body governed by the same principles, so no institution is to be a kingdom of itself and no one is to think his branch vastly more important than the others, and no man has right to forbid a worker to go where he can find a place to work or to control his support, but workers are to go into destitute waste places, tell their necessities to the people, and build up the work wherever they can. To separate from conference organization to show supposed efficiency is entirely opposed to God's order, for the sacred chain of dependence binding men together is not slavery, and to break it by evil thinking and evil speaking, discord and separation lets the enemy rob families of happiness, rob the church of usefulness, and prevent the great blessed work of reformation.
The 12th and 13th chapters of First Corinthians are God's message to His people placed for consideration, showing the church as a body of many members and the relation members should sustain to one another, and those brought together in church capacity are to be united understandingly and intelligently. They should be committed to memory, written in mind and heart, studied and digested, not ignored, and given more weight while believers are being tried and tested, to shut them in with the Lord of heaven so the wicked one may have no power over them. They reveal the same unceasing tenderness the Lord shows in dealings with one another, teaching that when believers come together for counsel they are to speak good words to help and strengthen brethren, not stand apart in self-confidence watching to criticize and condemn. Genuine Christians true to faith and duty unite in service and jealously guard one another's interests even though mistakes are made.
Diverse Gifts Serve Whole
God sets each member in place as He pleases and hands out different gifts for the benefit of the whole body, with some serving in one line of work and others in other lines under the same Spirit. A body cannot be made of only one kind of member, so the many different members together make one body under Christ as head, and each one is essential to the perfection of the work. No member is self-sufficient and none may judge another gift by its own or say to another that it is not needed, but all are to serve together without rivalry or self-sufficiency. Recognizing this order guards against carnal emulation, pride, envy, and contempt, and it strengthens unity and mutual love. The gifts are given to serve God, uplift the Redeemer, represent truth, benefit all people, and help one another faithfully carry out duty, not to glorify their possessors or uplift people.
Every member has an appointed place, post, and work according to ability, and no one can belong to the body and remain idle. The church needs people with varied minds and abilities, each assigned work, and each new member should become another worker, so the whole church acts in unity as a living, active, spiritual missionary body. Different lines of work are committed to different people, including praying with and helping those who are lame, sick, or dependent, yet all work for the Master is connected with the great whole. Each is called to take a proper place, stand in an appointed lot, do appointed work steadily, and put forth undivided effort controlled by divine power to draw those around to Christ. All are to work together in concert with hearts blended, moving like well-adjusted machinery with each part dependent on the other yet distinct in action, moved by one Spirit.
God has not qualified any one person to bear the burden alone, but has joined together people of different minds, talents, experience, and abilities so they will counsel with and assist one another. What is lacking in the experience and abilities of one is supplied by the experience and abilities of another, so people benefit and balance one another. Each member has a distinct office that no other can replace, and the different functions work together to make a complete and useful whole, bringing harmony and adaptability when each contribution is respected. No one person receives all of God's teaching, for God teaches different people whose varied thoughts and counsel help the others see what they had not considered. Members therefore share plans and writings, listen freely, and give and receive kind counsel, since each worker's relation to fellow workers calls for counsel, mutual help, and shared wisdom, and contact of mind with mind quickens thought and increases capability.
The different gifts must be respected without crowding, judging, measuring one by another, envy, pride, or contempt. No part is to be treated as unimportant, for people of every class and ability have a part in sharing light, and the health of the church depends on mutual sympathy and shared interests. No one member is complete or has every qualification needed, since God has made people necessary to one another and no one can serve successfully in independence. Each should therefore develop and use entrusted abilities under God's direction without despising or envying the gifts and work of others, and no worker should reject or oppose a fellow worker because that person serves in a different way. Individuality, traits, and distinct ways of working are to be preserved and given room rather than forced into one mold, for even a small gift can help advance the work when varied gifts, abilities, and traits are valued and put to use. This diversity must be blended in unity of action to make a complete whole, with liberty of expression yet capabilities joined in prayer, harmony, and love for carrying the message, through equal interest, unselfish cooperation, and aiming together at holiness and perfection of Christ's character, so differing gifts do not become confusion and division and no one works out an invention or launches out against another.
The Spirit gives gifts for edification and instruction throughout the Christian era, including prophets, teachers, helps, and governments, placed in the church to serve its needs until Christ returns. A body cannot consist entirely of one member, so these different members including the spiritual gifts are needed for the church to function. When the gifts are neglected the church loses their encouragement and correction, and when they are revived and active they strengthen the fainting and correct those who err. Part of God's order is the work of teaching others to fit them for service, with all working under the self-same Spirit for the good of the whole body.
Medical Work Joins Ministry
If all were one member there would be no body, for a body exists only as distinct members with distinct necessary offices joined together, and the work becomes unbalanced when one part takes the place of the whole. Medical missionary work is the hand and the arm, even the right hand, to the body, while preaching the third angel's message and the ministry of the Word that prepares a people to stand belong to the essential work of the body under Christ the Head. Neither is to be disparaged or carried on independently of the other, for the body needs both head and arms to do active aggressive work, and all members must be joined harmoniously with every other part in unity of movement to advance the plan. The arm is not to separate from the ministry nor say to the head that it has no need of it, and the body is not to become the arm by making medical missionary work all and in all or the principal all-important line. The warning message must still be given and the churches instructed, God's people taught to help the needy and the outcast, the ministry of the Word sustained, and the general features of the cause kept clear and distinct with no confederacy with the world and no weakening of the old landmarks of truth, experience, and duty.
The arm belongs joined to the body in inseparable union, bound up and joined closely together, for medical missionary work is the gospel in illustration and neither part is complete without the other. It must not supersede, eclipse, or separate from the ministry, nor run apart as hands and arms flying without direction of the head and leaving the ministry no standing room. To make what was designed to be hand and arm take the place of the whole leaves the work unbalanced and disproportionate, bringing confusion and unsettled minds, leaving many portions of the vineyard unworked, consuming means needed in other lines, consuming but not producing, sapping life and force from the ministry, and at last putting men where they will scoff at Bible truth. All parts are to be controlled and guided by the wisdom given, drawing in even cords under one standard without friction, with no jealousy and no division of Paul or Apollos or Cephas, wearing the yoke in humility of mind and using varied gifts to bless humanity. Ministers must give room to fellow laborers and not measure brethren by their own ideas, and no head physician or leader in sanitarium or ministry is to cherish selfishness, aspire to the chief place, or suppress fellow workers to protect influence, but each is to be respected in individual work under the one Head and all knit together with Christ dwelling in the heart by faith.
