"From whom the whole Body fitly joined together and
compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the
effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the
Body unto the edifying of itself in love." Ephesians 4:16
The above Scripture is wonderful to study and understand what is being
taught about the "Body of Christ". We need to see how
we are to be joined, how each member is to supply what is needed
according to their measure give, and the end result of "being
joined together" in unity as God commands.
How does the Body of Christ come together and join in unity and
faith? The Bible says it is to be "fitly joined" and
"compacted" by that which every "joint" supplieth....Do
we know what "fitly, compacted, and joint means as written here?
To be "fitly" joined means united as one body. The word
"fitly" in Greek comes from the original sense of the word
"laying" and is to render 'close-jointed' together'. It
means to be "fitly framed and joined", organized
compactly. Fitly derives from the word "laying" which in the original
sense, comes from the word "leg o" as words or speech
"spoken" forth. "Framed", comes from the
Greek word, means "katartizo". Frame (kat'ar'ti'zo) is
a word meaning to "complete thoroughly", to adjust, fit,
frame, mend, make perfect, join together, and restore. This
should really speak to us. Even the world was
"framed" or made perfect and good by the spoken word of God.
It was his master plan and design as placed together. Every pebble in
the brook, every tree on the hills, every flower in the garden was in
the exact place God intended and was framed by Him. Even the fruit on
the trees was exactly where God said "let it be" and it was
done. Is that not awesome? He framed the world with his spoken words
and laid everything in perfect order in the beginning. It all came
together and was a perfect masterpiece for His glory. The earth and
the people therein was to reproduce and increase. Everything had a
"season". And He saw that it was good and pleasing to Him.
This is the same way He wants His Body of Christ on earth to be and
has given the design through His Word.
"fitly joined and compacted..... "
What does (to be "compacted" ) mean to us? The Greek word
means: "to force or to drive together", to unite in
association or affection; to be knit together. This is a
closeness described that will bring spiritual awakening, healing,
deliverance, and the increase prayed about to the Body of
Christ. The breath of God and wind of the spirit is this
"force" that drives us forward. The meaning should be
exciting to learn.
Drive is "nahag" in Hebrew. It means to drive forth a
person, lead, proceed, also by effort, to lead forth or guide. It
means in essence to "go forth as led by the effort and breath
(wind) of Almighty God by Holy Spirit". This means we must
be as "one" to function and go forward when the Lord moves
as a corporate body. Only the "one new man" can move with
Him as we must be "in Him" and his Body. If the leg does not
cooperate, or the foot will not go forward, the body is crippled and
lags behind. The same is true spiritually with the members of Christ's
body.
When we become knit and fastened as the Bible tells us, we will
function as "one body" on earth. There will be no
schisms which can separate us. We may be wounded, but each part will
support the wounded part until healing occurs by the life giving love
and blood of Jesus. Just like the human body needs every part,
God designed and made, the body of Christ to be in like manner. It has
been fashioned to be in his image and likeness and as whole. (And the
bride shall become "one" with the bridegroom)...
**If the bride of Christ is "one", it is in unity of spirit,
faith and of purpose and joined together as part of his Body. The
bride (Eve), was from "out of the side of the first man
Adam". The bride of Christ came forth because of the blood and
water which issued from the side of the second man, Christ Jesus. We
are his body only because of His blood and his (spiritual DNA) or
characteristics which makes us a "new creature" in Him.
We need one another to function as his true body on this earth. The
body of Christ is not just one particular denomination, but all true
gatherings who believe the basic doctrinal truths given by the Lord.
We are to be as "one" when God looks upon us just like the
early Church or "the Way", was "one body". We have
many individual gatherings, but we are still "one body" of
the universal body of Christ as we have been taught. Color, race, or
social status, does not matter to God. We are all to be "one new
man" in Christ.
