In this message we shall consider some verses in 1 Corinthians 12. In verse 22 Paul says, “But much rather, the members of the body which seem to be weaker are necessary.” We may think that the stronger ones are needed but that the weaker ones are burdensome. But this verse says that the weaker ones are necessary. They are necessary for the building up of the church. In the local church, therefore, there is the need for the weaker ones.
In verse 24 Paul tells us that “God has tempered the body together.” For the building up of the Body there is the need for tempering. In order for God to temper the Body, the weaker members are necessary. Paul’s word here was not only according to the revelation he had received, but also according to his experience. In his experience Paul realized that God needed the weaker members in order to build up the Body of Christ. We may think that if every member of the church in Anaheim were a Peter, a Paul, or a John, the church would be wonderful. Perhaps it would be wonderful, but it would not be tempered. It would not be balanced. The Lord does not want a church that is extreme and unbalanced.
Continuing verse 22, verse 23 says, “Those members of the body which we think to be less honorable, these we clothe with more abundant honor; and our uncomely members have more abundant comeliness.” If we consider that a certain brother or sister is less honorable, then we need to clothe that one with more abundant honor. This means that we need to beautify him by clothing him. All the weaker ones are worthy of our respect because they are needed. Likewise, all the seemingly less honorable ones need to be clothed with more abundant honor. After these members are clothed with honor, they will have more abundant comeliness.
With what are we to clothe the apparently less honorable members? We must clothe them with Christ. According to the book of Exodus, the tabernacle had four layers of coverings. These coverings typify Christ. Furthermore, all the textiles related to the tent of meeting are types of Christ in different aspects. In order to clothe others with Christ, we need to experience Him in a rich way as our clothing, covering, and beautification. Then we shall be able to clothe our brothers and sisters with Him.
Suppose a certain sister is inclined to argue with her husband. Furthermore, suppose her husband, a brother in the church, has a bad temper. In your eyes this brother and sister may not be very honorable. What should you do with them? Should you give up on them or criticize them? No. If you are faithful to shepherd them, you will clothe them with Christ by ministering Christ to them. It will not help to adjust this sister by teaching her to submit to her husband. In speaking to her about her habit of arguing with her husband, you need to care for Christ. You may say, “Sister, in our daily life we should not only follow the Lord Jesus, but also live by Him as our life. If you argue with your husband, you are not living by Christ. Our desperate need today is to live by Christ.” Perhaps such fellowship will stir up that sister to pray that she may live by Christ. In her prayer she may ask the Lord to help her to live by Him in dealing with her husband. Through this kind of shepherding the sister is clothed and beautified with Christ. Christ is ministered to her as her beautifying element. This is what it means to clothe the less honorable ones with the honorable Christ. This should take place continually in the Lord’s recovery. By being instructed how to take Christ as life and how to live by Him, we shall eventually overcome our habit of arguing or of losing our temper.
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