"For by one Spirit are we all baptized 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 Corinthians 12:13

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1 Corinthians 12 

Now concerning spiritual gifts, brethren, I would not have you ignorant. Ye know that ye were Gentiles, carried away unto these dumb idols, even as ye were led. Wherefore I give you to understand, that no man speaking by the Spirit of God calleth Jesus accursed: and that no man can say that Jesus is the Lord, but by the Holy Ghost.

Now there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. And there are differences of administrations, but the same Lord. And there are diversities of operations, but it is the same God which worketh all in all. But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal. For to one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom; to another the word of knowledge by the same Spirit; To another faith by the same Spirit; to another the gifts of healing by the same Spirit; To another the working of miracles; to another prophecy; to another discerning of spirits; to another divers kinds of tongues; to another the interpretation of tongues: But all these worketh that one and the selfsame Spirit, dividing to every man severally as he will.

For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is Christ. For by one Spirit are we all baptized 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. For the body is not one member, but many.

If the foot shall say, Because I am not the hand, I am not of the body; is it therefore not of the body? And if the ear shall say, Because I am not the eye, I am not of the body; is it therefore not of the body? If the whole body were an eye, where were the hearing? If the whole were hearing, where were the smelling? But now hath God set the members every one of them in the body, as it hath pleased him. And if they were all one member, where were the body?

But now are they many members, yet but one body. And the eye cannot say unto the hand, I have no need of thee: nor again the head to the feet, I have no need of you. Nay, much more those members of the body, which seem to be more feeble, are necessary: And those members of the body, which we think to be less honourable, upon these we bestow more abundant honour; and our uncomely parts have more abundant comeliness. For our comely parts have no need: but God hath tempered the body together, having given more abundant honour to that part which lacked. That there should be no schism in the body; but that the members should have the same care one for another. And whether one member suffer, all the members suffer with it; or one member be honoured, all the members rejoice with it.

Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular. And God hath set some in the church, first apostles, secondarily prophets, thirdly teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, governments, diversities of tongues. Are all apostles? are all prophets? are all teachers? are all workers of miracles? Have all the gifts of healing? do all speak with tongues? do all interpret? But covet earnestly the best gifts: and yet shew I unto you a more excellent way.
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"Before Jesus left this world, while in the midst of His sorrowing disciples, He said,
“I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever; even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it sees him not, neither knows him: but ye know him; for he dwells with you, and shall be in you.” (John 14:16-17.)
The Lord Jesus solemnly promised that this Comforter or Guardian should teach us all things. Jesus says,
“He shall testify of me.” (John 15:26.)
Observe, Jesus did not promise an influence, but the real, divine Person of the Holy Ghost; as real a Person as Jesus. And as really as Jesus had testified of the Father, so really should the Spirit testify of Jesus. And further, that He, the Holy Spirit, should guide us into all truth.
“He shall glorify Me.” (John 16:14.)
This promise God has fulfilled. Jesus being glorified on high, God has sent the Holy Ghost. (Acts 2:4-38.) Now from that moment, we search in vain in the New Testament for any church government except the sovereign guidance of the Holy Ghost. As really as the blessed Jesus had been present with the disciples in the gospels, equally so is the Holy Ghost present with the church in the Acts. Pentecost was a marvellous display of the presence and power of the Holy Ghost. And again,
“When they had prayed, the place was shaken where they were assembled together; and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and they spake the word of God with boldness.” (Acts 4:31.)
Yes, so real was the presence of the Holy Ghost, that Peter in the case of Ananias said, “Why has Satan filled thine heart to lie to the Holy Ghost?” etc. (Acts 5:3.) And when the gospel was preached to the Gentiles, the Holy Ghost fell on them in like manner. (Acts 11:15.) Also at Antioch. (Acts 13:52.) And how marked the guidance of the Spirit to the Apostle Paul and his companions when “forbidden of the Holy Ghost to preach the word in Asia,” and when they would have gone to Bithynia, “but the Spirit suffered them not.” (Acts 16:6-7. See also Acts 19:2.) If we now turn to 1 Corinthians 12, the government of the Spirit in the church is stated with the utmost clearness,
“Now there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit.”
“But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal.”
This passage is often applied to the world, in violent opposition to that scripture which say,
“whom the world cannot receive, because it sees him not, neither knows him.” (John 14:17.)
But whatever variety of gift in the church,
“all these works that one and the selfsame Spirit, dividing to every man severally as he will.” (1 Cor. 12:11.)
Now tell me what denomination thus owns the Spirit of God in our day. Nay, the moment any assembly of Christians do thus own the Spirit of God, that moment they cease to be a sect, or denomination; because the Holy Ghost would not honour any name but the name of Jesus. 