We know what "forces, (move us), and drives us together "it
is the wind of the Holy Spirit. He is the "mighty rushing
wind" today, just as He was in the New Testament in the Book of
Acts. He breaths life into the Church and revives it to reproduce by
His power and might. He moves us along toward the prize and the mark
of our higher calling in Christ.
When the one hundred and twenty in the upper room were in "one
accord", the Holy Spirit came and filled them with power. He has
been here to abide and will be with us forever. All we have to do is
receive Him and let this same spirit be released from our in - nermost
being. The word for "joint" as above, is "haphe",
which means "a ligament as fastening". This word comes from
the Greek word "haptomai" which means to fasten to, to set on
fire, to kindle or light. We are to be fastened together in the Body
of Christ in the same way as the joints and ligaments of the human
body connect to hold the different parts together. They are never
separated except by injury or disease, and then the goal is to restore
and be made whole (as one) frame working together as each member
supplies.
We are to be lit or set aglow with zeal for God by a baptism of fire.
He will baptize with the Holy Ghost and with fire or a zeal and
righteous jealousy for his Word and will. These ligaments described
are "bands or cords of love" which cannot be broken as we
are yoked to Him and His burden alone.
Another thing we notice in the above Scripture is that there must be
"effectual working" in the measure of every part. What is
effectual working? What does this speak unto us? The word in Greek for
effectual is "energeia" and sounds like our word
"energy". Does this sound familiar? It is strength from God.
We get our strength from the "joy of the Lord". This word
means "energia or effectual", meaning operation, strong,
efficiency, effectual, active and most of all powerful! Wow!
"Words of wonder"......That says a lot. It is powerful!
If we want true joy we get it only by prayer and fellowship with the
Saviour and his Body of Christ. We receive it by being committed to
His will and learning of him in obedience. We receive joy in His
presence. We do not have to jump to get joy, clap, or dance to
receive, as we sometimes sing. We do not even have to shout to receive
joy. It can be received by whispering a prayer in spirit and truth.
He
will answer the desire of an obedient, humble heart in prayer......We
may do all these things as a result of the joy which has been given
us. These emotions are only the reaction by our human flesh to his
spirit which has already filled us. In the Bible they leaped for,
(because of), joy already within them. They did not have to jump or
run to obtain this joy. This is not what Jesus requires of us to show
him our devotion and love. However, he knows our hearts and those who
may leap because the spirit completely fills them to overflowing as
they are worshipping; It must be spirit and truth to be acceptable as
worship. He desires the sacrifices of a humble and contrite heart.
These He will not despise.
The laughter which our Lord puts within us will fill our mouth with
the gospel words of truth. He will give us this to share with others,
and also his laughter; because of his mighty works. This is the true
joy from the Lord which we need to teach our children to receive.
This
is the "energy" which comes from "strength" as a
result of true joy. It produces something. We will show forth this joy
without being told to do so. It will be spontaneous worship if it is
truly of God. We are commanded to "sing unto the Lord" and
to rejoice in Him. Are we ever commanded or told when to leap for joy?
Yes, we are told when men "cast out our name as evil and reproach
us for the Son of Man's sake, to leap for joy". Why? For behold
we have a reward which is great in heaven. We are blessed even when
men may say all manner of evil about us or "lightly esteem"
us! 'Be-attitude' is being in "an attitude" that the Lord
tells us to have to be blessed. This is an attitude of gratitude for
God's grace to us.
We must have the power of the Holy Ghost to be effectual. We must have
the joy to have strength or "energy". Most of all, we must
be actively participating to do our part in every ministry which God
places in the body. We are not our own, we are bought with a price and
have work for the Master which needs to be effectual. We have not been
released from service by our Maker.
This effectual "working" is to be in the 'measure of every
part'. Measure means "a limited portion or degree".
We
remember the spirit divides the gifts "severally", as He
wills, not as we desire; within the Body. Working comes from the word "ergon" and also means to toil
as an effort or occupation, an act or deed. This also refers to the
Book of Acts as "acts" which means 'to do or to
practice". We are to be involved by putting forth effort to
accomplish GOOD deeds for our Lord.
