Our Bodies - The Body of Christ

The Differentiator
Vol. 10, January-February, 1948 No. 1

(NOTE: After having spoken on Eph. 4:1-16 on his recent tour in the middle states, several urged the Editor to be sure to publish the address in The Differentiator. As I had no notes when speaking the reproduction of the address will be with some additions and subtractions but I have aimed to give it as near as memory enables to do so. May the reading of it be attended with the same evident blessings as the oral delivery of It was!—Ed.)

Our Bodies–––The Body Of Christ
(Are they functioning properly?)God has seen fit to use the human body as an illustration of the "Body of Christ." That method was also the Master's while He was teaching here on earth. He used natural things to elucidate the spiritual.
We do not know very much about our bodies. In the first place it is a very complicated machinery, and man seems to have given much more attention to raising of cattle, horses and hogs than to raising himself properly, and keeping his body fit. Farmers, as a rule, pay strict attention to dietary rules for their livestock, as well as other factors upon which their success depends, but ignores the same natural laws for themself and families, An old sage said, "Man know thyself." (Socrates.) But we have not followed his challenge assiduously.
And we—saints and leaders in the Church—seem to be just about as negligent about the dietary rules and other "health measures" that the "Great Shepherd" has laid down for the "upbuilding of His Body in love" as we are regarding our personal, physical well,being in general. Much of His advice as to the proper building of His Body has been ignored, and much that did not suit us has been substituted by something which we thought were "just as good."
And yet all of us deplore the abnormal and subnormal condition in which the Body of Christ is in these days. We go on with our methods and our means, struggling, battling, worrying, criticising (all the rest), and—complaining!
Would you, this morning, grant me the privilege of "the doctor" diagnosing the "patient"? I mean, trying to find out what is the reason, or reasons, for the "Body" functioning so improperly. But does it really? Some tell us that things in this "Body" are just right. Just the way God wants it to be now. Well, maybe that is one reason why things are so much out of kelter. When things are as they should be, only a fool would try to improve. Let well enough alone. Why tamper with the thing when it is just the way God wants it to be!
However, the standard of how God wants this "Body" to be is found in His word, and anyone who will but open the eyes can see that the present appearance of this Body is a caricature of what God has pictured as His will.
Just to mention one thing: The oneness of the Body, which God has enjoined on us to manifest to the world. Are the hundreds of sects. and parties within the Body a demonstration to the world of unity? It's a caricature. It's a travesty. It's a shame and disgrace.
But this morning I want you to especially consider that part of manifestation of this Body to which we are directly related: The Reconciliation Movement. How does that function, in regard to UNITY?
As editor of our little paper I have received hundreds, not to say thousands, of letters from almost all parts of the world, and from every direction comes the evidence that this movement is no better than all the rest. In fact, considering the high qualifications that we claim to possess—a deeper apprehension of His truth—we are leaders in dissension, strife and schisms.
And not only by mail do I have the picture of the situation that I have. I know, personally, the conditions on the West Coast, and now, when on this trip I have visited many different places and meetings, I do not find one single place where there is the unity that should be everywhere. Lack of coherence, cooperation, and true fellowship is all over. It is disintegration. Cheap, inexcusable petty considerations keeps the saints apart. Many are acting like sully, silly children who refuse to play as soon as things do not go as they want it. This is not the spirit of the Lord, but of the flesh.
But let us consider what the great spirit-inspired apostle to the nations says about this in Eph. 4:
"I, therefore, the prisoner in the Lord, beseech you." I plead with you, I implore you, I beg you "THEREFORE." For what?
Because of the transcendent, the priceless, the amazing grace that I have uncovered in the previous chapters. Because of the unprecedented grace that God has now revealed to and for you. The fact, that, He has picked you up when you were dead in trespasses and sins, and has raised you up with Christ, after you have died with Him, and has set you in the heavenlies in Christ, even making you, gentile "dogs" the "complement" of the universe, the complement even of Christ, who filleth all in all, therefore I now beseech you that you walk worthily of this high calling, that your behaviour is made to correspond to the lofty position that you have been granted by His infinite Grace!
Why do you suppose the apostle starts this with, "I, the prisoner in the Lord?" Is it not to remind them of what sacrifices he had made in order to bring this blessed message of God's grace to them? Is it not to inspire them to renounce the desires of the flesh in order to live somewhat like him? Is it not to move them to evaluate the cost of what God is offering them, so as to make them willing to sacrifice also? What else could it be? "To walk. . . with all lowliness and meekness." These virtues were not virtues in the eyes of the Romans and the Greeks. With them it was self-assertion, self, exaltation, elevation above others. He sets a new standard. A new ideology for them to follow. The flesh in the background. The spirit to the fore.