[Dear believer, the Church is not an earthly building or meeting place, or an iphone. I've no doubt ignorance of the Church is one reason some professing Christians treat each other so badly, with accusations, anger, strife, malice, arrogance, slander, debate, etc., etc., daily on the internet, especially on that worldly, flesh feeding medium "Social Media" with it's culture of christendom celebrity; if called out on such behavior, a typical response is, "What church do you belong to? Are you an active member?"

   "The word of God speaks of no membership save of Christ's own body; just as not a word admits of any Headship of the church but His exclusively. The same act of divine grace which makes us members of Christ makes us also members one of another. Any other membership is human tradition, which, as the Lord taught and we may readily verify, never fails to make void the word, though men may think it a good, wise, and needed supplement." The Church, and the Churches]

Now let us compare an assembly 1800 years ago with a denominational assembly now, and this will be plain. All the Christians in a neighbourhood assembled together in the name of Jesus; the Spirit gave diversities of gifts; some were gifted to preach, others to teach, others to exhort, and so on with all the various manifestations of the Spirit. And He the Spirit, was really present in their midst, dividing to every man severally as He would. They speak two or three — if anything is revealed to another that sits by, the first holds his peace — and this is the order of God; as we read (1 Cor. 14:29-33),
“Let the prophets speak two or three, and let the other judge. If any thing be revealed to another that sits by, let the first hold his peace. For ye may all prophesy one by one, that all may learn, and all may be comforted. And the spirits of the prophets are subject to the prophets. For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace, as in all churches of the saints.”
When the sovereign guidance of the Spirit of God was owned, this was plainly the order.

Now let us enter an assembly belonging to any denomination of the present day. Tell me, where is the Holy Spirit either expected or allowed to divide to every man severally as He will? This may not be intentional; the presidency of the Holy Ghost is forgotten. A man fills His place; and, whether led of or happy in the Spirit or not, he must occupy the time. This disowning of the personal presence and sovereign guidance of God the Holy Ghost is most sad every way. The diverse gifts are not exercised; the work of the ministry becomes a burden to the one man. But more than all, God is disowned in the assembly for guidance in worship; and a human order, or rather, every kind of human disorder, takes the place.

It may sound well to call it liberty of conscience; but where is the liberty of the Spirit of God to use whom He will for the edification of the church of God? Is this a light matter? Was not the disowning the guidance and government of God by His people Israel and the desire to have a man in God’s place the first sad step in the downward path of that people? And what is the history of the prophets but that of a few men (in the midst of general departure from God) still finding and holding fast this blessed reality — the presence of God? How solemn the teaching in the Book of Jeremiah: he sat alone, yet called by the name of the Lord God of Hosts. How sweet were the words of the Lord to him,
“Let them return to thee; but return not thou to them.” (See Jer. 15:16-21.)
Such is the solemn yet blessed place of all, in these days, who have been led to own the real presence of the Holy Ghost in the assembly. The Lord’s words have indeed been found to be sweeter than man’s. Oh, that all God’s dear children, in every denomination, knew the blessedness of unfeigned subjection of heart to the sovereign guidance of the Holy Ghost. Where there is this, not in mere form but in reality, He does testify of Christ in such a manner, that no human wisdom can even imitate. Often the hymns by one, the prayers by others, and the reading of the word, as led by the Holy Ghost, so manifest the divine guidance, and give such a sense of the presence of God, as can only be enjoyed where the Spirit of God is thus owned. I cannot then go where He is not owned whom the Father has sent to guide us and guard us, and abide with us to the end. It is no matter what may be substituted — whether the Pope, or the Emperor, or the King, or the Conference, or the minister — God is right, and man is wrong. It is not a question of opinion, but of owning or displacing the Holy Ghost as the sovereign guide and ruler of the assembly. I have found the reality of His very presence; and for this I must be separate from every community — Greek, Romish or Protestant, all alike — where He is not thus owned."

C. Stanley
Christ the Center; Or, Why Do We Meet in His Name Alone?




Photo by Nicolas Gras on Unsplash 

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I'm a Christian saved by God, by His Sovereign grace. I want to encourage all to read, to hear, to believe, and to feed upon the only Words in all the world that are truly spirit and life, living and active; to know the One True God: God the Father, His Only Begotten Son Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit; Who has graciously given us the Holy Scriptures
“All Scripture is God-breathed..."
2 Timothy 3:16–17; cf., John 3:31-36; John 6:63; John 14:26; John 17:3, 17; Romans 1:1-6, 16-17; 1 Corinthians 2:1-16; 1 Thessalonians 2:13; 2 Thessalonians 2:13-14; 2 Peter 1:20–21; Hebrews 4:12-13. As for the commentaries I post and refer to; with much gratitude, as they have done for me, it is my hope and prayer that they serve to edify all who read them.

Shalom, beccaj
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