The same rule governs every other branch, for no branch separated from the others can be a perfect whole. General Conference affairs, the publishing work that gives truth to the world, the sanitarium work of restoring the sick and relieving suffering, the schools where children and youth are trained, and other lines are members of the one body governed by the same principles. No institution is to be a kingdom of itself or stand alone with walls of partition, division, or territorial lines, no one is to think the branch with which he is connected is of vastly more importance than the others, and no one line is to be pushed forward so that it hinders another. Health reform is part of present truth and belongs together with the other features of gospel work, never to be separated from it.
Ministers and physicians are different members who both have a part and must hold a different understanding of one another, with oneness of responsibility and no division between the parts. Christ made the whole work one, as much at home in healing as in preaching, proclaiming truth and laying His hand on the sick and afflicted with equal readiness and asking if they believed He could make them whole, because healing is part of the gospel itself. So gospel and health work are to be blended as body and arm, with all having an interest in the medical work and ministers prepared for practical medical work. True conversion must circulate through all the members like the healthful current of blood, and when it does great changes take place and disunion displeasing to God is put away. Lack of respect for health reform on tea, coffee, and flesh meats on one side and unjust harsh pressure and contempt on the other must be put away, since fault and management are not altogether on one side.
Medical missionary work as a leading member like the right hand opens doors for the body to enter and largely prepares the way for reception of present truth by breaking down prejudice and helping others, yet it is not the whole body or its head. A body without hands is useless and able to accomplish nothing when it treats the right hand indifferently and refuses its aid, for without them the body can do nothing. Therefore honor given to the body must also be given to the helping hands, since the work of the third angel's message as the body depends on its right hand to enter.
Labor Together Without Independence
If all were one member there would be no body, for God's people are one body and every member must stay united to the body, each working in his respective capacity. To disconnect from the appointed agencies and strike out on a separate line in supposed wisdom is the enemy's delusion, and though a person may flatter himself that he is doing God's work while separated, he will not prosper in the end. No worker, conference, sanitarium, or branch of the work can stand as an independent whole, for the body consists of distinct members and not one member alone. Each is given different capacities and a measure of ability and is expected to remain united and use the power given by God effectively in the work where he can serve, and one who insists on acting as a complete whole apart from fellow believers works against the body under Christ's leadership and brings harm upon himself.
No one mind has all wisdom to plan and direct alone, and no officer is appointed to order and command the Lord's laborers, for the Lord Himself is over His heritage. One man alone cannot bear the responsibilities of sacred office or be regarded as the voice for the people, and position does not give kingly authority nor prove superior wisdom or freedom from error. God has made other men just as valuable and is willing to teach and guide them, giving to every man talents according to ability with one mind having larger scope than another, so that when linked together each supplies the other's deficiency and they become a complete whole doing God's work in perfect harmony. Those placed in trust must therefore modestly regard the opinions of others as worthy of respect and likely to be as correct as their own, and must have connected with them as helpers men whose minds do not run in exactly the same lines. They are to stand as leaders, advisers, counselors and helpers in bearing burdens and in thanksgiving, treating fellow laborers with the consideration they would wish to receive, serving with Christ's meekness, daily subordinating will to Christ, never by self-estimation, old habits or position dictating and controlling consciences, so that members remain free as brethren learning meekness from Christ and becoming Christlike, with hearts bound together and the experienced encouraging the inexperienced.
It is not the Lord's plan for one man or two or three to gather all the work and strain into their own hands, while others whom God has chosen must stand by their side and share responsibilities and impart what they receive from the Word. If one is in advance in experience and knowledge it is because he educated himself by practice, and his brethren must have the same chance to learn from the great Teacher by being trusted with responsibilities that will perfect them. God gives each person a different line of service and all are linked through Christ, so each should carry out his assigned work and remain at his post rather than neglect his own duty to take up work assigned to another, interfere with another's distinct task, leave his place to rearrange the church, or correct and control the whole work. Those who leave their place thinking wisdom and success depend on them do not move the load but hinder others, throw the larger work out of harmony and make things much worse, whereas when each keeps his hand on his own machine and works diligently and correctly the larger machinery moves beautifully with exact and harmonious action. No minister contains the whole work or can dictate how every other worker must labor, and each has individual work and individual responsibility to the whole with individual power to devise and execute what is best for the many-sided life of people high and low, rich and poor, organizing men, women and youth of various temperaments, callings and positions to bring God-given talents into solemn service, recognizing tact to watch for souls, speaking words that arouse dormant energies, enlarge influence and make each a co-worker with Christ, while experienced workers teach and patiently support those with less experience and love guides treatment of fellow workers. Those deficient in some lines are not to be ignored, criticized or made subjects of remark, and no minister is to be made an errand boy, but each is to be helped, esteemed and yoked up with, even men without ability to open the Scriptures doing good service in secular lines, and it is no profit for ministers to sit hearing one man preach when preaching talent is needed elsewhere. A worker laboring alone may wrongly think his talent sufficient, but cooperation lets workers consult, pray and labor together, contributing what another lacks, and differences in lines of work and personal peculiarities are no reason to refuse fellowship, for treating them as a barrier hinders salvation.
If all were one member there would be no body, so God's work requires diversity in unity with many different members working in harmony as one whole, complete only in Christ while serving in different roles. Different minds will present the same truth of the third angel's message with different figures, expressions and ways of presentation to interest and educate different minds, and this difference is necessary and precious, yet they must not contradict one another, strive to be entirely different, strain for originality or count differing a virtue. All are brethren, members of the same body bought by the same blood, born of the same Spirit, fed from the same storehouse on the flesh and blood of the Son of God and worked by the same vitalizing current of the Holy Spirit, so when that current flows through them they act in harmony, dwell on points of agreement, labor without selfishness or self-exaltation and reveal tender compassionate love in plans, activities, words and character. Like many stones each with its special light adding beauty to one breastplate, and like different styles of building suited to different locations, different minds may be impressed by God with the same thought and express it differently yet without contradiction, each dwelling on points which constitution and education fitted him to appreciate, as sunlight falling on different objects gives a different hue, with truth given through the Spirit according to each mind's development without cramping into one mold, so one who does not view or express truth in precisely the same way may be just as precious to God and this should not perplex or confuse. This includes training colored workers to serve their own people with colored and white believers having places in one body in the work in the South, the time for many different workers doing great and small work united to make a perfect whole as in Greater New York, the school and sanitarium as distinct institutions each helping and strengthening the other, and medical students recognizing need for experienced physicians and learning under guidance rather than working alone.
