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The Measure of the Fullness of Christ

When is the last time you evaluated your own spiritual growth and the growth of the body of Christ?

Today we are going to consider how the body of Christ becomes healthy, growing, and full of love. Read Ephesians 4:11-13 (ESV):

He gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, 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 mature manhood Paul talks about in verse 13 includes more than just physical height. One translation describes it like this: “the completeness of personality which is nothing less than the standard height of Christ’s own perfection” (AMPC). The type of maturity Paul calls us to is a spiritual maturity that exemplifies the character of Jesus.

While we consider the idea of fullness and growing up into spiritual maturity, it’s important to note that this is not an individual pursuit. Yes, we need to grow up individually, but the context in which Paul wrote is a corporate one. Our pursuit to attain the measure of the fullness of Christ is done together, in the body of Christ.

Jesus fills His body with His fullness. We experience the fullness of His presence, power, riches, and joy when we participate in the body of Christ.

And why is this important? Paul tells us: “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” (Ephesians 4:14, ESV).

We don’t have to live tossed around by the ever-changing winds and waves of life. Instead, we can grow up in our faith and in the body of Christ. As we do, we will be one step closer to a life that’s not just “fine” but flourishing.

Consider the ways you’ve seen God’s faithfulness to provide what you need in your own life. Then pray, emptying your heart of other things so that God can fill you with His best things.