The Church as a Means of Grace - Part 3
Good morning, please open your Bibles again to Ephesians chapter 4. Let’s read verses 1-16:
Ephesians 4:1-16 I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, 2 with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, 3 eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. 4 There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call— 5 one Lord, one faith, one baptism, 6 one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all. 7 But grace was given to each one of us according to the measure of Christ's gift. 8 Therefore it says, “When he ascended on high he led a host of captives, and he gave gifts to men.” 9 (In saying, “He ascended,” what does it mean but that he had also descended into the lower regions, the earth? 10 He who descended is the one who also ascended far above all the heavens, that he might fill all things.) 11 And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, 12 to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, 13 until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, 14 so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes. 15 Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, 16 from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love.
A couple of weeks ago, we continued our series on the church as a means of grace by looking at verses 1–16 of Ephesians 4. We saw Paul’s urgent call for us to walk in a manner worthy of the calling we have received - a life that reflects all the spiritual blessings we enjoy in Christ. We learned that a life which is worthy of the salvation he has given us is not lived in isolation; it is lived together as a community of faith within the local church.
It's because the worthy walk is lived in community that Paul immediately follows his urging to walk worthy with a call to attitudes which are necessary to maintain unity within the community.
In verse 2 he says that we should walk with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, and being eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace (Ephesians 4:1-3).
And we noted that we aren’t called to just any sort of unity, but a specific unity - the unity of the Spirit (v3). Why is this called the “unity of the Spirit?” Because as fellow church members we are called to live out practically the unity which the Spirit has forged among us spiritually. Further, we are to do that by the Spirit’s power.
SEVENFOLD ONES – OUR COLLECTIVE IDENTITY
So, Paul first highlights the fact that we are already unified with one another spiritually. He does this by grounding that unity in the great sevenfold “ones” of verses 4-6. He says regarding the church, there is one body, one Spirit, one hope, one Lord, one faith, one baptism, and one God and Father of all.
Paul wants us to understand who we are as a church. He wants us to get our identity right. We are one spiritual family. Despite differences we may have, we share the most important aspects of life in common. We all live in anticipation of the return of Jesus and our gathering together with him. We all recognize Jesus as the ultimate authority in our lives and desire to live for his glory. We all hold to the Apostolic doctrine that has been delivered to us in the scriptures. We have all made the same profession of faith in Jesus and have publicly declared our intention to live for him (through baptism). We are children of the same heavenly Father and therefore members of one family.
AN UNUSUAL COMM-UNITY
In a world that divides and subdivides into groups based upon race, politics, economic status, generational differences, cultural preferences, and endless online tribalism, the church of Jesus Christ represents an unusual unity. Or at least it should.
See, up to this point in Ephesians 4, Paul has focused on the spiritual reality of our unity as a church. He’s focused on what God did for each of us when we were saved. He shows us that our salvation was never about individualism. Yes, we are saved as individuals, and have a personal relationship with him through Jesus. However, with that salvation comes our addition into the community of faith. With that salvation comes our adoption into the family of God. With that salvation, we are added to the fellowship of the church. With that salvation comes our joining to the body of Christ.
The Christian faith is designed by God to be lived out together. There is no other sort of salvation but a salvation that joins us to community, and is lived out in that community.
MADE UNITED – GROWING IN UNITY
It’s for this reason that after Paul writes about how the Spirit has joined us together as one Spiritual body, he begins to talk about how the Spirit has gifted us to live together as that one spiritual body. That is, he shows us how God has provided for us so that this community of diverse, saved, but still-in-process sinners can dwell together in unity.
Look at the text again. Note the seven “ones” of verses 4-6 again. These are spiritual realities that exist. They are complete. They are not things we are working to establish. This is what God has already wrought. But now, follow with me as I highlight some things in the remainder of the text.
Paul shows to what end our spiritual gifts should be exercised in the church.
