The Last Reformation | Page 5

Mode of admission]

Becoming a member of the spiritual body of Christ is necessarily a
spiritual operation. Men may admit members to a formal church
relationship, but only the Spirit of God can make us members of Christ.
"For by one Spirit are we all baptized [or inducted] into one body,
whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have
been all made to drink into one Spirit" (1 Cor. 12:13). This text does
not refer to literal water-baptism, but to the work of the "Spirit," by
whom we are inducted into Christ. "God hath set the members every
one of them in the body" (verse 18). And since this is the work of the
Spirit, it is evident that none but the saved can possibly find admittance
into the spiritual body of Christ. Under a different figure Jesus conveys
the same truth. "I am the door: by me if any man enter in, _he shall be
saved_" (John 10: 9). "And the Lord added to them day by day those
that _were being saved_" (Acts 2:47, R.V.). Salvation, then, is the
condition of membership.
[Sidenote: Family relationship]
The members of Christ are members of God's family. How do we
become members of the divine family? "Except a man be born again,
he can not see the kingdom of God" (John 3:3). "As many as received
him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God ... which were
_born ... of God_" (John 1:12, 13). "Beloved, now are we the sons of
God" (1 John 3:2). Since this family, or church, is composed of the
saved, or those who are born again, and excludes all the unsaved, we
can understand Paul's reference to "a glorious church, not having spot,
or wrinkle, or any such thing," but "_holy and without blemish_" (Eph.
5:27).
We have spoken of the union of all believers with Christ when he
draws them unto himself and becomes their spiritual life. But this unity
of all believers with Christ is a spiritual relationship and experience not
to be confused with external things. The Bible speaks of Christians as
being "in Christ." What does this mean? It certainly means to be "born
again," for without that experience we "can not see the kingdom of
God" (John 3:3). "Therefore if any man be in Christ, HE IS A NEW
CREATURE: old things are passed away; behold, all things are

become new" (2 Cor. 5:17). "Whosoever abideth in him sinneth not:
whosoever sinneth hath not seen him, neither known him" (1 John 3:6).
[Sidenote: Unity of believers]
But our union with Christ, by which we become members of the divine
family, necessarily fixes our relationship with all those who are
members of Christ. If, through salvation, we are brought into a sacred
unity with Christ, we are by the same act brought into essential unity
and fellowship with the members of Christ. This the Word distinctly
affirms: "We, being many, are one body in Christ, and _every one
members one of another_" (Rom. 12: 4, 5). "There should be no schism
in the body; but the members should have the same care one for
another" (1 Cor. 12:25). While this last text relates literally to the
physical body, the apostle applies it in an illustrative way to the
spiritual body. "Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in
particular" (verse 27).
[Sidenote: Unity and uniformity]
Harmony in a normal physical body is not effected by external means,
but is organic. The members may be many and diverse, but they are all
necessary and have their respective places and work. So also with the
body of Christ. Union with Christ is not dependent upon absolute
uniformity except in the one thing--the fundamental experience by
which we are made members of Christ. In the apostolic period the
children of God who loved our Lord and were known of him were not
all of one age or size or nationality. They had not all enjoyed the same
social advantages, nor had they had the same intellectual attainments.
The act of receiving Christ and his salvation did not perfect their
knowledge; therefore they had to be patiently taught in order to bring
them into the "unity of the faith." And for this purpose divinely chosen
instructors were appointed, who must themselves "study" and give
careful attention to "doctrine" (Eph. 4:11-14; 1 Tim. 3:13-16). But the
gospel penetrates beneath the surface; it goes straight to the heart and
reaches fundamental things. "There is neither Jew nor Greek; there is
neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all
one IN CHRIST JESUS" (Gal. 3:28).

The unity of believers with Christ is, therefore, based on divine
relationship, and this is the fundamental basis of