THE CHRISTIAN CHURCH

The church has lost her testimony. She no longer has anything to say to the world. Her once robust shout of assurance has fadded away to an apologetic whisper. She who one time went out to declare now goes out to inquire. Her dogmatic declarartion has become respectful suggestion, a word of advive , given with the understanding that it is after all only an opinion and not meant to sound bigoted.

Not only has the church nothing to say to the world but the tables have actually been turned and the ministers of Christ are now going to the world for light.

One blessed fact to be kept ever in mind is the organic unity of all true believers in Christ. However ill taught God's children may be on this subject and however widely seperated by artificial barriers, they are nontheless all members of Christ as surely one man's hands and feet and eyes and ears are by one being members of his body. Unity in Christ is not something to be achieved; it is something to be recognized. I think Paul made this sufficiently clear in

Corinthians 12: 4-11

(4) There are different gifts but the same Spirit,

(5) there are different ministries but the same Lord;

(6) there are different works but the same God who accomplishes all of them in everyone.

(7) To each person the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good.

(8) To one the Spirit gives wisdom in discourse, To another the power to express knowledge.

(9) Through the Spirit one receives faith; by the same Spirit another is given the gift of healing,

(10) and still another miraculous powers. Prophecy is given to one; to another power to distinguish one spirit from another. One receives the gift of tongues, to another that of interpreting the tongues.

(11) But it is one and the same Spirit who produces all these gifts, distributing them to each as he wills.

A.W. Tozer