He says in verse 12, “for building up the body of Christ.”
In verse 13, he indicates the desired end - “until we all attain the unity of the faith;” “until we all attain mature manhood;” “until we all attain to the fullness of Christ.”
In verse 15, “we are to grow up in every way into Christ.”
Verse 16 - “when each part is working properly, makes the body grow up so that it builds itself up in love.”
So, in contrast to the finality of the seven “ones” in verses 4-6, these verses indicate that some things are in process. There’s building to be done. There are some things we are working to attain. There’s growth that needs to take place.
We learn that as a church, our job, our mandate, our calling is to live together, and work together, as one community of faith so that we as individuals become more like Jesus, but more so, that the entire community grows to resemble Jesus together.
GROWING TOGETHER AS ONE BODY
True, there is a sense in which each of us is growing to become like Jesus as individuals. But, there’s also a sense in which the whole church, made up of individual members, is growing up to be like Jesus.
Look at verses 15-16:
15 Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, 16 from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love. Ephesians 4:15-16
Jesus is the head, the whole church is the body. Together the body grows so that it looks more and more like Jesus. After Paul gives that extended metaphor in 1 Corinthians 12, he says:
27 Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it. 1 Corinthians 12:27
Now again, this is a matter of identity. This is how the apostle wants us to think about ourselves. Collectively, we are the body of Christ. This is quite the spiritual mystery. How can a group of diverse individuals be said to be one body? And a specific body - the body of Christ?
What we learn is that God has designed the church so that when it is a healthy church, all of us working together in obedience to God and in love for one another, the community itself looks like Jesus on earth. More than that, we become the channel by which the fullness of Jesus comes in contact with the world.
How is this possible? It’s possible because upon saving us as individuals, God gave us his Holy Spirit and the Spirit grants each of us a measure of grace which is necessary to the church, so that the church can’t be what it ought to be unless we are contributing to its overall spiritual health. We are all given grace to serve. Grace to work. Grace to love one another; and grace to work for one another.
So, it takes an entire community of saved men and women, gifted with serving grace by the Spirit, walking in loving, selfless relationships, under the authority of Jesus as our head, to be the body of Christ on earth. What Jesus was on earth, we grow to be when every member is contributing what they ought.
Oh, how this should impact the way we understand ourselves - and the way we treat one another! Do you think about yourself as an essential part of the local church, called to serve others by God’s grace, so that as a consequence of your work and the work of others, the entire community grows to look more and more like Jesus?
When we get this identity right, it will fundamentally transform how we view and value ourselves; and how we view and value the church. When we get this right, it will change how we live, and work, and relate to the church. When we understand this, it will determine what we expect from the church, and what we labour to contribute to the church.
WALK THROUGH THE TEXT
Now, with these things in mind, let’s look again at verses 11-16 where we see Paul’s vision for a healthy, properly functioning church and let’s talk through it.
7 But grace was given to each one of us according to the measure of Christ’s gift. 8 Therefore it says, “When he ascended on high he led a host of captives, and he gave gifts to men.”
As we noted last time, as a product of Jesus's victorious death and resurrection, each of us has been gifted with some measure of serving grace for the benefit of the church at large.
11 And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers,
These are some specific offices produced by Christ’s bestowal of grace to his people. The apostles and prophets were foundational for the church (Eph 2), evangelists are those gifted to be especially adept at sharing the gospel with unbelievers, and shepherd-teachers, or pastors, or elders are ordained by God to lead the church.
12 to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ,
Those whom God has gifted from leadership in the church are to work through the ministry of the Word to teach and train so that church members might join them in doing the work of the ministry. The goal of this is that the church might grow to be more like Jesus.
13 until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ,
The church works together, exercising their gifts for service for the benefit of one another, so that the entire church might grow in unity around the faith; in a greater relationship with Jesus; and to be more and more like him.
14 so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes.
A mark of this spiritual maturity is a church that is doctrinally sound, no longer susceptible to error and deception.
