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. (ESV)

From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work. (NIV) 

He makes the whole body fit together perfectly. As each part does its own special work, it helps the other parts grow, so that the whole body is healthy and growing and full of love. (NLT)

Dive Deeper:

Before I went into full-time vocational ministry, I worked as a physical therapist. My favorite classes in grad school for physical therapy were my anatomy classes. I loved learning how God so beautifully, creatively, and specifically created the human body. I was fascinated by how each bone, muscle, nerve, and artery work together to allow the human body to function, create, think, feel, and so much more.

When I dissected cadavers in human anatomy, I saw how tendons connect muscle to bone and ligaments go from one bone to another bone. You can actually see how the body was made with intention and purpose. When the body functioned as intended, you understood why a contracted muscle helped lift something or cause movement in a precise manner. At the same time, you could see when a body was broken down and how, at times, it didn’t function in the way it was intended to operate. 

The Human Body Is Like the Body of Christ

The body of Christ (the church) operates similarly. When a part of the body is broken or severed, the church ceases to operate in the way God intends. For example, when gossip or jealousy creeps in, conflict increases between members. The church, in turn, experiences a lack of growth, love, and unity.

On the other hand, when the human body works as God intends, it will function “by every supporting ligament” (NIV) and “every joint with which it is equipped” (ESV). This leads the body to grow and thrive, to move and get things done. In the same way, when the body of Christ functions rightly, the church grows. I can’t help but think of the early church in Acts 2:41-47 when even thousands were added to the body daily. They ate meals together, worshiped, served one another, and enjoyed the fruit of unity within the body of Christ. 

Growing in Unity and Love

When the body grows in this way, it not only grows numerically, but grows stronger and is marked by love of God and love of others. This stands in strong contrast to the brokenness and disunity we see around us in culture and even in the body of Christ. The body marked by unity in peace makes its mark and distinguishes itself by love.

We also see that God is the one who causes the growth. So that we don’t try to steal the credit from God, He makes it clear that He is the one who allows the body to work together. 

Take a moment to reflect about how you’re contributing to the body. Are you using your gifts to bring God glory and to help others? Are you sowing seeds of disunity or unity? Do you bring peace to your family, community, and workplace?

Written by Scott Kedersha