Unity: The Body

"For because of Him the whole body (the church, in all its various parts), closely joined and firmly knit together by the joints and ligaments with which it is supplied, when each part [with power adapted to its need] is working properly [in all its functions], grows to full maturity, building itself up in love."
-Ephesians 4:16

If someone asked what is the first essential of the Christian's walk, holiness would be one of the first things to come to mind. God did choose us in Christ that we should be holy. Ephesians 4:2-16 seem to outline and show that the first characteristic of a worthy walk is unity. What is the primary necessity for wholeness and health in a human body? It is the harmonious functioning of all the organs of the body. A displacement of even an insignificant organ or the maladjustment of any parts of the body can cause disease and disability.
In the Church, the Body of Christ, spiritual health is dependent upon the harmonious functioning of all the members. We read this in Ephesians 4:2-16:

"...with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call— one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all. But grace was given to each one of us according to the measure of Christ’s gift...And 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, 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. 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."

Through baptism with the Spirit the believer is united to Christ, the Head, and to every other member of the Body in an indissoluble bond, which unity is maintained by the indwelling Spirit. (1 Corinthians 12:13)
I have often thought when I think about the Church, the choir and pastor are the voices, the nursery workers and teachers are the arms of God, the staff is like the back that supports the church...we all play such a important part. No one is any less or any more. When we allow God to direct our lives we will make us fit perfectly in with the others. But also remember from the last post that we need to constantly renew ourselves in the Lord before we can reach this point.