15 Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ,
Instead, a mature church is a church that knows the truth and communicates that truth with love for one another - with the goal of seeing one another, and the church at large grow to be more and more like Jesus.
16 from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love.
When every person, placed in the church by God himself, is doing the work of the ministry, exercising their measure of serving grace, in love for one another, the whole body will grow in maturity. A maturity marked by love.
THE ONE ANOTHERS
Now, this vision for the church might seem like a lofty, if not unattainable ideal. How do ordinary, imperfect believers like us actually live this out in the day-to-day life of the church? Well, we could say “we do it by God’s grace!” And that would be correct. Or, “we do it by the Holy Spirit!” And that would also be correct. That’s what we saw last time. But what we’re going to see today is just how practical all of this really is.
What is it that the Holy Spirit actually helps us to do by his grace? Well, in addition to exercising our spiritual gifts for the common good of the church, in the New Testament we find a series of practical instructions regarding the attitudes and behaviours we ought to exercise toward one another. We call these things “the one anothers of scripture.” These are concrete ways we are all called to relate to each other as members of the same body. These are the attitudes and behaviours that set our relationships with one another apart from other relationships in this world. These are the things that put Christ and the reality of our spiritual unity on display for the world to see. These are the attitudes and behaviours that work out practically the unity that God has already forged among us spiritually.
We’re going to take a few minutes to walk through some of these “one another” commands. My prayer is that the Lord would stir our hearts to move beyond merely attending church to actively participating in the mutual ministry He has designed for our growth and His glory. Let’s see what it looks like when every joint supplies what it was designed to supply, and the body builds itself up in love.
I’ve grouped these various “one anothers” together under various headings to help us. First of all, if we are going to grow together as one body to become more like Jesus together, we must be committed to:
1. Love, Unity & Relational Harmony The Lord Jesus Himself gave us this foundational command. In John 13, on the night He was betrayed, Jesus said,
“A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another” (John 13:34-35).
This love is not sentimental or optional. It is the distinguishing mark of the church and the direct reflection of how Christ has loved us. Paul picks up this same emphasis in our main text. Right after calling us to walk worthy of our calling, he writes that we are to do so…
“...with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, and being eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace” (Ephesians 4:1-3).”
Later in the same letter he commands us to…
“...be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you” (Ephesians 4:32).
In Romans 12 Paul adds,
“Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor” (Romans 12:10),”
and…
“Live in harmony with one another” (Romans 12:16).
Since our goal is unity and relational harmony, we must learn to love one another. And not with just any love, but with love as God defines it. Its only this sort of love which sets us apart as truly Christ’s disciples. So, specifically, what is biblical love? Well, drawing from Paul in 1 Corinthians 13, we learn:
A PROFILE OF BIBLICAL LOVE
Biblical love is the steady, self-forgetting commitment that puts the good of others ahead of our own comfort or convenience. It is the kind of love that chooses to stay patient when someone is slow to understand or quick to fail, or disappoint us. It looks for ways to be kind even when we feel we’ve been hurt or overlooked. This love refuses to compare itself with others or become bitter when they are blessed. It does not parade its own accomplishments or demand its own way. Instead, it is quick to listen, slow to anger, and eager to forgive. It finds joy in what is true and good, not in what is flashy or self-serving.
Biblical love willingly carries burdens for others. It’s a love that is charitable, believing the best about others instead of jumping to negative conclusions. It’s an optimistic love that keeps hoping for the best. It’s an enduring love that keeps on loving even when to do so is costly, and keeps enduring even when it is costly. Above all, this love never gives up.
This is the love with which Christ has loved us, and it is the love He now calls us to show one another in the life of the church. When this kind of love marks our relationships, the body of Christ grows strong, unity is maintained, and the world sees a glimpse of what the gospel can do.
