Fall 1994

The Church His Body
Seeley D. Kinne

In His creation, God made Adam to be entirely under the control of the Holy Spirit. Adam was not trammeled in any way, this was his normal state. He was as "at home" in the Spirit as a fish is at home in the sea.

However, Adam chose not to abide in this level of spirituality, and died spiritually. This required an intervention of God in restoration. This plan for his redemption was through atonement. Man was to be restored to his normal state with additional blessings of higher privilege.

Over and again God's effort with man has sought to bring him into this higher restored state. But the denseness of man and the wiles of Satan have prevented the outworking of this plan of full redemption. For this reason, the outpouring of the Baptism in the Holy Spirit has been given.

As man in his redeemed state is incapable of sustaining a life in the fullness of the Holy Spirit's power such as Adam originally maintained, God devised a plan whereby "Gifts of the Holy Spirit" would be given, which are parts of Spirit activities divided to different individuals.

This baptized, gifted body brought into one accord through the operation of the Holy Spirit is "the Body of Christ," equaling the original state of Adam, and on occasion excelling it, for the last Adam is greater that the first.

This Spirit-filled and controlled body-operation is the Church. Birth into this world ushers us into the beginning of a state of sense-relationship to our environment. The New Birth brings us into a conscious relationship to the Holy Spirit and to the Body of Christ.

In our natural state, our intelligence, reasoning, and will power directs and controls the activities of each member. Without direction from our head, the members do not act.

In the supernatural realm, Christ is the Head; without direction from Him, the members do not act. Even so, the professed church, seeking useless means and remedies, often neglects and forgets Christ, her true Head. Therefore she has failed to enter into all that was intended for her.

At this time, there is a mighty call coming forth to the people of God to return to Christ, the true Head and become a functioning member of His Body, the supernatural Church of Jesus Christ.

A child born into this world is ignorant, helpless, and mentally inactive; so one born into the Church of Christ is a mere babe in spirituals. Therefore, the need of care and training is very great. Therefore, the Church should be a nursery of the tenderest care.

The Church as a Body is God's workshop, the place of His operation. The source of all activity in the Church is the power of God manifested through the movement of the Holy Spirit. All power of man is therefore an intrusion.

The workings of the Holy Spirit are internal, invisible, and spiritual. But they are not confined to the inner man. They are outward and visible in the body of man, because his body is the temple of the Holy Ghost.

Action in the Church is by the gifts of the Spirit. When one is baptized in the Spirit, he is endowed with gifts of the Holy Spirit. In order that the Body should grow up into Christ in all things and be compacted together, every joint and member must supply its individual part.

The nature and existence of the Church of Jesus Christ is of such a glorious heavenly nature. The hour is at hand for God to restore His Church in power and glory.