God designed His people to organize and combine all united elements sanctified through truth into one vast influential agency, with all united converted agencies combining in one under cooperation in reciprocal influence, the divine cooperating with the human and the power of the future world brought into the present by the Holy Spirit pervading His body to transform the human into divine agencies working out united plans to reveal Christ and the cross to a world perishing in sin. There is to be no kingly power with one man controlling the whole, because every influence is to bear upon every other influence. It is not safe to be left alone to work on independent lines out of desire for independence, as shown in the call to brethren in southern California at the beginning of work in the new conference to humble hearts before the Lord and build on the solid Rock and work together in unity of purpose and action as parts of one great whole. Those who take up new work in one part of the field must receive help from those with experience in failure and success, accept counsel and careful scrutiny of movements, and knit work closely with other parts, harmonizing all advancement with work in other places instead of operating entirely separate. In an institution the workers form one body through which the Spirit of Christ must circulate as blood circulates through the human body, reaching every heart and mind and spirit, which requires true conversion with no half-way work and crucifixion of self, so that laborers unite in true repentance and conversion as at Pentecost and then Christ and heavenly angels cooperate with them in daily labors.
Love Care and Connections
If all were one member there would be no body, for a body exists only through many members joined together in different places and functions, and those differences are what make loving fellowship and mutual care necessary. As usefulness of the body grows by harmonious energy of every member and sympathy of every part with the whole, so the church is strengthened by well-regulated action of every part and exercise of every gift, with each individual working for the benefit of the whole and no envy or evil. Each has a place of duty not for selfish interests but to strengthen the others, and even those who feel least are connected through Christ with fellow workers and heavenly beings. Disciples are living members of one body who cannot remain separate, but mutually joined in Christ the living head and mutually dependent, so that if one suffers all suffer with it and if one is honored all are honored, enlightened and rejoice with him, and no part can say to another that it has no need of it. Those truly united to Christ show Christlike sympathy by kindly interest and willingness to help fellow workers, which brings sanctifying benefit of grace, and in church capacity whether many or few each acts a distinctive part as hand, head, ear, eye or limbs, blended in harmonious proportion into a symmetrical whole without antagonism and without exalting one virtue at the expense of another.
When believers meet for counsel they are to reveal the same unceasing tenderness the Lord shows them, speaking good words to help and strengthen brethren rather than standing apart in self-confidence to watch for opportunity to criticize and condemn, and genuine Christians true to faith and duty unite in service and jealously guard one another's interests even when mistakes are made. No one gift makes the whole body, so members must not crowd each other out, judge each other, or measure one gift against another, but welcome everyone who shows repentance toward God and faith in Jesus Christ and give courage against temptation instead of placing bars by criticism, while dealing sternly with self and bravely with perverse disposition and peculiar weaknesses so God is not dishonored. No one person alone is a complete whole and no one mind alone is sufficient to plan and direct the work, for God fits one for one work and another for a different work for which he is adapted, each to do its special work as complement of the others, blending in union with the Holy Spirit by taking time to understand each other, finding points of resemblance, supplying one another's lack, and giving due credit to keener perceptions in another. No leader should treat position as proof of superior wisdom or as placing him beyond error, but all are to serve in Christ's meekness relying on God and helping one another, which binds hearts together and enables the experienced to encourage the inexperienced. Union is strength and variance is weakness and sin, so the one body of many members must work harmoniously with no counter-influence, each acting in concert in the appointed part and post in the ministry of reconciliation, quickly settling every disagreement, praying and conversing together to break down barriers until heart is cemented to heart and self-will dies, and then exhibits miracle-working power as a spectacle to world, angels and men. The sacred chain of reciprocal dependence binding churches and conferences as members of one body is not slavery, and to break it by evil thinking and evil speaking, discord and separation lets the enemy rob families of happiness, rob the church of usefulness, and prevent reformation, whereas learning of Jesus, cherishing dependence, building one another up in most holy faith and seeking the Holy Spirit reflects light in clear bright rays.
Each member must serve beyond itself, for as the heart would lose its power if it stopped sending blood to hand and head, so a person who refuses to give and serve others will perish, while Christ's love shared throughout His spiritual body sustains all its parts. Efficiency of the Lord's work on earth depends on those made stewards of His means being true rather than robbing God, with assurance of His help as they each do the entrusted work of blessing and comforting those of like precious faith, being a light by example, looking to Jesus in faith, and responding to His giving His life to save with cheerful service.
The body is not made of one kind of member, and the hand or foot may do humble work without being head or heart, yet its service is important and effective because worth depends not on size but on love and motive. The church needs varied gifts, abilities and traits each valued and put to use, and even a small gift can advance the work when those with different gifts labor together in unity. People have different abilities, temperaments and trusts and not everyone is suited to every kind of work, yet unsuitability for a particular task does not mean faithlessness or unwillingness, for each has value and should seek God's direction in the entrusted work. Every class and kind of talent has a part in forming the complete whole, no part of the work should be undervalued or excluded, and interests and sympathies are so bound together that withdrawing concern from one another harms shared life and influence. No work done for the Master is inferior or of little account whether great or small, because God appoints it for the worker's own best good, for the good of fellow men and for advancement of His cause, and doing the appointed work cheerfully, humbly and in Christ's meekness brings glory to God instead of seeking another's talents or a work for which one is not fitted. If all were the same there would be no body, so the church as one family with many minds under one Mind needs peculiar characteristics, like many stones each with special light adding beauty to one breastplate, like different styles of building suited to different locations, and like sunlight falling on different objects giving a different hue, where different minds impressed with the same thought express it differently yet without contradiction, each dwelling on points constitution and education fitted him to appreciate, through the Holy Spirit without cramping into one mold, so one who does not view truth in precisely the same way may be just as precious, and this should not perplex, with no selfishness or self-exaltation since all draw from the same storehouse wholly dependent on God.