What we’ll learn as we look at other “one anothers” is that they are all really just practical applications of the call to show the love of Christ to one another.
Next, if we are going to grow together as one body to become more like Jesus together, we must not only be committed to Love, Unity & Relational Harmony, but also to:
2. Humility & Mutual Submission
Remember how Paul began our passage in Ephesians 4, before laying out the vision for a growing, unified church? He writes:
Ephesians 4:1-2 I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, 2 with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love,
Pride and harshness are unworthy of our salvation, killers of unity, and a mark of spiritual immaturity. On the contrary, humility and gentleness, born out of love, are foundational to the supernatural unity that we are called to walk in as a church.
The Apostle Peter commands us,
“Clothe yourselves, all of you, with humility toward one another, for ‘God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble’” (1 Peter 5:5).
Note Peter’s “clothing” language. Humility ought to be the basic wardrobe of every believer in the church. Why? Because God actively opposes human pride. But further, because pride destroys love and unity.
You can’t love others properly if you are in love with yourself - because genuine love is selfless and sacrificial. Every one of the “one anothers” of scripture will fail if we give in to personal pride. This is why Paul says in Philippians 2:
“Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others” (Philippians 2:3-4).”
Paul goes on to root this command in the example of Christ Himself, who, though He was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but humbled Himself by taking the form of a servant.
If we are to grow together to become like Jesus as an entire community, we have to be humble with one another. We can’t hang on to our pride. We can’t put our needs, or our wants before those of others. We need to count everyone else as more significant than ourselves, and their needs as more important than our own.
This is not easy. Whereas Peter tells us to clothe ourselves with humility, I think many of us have a wardrobe full of pride. Often our standard wardrobe is an attitude of self-interest, self-pity, and self-importance.
Pride makes us quick to take offense, slow to forgive, and eager to compare ourselves with others. The result is always the same: broken relationships and a weakened witness. Pride in the church prevents the entire body from growing to be more like Jesus - who laid all self-interest aside for us, when we least deserved it.
MUTUAL SUBMISSION
Closely related to this idea of exercising humility toward one another is the idea of mutual submission. Paul says in the very next chapter in Ephesians 5:
15 Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, 16 making the best use of the time, because the days are evil. 17 Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is. 18 And do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit, 19 addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with your heart, 20 giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, 21 submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ. Ephesians 5:15-21
In the same context of church unity, and growing together into spiritual maturity, Paul tells us that we ought to submit to one another. That is, we should willingly defer to one another. We should arrange ourselves under one another, as if the needs and concerns of others should take the lead over my own.
And to help us do this even when we don’t think others are worthy of it, Paul adds “submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ.” That is, don’t do it out of reverence for the other person, or because you think they deserve it. Instead, do it with eyes on Jesus and our of reverence for him - the one who deserving the most, gave it up for us, who deserved the least.
So, if we are going to grow together as one body, living out the spiritual unity that God has forged, we must be committed to HUMILITY AND MUTUAL SUBMISSION. Next, if we are going to grow together as one body to become more like Jesus together, we must be committed to Encourage & Edify One Another with Truth and Love. 3. Encourage & Edify One Another with Truth and Love In our text in Ephesians 4, Paul indicated that when every member is doing the work of the ministry the church will be built up and one of the marks of that maturity would be the fact that we would:
“...no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes. (Eph 4:14)”
So, the love and unity that we are being built up in is not a sappy, sentimental love. It’s certainly not a love divorced from the truth. On the contrary, it’s a love that is built upon truth. For this reason, a mature church will see its members speaking the truth to one another. The goal is that we be so grounded in the truth that error can’t persuade us.
Now, what’s essential here, and what we often downplay is what Paul says in Ephesians 4:15:
“Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love. (Eph 4:15-16)”
If we are to be a mature church, we need to be committed to the truth. But that commitment is coupled with a commitment to the needs of one another. This means that we will speak truth to one another, but always do it in love. That love will selflessly consider the other person, and speak that truth to them in the way that will most benefit their spiritual growth.
