17. Глава и тело

What the head and body are to each other, so are Christ and Christians. The body is united with the head, and so Christians are spiritually united with Christ. The head governs the rest of the body, and so Christ governs His spiritual Body, or His Church, as a saint. The head provides for the benefit and integrity of the whole body, just as Christ provides for the benefit and salvation of His Church, or the faithful. Whatever the head thinks and wants, the members of the body do. Hands do what the head wants. The legs go where the head wants. Without the will of the head, no member does anything. Likewise, Christians, according to the will of Christ, must do everything, that is, whatever He wants. All members of the body obey the head, just as Christians must obey Christ. When the head suffers, then all the members of the body have compassion for it. So, with Christ who suffered, Christians in this world must suffer, with Christ who was mocked, they must be mocked, with Christ who was mocked, they must be mocked - in a word, with Christ, who bore the Cross, they must bear their cross and follow Him. When the head is glorified, the members of the body also share in the same glory. So, with the glorified Christ, His spiritual members - Christians - will also be glorified in His kingdom. The bodily members are instruments of the head: the head does everything, but through its members. Likewise, Christians are instruments of the Head, Christ, who accomplishes good deeds through them. Whatever good the members do is attributed to the head. Thus, everything that Christians do good should be attributed to Christ. When someone hits the head, the hands protect it in every possible way and protect it from the striker so that it is not damaged. So when Christ is blasphemed and dishonored, Christians must stand and defend the glory of His name, even if they themselves had to suffer. All the bliss of the body depends on the head. So the bliss of all Christians depends on Christ. When the body or a member suffers, the head also suffers. So when Christians suffer, Christ also has compassion for them. Whatever is done to any bodily member, the head imputes to itself. So what is done to Christians, Christ imputes to Himself. Is any offense or evil done to a Christian? All this is done to Christ Himself. Is a Christian persecuted, cursed, reviled, or reproached? All this concerns Christ Himself. Is any good or good deed done to a Christian? Christ imputes this to Himself. Christ says about this: “Just as you did it to one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did it to me.” And again: “Because you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to Me” (Matthew 25:40, 45). From this you see, Christian: 1) What kind of union and communion Christians have with Christ, like members of a body with the head. 2) The Holy Head is Christ. His shrine must be shared with His members - Christians, and they must create shrines in the fear of God. Otherwise, “what fellowship does righteousness have with iniquity? What does light have in common with darkness? (2 Cor. 6:14). One must be cleansed by true repentance and bear fruits worthy of repentance in order to be a true Christian, a living member of Christ, and thus partake of His shrine. 3) How great is the advantage and blessedness of Christians! For what greater can there be for a person than to be a member of the heavenly Head - Christ the King? 4) What a grave sin those Christians commit who offend Christians, since this offense concerns Christ Himself, which is scary to say; but that's how it really is. 5) From here the consolation will follow for Christians that Christ, their Head, will sympathize with them in their suffering, and whatever they do, He imputes to Himself. 6) Let us, Christians, try to be true Christians, and let us partake of the shrine of Christ and the bliss of true Christians. You might be interested in: