Ephesians 4:15-16 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.

As I meditated a little on this verse the one thing that I particularly noticed is that Paul talks in such a complete and inclusive way about the entire church of Ephesus. They are to grow up in “every” way into Christ. As we first consider that the church is made up of regenerate believers who have come into union with our Lord and King, our common union in Christ means that we have a common calling. The Christian calling is never to allow one to stagnate in maturity in Christ, but every Christian is called to grow in Christ in every way. We do not have super Christians in the church, and we do not have stagnating Christians in the church. The church has growing Christians who grow together and help each other in the growing.

Paul does not exclude even one Christian in the church when he talks about our responsibility to come along side each other to help each other grow in Christ. He says that while Christ is always head, it is the “whole body,” “every joint,” and “each part” who bear responsibility for helping each other to mature in Christ. There is not one person in the church who can say the words that Cain so callously used in his response to God when he killed Abel. “Am I my brother’s keeper?” Paul says that in the church the answer is always, “yes.” Each one of us are our brother’s and sister’s keeper. Each part and joint of the body is to work as a whole body and in so doing will work properly when there is a body that is building itself up in love as it grows in Christ.

As you look around our local church, I wonder if you think to yourself that you are responsible for helping that person across the aisle grow in Christ. I wonder if you consider that you need help from that brother or sister sitting in front of you. I wonder if you realize that your elders, even while leading, are not immune from needing help in our pursuit of Christian maturity. The point that Paul is making is that we need each other. Yes, all of us, the whole body, every joint and each part. The question is, are you willing in obedience to claim that responsibility? Are we a church willing to have every part working properly?