The Believer and His Body 655
frame be considered a member of Christ? We are verily witnessing
an exceedingly wonderful truth.
We must understand our union with Christ. God does not look at
believers individually; He includes them together within His view of
Christ. No Christian can exist outside of Christ, because his daily
strength to live is supplied by Him. To God, the union of believers
with Christ is an altogether definite reality. The “body of Christ” is
not just a spiritual term, it is truly a fact. Just as a physical body is
joined to a head, so believers are joined to Christ. In God’s eye, our
union with Christ is perfect, unlimited and absolute. To word it
another way, our spirits unite with the spirit of Christ (most
important of all), our souls unite with the soul of Christ (the union of
wills, the union of affections, and the union of minds), and our
bodies unite with the body of Christ. If our union with Christ is
complete how can the corporeal part of our being be excluded? If we
are the members of Christ our bodies too are the members of Christ.
Unquestionably perfect union will not be achieved until the time
of future resurrection. Even so, our union with Christ is already a
present verity. This teaching is vital, for what comfort we have when
we know that the body of Christ is for our bodies. All truths may be
experienced. Do we have any physiological defect, sickness,
suffering or weakness? Remember, Christ’s body is for our bodies.
Ours are united to His; accordingly we may draw life and strength
from His body for the supply of our physical needs. Everyone who
has bodily defects should stand on this union with Christ by faith and
draw from His resources for their fleshly needs.
The Apostle marvels that the Corinthian believers could be
ignorant of such a clear truth. Had they truly apprehended this
teaching they would have encountered many spiritual experiences as
well as dealt responsibly with various practical warnings; such as, if
these bodies are members of Christ could we have dared make them
members of a prostitute? For the Apostle right away inquires: “Do