Growth of the Body of Christ
That we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting, but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head—Christ—from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love.
We covered Ephesians 4:11-13 last time. In this passage, Paul continues to explain how the Church and the ministry can help members avoid the traps and pitfalls Satan uses against us.
Instead of being like a boat that’s tossed about in the wind, we need to be solidly anchored in the truth. When we speak the truth with the motive of loving concern for those we are speaking to, we are becoming more like Jesus Christ, our example and the Head of the Church.
Sharing this same goal of becoming more like Jesus Christ helps us grow into a mature, perfectly united body.
“The whole is continually being integrated and kept firm by each separate ligament. The precision with which these medical terms are employed makes us wonder whether Paul checked the details with Luke” (Zondervan NIV Bible Commentary, Vol. 2, note on Ephesians 4:16).
For more about following Jesus Christ, see “Christ in Us: How Does He Live in You?” See also “The Church: What Is It?” and “Speak the Truth in Love.”