"With LONG SUFFERING." "Bearing with one another in Love."
It is well to remember that all of us have some sharp corners that are apt to nudge and grate and jar others. Idiosyncracies—at least so considered by some. Peculiarities—which makes it uneasy for others to get along with. What can one do about it? The nearest suggested method is to get all the others moulded in my own form, so as to be like myself, in concepts, ways and habits. Then all would be so nice. No grating and grinding any more.
But this is not what the apostle suggests. He advises suffering long, forbearing.
"Giving diligence." A definite and deliberate aim. A purposed and sustained process.
"To KEEP the unity of the Spirit." Thank God, not to make a unity or oneness, not to organize such, not to create such but just keep—maintain—demonstrate—exhibit—what is already there, something that God had already established.
What is this "unity"?
It is the indivisible oneness—the unity of the "One body," the Body of Christ—the undissolvable oneness that God sees in this Body from His point of view.
We are urged to keep it, no matter what it costs us in the way of self-denial and self-abnegation.
The existence of this unity does not at all depend upon anything that we do, or do not do. Then we might just as well let it go at that, paying no more attention to it. That is what we have done, but the Lord says: "KEEP it."
How and where?
First within ourselves—in our spirit. Right here is where all division start. All cutting and shearing and tearing and disfellowshipping has its origin in there.
And when it has ripened within one then it comes out by and by and is manifested towards our fellow-saints. We want them away from us, or we want to be away from them. When this desire is fulfilled then there is a new schism, a new barrier, a new "stall" in which there is all the way from one to a great number. Then the world has a new occasion to point the sneering finger at us and say: "See how they hate one another!"
Then we have been "stalled" together with the ones that agrees with us and our "idiosyncracies." Then the need for "long-suffering" and forbearance has been reduced to minimum, and then all is agreeable—to the flesh—for a little while. But the irreparable damage that has been done is hardly taken into consideration. But it will—and must—appear at the Judgment Seat of Christ.
"Keep the unity of the spirit—in the bond of peace."
Peace. Yes, that is the cementing element that binds together. It is lack of peace in the individual that starts the deteriorating process. Peace is such a sweet thing to have. It is so enjoyable. It is so precious. Where the individual is really at peace with himself, at peace with God, at peace with circumstances, at peace with the fellow-believers, there is no desire for separation from them or to separate any of them from fellowship. The peace induces one to extend all necessary patience to the Jailing and faulty fellow-travellers. When the inward peace is not the vacuum will be taken up with something undesirable, some kind of evil that cannot be kept on the inside. It will spread and penetrate till the surroundings become infested. Then unity and harmony is impossible to maintain. The "unity of the spirit" is gone.
THE QUALIFICATIONS FOR, KEEPING THIS UNITYThat is the next in the development of the apostle's writing. What are the qualifications? Seven unities that God has established—in spirit.
The basic one is "ONE BODY," animated by "ONE SPIRIT."
Let us remember that it is the human body that is God's illustration of the Body of Christ.
Each one of us have one body. God has set the members in our body the way it pleased Him. Supposed there were several spirits, or dominating powers, within us and each presumed the authority to direct the movements of the members, what chaos and confusion there would be! Once I worked in a place where there were five different bosses, each countermanding and cancelling the order of any of the others. It was unbearable and I finally let the headman know it. Then he said to me: "Never mind what the others say. If they come and reverse my order to you, just tell them to go to . . ." Well, it was a grand improvement, I tell you.
Now in our relationship to one another in His Body we are "members of one another"—in the same body, under the direction of only the One Spirit, through the Head, the Lord Jesus Christ. This is the basic qualification which makes it possible for us to keep the unity of the spirit.
Next: "One hope of our calling." The same high goal and aim, the same destiny, the same divinely ordained mission, the same grand honors! Common aims and purposes bind people together. Could there be devised any higher, loftier, nobler and more inspiring purpose than what is in our common calling? Why don't we then let it bind us together?