The same picture shows the Word as a complete body pervaded by one divine life, as the human body is a complete structure with every part united and dependent for life upon the other, where each book has its special office connected with the rest to form a complete whole, every portion having its use and lesson adapted to human beings in every phase of life to make the family complete in Christ, not a heap of odds and ends but an educator growing with study and holding inexhaustible treasure displaying infinite wisdom and glory. Relation of Christ and His church is close and sacred as head to body and bridegroom to bride, so connection with Christ involves connection with His church, church relationship is an obligation to be made plain to youth awakened to His claims, the church is organized for service, connection with it is one of the first steps in service, loyalty demands faithful performance of church duties as training, and in a church imbued with the Master's life that training leads directly to effort for the world. Members on earth are as different parts of a machine closely related to one another and dependent on one great center which is Christ, with unity in diversity and no member able to work successfully in detached independence. God provided for reciprocal action and mutual relation of all living beings, arranging all connected together and the whole to God, so no one can be dropped without affecting the whole and nothing is independent, and in creating Adam and Eve as parents of all He designed each human being to stand related to the rest as part of the web of humanity. Believers are members of one another bound in mutual responsibility, and their gifts and influence can be used to benefit one another or to cause harm. The church is a whole body of many living working members each enabled to act his part as workman and agent, all united as parts of a great machine carrying forward the work in symmetrical harmony with every member deriving power from the Author and Finisher of faith.
Spiritual health governs influence through the body, for when the church is healthy it sends life-giving influence to another branch, and when spiritually sick its harmful influence spreads until disease is evident throughout. A body of only one member would not be a body, so no person is a complete whole in himself, but believers are to be subject to one another and by submitting mind and will to the Holy Spirit remain learners of the great Teacher. No single mind or judgment suffices to plan and direct the work or to exert a healthful balanced influence alone, for unity in diversity is God's plan bringing different temperaments together in providence, blending diverse elements one adapted to the other, each doing its special work and supplying what another lacks, each filling a place in one great plan bearing Christ's image, for God is one. Spiritual peace and harmony bring health to the church just as harmonious action of all parts promotes physical health. A minister with unovercome defects disqualifies himself from building believers into healthy action, for where his influence is felt most the cause languishes and discouragement spreads, because brethren waiting for their shepherd to move forward suffer loss and do not feel free to move independently of one professing to feed the flock. Believers must be in union with the body and not stand separate, and for those with earthly possessions this requires overcoming selfishness and love of the world, getting possessions upon the altar amid warfare with Satan and evil angels, being guarded by God's Spirit, and willingly imparting substance to aid truth, so love of riches is overcome, love of truth predominates, heavenly treasure rises in value and earthly treasure loses attraction.
If all were reduced to a single member there would be no body at all, for a body exists only as many distinct members joined together in one living whole. The church is that body under Christ as its Head and center of life and power, organized for service, so that to be joined to Christ is to be joined to His church. God Himself sets each member in place and gives different gifts, offices, and lines of work as He pleases for the good of the whole. No member can take the place of all the others, and no worker, branch, or institution can stand alone as an independent whole. The members therefore depend on one another, supplying what another lacks, caring and suffering and rejoicing together, and acting in harmony under the intelligence that governs them.
Body Needs Many Members
If all were one member there would be no body, for a body exists only as many distinct members joined together. Different gifts and roles are given as God chooses, and each member is needed and essential to the perfection of the work. No member is outside the body or unnecessary, and no member is to judge another gift by its own or claim to have no need of another. Treating differences as grounds for factions is forbidden, for separation among believers fails to show the power of the truth, and the lesson belongs together with the practice of love and with caring for one another in loving fellowship. What one lacks is supplied by another, as people of different minds, experience, and abilities counsel with and assist one another.
The members have different places, offices, and functions, and no single member can replace all the others. The hand or foot may do humble work without being head or heart, yet its service is important and effective, and its worth depends not on size but on love and motive. No one member is complete or possesses every qualification needed, so the members depend on one another and together form a complete and useful whole. It is God's order for some to serve in one line of work and others in other lines, all under the same Spirit and all for the good of the whole body. Each has an appointed work according to ability and must be active rather than idle, laboring in concerted effort without despising, envying, judging, or contemning others, without carnal emulation and pride, and with each particular contribution respected. Even a small gift can advance the work when varied gifts, abilities, and traits are valued, put to use, and joined in unity.
The members depend on one another to make a perfect whole, acting in harmony in obedience to the intelligence and laws that govern the being. As the different members of the human system unite to form the entire body and each performs its office in obedience to the intelligence that governs the whole, so the church is to be united in one symmetrical body subject to the sanctified intelligence of the whole. The church is like a well-regulated body formed by the union of all its members working under the head, each worker standing in an appointed station with his own office and place, speaking the truth in love, without fitful, spasmodic movements. Each part is to be respected, encouraged, sustained, and duly recognized, with no envy and no evil thinking, evil speaking, or evil acting. God has made people necessary to one another so that no one can serve successfully in independence, but each uses entrusted abilities under God's direction to help others and contribute to the perfection of the whole, with many or few in church capacity constituting members of Christ's body as hand, head, ear, eye, or limbs. Christlikeness blends every quality in harmonious proportion into a symmetrical whole without exalting one virtue at the expense of another, without antagonism, so that when one suffers all suffer, and usefulness grows by harmonious energy and sympathy of every part with the whole and by exercise of every gift for the benefit of the whole. Amid the perils of the last days every mental and physical power must be cultivated in right relation to each other, as God's gifts for character after the divine likeness, and the more believers drink of the Spirit the more they are animated and united by surpassing love.
The human body from head to feet and from eyes to feet illustrates this variety, for life rejects uniformity and requires diversity. This diversity is God's plan to meet the varied makeup, minds, and organizations of people in the world, since the strength of one servant is not the strength of another. All belong to one body centered in Christ as Head, with different offices and different gifts and operations by the same Spirit. Therefore each is to cultivate and use God-given powers and qualities, keeping personal will, identity, and independent natural traits instead of being governed and managed so completely by others that individuality is destroyed. No one is to force other minds to bend to personal ideas or mold judgment and character to human ideas, lest human training spoil what God would accomplish through a class others could not reach. Each must be left free for God to convict the heart and develop individual powers for a special work, laboring united with others to become more efficient, with brethren allowed their own individuality, figures, and ways of presentation without speaking the very same things in the same words and without contradiction, in an unseen, conscious, indivisible unity that interests and educates varied minds.
