Compare also 1 Cor. 12:12,13.
The wondrous truth as to the oneness of Christ and His people was not an after-thought with God; for it bespeaks His counsels "before the foundations of the world." "The Bride, the Lamb's wife" (Rev. 21:9), was in the mind of God ere the earth was brought into being. All creation, it would seem, was incidental and leading up to that initial purpose-to prepare a people who should be "the Assembly, which is His Body, the fulness of Him who fills all in all" (Eph. 1:23).
What a mystery, "a great mystery," that our God should be pleased to take out from among rebellious Jews and idolatrous Gentiles, both at enmity with Him, "a people for His Name," one Body in Him (Eph. 2:13-16 with Acts 15:14), forever to be in holy, conjugal unity with Christ! And that mystery was "hid in God" through the former ages; neither could it have been revealed, in the wisdom of God, while humanity was still unprepared to receive such a display of God's grace.
Four thousand years were required to demonstrate man's utter helplessness and inability to produce a righteousness for God. During that probationary period God worked out a commonwealth, an earthly people, the children of Israel, with earthly hopes and blessings, set apart unto Himself to be a light amid the darkness. These were in covenant relationship with Jehovah; and though they too failed, they shall be again "the head, and not the tail," with respect to the nations "in that day." Indeed, Israel shall be, with Him, earth's glory and blessing even unto the ages of ages.
But that unique, unprecedented "Unity of the Spirit," one Body in Him, even now "in Christ," quite distinct from Israel's earthly glory, soon shall be with the Lord, to be the celestial glory of the entire universe. We often hear the expressions, "mystic" and "invisible," as applied to the Body of Christ. Yet neither of these terms convey the true Scriptural thought. Christ's Body here on earth is neither mystic nor invisible; for it is made up of living, active, visible saints of God, to whom He has intrusted "the faith once for all delivered."
Of course, God's people are scattered over the face of the earth; but that does not necessitate invisibility any more than the Body Politic of a country is invisible! And the recognition of God's people as one, as He does, "using diligence to keep the Unity of the Spirit in the uniting bond of peace," is our present and urgent responsibility. It is impossible to sever one's relationship from the Body of Christ, even as one cannot be "separated from the love of Christ."
Satan may erect his camouflage of mere profession, may interpose some veil to darken the Light, may devise names and systems, all to obscure "THE FACE OF JESUS CHRIST"; yet faith is not bewildered by these. Faith will keep the channel of ministry open "by every joint of supply, according to the working in its measure of each one part, works for itself the increase of the Body to its self-building up in love" (Eph. 4:16, New Trans.).
However, God has not confined Himself wholly to plain, direct statements in defining His Church. In the Old Testament, as we know, there are many lovely pictures of Christ and the Church and His enduring love and willing sacrifice for the Companion of His heart. For example, the "deep sleep" that fell upon Adam, from whose side the woman was taken. Isaac, who most obediently submitted to the will of his father to become the sacrifice, and who in after years was rewarded in Rebekah his wife. Jacob too, who labored seven years for Rachel, and which "seemed unto him but a few days, for the love he had to her."
Again we have Joseph, himself a beautiful figure of Christ all through his life, to whom was given a Gentile bride. Even Israel, in her national unity, was a type of that Unity in Christ; as seen especially in "The Song of Songs:"Thou art all fair, My love; and there is no spot in thee" (4:7 with Eph. 5:27). And again, "My dove, My undefiled, is but one" (6:9 with Eph. 4:4). Oh, the mystery of grace!
Coming to 1 Cor. 12, the Holy Spirit takes up the human body in order to demonstrate in a most logical and practical way the inseparable unity and functions of the Body of Christ. So clear is the analogy that it calls for little comment. One thing of special interest we may learn from the physical body is that the eye and the hand minister to the feet most tenderly, and even to the toes. What a lesson this, in loving care and fervent solicitude for those "little ones" in Christ, those who are the "weak" ones of His flock!
Finally, in Eph. 5:22-32, we have the crowning picture of all, the marriage relationship. In 2 Cor. 11:2 Paul writes:"For I am jealous as to you with a jealousy which is of God; for I have espoused you to one Man, to present you a chaste virgin to Christ." Paul's jealousy should be ours; nothing less than the one Body of Christ our aim in ministry unto edification-"That He might present the Assembly to Himself glorious, having no spot, or wrinkle, or any such things" (Eph. 5:25-27).
In that beautiful poem, "The Bride," we hear the Church's own voice as she testifies:
"Midst the darkness, storm and sorrow,
One bright gleam I see;
Well I know the blessed morrow,
Christ will come for me.
"Oh, the blessed joy of meeting!
All the desert past!
Oh, the wondrous words of greeting
He shall speak at last!
"Meet companion then for Jesus,
From Him, for Him made;
Glory of God's grace forever
There in me displayed.
"He who in His hour of sorrow
Bore the curse alone;
I who through the lonely desert
Trod where He had gone.
"He and I in that bright glory
One deep joy shall share-
Mine, to be forever with Him!
His, that I am there!"
H. Cowell