"One Lord."—Here we are sure not to be misled by opposing and conflicting orders as to life, faith and walk. If we have accepted Him as really our LORD, as the One Who only has right to direct our lives, then we will not listen to "orders" of any "bosses" that go contrary to what we believe His orders. Perhaps this is one strong reason why there is so much discord among us that some of us have not excluded all the rest as "lords". We have not given Him exclusive right of directorship. Let us not forget that that the servant is accountable to his Master, and not, primarily, to his fellow servants. Maybe there are some among us who are trying to "lord it over" the Lord's people and by such lordship causes unnecessary conflicts in the Body. Let us beware of such. Let us not acknowledge anyone else as our LORD, except the One Who died for us and rose again.
"One faith."—Yes, but now we hear of many faiths. "What faith are you of?" is a common question. Have we committed ourselves willingly to a group creed, and expect others to do the same, then we are not keeping the unity of the spirit. Group creeds—or "faiths"—have never made for unity, but the opposite. The "one" faith is that body of revealed truth given to and for the Body of Which we are members. Let us stick to that, giving all diligence to apprehend that "faith".
"One baptism."—Yes, not two. A great amount of needless friction and dissension has been generated in the Body by insisting that the apostle here means TWO baptisms, or a compound baptism. If any of the other seven "unities" here are not compound, but simple and singular, why should this one be? It is the baptism that baptises members into "that one Body". I Cor. 12:13.
"One God and Father."—Ah, that is the crowning "unity!" After all it is a family affair—a family unit, with "papa"—Ro. 8: 15—at the head.
If I told you of a large family where one was a university student, one a college graduate, one a common school student and one a cripple and one somewhat feeble-minded, and all these had disfellowshipped one another and refused to maintain family connections and life, because of different degrees of development, abilities, and attainments, you would say that either I was a liar, or that family was made up of lunatics.
And right you were. But is it not just that which we, the family of God, has done? We have used our abilities, our disabilities, our attainments, or lack of such, our deformities and shortcomings as reasons for segregating ourselves into divers little groups, (sects) and parties, instead of recognizing one another as members of the same family, yea, of the same Body.
ALL ALIBIS EXCLUDEDIn the following verses the apostle has presented to us what most decidedly excludes any and all excuses for not maintaining the unity of the spirit. What is it? It is the necessary GRACE, given us by the "gift of Christ."
"Unto each one of us was grace given according to the measure of the gift of Christ."
What does this mean? The following verses tells us plainly. After His ascension He provided certain "gifts unto men."
(It is essential to notice that these gifts were after His ascension. They are independent of, and different from, what He had provided in His earthly ministry.)
These gifts were: 1) Apostles, 2) Prophets, 3) Evangelists, 4) Pastors, and 5) Teachers.
What does "the measure" of this gift mean according to which each one of us were given grace?
"The measure" means, no doubt, the amount of light, truth, enduements, power and ability that He granted all of these, What He gave them is the measure that He has given "each one of us."
If that is so, then we do not have much ground on which to plead insufficient qualifications to do what God has besought us to do: To keep the unity of the spirit. No, we have none.
Have we not had access to the same heaven-sent, soul stirring, inspiring, heaven-lifting revelations that Paul was given? Revelations that had been "hid in God for ages"—ch. 3:9—but were given Him for dissemination to us—the Body of Christ?
Were it not these truths that drove Paul into super human efforts and sufferings? Drove him to wish that he might be a partaker of the sufferings of Christ and even be conformed to His death—Phil 3:10. Made him renounce all and every advantage that his station and standing in society could confer upon him. Considered it only "refuse" in comparison with the revelations from God. So grand and great were these truths to him-and should be to us. If we have—if only in part—absorbed and assimilated what the one "measure"—Paul, contained we sure would be well qualified for anything that the Lord has admonished us to do for Him. And besides Paul, the Lord had provided many other vessels for our development. What excuse do we then have for not qualifying? None whatever.
THE PURPOSE OF THE GIFTS OF CHRISTThe purpose of these gifts is stated in four progressive steps as follows:
1. For the perfecting (or re-adjusting, C. V.) of the saints.2. The aim of this is for "the work of ministering"—service.3. This ministering is for "the building up of the body of Christ."4. The ultimate aim of all this is: "that we all should attain to theunity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God."The result of all this would then be that we would "be no longer children, or minors, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, in craftiness of error: but speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him, Who is the head, even Christ."
We are all so apt to become lopsided. We grow in some things but not in all. We emphasize certain things and forget others.
We want certain elements of what God has granted us through His gifts, but refuse others just as vital parts. But He has provided for a well-rounded development.
THE GREAT MISTAKEIn what? In the Reconciliation movement, and especially SO in the so-called Concordant movement. What is it?
