Members of the Body

The deep truth of our union with Christ, He the Head and we the body, has been a source of such blessing to believers that it is frequently studied. The other phase of that truth, though, that we individual believers are members one of another, is not so frequently stated.

The moment we are born again we are also baptized of the Holy Spirit into the body of Christ. By that act we receive from God gifts which are for the use of the whole church. These gifts are not confined to a few individuals; every believer is given some gift. No matter how humble, how ignorant, how unlettered a man may be when he is born again, God equips him supernaturally with some gifts which are more than the perfecting of the saints. This truth is presented in 1 Corinthians 12.

In another Epistle Paul points out (Eph. 3) that the gift received by the individual is given as a gift to the whole church. We belong, then, one to another. There is a place in the church for all. This does not mean, though, that there is a place for those who deny truth or who are not born again. The comprehensiveness of the church as taught by the modernists is not to be found in the Scripture. The inclusiveness of the true church is limited strictly to those who have been born again.

Some men may have more gifts than others, and it is possible to grow in gifts. We are directly told that we are to covet earnestly the best gifts (1 Cor. 12:31). They, like wisdom, are given to those who know their lack and who ask of God. Thus an evangelist will come into a church and do a great work in rousing the people. It is necessary that he should be followed by a Bible teacher. This man in turn may not have the gifts of the shepherd, and a pastor is needed to visit the flock, to bring comfort and encouragement.

I thought of this when I read a news item concerning two students in the Chicago-Kent College of Law. The high ranking scholar in the class was a young blind man named Overton. He insisted that half the credit for his honors should go to his companion, Kaspryzk. They had met in school when the armless Mr. Kaspryzk had guided Mr. Overton down a flight of stairs. The acquaintance ripened into friendship. The blind man carried the books which the armless one read aloud for their common study. Later they planned partnership.

Here is a true illustration of the way born-again believers should work together. We do not all have the same gifts, but those which we do have are for the common upbuilding of all believers. We should ask God to show us what gifts we have, and how they can be used and developed for Him. We must covet earnestly the best gifts; we must seek to grow in their knowledge. We must put at the disposal of other believers that which we possess. Only in this way can we be built up together until we come into the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ (Eph. 4:13).

1. How does one learn what their spiritual gifts are? How do they learn then to implement them into the ministry of the church?
2. What would you advise someone to do if they thought they didn’t have any spiritual gifts?
3. What does it look like to be a good steward of the gifts that the Lord has so graciously given to us?