THE, KING’S BUSINESS
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for the church, they are the teachers and the seers, “men of vision,” the ones who hear God’s voice and interpret it to the mass of the people. It would not do to have the whole body an eye, no matter how strong and beautiful that eye might be; and it would not do to have the whole church “men of vision,” prophets and teachers. There is much walking and much working to be done as well as much seeing and hearing and speaking. Moses are needed too; men who are quick of scent (cf. Isa. 11:3 R. V. marg.). God in His infinite wisdom has provided for every, need in the church, the spiritual body of Christ, just as in the physical body of man He has provided for every physical need of man. Every part of the body is essen tial for the welfare and growth of the body: “the body growth by that which . every joint supplieth” (Eph. 4:16). Monday, December 3. 1 Corinthians 12:18-20. “God set the members each one of them in the body, even as it pleased Him." Just as we are told before in verse 11 , that the Spirit divides “to each man severally as He will,’’ so we are told here that God divides the members in the body, giving to each its position and function, “as it pleased Him.” Some of us might wish that God had put us differently in the body than He made u s; for example, eyes instead of feet, or ears instead of eyes, but He knows best, and whatever we are, eyes, ears, nose, feet, or even less comely parts of the body, lets us rejoice in God’s infinitely wise ordi nation and do the work which God Him self is allowing us. If we “were all one member” there would be no "body," there would only be one member. Some per sons must be the insignificant parts of the „ body, or uninteresting parts of the body, the members of the body appointed to humble service. Why should not we be these as well as someone else be them? We are “many members” but however many members we may be and however different we may be from one another, we are all “one body” and that body which we
not claim it. It is just as much his as it is in regard to being crucified and raised and ascended with Christ at Calvary (2 Cor. 5:14, R. V.-). We were all raised with Him when He rose, and ascended with Him when He ascended, and as far as our position is concerned, every believer is now seated with him in the heavenlies (Eph. 2:6 R. V.). This is the true posi tion of every believer, but many have not yet realized this in their experience (Rom. 6 :4; Gal. 2:20 R. V.; Col. 3:1 R. V.). So, let us realize in experience the baptism in the Spirit which became ours at the ascen sion of Christ (cf. John 7:39). Being bap tized in. the Spirit, is also a “drinking of one Spirit.” There is here a reference to Christ’s invitation, “If any man thirst let him come unto me and drink” (John 7 :37- 39; cf. John 4:14). Sunday, December 2. i Corinthians 12:14-17. It will not do for any member of the body, no matter how important, to fancy that he is the whole body (v. 14). This is a temptation that comes to many who are particularly gifted along certain lines. They imagine that the other parts of the body who are called to apparently more insignificant work are of no account what ever, and, that they themselves are the whole thing. This will not do. “The body is not one member but many. On the other hand, it will not do for any member, no matter how insignificant or how obscure, to think because he is apparently insignifi cant that he is not a member and an essen tial member of the body. One may be only a foot and wish he were a hand, neverthe less, though he is only a foot he is a member of the body, and the foot is just as essential to walking as the hand is to working. Feet are needed for walking, for going on humble errands. Members of this kind are greatly needed in the church today. So also hands are needed for working and giving. Feet and hands represent the men and women of more actjve life: eyes and ears those who see and hear the truth and the way to walk
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