That we have failed to seek the use of some of the "gifts" of Christ, which He has provided for the upbuilding of the Body.
Which? You may ask.
Evangelists and pastors.
Here is one of the main reasons why the movement has stagnated in forms and drifted into lopsidedness.
We may be sure that the Lord of the Church knew just what was needed for the upbuilding of His Body. Of course, most of us agree that apostles, in the sense of divine authorities are no longer in the Church. Neither are prophets in the sense of revealers of new revelations from God. But there can be no doubt that the other three offices are yet in vogue. But two of these we have, practically, cancelled, evangelists and pastors.
We have gone to the opposite extremes compared to the great church systems. There the cry is all the time for evangelists. They want revivals and more "babies" born. There is not much to be said against this, were it not for the fact, that they don't want teachers to take care of these babies and develop them. They remain in their swaddling clothes and in the cradle all of their lives. We, on the other hand, want nothing but teachers. Teaching, teaching, and more teaching, but no reaching out by salvation evangelism for the unsaved. And where are the pastors? Oh, well there are some, here and there, but what are they doing most of the time? Making a living for themselves and their families, because the saints have not been taught to support them so they could use their time and energy for "the building up of the Body." More and more it has become clear to me that here is one of the most potent reasons for the stagnation in the reconciliation movement.
I have known one reconciliation meeting on the Coast that grew and expanded and carried on a splendid work as long as they had a pastor giving all his time to the work. When he left, the work went down and now there are only remnants left. On this trip I have found another example of the same. A meeting with a regular pastor, own church building, Sunday school and a fine work going. But the "members" are supporting the pastor and his energies are used, not in dollar chasing to maintain himself and his, but to look after the Lord's work. Was it not Paul that pronounced it as a divine order that those who preach the gospel should live of the gospel. I Cor. 9:14.
"What soldier ever serveth at his own charges? Who planteth a vineyard and eateth not the fruit thereof? Or who feedeth a flock, and eateth not of the milk of the flock? "If we sowed unto you spiritual things, is it a great matter that we should reap your carnal things?" I Cor. 9:7-8 and 11.
There are a good many Concordant meetings that would be able all by themselves to maintain a regular pastor, but they do not do it, because they have not been taught it as a vital part of the Lord's work. But you can bank on it that if the Lord thought it necessary to put pastors in the church for the upbuilding of it, we cannot dispense with such an office without reaping undesirable consequences.
A STRIKING APPLICATIONIn verse 16 the apostle makes the most striking application of the analogy between the human body and that of Christ, as to the proper function. Let us pay close attention to every word of inspiration here:
"Christ—from Whom all the body fitly framed and knit together THROUGH THAT WHICH EVERY JOINT SUPPLYETH, according to the working in due measure of every part, maketh the increase of the body unto the building up of itself in love."
The first thing to notice here is the source of all the life impulses to the Body: "Christ—from Whom."
The next is the method, and the means by which the life impulses—the nourishment—is conveyed to the Body, and by what means the Body is "framed and knit together." It is "THROUGH THAT WHICH EVERY JOINT SUPPLIETH." Then it follows that each and every joint is necessary for the proper function of the Body. We cannot—according to this—dispense with any part, or "joint" (K.J.'s), without unfavorable effects on the whole Body.
Here is where we have used reckless carelessness. As the modern surgeons have treated the human body so have we treated the Body of Christ too often. As soon as there was a "part" or "joint" that caused a little trouble—did not function properly—we hurried to cut it out and throw it on the scrap pile. We did not have love sufficient to induce us to undertake a spiritual diagnosis and we did not have the patience to find out just what "medicine" or treatment was needed to bring the "joint" back to proper functioning. We did not realize that by amputating the "joint" we impaired the function of the whole body.
Let us remember that every human body is a picture of the Body of Christ, and every "ecclesia" or church, even if only "two or three gathered together" is a miniature Body of Christ. Each such assembly is also likened to a building, and all such buildings together are to constitute a temple in the Lord. Eph. 2:20. If we reject any of the "stones" that He has seen fit to prepare for this building we are doing damage to His work.
This amputation business (we ordinarily call it disfellowshipping) has gone on with such heedless carelessness that the "Body" is crippled. The members are scattered here and there and all over, disjointed and totally severed one from another where there was no need of such radical measure. This is the curse of Christendom, and most all of us have helped to promote this needless disaster.
