Strength and the Structure of the Body

Johan O. Smith writes, “Strength is fine, but when it works against the uniting of all the parts into a composite whole, then this strength, however strong it seems to be will be bro­ken by the power of God—which is revealed in those who are weak. I have recently met some people who are strong in the name of zeal. So I want to point this out because it is easy to become conceited in one’s own strength. It is very risky to pre­sume that one is strong enough to evaluate those who are fa­thers in Christ and barge one’s way into their work! I’m afraid that those who do that are opposing God in their high­mindedness.” Even the greatest strength ebbs away when a person goes beyond his own measure. Let us stay within our measure of faith and not meddle in other people’s business. Many have meddled in the things that are the responsibility of the fathers in Christ. God works so that we can bear much fruit, but He takes away those who are no longer capable of bearing fruit. The schoolmasters in Corinth were in danger of being taken away. They taught the Corinthians to despise Paul. When they preached, they had the spiritual gifts of the word of wisdom and knowledge. They understood and expe­rienced that they had power. When God is working with us, marvelous things can happen. These gifted Corinthians mea­sured themselves according to how they did at the pulpit, but they forgot to measure themselves according to what was said from the pulpit. It is unrighteous to think that I am what I preach. It is God’s grace that is with me. Instead, ask yourself how much grace you have when you come home to your wife, when you are with difficult brothers, when you are with your children, etc. How is your love in the circumstances of life? If you answer these questions honestly, you will have plenty to pursue!

Be careful with your thoughts and your words—our time of grace is extremely precious. If God strikes you on the mouth, it can cost you weeks, months, years of your life. Do not be a busybody in other people’s business: it can result in “life im­prisonment.” God’s heavenly council makes these decisions. Here we must have a fear over us. We have plenty of ex­amples of unbelief to serve as warnings, and all of us should fear to oppose the fathers in Christ. It takes tremendous arro­gance to attack fathers in Christ. If there is something you wonder about, you should ask, like the prophet, “Righteous are You O Lord, when I plead with You; yet let me talk with You about Your judgments. Why does the way of the wicked prosper? Why are those happy who deal so treacherously?” Jer. 12:1. Then those who have greater wisdom than you can teach you. Otherwise, put your hand over your mouth and walk in the Spirit of fear. “You will say then, ‘Branches were broken off that I might be grafted in.’ Well said. Because of unbelief they were broken off, and you stand by faith. Do not be haughty, but fear.” Rom. 11:19-20.

“According to the grace of God which was given to me, as a wise master builder I have laid the foundation, and another builds on it. But let each one take heed how he builds on it. For no other foundation can anyone lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ.” 1 Cor. 3:10-11.

Without wise master builders, how can we con­tinue to build? The foundation has been laid with a deep real­ization of the reproach of Christ and the foolishness of the cross. Therefore we too, have a simple faith in such words as: “Knowing this, that our old man was crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin.” Rom. 6:6; and “For the love of Christ compels us, because we judge thus: that if One died for all, then all died; and He died for all, that those who live should live no longer for themselves, but for Him who died for them and rose again.” 2 Cor. 5:14-15.

Paul was faithful to portray Christ before them as cruci­fied. Through the cross, all the misery that comes from the flesh is brought to an end, and we are open to the power of the resurrection. What a truth to believe in!