Colossians 4:6 says:
“Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer each person. (Col 4:6)”
We speak the truth to one another, without compromise. However, when we do, we consider each person we are talking to, and how we might wrap the truth in grace, and make it most helpful to them. “Seasoned with salt” helps us here. Sometimes we might be speaking the truth well enough, but the way we’re speaking it makes it indigestible. It provokes a gag reflex. It’s not palatable. Instead of building up, we become an offense, or a stumbling block. Instead of leaving grace and growth in our wake, we leave a path of destruction where we’ve needlessly offended others.
Sadly, many who are irresponsible with the truth, failing to season it with salt, and failing to consider the specific needs of each person they are talking to, can justify their offensiveness by saying something like “well, it’s true isn’t it!?”
LOVING CONTROLS ON OUR TRUE SPEECH
Of course, this is the natural temptation where speaking the truth is concerned. That’s why Paul is sure to put loving controls on it. Consider how you should answer each person, and make it gracious, and present it in a way that is most digestible by that particular person.
Consider their maturity level; their background; their biblical knowledge; their current spiritual state, and speak the truth in a way that is most helpful for them as an individual.
The writer of Hebrews encourages us:
23 Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful. 24 And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, 25 not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near. Hebrews 10:23-25
I love that “consider how” in verse 24. This takes thought and discernment. What’s the best way that I can encourage this person to love and good works? Yes, sometimes this takes the form of gentle rebuke, or admonishment. It’s true that Colossians 3:16 says, “teach and admonish one another in all wisdom.” But, this call to teaching and admonishment always assumes selflessness and humility, and that it is taking place in the context of loving, committed relationships. It assumes that we’ve done the work to know how best to teach or admonish this particular person for their spiritual good.
So, we lovingly speak the truth to one another. Ours is to be a fellowship marked by the truth. Ours should be a community unified around the scriptures. We love the truth, speak the truth, defend the truth, encourage in the truth, and live out the truth. We never unify at the expense of the truth, but do the hard work of unifying in the truth (even when it challenges us).
When we do this, we’ll be protected from being “children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine” (Ephesians 4:14)
Next, if we are going to grow together as one body to become more like Jesus together, we must not only be committed to 1. Love, Unity & Relational Harmony; 2. Humility & Mutual Submission; 3. Encouraging & Edifying One Another with Truth and Love, but we must be committed to Bearing Burdens and Restoring the Wandering.
4. Bearing Burdens and Restoring the Wandering
So, as we are all working together, exercising our spiritual gifts for the benefit of one another, and seeking to exercise the “one anothers” in our relationships, what happens when one of us fails miserably?
What happens when instead of growing spiritually so we can be a help to others, we fall into sin? What happens when one of us falls woefully short of our high calling to walk worthy of our salvation? Do we shun them? Do we cast them out? Do we shame them? Put them through a guilt trip? Or otherwise embarrass them? Do we rear up in pride and shake a finger as if we could never be caught up in the same sin?
Listen to Paul in Galatians 6:
“Brothers, if anyone is caught in any transgression, you who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness. Keep watch on yourself, lest you too be tempted. Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.”
What should happen to those among us who fall into sin? When they repent, they should be lovingly restored, with gentleness and humility.
THE STRONG ARE OBLIGATED
The Pharisees in Christ’s day sought to prove their spirituality by looking at sinners with disdain. They stood in judgment of those who fell into sin and used those failures as evidence of their superiority. Paul says that those who have a measure of spiritual maturity among us, can’t be that way. Instead, the spiritually mature should be marked by an attitude of grace and gentleness.
Further, Paul warns “Keep watch on yourself, lest you too be tempted.” Tempted to respond to the sinning brother and sister with pride and harshness? Sure. But also, tempted to commit the same sins. This is Paul’s way of reminding us that we aren’t beyond sinning either. Be compassionate and forgiving to others, because you will require the same some day.