We must toil together as "fishers" of men". As we were
taught Sunday, this is our Christian calling. Fishermen did not always
catch what they wanted or when they wanted to bring in a haul.
Sometimes they didn't catch anything at all. Until they obeyed the
Lord and fished on the other side of the boat, they were not
successful as we see in God's Word. Obedience brings successful
results.
Working is going after the souls of men. We are to cast out our nets
into the deep which is (people), in the seas of this world. Our net
belongs to Him. He will hold the fish, clean the fish, but reverse
their final fate. He will even prepare them a meal! They will be
served by the Master as we share His bread of life. Isn't this good
news? He will apply the "heat or pressure of the word to refine,
give new zeal, and pure water of life. The fleshly nature must be
slain and his new life put on by souls. Then they will be spiritually
'fit' to hear him say, "well done".....
Now that's food for thought! Well done! That is one who has been well
prepared for the Lord's service and has actively performed service to
and for Him. Only well-done is good enough in the end, and only the
Master can accomplish this by his Spirit. He will work through his
'life guards' and spiritual servants'. We are all to guard the lives
& souls of others by prayers, and cherish them as Christ would. We
are to teach all things He has commanded us.
Now if we work together and really join in unity the result is
increase, to the edifying of the Body in love. This means we will be
built up and established as a Body. We will be a work built on Jesus,
the solid foundation, that cannot be moved. We want to be like that
city on a hill that lights up the darkest valleys. Satan is underneath
our feet because our God reigns, and Jesus is our head. We have been
placed together in perfect arrangement. Increase is growth in all
areas of Christianity. It means to grow up and enlarge. In doing so,
the body will be edified with love which will glorify God.
Who else could give us such a plan or instructions? Only our Lord has
the blueprint for success which he shares with us. He is the designer
and finisher of our salvation. Have we got our shoes on?....Are we shod? That's the Gospel shoes of
peace we must put on. Do we have love? Love is what must flow through
the parts of this spiritual body as blood flows through the human
body. It is the "life force" of the Body of Christ. To love
one another as He has loved us, is a command. Let His love sweep over
your soul and flow out to other members of the Body. If our love is as
his love, it will not be hard to love others.
The enemy is a defeated foe. God's Word says: "you shall
chase your enemies and they shall fall before you by the
sword". The sword is also "the spirit" which is
the living Word of God. Remember, five can chase away a hundred, and a
hundred shall put ten thousand to flight by the Word of God. It is
living and powerful. Now that sounds like the kind of Army we would
want to be a part of today. Amen and amen.......Where does it all
start? Where does it all end? It starts with the previous verse from
the one we just examined. (Eph. 4:15) "But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him
in ALL things, which is the head, even Christ. Speaking only the truth and with love helps us to "grow up"
in him in everything we do. He is the head and without having
"the renewed mind of Christ" we will fail. It never ends
until he says "well done...enter into my rest". It begins and ends with Christ and our willingness to join as
"one" in love. Open and honest com - munication, a desire to
increase, and "by His Spirit " is one successful plan! One
plants, one waters, but God alone "gives the increase" after
we work in planting and watering. His Word will not return void. His
plan will always work if the instructions are completely followed.
Let us give thanks today for all He is to us and for all the mighty
works of his hand in our behalf. Thank Him for giving us his plan for
the "effectual" working of the body. He has us in a
"divine set up". What the enemy meant for harm, God knows
will work together for good (if) we obey his words and will. What
glorious promises for which we can give thanks! We are seated with Him
in heavenly places. Speak the living Word today. Say "I am a
winner in Christ", there is nothing today I cannot do with Christ
in control of my life....then believe it and be blessed.
J. P.'s Inspirations 2001
Blessings in Christ,
Jo Ann |