Christ Heads United Church
The church is one body under Jesus Christ as Head, the center of life and power, made up of many different members joined together for service, so that to be connected with Christ is to be connected with His church. If all were one member there would be no body, for unity depends on many members with different functions placed by God as He chooses, and no member is outside the body or unnecessary. God dispenses different gifts, roles, offices and operations by the same Spirit as He pleases, from head to feet, and each member is needed and must be actively exercised without rivalry, self-sufficiency, crowding, judging one gift by another, measuring, or saying to another that he is not needed. Members are mutually joined and mutually dependent in the living Head, suffering together when one suffers and honored, enlightened and rejoicing together when one is honored, with grace given to each according to the measure of Christ's gift for perfecting the saints into unity of faith and knowledge of the Son of God unto a perfect man unto the measure of Christ's stature. This diversity is God's plan to meet the varied make-up and minds of people in the world, since the strength of one servant is not the strength of another, so each is to cultivate and use God-given powers and qualities, keeping personal will, identity and individuality instead of being so governed and managed by others that individuality is destroyed, while laboring united to become more efficient. Different ministries, including gospel and medical missionary work, must serve united under Christ the acknowledged Head rather than separated, showing the world they follow a heavenly Leader and not merely human guidance, and to call a work undenominational and refuse to join in heart and spirit with God's chosen people whom He will bring through trial denies this oneness and creates discord and strife.
Differences must never become grounds for factions, division, contention, strife about who shall be greatest, or party spirit, for there is no more reason for strife over greatness among Christians than among members of the body over which shall be greatest. Separation among believers fails to show the truth's power, and the lesson of many distinct members belonging together is joined to the instruction to practice love, live in harmony, and work with one common interest and cooperation with Christ in restoring in man the moral image of God. No minister is to be conscience for other men or gain an experience for them, and truth is not to be taught so believers form separate parties under different heads, for contention breaks bodily unity, comes from narrow conceptions of unsanctified minds, and calls for reformation and plain investigation. Treating individual judgment as supreme and acting as an independent single member cannot stand, since Satan works to separate such ones from appointed channels of light, and to pass by God-appointed leaders bearing responsibility for advancement of truth and think light must come directly from God alone puts a worker where he will be deceived and overthrown. Every Christian has his own God-given responsibility and sphere to work out his own salvation and the salvation of family and associates, and highest usefulness lies not so much in possession of talents as in using them through the sanctified influence of the Holy Spirit with exactitude, daily gained knowledge in righteousness, trading upon talents to do good and bless others, recognizing Christ as Master-worker and laboring under His direction as His purchased property consecrated to His service, lest the record be unfaithful servant, for those regardless of that responsibility will find no place in the redeemed family. In God's wisdom Christian is united to Christian and church to church in close relationship, so human instrumentality cooperates with the divine, every agency is subordinate to the Holy Spirit, and all join in organized, well-directed effort to give the world the glad tidings of grace, putting the church's good ahead of private judgment and laboring in love and unity rather than acting independently.
God's order is simple organization and church order ordained for unity and perfection, with every church and every conference bound together as members of one body in reciprocal dependence, learning of Jesus, cherishing dependence, building one another up in most holy faith, and seeking the Holy Spirit so light is reflected in clear bright rays. Every part of the work must work connected with every other part, joined by golden links of heaven, with all united converted agencies combined into one vast influential agency under the law of cooperation in reciprocal influence, the divine cooperating with the human and the power of the future world brought into the present by the Holy Spirit pervading His body to transform the human into divine agencies working out united plans to reveal Christ and the cross to a world perishing in sin. There are to be no kings in its midst, no kingly power with one man controlling the whole, and no centralized rule perpetuated by any branch, for every influence is to bear upon every other influence and position does not give kingly authority. No officer is appointed to order and command the Lord's laborers, for the Lord Himself is over His heritage, and the man in office should stand as leader, adviser, counselor, helper in bearing burdens, and leader in thanksgiving to God, treating fellow laborers with the same consideration he would wish to receive, as brethren learning meekness from Christ and becoming Christlike. The different branches—General Conference affairs, publishing, sanitarium work—are members of one body governed by the same principles, so no institution is to be a kingdom of itself and no one is to think his branch vastly more important than the others, and no man has right to forbid a worker to go where he can find a place to work or to control his support, but workers are to go into destitute waste places, tell their necessities to the people, and build up the work wherever they can. To separate from conference organization to show supposed efficiency is entirely opposed to God's order, for the sacred chain of dependence binding men together is not slavery, and to break it by evil thinking and evil speaking, discord and separation lets the enemy rob families of happiness, rob the church of usefulness, and prevent the great blessed work of reformation.
The 12th and 13th chapters of First Corinthians are God's message to His people placed for consideration, showing the church as a body of many members and the relation members should sustain to one another, and those brought together in church capacity are to be united understandingly and intelligently. They should be committed to memory, written in mind and heart, studied and digested, not ignored, and given more weight while believers are being tried and tested, to shut them in with the Lord of heaven so the wicked one may have no power over them. They reveal the same unceasing tenderness the Lord shows in dealings with one another, teaching that when believers come together for counsel they are to speak good words to help and strengthen brethren, not stand apart in self-confidence watching to criticize and condemn. Genuine Christians true to faith and duty unite in service and jealously guard one another's interests even though mistakes are made.
Diverse Gifts Serve Whole
God sets each member in place as He pleases and hands out different gifts for the benefit of the whole body, with some serving in one line of work and others in other lines under the same Spirit. A body cannot be made of only one kind of member, so the many different members together make one body under Christ as head, and each one is essential to the perfection of the work. No member is self-sufficient and none may judge another gift by its own or say to another that it is not needed, but all are to serve together without rivalry or self-sufficiency. Recognizing this order guards against carnal emulation, pride, envy, and contempt, and it strengthens unity and mutual love. The gifts are given to serve God, uplift the Redeemer, represent truth, benefit all people, and help one another faithfully carry out duty, not to glorify their possessors or uplift people.
Every member has an appointed place, post, and work according to ability, and no one can belong to the body and remain idle. The church needs people with varied minds and abilities, each assigned work, and each new member should become another worker, so the whole church acts in unity as a living, active, spiritual missionary body. Different lines of work are committed to different people, including praying with and helping those who are lame, sick, or dependent, yet all work for the Master is connected with the great whole. Each is called to take a proper place, stand in an appointed lot, do appointed work steadily, and put forth undivided effort controlled by divine power to draw those around to Christ. All are to work together in concert with hearts blended, moving like well-adjusted machinery with each part dependent on the other yet distinct in action, moved by one Spirit.
