«　WEEK 4　DAY 3　»

　　Psa. 73:16-17 "When I considered this in order to understand it, it was a troublesome task in my sight, until I went into the sanctuary of God; then I perceived their end."

　　1 Thes. 3:8 "Because now we live if you stand firm in the Lord."

　　Someone asked, “Why am I not [as] living as before?…I seem to have lost the joy and the vitality that I once had.” I answered, “The reason is that you have lived in your self for too long. You have to get into the Body life.” In order for a member to live a normal life, he must receive the supply from the other members. If a man is not living in the Body of Christ, he will not receive the Body's supply. No member can say that he does not need the other members. No member may detach himself from other members to live alone.

　　Romans 12:3 says, “Not to think more highly of himself than he ought to think.” We should not think too highly of ourselves, and we should not think that others are inferior. We should not despise and reject other members of the Body. Peter thought that the other members would fall and fail but that he would not. But when the test came, he failed just the same as everyone else. Those who think highly of themselves and despise other members will end up in trouble sooner or later. In the Body of Christ everyone is a member and nothing more than a member. Hence, no member can live without the other members, much less despise them. (CWWN, vol. 44, “The Mystery of Christ, “pp. 799-800)

　　What are the eyes, ears, hands, and feet? They are Christ Himself. The Head is Christ, and the Body is also Christ. Each member is a part of the life of Christ. If I refuse the help of my fellow members, I am refusing the help of Christ. If I am not willing to acknowledge my need of them, I am not willing to acknowledge my need of Christ. Just as I cannot be independent from the Head, I cannot be independent from the Body. Individualism is hateful in the sight of God. What I do not know, another member of the Body will know; what I cannot see, another member of the Body will see; what I cannot do, another member of the Body will do. Therefore, I must allow the other members of the Body to minister to my needs. We must avail ourselves constantly of the fellowship of the Body, for it is our very life.

　　In the Old Testament, being out of the fellowship was the most severe punishment that could be visited upon the children of Israel. They “shall be cut off from his people.” This is very serious. If it were God's intention for us to live as individuals, we could progress perfectly well apart from one another. However, He has made us members of His Body; therefore, we cannot possibly grow, apart from one another.

　　We have to see the reality of the supply in the Body of Christ, and we have to learn to live in the Body and to receive the supply in the Body. In the Old Testament the lampstand was placed in the sanctuary. In order for a man to see light, he had to enter the sanctuary. In the New Testament the sanctuary is the church. If a man wants to see light, he has to come to the church. In the church meetings and among the brothers and sisters, God's light is much stronger than in individuals. Today God's sanctuary is the church; God Himself dwells in the church. Hence, His light is in the church. A man can only see light if he comes to the church. Everything that Christ has is in His Body. He is a foolish man who claims that he can be a Christian alone. Sooner or later, all individual Christians will dry up. As long as we live in the Body, we will receive the supply of the Body, no matter what our condition is. Every member should learn to treasure the supply of the Body and to treasure every member. We must all learn to live in the Body, that is, we must all learn to live in the supply of the Body. (CWWN, vol. 44, “The Mystery of Christ, “pp. 801-802)

　　Further Reading: CWWN, vol. 44, “The Mystery of Christ, ” ch. 99