ARE WE A WHOLE BODY?
Tuesday – January 10, 2017
Thank you Jesus, another day to advance the Kingdom of God! Lord wherever I am hindering you and even myself, uncover it and lead me into repentance. You are so good and faithful Lord, thank you. Greetings fellow saints and faithful in Christ Jesus. It is Tuesday and the time I remind us all to pray for our nation which is in Covenant with the Almighty God. We are exceptional because of our Covenant with God not because of some natural trait. True Americans, saint and sinner alike will have fundamental elements of the Judeo-Christian ethic engrained. This is why the enemy of our soul is working day and night to remove that ethic from the culture. Now, back to our text in Ephesians with our focus moving to verse sixteen after reviewing the context, the lead in.
Ephesians 4:11-16 (KJV)
11 And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;
12 For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:
13 Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ:
14 That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive;
15 But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ:
16 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.
The Five-Fold Ministry is the embodiment of Christ Jesus and brings each of us and the body of Christ to the fullness of Christ. If these persons (Apostle, Prophet, Evangelist, Pastor, and Teacher) are absent from your life personally and from the congregation of which we are a part our mission (individually and corporately) will fail for we are not in the fullness of Christ. Of course their presence by itself is insufficient, they must be active, accepted and honored (valued). The reason there is so much trash (doctrine of devils) in the Church is that these ministries are absent. Think for a moment, who is the Apostle, who is the Prophet, who is the Evangelist, who is the Pastor, and who is the Teacher in your life and your Church to whom you benefit from and you value? The Apostle Paul talks of this in other places, I will now present a lengthy passage but I think it makes the point of how we are each a part, a vital part, of a greater whole, we are not an island unto ourselves. Our text from Ephesians 4:16 uses the phrase “the whole body fitly jointed together” such that each individual part and the parts as a body work most efficiently.
1 Corinthians 12:12-26 (KJV)
12 For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is Christ.
13 For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit.
14 For the body is not one member, but many.
15 If the foot shall say, Because I am not the hand, I am not of the body; is it therefore not of the body?
16 And if the ear shall say, Because I am not the eye, I am not of the body; is it therefore not of the body?
17 If the whole body were an eye, where were the hearing? If the whole were hearing, where were the smelling?
18 But now hath God set the members every one of them in the body, as it hath pleased him.
19 And if they were all one member, where were the body?
20 But now are they many members, yet but one body.
21 And the eye cannot say unto the hand, I have no need of thee: nor again the head to the feet, I have no need of you.
22 Nay, much more those members of the body, which seem to be more feeble, are necessary:
23 And those members of the body, which we think to be less honourable, upon these we bestow more abundant honour; and our uncomely parts have more abundant comeliness.
24 For our comely parts have no need: but God hath tempered the body together, having given more abundant honour to that part which lacked:
25 That there should be no schism in the body; but that the members should have the same care one for another.
26 And whether one member suffer, all the members suffer with it; or one member be honoured, all the members rejoice with it.
All sounds rather familiar don’t you think? Does this describe your attitude and mine, does this describe your Church and mine? It may not be the other fella that needs the renovation it may be me. You and I are naturally talented and spiritually gifted in very unique and special ways. Another person cannot do what you and I are designed by God to do in the place He has appointed for you and me. Of course, if we refuse, He can raise up another however this all takes time, due to freewill perhaps a lot of time and in the meantime other individuals and the congregation suffers. This is very serious business saints.
By: Dr. David Wood, Author, Bible Teacher, and Prophetic Voice