God has not qualified any one person to bear the burden alone, but has joined together people of different minds, talents, experience, and abilities so they will counsel with and assist one another. What is lacking in the experience and abilities of one is supplied by the experience and abilities of another, so people benefit and balance one another. Each member has a distinct office that no other can replace, and the different functions work together to make a complete and useful whole, bringing harmony and adaptability when each contribution is respected. No one person receives all of God's teaching, for God teaches different people whose varied thoughts and counsel help the others see what they had not considered. Members therefore share plans and writings, listen freely, and give and receive kind counsel, since each worker's relation to fellow workers calls for counsel, mutual help, and shared wisdom, and contact of mind with mind quickens thought and increases capability.
The different gifts must be respected without crowding, judging, measuring one by another, envy, pride, or contempt. No part is to be treated as unimportant, for people of every class and ability have a part in sharing light, and the health of the church depends on mutual sympathy and shared interests. No one member is complete or has every qualification needed, since God has made people necessary to one another and no one can serve successfully in independence. Each should therefore develop and use entrusted abilities under God's direction without despising or envying the gifts and work of others, and no worker should reject or oppose a fellow worker because that person serves in a different way. Individuality, traits, and distinct ways of working are to be preserved and given room rather than forced into one mold, for even a small gift can help advance the work when varied gifts, abilities, and traits are valued and put to use. This diversity must be blended in unity of action to make a complete whole, with liberty of expression yet capabilities joined in prayer, harmony, and love for carrying the message, through equal interest, unselfish cooperation, and aiming together at holiness and perfection of Christ's character, so differing gifts do not become confusion and division and no one works out an invention or launches out against another.
The Spirit gives gifts for edification and instruction throughout the Christian era, including prophets, teachers, helps, and governments, placed in the church to serve its needs until Christ returns. A body cannot consist entirely of one member, so these different members including the spiritual gifts are needed for the church to function. When the gifts are neglected the church loses their encouragement and correction, and when they are revived and active they strengthen the fainting and correct those who err. Part of God's order is the work of teaching others to fit them for service, with all working under the self-same Spirit for the good of the whole body.
Medical Work Joins Ministry
If all were one member there would be no body, for a body exists only as distinct members with distinct necessary offices joined together, and the work becomes unbalanced when one part takes the place of the whole. Medical missionary work is the hand and the arm, even the right hand, to the body, while preaching the third angel's message and the ministry of the Word that prepares a people to stand belong to the essential work of the body under Christ the Head. Neither is to be disparaged or carried on independently of the other, for the body needs both head and arms to do active aggressive work, and all members must be joined harmoniously with every other part in unity of movement to advance the plan. The arm is not to separate from the ministry nor say to the head that it has no need of it, and the body is not to become the arm by making medical missionary work all and in all or the principal all-important line. The warning message must still be given and the churches instructed, God's people taught to help the needy and the outcast, the ministry of the Word sustained, and the general features of the cause kept clear and distinct with no confederacy with the world and no weakening of the old landmarks of truth, experience, and duty.
The arm belongs joined to the body in inseparable union, bound up and joined closely together, for medical missionary work is the gospel in illustration and neither part is complete without the other. It must not supersede, eclipse, or separate from the ministry, nor run apart as hands and arms flying without direction of the head and leaving the ministry no standing room. To make what was designed to be hand and arm take the place of the whole leaves the work unbalanced and disproportionate, bringing confusion and unsettled minds, leaving many portions of the vineyard unworked, consuming means needed in other lines, consuming but not producing, sapping life and force from the ministry, and at last putting men where they will scoff at Bible truth. All parts are to be controlled and guided by the wisdom given, drawing in even cords under one standard without friction, with no jealousy and no division of Paul or Apollos or Cephas, wearing the yoke in humility of mind and using varied gifts to bless humanity. Ministers must give room to fellow laborers and not measure brethren by their own ideas, and no head physician or leader in sanitarium or ministry is to cherish selfishness, aspire to the chief place, or suppress fellow workers to protect influence, but each is to be respected in individual work under the one Head and all knit together with Christ dwelling in the heart by faith.
The same rule governs every other branch, for no branch separated from the others can be a perfect whole. General Conference affairs, the publishing work that gives truth to the world, the sanitarium work of restoring the sick and relieving suffering, the schools where children and youth are trained, and other lines are members of the one body governed by the same principles. No institution is to be a kingdom of itself or stand alone with walls of partition, division, or territorial lines, no one is to think the branch with which he is connected is of vastly more importance than the others, and no one line is to be pushed forward so that it hinders another. Health reform is part of present truth and belongs together with the other features of gospel work, never to be separated from it.
Ministers and physicians are different members who both have a part and must hold a different understanding of one another, with oneness of responsibility and no division between the parts. Christ made the whole work one, as much at home in healing as in preaching, proclaiming truth and laying His hand on the sick and afflicted with equal readiness and asking if they believed He could make them whole, because healing is part of the gospel itself. So gospel and health work are to be blended as body and arm, with all having an interest in the medical work and ministers prepared for practical medical work. True conversion must circulate through all the members like the healthful current of blood, and when it does great changes take place and disunion displeasing to God is put away. Lack of respect for health reform on tea, coffee, and flesh meats on one side and unjust harsh pressure and contempt on the other must be put away, since fault and management are not altogether on one side.
Medical missionary work as a leading member like the right hand opens doors for the body to enter and largely prepares the way for reception of present truth by breaking down prejudice and helping others, yet it is not the whole body or its head. A body without hands is useless and able to accomplish nothing when it treats the right hand indifferently and refuses its aid, for without them the body can do nothing. Therefore honor given to the body must also be given to the helping hands, since the work of the third angel's message as the body depends on its right hand to enter.
Labor Together Without Independence
If all were one member there would be no body, for God's people are one body and every member must stay united to the body, each working in his respective capacity. To disconnect from the appointed agencies and strike out on a separate line in supposed wisdom is the enemy's delusion, and though a person may flatter himself that he is doing God's work while separated, he will not prosper in the end. No worker, conference, sanitarium, or branch of the work can stand as an independent whole, for the body consists of distinct members and not one member alone. Each is given different capacities and a measure of ability and is expected to remain united and use the power given by God effectively in the work where he can serve, and one who insists on acting as a complete whole apart from fellow believers works against the body under Christ's leadership and brings harm upon himself.
