Chapter 6

Divine Co-ordination of the Body

Biblical Analogy

Now, individuals may ask: If there is no central authority to Coordinate and give directions in order to guide the activities of the Body of believers, will not the progress of the gospel be impeded and the purity of the gospel corrupted as a result of chaos, due to every individual doing his own thing? In answering this question, the reader is invited to consider first another question: Which human being or group of human beings can claim wisdom and holiness) sufficient to be able to direct the affairs of God in mobilizing and co-ordinating the universal body of believers, so as to fulfill upon this earth the will and mission of a perfect and holy God who tells us that His ways are higher than the ways of human beings as much as; the heavens are higher than the earth (Isa. 55:8,9)?. Only One who has the mind of God can fulfill such a mission. The only One qualified in the entire universe is Jesus Christ Himself.

As to how Jesus fulfills this role, we can understand only by considering an analogy that is given in the Bible. The apostle Paul likens The Church, The Body of Christ to the human body (1 Cor. 12:12-27). The closest that human beings can come to understanding how Jesus fulfills this role is by considering the way in which the head controls the body (that is, the human body). The Bible refers to The Church of God as The Body of Christ (Eph. 1:22,23), and Christ Himself as the Head.

Consider The Body

The head is the seat of central intelligence that controls and directs the actions of every member that is a part of the body. Every member of the body has direct contact with the head (or the brain) - the contact being provided by nerve cells. Hence, the hands are not directed by the feet or the eyes by the ears, or the nose by the mouth. However, despite the fact that each member of the body has a different function, the different functions are coordinated harmoniously by the head in order to fulfill the will of the mind.

Thus, when an athlete is running a race, for example, the legs propel the movement of the entire body in order to reach the finish line, while the adrenal gland pumps adrenaline into the blood, the heart beats faster in order to provide adequate supply of blood to the limbs, the hands have their particular type of movement, and likewise the eyes, the ears, and the other members of the body playing their part. All work together in order to fulfill the particular mission, which is that of winning the race. The action of each member might seem haphazard when considered by itself, but in concert with all the other members, a well co-ordinated set of actions is seen. Indeed, there is a co-ordinator, which is the only intelligent part of the body - the brain.

It is inconceivable that the hands and feet or whatever other combination of limbs and organs, should attempt to co-ordinate their own actions, let alone the actions of the other members. That capacity lies only in the head.

In a similar manner, The Body of Christ has only one intelligent member - The Head, which is Jesus Christ Himself. It is not even within the province of human capability to assess or understand the coherent, consistent and harmonious actions of the Universal Body of Christ. In fact, there doesn’t even lie within them the ability to determine who belongs to The Body and who doesn’t. Only The Head knows, and hence only The Head can co-ordinate, direct, lead and offer effective guidance. This He does through the invisible Holy Spirit and the holy angels. Human beings need only to co-operate with Christ by yielding themselves willingly to Him so that He may activate them in such areas of the work as He deems appropriate.

Guidance Illustrated

Has there been any evidence or illustration of that type of guidance and direction within The Body of Christ, as illustrated by the physical body? Indeed so. A few such situations will now be highlighted.

The first such situation that will be highlighted is found in Acts 8:26-40. We see Philip, a servant of Christ being directed by the Holy Spirit to “go toward the south unto the way that goeth down from Jerusalem unto Gaza, which is a desert.” Verse 26. There, he met an eunuch who was travelling in a chariot, reading the Book of Isaiah but could not understand what he was reading. Philip was directed to join the eunuch in the chariot. There, he expounded unto him the prophecy that the eunuch was reading in the Book of Isaiah so that the eunuch understood, accepted the truth, got baptized by Philip and became a follower of Christ.

So remarkable was the unseen hand of guidance involved that “when they were come up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord caught away Philip, that the eunuch saw him no more: and he went on his way rejoicing. But Philip was found at Azotus.” Verses 39,40.

What human guide could have provided such a well co-ordinated set of actions, to take one member of The Body and lead him just to the point where he was needed, so that he could fulfill that need, and immediately as that need was fulfilled, he was bodily removed and taken to another point where there was another need to be fulfilled? Only the intelligent working of Jesus Christ Himself, The One True Head of The Church, The Body of Christ.

The second such situation that will be highlighted is found in Acts chapter 10. We see a very devout man by the name of Cornelius earnestly seeking the Lord for guidance. The Lord directed him in a vision to send to Joppa and ask for a man by the name of Simon Peter. While the servants of Cornelius were on their way to Joppa to see Peter, Peter was being given a vision; one that prepared the mind of Peter for receiving those that were sent by Cornelius (verses 28,29). Peter then went to the house of Cornelius where he expounded the Word of God to them, which resulted in the Holy Spirit being received by “all them which heard the word.” Verse 44.

There are many other such situations like those mentioned in Acts chapter 16, for example. The apostle Paul was “forbidden of the Holy Ghost to preach the word in Asia “(verse 6), “they assayed to go into Bithynia: but the Spirit suffered them not” (verse 7), but he was later given a vision to go over into Macedonia (verse 9). The apostle Paul clearly understood that the place where the Lord wanted him to go at that particular-time was Macedonia. There, he indeed went and performed a mighty work for the Lord. Even though the apostle Paul was a godly man, yet, left to himself he would have gone to Asia or Bithynia, of which, neither place was where God wanted him to go at the particular moment.

We read of similar guidance given in Acts 18:9,10, whereby, at Corinth the Lord told Paul not to be afraid, but that he should speak boldly for him and not hold his peace, that He is with him and that no hurt would come to him, assuring Paul that He had “much people” in that city.

