I would like to share with you some thoughts about some implications of a biblical doctrine that is often skimmed over, viz. the doctrine that Christ lives within us through the Holy Spirit and that, because we all have the same Holy Spirit within (if we are true Christians) we are all organs of the same corporate Body of Christ. We accept this as a doctrine, but to what extent to we experience this in a practical manner?
Paul criticized the Corinthian Christians for not “discerning the body” (1Cor. 11:29). When these Christians met together for Holy Communion, they did not see themselves as members of the Body of Christ but as individuals with their own agendas. Some were “showing off” their spiritual gifts, others seemed more dedicated to various teachers than they were to the church as a whole while some of the women were disrupting the worship by chattering to their husbands. Contrast this chaos with the very early congregations where “ The whole company of believers was united in heart and soul” (Acts 4:32). They could truthfully say “It is the decision of the Holy Spirit, and our decision”(Acts 15:28) because, under the direction of the Holy Spirit, they thought and acted as one (indeed, as the One!). That is a picture of a Christian group that really did “discern the body”, that saw and experienced itself as the corporate Body of Christ under the direction of the Spirit of Christ, not as individuals acting under the direction of their own minds. This involved the yielding up of their own prejudices and ideas and their total submission to the “still small voice” of the Holy Spirit within.
A group or gathering of Christians is not necessarily a Christian group or gathering in the full sense of that term. The Corinthians gathered together as Christians, but their meetings were less than Christian in the sense that they did not manifest the corporate Body of Christ. The early church mentioned in the Book of Acts, on the other hand, was Christian in the deepest sense. The members of the church described there truly met as the Body of Christ; in a very real sense as Christ and the decisions made (under the guidance of the Holy Spirit) revealed the will of Christ Himself.
So how should Christians meet together? How should a church council, for example, be conducted? NOT by discussing a proposal and then adopting the majority vote! That may be the way that a group of atheists reach a decision, but they are not indwelt by the Spirit of Christ! Ideally, a group of Christians should discuss proposals prayerfully and then wait in silence for the Holy Spirit to inwardly convict each person as to which (if any) proposal is in accord with God’s will. This will require each member to surrender his or her own personal preference, placing it before the Lord. As members of Christ’s Body, each person must be open to the will of the Spirit who inhabits that Body and not to one’s own likes or dislikes. Only when all the members are inwardly convicted as to what God’s will is on the matter of concern will it be accepted by the meeting. Not infrequently, the proposal originally favoured by the minority of members becomes the one on which everyone finally agrees is the will of God!
Traditional Quakers conduct their business meetings in this way, as do some other church congregations. But I believe that this form of meeting can be (and ought to be!) extended far beyond church councils and matters of church business. Is this not the way to present God’s will in commercial enterprises and governments? What is proposed here is for groups of Christians in industry, government (eg. the organisation that conducts presidential prayer breakfasts and meetings of Christian politicians) and other places of power and influence, to regularly hold such meetings – waiting on the Holy Spirit for the conviction of His will concerning matters of government policy or commercial activity. I am not talking here about Christian lobby groups. These have some personal agenda whereas the only “agenda” of the groups proposed here is to find the will of God on each matter presented and to present it to those who have the authority to accept or reject it. Whether these people do or do not accept it is something that cannot be forced, but is something for which they (and they alone) will one day answer to God. Nevertheless, I do believe that as the type of meeting suggested here become more prevalent, God will raise up people in authority, both in business and in government, who will take the advice of the meetings seriously. If that is correct, these meetings will gradually transform society itself, bringing it increasingly into harmony with the will of God!
I believe that the Holy Spirit has led me to this and I now present it to this forum that it may be prayerfully put into effect in as many places as possible. From this small seed, may a movement grow!
Paul criticized the Corinthian Christians for not “discerning the body” (1Cor. 11:29). When these Christians met together for Holy Communion, they did not see themselves as members of the Body of Christ but as individuals with their own agendas. Some were “showing off” their spiritual gifts, others seemed more dedicated to various teachers than they were to the church as a whole while some of the women were disrupting the worship by chattering to their husbands. Contrast this chaos with the very early congregations where “ The whole company of believers was united in heart and soul” (Acts 4:32). They could truthfully say “It is the decision of the Holy Spirit, and our decision”(Acts 15:28) because, under the direction of the Holy Spirit, they thought and acted as one (indeed, as the One!). That is a picture of a Christian group that really did “discern the body”, that saw and experienced itself as the corporate Body of Christ under the direction of the Spirit of Christ, not as individuals acting under the direction of their own minds. This involved the yielding up of their own prejudices and ideas and their total submission to the “still small voice” of the Holy Spirit within.
A group or gathering of Christians is not necessarily a Christian group or gathering in the full sense of that term. The Corinthians gathered together as Christians, but their meetings were less than Christian in the sense that they did not manifest the corporate Body of Christ. The early church mentioned in the Book of Acts, on the other hand, was Christian in the deepest sense. The members of the church described there truly met as the Body of Christ; in a very real sense as Christ and the decisions made (under the guidance of the Holy Spirit) revealed the will of Christ Himself.
So how should Christians meet together? How should a church council, for example, be conducted? NOT by discussing a proposal and then adopting the majority vote! That may be the way that a group of atheists reach a decision, but they are not indwelt by the Spirit of Christ! Ideally, a group of Christians should discuss proposals prayerfully and then wait in silence for the Holy Spirit to inwardly convict each person as to which (if any) proposal is in accord with God’s will. This will require each member to surrender his or her own personal preference, placing it before the Lord. As members of Christ’s Body, each person must be open to the will of the Spirit who inhabits that Body and not to one’s own likes or dislikes. Only when all the members are inwardly convicted as to what God’s will is on the matter of concern will it be accepted by the meeting. Not infrequently, the proposal originally favoured by the minority of members becomes the one on which everyone finally agrees is the will of God!
Traditional Quakers conduct their business meetings in this way, as do some other church congregations. But I believe that this form of meeting can be (and ought to be!) extended far beyond church councils and matters of church business. Is this not the way to present God’s will in commercial enterprises and governments? What is proposed here is for groups of Christians in industry, government (eg. the organisation that conducts presidential prayer breakfasts and meetings of Christian politicians) and other places of power and influence, to regularly hold such meetings – waiting on the Holy Spirit for the conviction of His will concerning matters of government policy or commercial activity. I am not talking here about Christian lobby groups. These have some personal agenda whereas the only “agenda” of the groups proposed here is to find the will of God on each matter presented and to present it to those who have the authority to accept or reject it. Whether these people do or do not accept it is something that cannot be forced, but is something for which they (and they alone) will one day answer to God. Nevertheless, I do believe that as the type of meeting suggested here become more prevalent, God will raise up people in authority, both in business and in government, who will take the advice of the meetings seriously. If that is correct, these meetings will gradually transform society itself, bringing it increasingly into harmony with the will of God!
I believe that the Holy Spirit has led me to this and I now present it to this forum that it may be prayerfully put into effect in as many places as possible. From this small seed, may a movement grow!