Paul says that when we respond to a repentant brother or sister in this way, we are “fulfilling the law of Christ.” What is that law?
“A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another” (John 13:34).
If we love one another, we won’t stand in judgment of one another, or use one another’s failures to gloat, or embarrass. Far from it. Instead, we will help bear that burden, and do what we can to restore that one to spiritual vitality.
In Romans 15, in a different context, but still relevant to this, Paul wrote:,
“We who are strong have an obligation to bear with the failings of the weak, and not to please ourselves” (Romans 15:1).
In the church, those who are strong are obligated to show patience, humility, gentleness, and love to those who are weak. They use their strength to support those who have little.
WHEN DIRECTLY HURT BY THEIR WEAKNESS
This is especially important for those who are stronger in the faith to remember, because the failings of the weak can sometimes feel like personal offenses against us. When someone’s weakness leads to sin that directly hurts us - whether through thoughtless words, broken commitments, neglect, or relational damage - it is easy to respond in kind or to withdraw in pride. Yet Paul calls the strong to bear with the failings of the weak and not to please ourselves (Romans 15:1).
This means we willingly absorb the cost of their failure rather than demanding they pay it back. We choose to respond with grace that is better than they deserve - the very grace Christ extended to us when we were at our worst. Just as Jesus did not treat us according to our sins but loved us and gave Himself for us, we are called to bear the burden of their transgression without retaliation, restoring them gently instead of repaying them in full. This is how the strong use their strength - not to dominate or protect their own comfort, but to strengthen the whole body.
In this way, all of us act as shepherds - drawing the wandering back to the fold and restoring them with love.
So, we’ve learned that if we are going to grow together as one body, living out the spiritual unity that God has forged, practically, we must relate to one another with a commitment to 1. Love, Unity & Relational Harmony; 2. Humility & Mutual Submission; 3. Encouraging & Edifying One Another with Truth and Love, and 4. Bearing Burdens and Restoring the Wandering.
Well, that’s as far as we’re going to get today. We’ve got at least 3 more that we will look at next time.
Forgive & Show Compassion (handling offenses)
Serve, Use Gifts & Meet Practical Needs (proactive service)
Pray, Confess & Pursue Accountability (spiritual depth and dependence)
CONCLUSION
As we have seen today, the “one anothers” of Scripture are not optional extras for especially spiritual people. They are the practical, everyday ways we live out the worthy walk Paul called us to in Ephesians 4. When we love one another with the love Christ has shown us, clothe ourselves with humility and mutual submission, encourage and edify one another with truth spoken in love, and bear burdens, restore the wandering, and help one another in weakness, we become a properly functioning church.
As we use our gifts and practice these “one anothers,” we mature together as one body - growing up in every way into Christ, from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love (Ephesians 4:15-16).
This is how the church functions as a means of grace. Not through programs or human effort alone, but through ordinary believers, filled with the Spirit, using the serving grace Christ has given each of us, to strengthen one another. The local church is the community where God has chosen to make His grace tangible - where the unity of the Spirit is lived out, where we grow up together into Christ, and where the world sees a glimpse of what redemption looks like in real relationships
So, a few self-examination questions. Ask yourself:
In light of all we’ve seen, how am I actively loving the brothers and sisters around me with the kind of patient, kind, and forgiving love Christ has shown me?
Am I quick to show humility and mutual submission, or do I tend to insist on my own way and protect my own interests?
Do I regularly encourage and build others up with truth spoken in love, or do I mostly remain silent or critical?
When someone falls into sin or struggles with weakness, am I gentle in restoration and willing to bear their burdens, or do I respond with judgment or distance?
Lastly, do I see myself as part of the community of the church, called to live out my discipleship in the context of real relationships, contributing to the overall spiritual health of the body, so that together we can grow up to be more like Jesus?