No Hindrance

The fact is, the Lord Himself would like to direct the affairs of His work in the same way that He directed it then. But how can He so direct His people if they are both individually and collectively taking directions from some other source or attempting, themselves, to direct the work in the place of Christ?. When human beings prescribe channels through which the Lord must be obliged to work, how can the Lord freely direct the affairs of their lives? Now, this is how human beings are hindering the progress of the work of God.

The natural mind tends to relate only to that which can be seen physically, so the absence of a visible head directing the affairs of God’s people has led human beings to set up agencies for the purpose of directing and regulating the activities of The Body of Christ. This in itself is an act of usurping the role of Christ, who is the Head of The Body. It is an attempt by individuals to fulfill a role for which they are wholly incapable. All it serves to do is to frustrate the cause of Christ by weakening or severing the direct connection between Christ and His followers, and diverting their attention from receiving guidance and direction from the only One who is capable of offering it in accordance with the will of God.

Is it any wonder that, for about nineteen hundred (1900) years subsequent to the decease of the apostles there has not been witnessed the mighty workings of the gifts of the Spirit as they were manifested in the days of the apostles?

Each individual must connect himself to Christ directly if he/she would obtain the guidance that Jesus offers. The Bible says that there is “one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus.” 1 Tim. 2:5. Also, we may “come boldly unto the throne of grace.” Heb. 4:16. We need not approach Christ through any priest, pastor, bishop or any other channel, because Jesus has offered to live in the heart of each one of us if we would let him. He is willing and ready to offer guidance to each individual, in the same way that He offered guidance and directed the lives of each of the apostles and His other followers that we read about in the Scriptures.

Two Situations.

At this point it is worthwhile to consider two (2) situations involving Jesus when He was on earth. Valuable insights can be gained that might shed some light on the subject at hand.

The first situation is described in Luke 9:49,50 as follows:

“And John answered and said, Master, we saw one casting out devils in thy name; and we forbad him, because he followeth not with us. And Jesus said unto him, Forbid him not: for he that is not against us is for us.”

From Christ’s words we may understand that being with Christ was not a matter of being physically identified even in His own presence. Rather, being with Christ was and is a matter of ones attitude and behaviour with respect to Him and His mission. One’s privilege of representing Christ is not tied to membership in some exclusive association. This is borne out even more forcibly in the second situation that will now be cited.

The other situation is recorded in Luke chapter 8. Jesus and His disciples had entered into the country of the Gadarenes. There they encountered a man who was controlled by devils. Jesus commanded the devils to come out of the man. Immediately, the devils left the man, and the man, rehabilitated, afterward sat at the feet of Jesus “clothed, and in his right mind.” Verses 26-35. The episode continues:

“Now the man out of whom the devils were departed besought him that he might be with him: but Jesus sent him away, saying, Return to thine own house, and shew how great things God hath done unto thee. And he went his way, and published throughout the whole city how great things Jesus had done unto him.” Luke 8:38,39.

Jesus sent the man away for him to go and live for Him, and share the good news with others. It was not necessary for him to be identified physically in Jesus’ presence. The reason is that being a follower of Jesus does not require being physically identified with some particular location, structure or clique.

Typically Laodicean

Regardless of what any religious clique or denomination might claim, so long as one lives in accordance with the truths of God’s Word, being guided by the Holy Spirit, he/she can never go wrong.

The apostle Paul lists some of the works of the flesh and contrasts them with the fruit of the Spirit (Gal. 5:19-23). After listing the ways in which the Holy Spirit manifests Himself in the lives of individuals, he states: “against such there is no law.” Gal. 6:23.

Under the cover of religious affiliation some individuals practice some of the grossest evils of dishonesty, injustice and self-indulgence without the slightest appreciation that they are really serving the Devil. Why is this so? Because they soothe their consciences with the external and peripheral tokens of what is considered “good standing in the church.” This sorry state of self-deception is very aptly portrayed by the case of the Laodicean church. The Divine portrayal of the Laodicean church is as follows:

“I know thy works) that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot. So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth. Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked: I council thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear: and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see.”-  Rev. 3:15-18.

Standing on the outside and longing to enter the heart of the Laodicean, Christ pleads:

“Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.” Verse 20.

He admonishes:

“Be zealous therefore, and repent.” Verse 19.

The only hope for the Laodicean is repentance. One cannot remain a Laodicean and hope to enter God’s kingdom. Except one repents and ceases to be a Laodicean, the “true witness” declares: “ I will spue thee out of my mouth.” Verse 16.

Indeed, these religious structures which seek to place themselves as the doorway to Christ are of the nature of the Laodicean church, have always been of the nature of the Laodicean church and cannot ever be anything else but of the nature of the Laodicean church.

The reason is that they impose artificial and man-made standards of right-doing which stand in place of, and in many cases are elevated to greater primacy than the truth of God’s Word, which can only be made of effect in one’s life through one’s own conscientious conviction. The admonition of Christ to Nicodemus is well worth heeding: “Ye must be born again.” John 3:7.

That principle which involves dictating to the consciences of human beings is an exercise of authority at a level that even God Himself, in His Divine wisdom has chosen not to exercise it. Hence, it is more than usurping the authority of God, it is exalting oneself above God.

Consider God’s word through Isaiah:

“Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD.” Isa. 1: 18.

God respects the right and privilege of individuals to think freely and to follow Him only as they are persuaded in their own conscience. Satan on the other hand would reduce human beings to mere automatons, devoid of the will to think for themselves.