SIGNS
OF THE TIMES — ONE BODY?
Is
there really one body? The Bible says, "There is one body . . ."
(Eph. 4:4). All who believe in Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord are members.
"For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews
or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free . . ." (1 Cor. 12:13). A very
blessed oneness this is with all of the redeemed — fellow members of the body
of Christ, the Church.
Many
believers will assent to the truth of the "one body." Not quite as
many will confess that the truth of the one body is the scriptural ground of
our gathering unto Christ. But even those so enlightened as to see this truth
sometimes find it difficult to put it into practice. These difficulties are not
unmet by the Word of God which is sufficient for our every problem.
It is
not a new situation when the issues of strife and turmoil of the world spill
over into the affairs of the Church or Assembly. We do not intend to involve
ourselves with the strifes of racism, segregation or integration, black power
or white backlash. But it is a fact that various social circumstances of the
world do affect us — perhaps more than we realize.
We are
admonished — besought in tenderest love — to not be conformed to this world but
to be transformed by the renewing of our minds in order to prove
that "good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God" (Rom. 12:2).
Often conformity to the world is thought of only in the way of dress or outward
behavior. Yet there is a conformity to the world in thoughts, attitudes, opinions
and prejudices which are far more subtle and damaging to the saint with a
heavenly calling. Our bodies are to be a living sacrifice but it is the mind
that God would transform.
If we
share the attitudes and opinions of unregenerate minds because of our similar
circumstances, social status, or color of skin, we may be assured that it is
not God’s perfect will which has so transformed us. Our hearts must be prepared
to receive from God that which is against our natural thought, for "the
mind of the flesh is enmity against God" (Rom. 8:7, J.N.D. trans.).
Mankind
was one before the flood. In the line of Seth there were men of faith who
walked with God, but apart from their walk we perceive no other distinguishing
feature among men. After the flood mankind was still unified and even sought to
preserve that unity and exalt their name by Babel’s tower. When God cut short
their work and confused their languages, they segregated and dispersed
themselves across the face of the earth in the days of Peleg (Gen. 10:25; 11:
1-9). Since that day there seems ever to have been a competition or struggle
between these confused peoples as to who was really superior.
God
singled out Abraham from idolaters, called him to follow Him, and also gave him
great and precious promises. Abraham and his descendants through Isaac and
Jacob were called to walk in separation, not mixing with other nations — the
Gentiles. Although they did not always obey the word of God in this separation,
it was strenuously maintained even in the days of our Lord and by Himself!
"These twelve Jesus, sent forth, and commanded them, saying, Go not into
the way of the Gentiles and into any city of the Samaritans enter ye not"
(Matt. 10:5). "But He [Jesus] answered and said, 1 am not sent but unto
the lost sheep of the house of Israel. Then came she and worshiped him, saying,
Lord, help me. But He answered and said, It is not meet to take the children’s
[Jews’] bread, and to cast it to dogs [Gentiles]" (Matt. 15:24-26).
But
the cross changed everything! Gloriously so! When, as in John’s gospel, the
rejection of our Lord was evident from the first chapter (verse 12) and the
shadow of the cross already loomed, we find that our Lord "must needs go
through Samaria" (John 4:4). Imagine Him going into that region where He
earlier expressly forbade the twelve to travel! There He went out of His way to
engage a Samaritan, and that an harlot, who entered into that kingdom ahead of
most of privileged Israel. The very fact of His speaking to the woman startled
her as well as amazed His disciples when they returned. This reaction we might
well have expected, nay, even shared before the cross.
We
rejoice in the Great Commission but little realize its startling implication.
"Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature"
(Mark 16:15). Every creature, Lord? To the Jewish believers thus
addressed this message was hardly taken seriously. We see the spread of the
gospel in the book of Acts, yet often forget that years passed before
the first non-Jew was reached. The neighboring Samaritans, as well as an
Ethiopian eunuch (Acts 8), were finally reached. The Gentile Cornelius and his
household were reached in Acts 10. In all this we rejoice but ponder very
little the obstacles the grace of God was overcoming. Peter, reluctant as he
was to go speak to Cornelius in Caesarea, took with him six Jewish
believers. We suspect he did not wish to be in Gentile company without
fellow-believing Jewish companions. On returning to Jerusalem Peter was
reprimanded by saints there for going to and eating with such uncircumcised
Gentiles.
Without
doubt the Apostle Paul was the most diligent of all in reaching out with that
good news. His conversion and calling by a risen ascended Christ so filled him
with the meaning of the truth of the one body, that he seems wholly delivered
from prejudice and restraint, going out as he did with the gospel and
confirming the saints in its manifold bearing. During his last visit to Jerusalem after his arrest outside the temple, his defense received diligent attention by
his Jewish audience until he mentioned God sending him to Gentiles. On
hearing this word the crowd was in uproar (Acts 22:21).
We
perceive that the barrier between Jew and Gentile has presented a far greater
obstacle to the gospel outreach than any other social or racial barriers
up to this hour. The racial barrier strangely enough does not appear to have
greatly influenced Jewish proselyting. Our Savior spoke of Jewish zeal which
would "compass sea and land to make one proselyte" (Matt. 23:15). The
Ethiopian eunuch was an example of this proselytizing. He does not seem to
have been denied the privileges attending Jewish ritual, even, though his skin
was black, for he had been to Jerusalem to worship. It was on the desert road,
returning from Jerusalem, that Jesus was preached to him “on the principle of
faith to faith.”
Of all
Paul’s epistles, Ephesians has often been noted as giving us the highest truth.
The saints are seen there as seated in heavenly places. The burden of chapter
two is the divine breaking down of the middle wall of partition between Jew and
Gentile and forming these two into one body. The mystery unfolded in chapter
three, never before revealed from God, is that these believing Jews and
Gentiles are "fellow heirs, and of the same body, and partakers of His
promise in Christ by the gospel" (Eph. 3:6).
Now if
the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ and the consequent descent of the
Holy Spirit have brought every believer into such a blessed place, can any such
privileged saint be denied his full enjoyment of these blessings. This
fellowship is to be enjoyed now, not only in the glory beyond. Since God has
broken down the one barrier He raised, can we raise any other
such barrier?
Be
assured that this is in no way a plea for civil rights. What have civil rights
to do with citizens of heaven? We deplore the so-called peaceful demonstrations
which foster civil riots — not rights. "Not by might, nor by power, but by
my spirit, saith the Lord of hosts" (Zech. 4:6) was God’s word to
Zechariah in that day of small things. It did not pertain to rectification of
social injustices but revival and encouragement for the builders of His house
released from Babylonian captivity. We do not expect to sway world opinion nor
to calm its strifes. We do appeal to all fellow citizens of heaven and fellow
members of that one body as formed on earth to be transformed by the renewing
of their minds.
Have
old things really passed away? Are all things really become new to the
new creature in Christ? The Lord will give the needed grace to rejoice together
with those of like precious faith, joint heirs with Him who died.