Ephesians 4:15 But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ: From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplies, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, make increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love.
‘But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ.’ The truth recommended by Paul is the whole gospel which centres around Christ and building the body of Christ into a working unit to throw off all error or waste to sustain itself like the human body (4:15-16).
In 1Corinthians 12:13-30 we see a brief description of the body of Christ and the members’ roles described. All that is in Christ make up the body of Christ (2:19-22; 4:1-6; Col. 1:18, 24). 1Corinthians 12:13 explains that “by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body.” This shows how the body of Christ is constituted. The Spirit is the agent that brings one into the body of Christ by the new birth. This is not a baptism into the Spirit, but into the body of Christ. The body here is the element one is baptized into. The Spirit is the agent that does the baptizing into the body. The believer is the candidate. If it were the Spirit baptism, Christ would be the agent and the Holy Spirit would be the element baptized into.
If Christians would seek to please God in whatever part they are to have in Christian congregations or the body of Christ there would be no confusion or strife about anyone’s service to God’s glorification (1Cor. 10:31).
Living the Word 