No one mind has all wisdom to plan and direct alone, and no officer is appointed to order and command the Lord's laborers, for the Lord Himself is over His heritage. One man alone cannot bear the responsibilities of sacred office or be regarded as the voice for the people, and position does not give kingly authority nor prove superior wisdom or freedom from error. God has made other men just as valuable and is willing to teach and guide them, giving to every man talents according to ability with one mind having larger scope than another, so that when linked together each supplies the other's deficiency and they become a complete whole doing God's work in perfect harmony. Those placed in trust must therefore modestly regard the opinions of others as worthy of respect and likely to be as correct as their own, and must have connected with them as helpers men whose minds do not run in exactly the same lines. They are to stand as leaders, advisers, counselors and helpers in bearing burdens and in thanksgiving, treating fellow laborers with the consideration they would wish to receive, serving with Christ's meekness, daily subordinating will to Christ, never by self-estimation, old habits or position dictating and controlling consciences, so that members remain free as brethren learning meekness from Christ and becoming Christlike, with hearts bound together and the experienced encouraging the inexperienced.
It is not the Lord's plan for one man or two or three to gather all the work and strain into their own hands, while others whom God has chosen must stand by their side and share responsibilities and impart what they receive from the Word. If one is in advance in experience and knowledge it is because he educated himself by practice, and his brethren must have the same chance to learn from the great Teacher by being trusted with responsibilities that will perfect them. God gives each person a different line of service and all are linked through Christ, so each should carry out his assigned work and remain at his post rather than neglect his own duty to take up work assigned to another, interfere with another's distinct task, leave his place to rearrange the church, or correct and control the whole work. Those who leave their place thinking wisdom and success depend on them do not move the load but hinder others, throw the larger work out of harmony and make things much worse, whereas when each keeps his hand on his own machine and works diligently and correctly the larger machinery moves beautifully with exact and harmonious action. No minister contains the whole work or can dictate how every other worker must labor, and each has individual work and individual responsibility to the whole with individual power to devise and execute what is best for the many-sided life of people high and low, rich and poor, organizing men, women and youth of various temperaments, callings and positions to bring God-given talents into solemn service, recognizing tact to watch for souls, speaking words that arouse dormant energies, enlarge influence and make each a co-worker with Christ, while experienced workers teach and patiently support those with less experience and love guides treatment of fellow workers. Those deficient in some lines are not to be ignored, criticized or made subjects of remark, and no minister is to be made an errand boy, but each is to be helped, esteemed and yoked up with, even men without ability to open the Scriptures doing good service in secular lines, and it is no profit for ministers to sit hearing one man preach when preaching talent is needed elsewhere. A worker laboring alone may wrongly think his talent sufficient, but cooperation lets workers consult, pray and labor together, contributing what another lacks, and differences in lines of work and personal peculiarities are no reason to refuse fellowship, for treating them as a barrier hinders salvation.
If all were one member there would be no body, so God's work requires diversity in unity with many different members working in harmony as one whole, complete only in Christ while serving in different roles. Different minds will present the same truth of the third angel's message with different figures, expressions and ways of presentation to interest and educate different minds, and this difference is necessary and precious, yet they must not contradict one another, strive to be entirely different, strain for originality or count differing a virtue. All are brethren, members of the same body bought by the same blood, born of the same Spirit, fed from the same storehouse on the flesh and blood of the Son of God and worked by the same vitalizing current of the Holy Spirit, so when that current flows through them they act in harmony, dwell on points of agreement, labor without selfishness or self-exaltation and reveal tender compassionate love in plans, activities, words and character. Like many stones each with its special light adding beauty to one breastplate, and like different styles of building suited to different locations, different minds may be impressed by God with the same thought and express it differently yet without contradiction, each dwelling on points which constitution and education fitted him to appreciate, as sunlight falling on different objects gives a different hue, with truth given through the Spirit according to each mind's development without cramping into one mold, so one who does not view or express truth in precisely the same way may be just as precious to God and this should not perplex or confuse. This includes training colored workers to serve their own people with colored and white believers having places in one body in the work in the South, the time for many different workers doing great and small work united to make a perfect whole as in Greater New York, the school and sanitarium as distinct institutions each helping and strengthening the other, and medical students recognizing need for experienced physicians and learning under guidance rather than working alone.
God designed His people to organize and combine all united elements sanctified through truth into one vast influential agency, with all united converted agencies combining in one under cooperation in reciprocal influence, the divine cooperating with the human and the power of the future world brought into the present by the Holy Spirit pervading His body to transform the human into divine agencies working out united plans to reveal Christ and the cross to a world perishing in sin. There is to be no kingly power with one man controlling the whole, because every influence is to bear upon every other influence. It is not safe to be left alone to work on independent lines out of desire for independence, as shown in the call to brethren in southern California at the beginning of work in the new conference to humble hearts before the Lord and build on the solid Rock and work together in unity of purpose and action as parts of one great whole. Those who take up new work in one part of the field must receive help from those with experience in failure and success, accept counsel and careful scrutiny of movements, and knit work closely with other parts, harmonizing all advancement with work in other places instead of operating entirely separate. In an institution the workers form one body through which the Spirit of Christ must circulate as blood circulates through the human body, reaching every heart and mind and spirit, which requires true conversion with no half-way work and crucifixion of self, so that laborers unite in true repentance and conversion as at Pentecost and then Christ and heavenly angels cooperate with them in daily labors.
Love Care and Connections
If all were one member there would be no body, for a body exists only through many members joined together in different places and functions, and those differences are what make loving fellowship and mutual care necessary. As usefulness of the body grows by harmonious energy of every member and sympathy of every part with the whole, so the church is strengthened by well-regulated action of every part and exercise of every gift, with each individual working for the benefit of the whole and no envy or evil. Each has a place of duty not for selfish interests but to strengthen the others, and even those who feel least are connected through Christ with fellow workers and heavenly beings. Disciples are living members of one body who cannot remain separate, but mutually joined in Christ the living head and mutually dependent, so that if one suffers all suffer with it and if one is honored all are honored, enlightened and rejoice with him, and no part can say to another that it has no need of it. Those truly united to Christ show Christlike sympathy by kindly interest and willingness to help fellow workers, which brings sanctifying benefit of grace, and in church capacity whether many or few each acts a distinctive part as hand, head, ear, eye or limbs, blended in harmonious proportion into a symmetrical whole without antagonism and without exalting one virtue at the expense of another.