Don't you ever think that it is only the "official" amputations—the official disfellowshipping that is doing harm. Not at all. It is carried on privately and individually. Are you sure that you have not taken a distant unwarranted attitude towards any "member," and thus caused it to be severed from the fellowships? Or have you never taken offense of something that perhaps were not worth a thought; but the flesh was ignored, you did not get the attention, perhaps, that you felt should be accorded you, or someone said something that you did not like, and right away you felt that you should just as well "get even" by a corresponding attitude. This, my friend, was not "forbearing and long suffering." In too many cases such trifling things have led to estrangement and severance of "members" that should be attached to the Body, in an outward and demonstrable way.
We should remember that "God has set the members in the body as it pleased Him" and that "those members of the body which seem more feeble are necessary." I Cor. 12:18 and 22. And "God hath tempered the body together, having given more abundant honor to that part which lacked, that there should be no schism in the body; but that the members should have the same care for one another." I Cor. 12:24-25.
The feeble members are necessary. The ones that seem to be unable to keep up with the normal movements and functions of the body, are NECESSARY. Ah, would that that was laid to heart by all!
We read that "to each one of us was given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ" and that the "body is fitly framed and knit together through that which every joint supplieth."
Consequently, the deliberate aim of everyone should be to give free play for all these "graces" that were "given". We should all of us be aiming to make use of all the talents and all the abilities that God had graced an ecclesia with. But do we find that this is the ordinary practice? No, not at all. Only the specially gifted members are encouraged to use their gifts, and too often is it done under such harsh censorship that they are discouraged. On the other hand, many will not use their gifts. They have not been led to see that this is God's will for them. And too often do the leaders ignore any and all who do not "toe the line" that they have established—submitting to all the rules and regulations that have been adopted—written or unwritten. Let a "subordinate" dare to voice an idea that is not officially approved and the result is that such a one is shoved into a corner where he will either suffocate or freeze into submission, or disappear.
A lot of fleshly radicalism both on part of the leaders and others are too often demonstrated. A member will sometimes acquire some of the numberless screwy ideas that the present time is so rich in, and will commence to press it in on the meeting as though it were a vital necessity for all. As these new ideas are not in the dogmas of the meeting the leaders will decide immediately that such must not be permitted to be voiced. So the one or ones that are denied freedom of expression feel that they have been muzzled and repressed. Maybe some others in the meeting feel the same. If such "screwy" ideas were taken up and in a patient and loving manner were scrutinized and tested in the light of the Word, the effect of their introduction would, in many cases, prove a valuable step in the process of upbuilding, yes, of both love and knowledge. But the easiest way to settle such unwelcome intruding ideas is to cut off the members that bring them in. If we esteem such intruding ideas as expression of feebleness and immaturity on part of those who sponsor them, then we should also remember that the "more feeble are necessary." We cannot without hurt and harm cut them off and drop them. It impairs the body.
I cannot help but feel that too many times the anxious attitude that is taken to "defend the truth" is, in reality, to defend the dogmas, and there is an underlying feeling that maybe the dogmas and the truth are not identical. Therefore, the anxiety. Truth—divine truth—is not so feeble that analysis and scrutiny will hurt it. Let the lion defend itself. Just let it out of the cage.
A RADICAL DEPARTURE FROM GOD'S ORDERNot only have we ignored the necessity of pastors, but we have abrogated the office of Evangelists. Or, tell me, where are the evangelists of the Concordant movement?
I am, of course, aware of the fact that, a certain phase of evangelism is that of making known the "unsearchable riches of Christ," the secret that was committed to Paul for dissemination among the saints; but that certainly is not all the evangelism that the Lord intended to be carried on for the up building of His Body.
But that is just what so many teachers maintain. In fact, many of them seem to have a certain pride in asserting that they have no concern at all for the unsaved. And why should they? They assert most confidently that there are no such thing as unsaved people. All are saved. All that we now are supposed to do is to teach these saved ones—any and all even of the ungodly world—the great truth of universal reconciliation. Yes, that is all!
Is it any wonder that the so-called Concordant movement has petrified into a system of cold, stiff, hard, intellectual dogmatism? Is it any wonder that sectism is rife within the movement? The doctrines have been developed. The "indoctrinating" is what is now to be done, nothing else. All the doctrines that have been systematized and dogmatized must never be criticised, but transmitted in their "purity" to all who will carry them onward to others—saints and sinners alike. We are well on the way to develop a chain of spiritual concentration camps in which all the internees must submit to the acknowledged "authorities," or be disciplined, or—ostracized. Fellowship on the basis of life and not doctrine is yet on the paper, but very little in the practice. May God have mercy on us! If we do not mend our ways God will put us on the shelf and find others who will follow His orders.
