The Body of ChristSample

We saw in yesterday’s reading that Paul used the metaphor of the body of Christ to show that each church member receives different spiritual gifts, but that each one is equally important, and everyone has a role and a responsibility within the church. In Ephesians 4:12, Paul continues to use the 'body of Christ' image to discuss spiritual gifts, but this time he is focusing on the purpose of spiritual gifts and showing that the Holy Spirit gives gifts for the good of the body.

Paul describes two main purposes of spiritual gifts: to equip Christians for the work of ministry and to build up the body of Christ. These two purposes are inextricably linked, as works-of-ministry in the vein of evangelism along with acts of service will bring people into the church, causing it to grow in numbers, and works-of-ministry such as prophecy and teaching will develop the knowledge and unity of the body, causing it to grow in maturity. It is therefore these works of ministry, enabled and empowered by the gifts of the Spirit, that assist in building up the body of Christ.

The fact that spiritual gifts are given with the goal of building up the body of Christ also means that members of the church are united in the way in which they use their gifts for the common good. If the church is truly united, then the members will not seek to use spiritual gifts for selfish or individualistic purposes. This helps members value each other as equally important parts of the body, as each person experiences the benefits of the gifts given to others. It also allows the church to put into practice Jesus’ command to serve one another, being willing to prioritize the needs of others over their own. In this way, the words of Jesus that “whoever exalts himself will be humbled and whoever humbles himself will be exalted” (Matthew 23:12) can be seen in action, with the goal of the building up of the body.