If one part of the body suffers, all the other parts share its suffering. (1 Corinthians 12:26 GW)
But that is not on the earth. I
may be going through a very great deal of suffering without you knowing anything
about it so far as the natural life is concerned, you are not affected by it,
but beloved, there is a realm where if one member spiritually suffers the whole
Body is involved in that suffering, which shows this Body is a heavenly thing
and its relationships are not natural, they are spiritual, and that the unifying
factor of the Holy Spirit operates apart from the natural consciousness.... You
see what is involved, you see what a motive we have in our relationships for
keeping them on a high level. If there comes between those in these
relationships, these strains, these cross-purposes, these cross-currents, this
being offended and upset, this breach of true love, our attitude must be, not
just that this is a miserable unhappy thing, and the sooner we make it up the
better; our attitude must be, this thing out in the realm of spiritual
intelligences is working against the glory of Christ, this is working against
Him as the Head because all these relationships are joined so vitally to the
Head; this is working against the Holy Spirit as the unifying power of the whole
Body, this is doing damage, and therefore, inasmuch as we are so minutely
related to all the members by the Holy Spirit, what one does must somehow, all
beyond our realization or consciousness, touch Christ, touch the Holy Spirit,
and therefore, all other members. It is doing that. That is the revelation here,
that is the nature of the Body. You see why we should see to these relationships
and lift them up out of the earthlies. I think that is something to think more
about.
Relativity is the law of the
Body of Christ. Relativity is holding fast the Head; and let us beware of trying
to maintain the Body in its oneness along the horizontal line. You cannot do it.
It is a hopeless thing, and we shall always be running round and making
apologies. On the horizontal we cannot do it, but if we hold fast the Head, we
shall find our gravitation is together. We cannot give Christ His place fully
and absolutely and be at cross-purposes with another believer. Christ must have
His place so that we do everything unto Him, all for Him, all for His sake.