The Laws of the Body—How the Body Is Joined and Knit Together

“...from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by every joint with which it is supplied, when each part is working properly, makes bodily growth and upbuilds it­self in love.” Verse 16.

When reading this verse, we need to bear in mind that only those souls who are baptized by one Spirit into one body belong to the body. In order not to violate the laws of the body, we must pay careful heed to each member’s calling and election. All do not have the same ministry, just as all do not have the same grace. One has a distinct gift of discerning what spirit people are in, whereas another gets revelation in the knowledge of God. Others excel in their liberality, others in their hospitality, and still others in their helpfulness. Some exhort, others instruct, and some sing and play instruments. One has the gift of serving in the kitchen, another the gift of convicting and comforting. All these joints serve to knit the body together as a whole. They are bestowed by Christ with all wisdom and understanding, in order that everyone and everything in the house may be prepared and perfected, to the glory of the One who has prepared the house.

So don’t be quick to judge your brother if he doesn’t have the grace and the particular gift that you have. It may be that he has a watchful eye in those areas where you have a blind spot. Be hum­ble and modest in your own thoughts and in your judgment, for none of us has received gifts in order to condemn our brothers, but to serve and to help. Just as there were laws outside the body to punish transgressors, there are laws inside the body for mutual help and fellowship in love.

God’s gifts and His calling are irrevocable; thus these gifts are in a person from birth, because Christ ascended on high and gave gifts to men. One does not first receive these gifts when he is born again; they are given even to the ungodly. But the fact is that when one is born again, his gifts are consecrated by the Spirit and put to use in God’s service. Many worldly people are equipped with great liberality and a keen sense of righteousness, so a person’s spirituality can’t be assessed by his gifts; rather, it is shown by his faithfulness and love in the use of his gifts. An ungodly person can often use his gifts to intimidate and oppress a less gifted person. Similarly, a person who is not so spiritual can use his gifts to point the finger and speak evil about someone who, though less gifted, is perhaps with his good attitude of mind more pleasing to God than his more gifted brother.

Things are working perfectly when each member of the body uses his gift to serve in the love of Christ. Then there won’t be those who, in carnal zeal, serve with their gifts in such a way that those who are less gifted feel condemned. For even if what that person says is true, it will not help the body to grow, because the one who said it did not have the other’s good in mind. Therefore, when serving in the body, let us remain faithful to the truth in love.