When believers meet for counsel they are to reveal the same unceasing tenderness the Lord shows them, speaking good words to help and strengthen brethren rather than standing apart in self-confidence to watch for opportunity to criticize and condemn, and genuine Christians true to faith and duty unite in service and jealously guard one another's interests even when mistakes are made. No one gift makes the whole body, so members must not crowd each other out, judge each other, or measure one gift against another, but welcome everyone who shows repentance toward God and faith in Jesus Christ and give courage against temptation instead of placing bars by criticism, while dealing sternly with self and bravely with perverse disposition and peculiar weaknesses so God is not dishonored. No one person alone is a complete whole and no one mind alone is sufficient to plan and direct the work, for God fits one for one work and another for a different work for which he is adapted, each to do its special work as complement of the others, blending in union with the Holy Spirit by taking time to understand each other, finding points of resemblance, supplying one another's lack, and giving due credit to keener perceptions in another. No leader should treat position as proof of superior wisdom or as placing him beyond error, but all are to serve in Christ's meekness relying on God and helping one another, which binds hearts together and enables the experienced to encourage the inexperienced. Union is strength and variance is weakness and sin, so the one body of many members must work harmoniously with no counter-influence, each acting in concert in the appointed part and post in the ministry of reconciliation, quickly settling every disagreement, praying and conversing together to break down barriers until heart is cemented to heart and self-will dies, and then exhibits miracle-working power as a spectacle to world, angels and men. The sacred chain of reciprocal dependence binding churches and conferences as members of one body is not slavery, and to break it by evil thinking and evil speaking, discord and separation lets the enemy rob families of happiness, rob the church of usefulness, and prevent reformation, whereas learning of Jesus, cherishing dependence, building one another up in most holy faith and seeking the Holy Spirit reflects light in clear bright rays.
Each member must serve beyond itself, for as the heart would lose its power if it stopped sending blood to hand and head, so a person who refuses to give and serve others will perish, while Christ's love shared throughout His spiritual body sustains all its parts. Efficiency of the Lord's work on earth depends on those made stewards of His means being true rather than robbing God, with assurance of His help as they each do the entrusted work of blessing and comforting those of like precious faith, being a light by example, looking to Jesus in faith, and responding to His giving His life to save with cheerful service.
The body is not made of one kind of member, and the hand or foot may do humble work without being head or heart, yet its service is important and effective because worth depends not on size but on love and motive. The church needs varied gifts, abilities and traits each valued and put to use, and even a small gift can advance the work when those with different gifts labor together in unity. People have different abilities, temperaments and trusts and not everyone is suited to every kind of work, yet unsuitability for a particular task does not mean faithlessness or unwillingness, for each has value and should seek God's direction in the entrusted work. Every class and kind of talent has a part in forming the complete whole, no part of the work should be undervalued or excluded, and interests and sympathies are so bound together that withdrawing concern from one another harms shared life and influence. No work done for the Master is inferior or of little account whether great or small, because God appoints it for the worker's own best good, for the good of fellow men and for advancement of His cause, and doing the appointed work cheerfully, humbly and in Christ's meekness brings glory to God instead of seeking another's talents or a work for which one is not fitted. If all were the same there would be no body, so the church as one family with many minds under one Mind needs peculiar characteristics, like many stones each with special light adding beauty to one breastplate, like different styles of building suited to different locations, and like sunlight falling on different objects giving a different hue, where different minds impressed with the same thought express it differently yet without contradiction, each dwelling on points constitution and education fitted him to appreciate, through the Holy Spirit without cramping into one mold, so one who does not view truth in precisely the same way may be just as precious, and this should not perplex, with no selfishness or self-exaltation since all draw from the same storehouse wholly dependent on God.
The same picture shows the Word as a complete body pervaded by one divine life, as the human body is a complete structure with every part united and dependent for life upon the other, where each book has its special office connected with the rest to form a complete whole, every portion having its use and lesson adapted to human beings in every phase of life to make the family complete in Christ, not a heap of odds and ends but an educator growing with study and holding inexhaustible treasure displaying infinite wisdom and glory. Relation of Christ and His church is close and sacred as head to body and bridegroom to bride, so connection with Christ involves connection with His church, church relationship is an obligation to be made plain to youth awakened to His claims, the church is organized for service, connection with it is one of the first steps in service, loyalty demands faithful performance of church duties as training, and in a church imbued with the Master's life that training leads directly to effort for the world. Members on earth are as different parts of a machine closely related to one another and dependent on one great center which is Christ, with unity in diversity and no member able to work successfully in detached independence. God provided for reciprocal action and mutual relation of all living beings, arranging all connected together and the whole to God, so no one can be dropped without affecting the whole and nothing is independent, and in creating Adam and Eve as parents of all He designed each human being to stand related to the rest as part of the web of humanity. Believers are members of one another bound in mutual responsibility, and their gifts and influence can be used to benefit one another or to cause harm. The church is a whole body of many living working members each enabled to act his part as workman and agent, all united as parts of a great machine carrying forward the work in symmetrical harmony with every member deriving power from the Author and Finisher of faith.
Spiritual health governs influence through the body, for when the church is healthy it sends life-giving influence to another branch, and when spiritually sick its harmful influence spreads until disease is evident throughout. A body of only one member would not be a body, so no person is a complete whole in himself, but believers are to be subject to one another and by submitting mind and will to the Holy Spirit remain learners of the great Teacher. No single mind or judgment suffices to plan and direct the work or to exert a healthful balanced influence alone, for unity in diversity is God's plan bringing different temperaments together in providence, blending diverse elements one adapted to the other, each doing its special work and supplying what another lacks, each filling a place in one great plan bearing Christ's image, for God is one. Spiritual peace and harmony bring health to the church just as harmonious action of all parts promotes physical health. A minister with unovercome defects disqualifies himself from building believers into healthy action, for where his influence is felt most the cause languishes and discouragement spreads, because brethren waiting for their shepherd to move forward suffer loss and do not feel free to move independently of one professing to feed the flock. Believers must be in union with the body and not stand separate, and for those with earthly possessions this requires overcoming selfishness and love of the world, getting possessions upon the altar amid warfare with Satan and evil angels, being guarded by God's Spirit, and willingly imparting substance to aid truth, so love of riches is overcome, love of truth predominates, heavenly treasure rises in value and earthly treasure loses attraction.