Where are the members for the upbuilding of the Body to come from if not from sinners that are being apprehended by Him and saved? Each assembly is a miniature body of Christ. As such it should function "for the upbuilding of itself in love." But there must be some members to "build"—to teach and develop. Shall we always depend on getting these from other churches and meetings? Many a meeting is just about dead and gone. Some have died, some moved away, some become sour and have left, and most of them were "members" of some other church anyway, and most of them are so solidly married to these churches that they will not leave them They maintain their standing there by being silent about the great truths that God has committed to us and urged us to bear witness to. How then are our meetings to be maintained and augmented if not by an aggressive evangelism reaching out for those who know not God? Beloved, I see no other way but to return to God's system of work: Evangelism and pastoral care. If we refuse to do this we shall be made a laughing stock for the world and the" churches" around us.
ANOTHER BLIGHTING DISEASEWhen I am trying to "diagnose" I am compelled to mention what I consider one of the worst hindrances to the spread of the precious truth that God has committed to us: The fatalistic concept, based mainly on the Scripture, that "All is out of God"—that He has ordered every sin, every failure, every degrading influence that the saints are guilty of to be just that way, and that it is just as He wants it.
Right here in the community where I happen to write this have I heard it said that some who had accepted Reconciliation have lost interest because they have noticed that those who hold this doctrine becomes inactive in the Lord's work. Now is not that charge justified perhaps? I know, personally, good many who have displayed that attitude. And why? Because (they say) that is just the way God wants it—for them. They cannot help it! They are made by Him to be different and why should they remonstrate? Why make any efforts contrary to His will?
Recently there came to my knowledge a case of a young wife falling in love with another man, taking steps to be divorced from her husband, although there were no faults on his side, when another sister in the Lord tried to persuade her of the wrong in this, she defended herself by arguing that also this step of hers was of God. This shows the baneful, degrading effects that this concept has had on the morals of those who have adopted it. How could it be otherwise? The flesh always appreciate to find an alibi for its lusts, and if this concept has not lulled many to sleep, and created in them a state of carelessness that should not be found in any that confess Christ as their Lord and Master.
I am afraid that in many a meeting this fatalistic idea has so sapped the spiritual life, and taken away all godly ambition to the extent that, even if they deeply realize that the condition is not pleasing to the Lord, they are so overcome by lethargy that it is impossible to arouse them to action and effort.
If this fatalistic notion had any foundation in the Scriptures what point would there be in Paul's admonition in the next verses after the text which we have now considered?
"This I say therefore, and testify in the Lord, that ye no longer walk as the Gentiles walk, in the vanity of their mind, being darkened in their understanding, alienated from the life of God, because of the ignorance that is in them, because of the hardening of their heart," etc.
That the ungodly are under the power of the Adversary we know, but we—the saints of God—who are indwelt by His spirit, qualified by all the supernatural and extraordinary provisions by God for a holy, God-devoted life, how dare we excuse a low grade life with the notion that it is the way of God wants it to be? I consider this no less than an insult to God. May God in His mercy wake us and shake us up and out of this inexcusable lethargy.
AN APPEAL TO EVERY GOD-DEVOTED RECONCILIATION SAINT:I have for a long time been on my knees time and time again crying to God that He would raise up some man, or men, whom He could use to infuse new life, vigor and vision into the Reconciliation movement. Maybe there are not now any prophets in the Church in the sense of fore-tellers, but we are sorely in need of some Elijah's and Elisha's and Jeremiah's as forth-tellers of a mighty, heaven-inspired message of repentance. Yes, I said repentance. We have been assured that the ungodly do not need to repent—to have a change of mind—but we, the reconciliation saints sure do need it. The Concordant movement, which in this country seemed for a long time the divinely appointed custodian and diseminator of Reconciliation truth, is developing into a stiff, stale, stolid, intolerant, intellectual, formalistic, dogmatic system, with little or none of spontaneous, pulsating, invigorating, heart-rejuvenating spirituality, Sectism, intolerance, dissension, and "empire building" by many of the leaders are evident on every hand. We may not like the word "revival," but that is just what we need.
I appeal to all. the saints who are really awake to the dangers that threaten us to call upon God to release the mighty spirit forces that can reverse this deplorable development. May He bless all who are on His side, and give us the needed grace and courage to face the enemy as we ought.
E. A. Larsen