Recently, my wife told me about a six-year old child with Down Syndrome who was abandoned by his parents after he was born. The parents could not accept his condition and were not prepared to take care of his needs. He was left in the care of the state. Today he faces challenges in his development as a result of having no family support and help. It is heartbreaking to hear of such news of abandonment by one’s physical family.
It is a fact that none of us can choose the physical family that we are born into. However, we can be thankful that we have a choice with regards to being part of a spiritual family. This spiritual family is the church, which is a body of believers who have been baptised and called through the gospel (2 Thessalonians 2:14). The church is also the body of Christ with Him as the head (Ephesians 1:22-23; Colossians 1:18), the kingdom of God (Colossians 1:13-14; Matthew 16:18-19), the House of God (1 Timothy 3:15), a holy nation (1 Peter 2:9) and the bride of Christ (2 Corinthians 11:1-2). As such, the church is not a building, neither is it a club or any recreational organisation but the church is a body of believers. You and I are the church.
This spiritual family that we are part of is very important. As much as we love our physical family, there must be love amongst members in the spiritual family too. Let us consider what Paul wrote:
“But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ: From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love” (Ephesians 4:15-16).
Firstly, there is a need to speak the truth and to speak it in love for the benefit of others so that we will grow to maturity. This will help us to be united as one body, such that we will not be easily swayed by false teachers and doctrines. The love that is described here is agape love and we need to do what we can for our brethren. It does not mean that we fear offending the other person. On the contrary, we speak the truth because of this sacrificial love we have for one another and the love for their souls. We also do this so that we can grow up into Christ in all things and to be Christ-like.
Secondly, as Christ’s body and being in this spiritual family, we need to be joined together and united. Paul illustrated it very well in 1 Corinthians 12:12-31. All members of parts of the body need to come together. Christ is not divided and neither is the Godhead divided. The spiritual family with many members cannot be divided too. We can picture this as our own physical body where the legs walk in opposite directions. This cannot happen. If it does, something is seriously wrong and something bad will happen. Each member is in the right place for a specific purpose.
Thirdly, this specific purpose is to aid one another, or ‘supplieth’ as written in Ephesians 4:16. Jesus is the head of the body. As members of this spiritual family, all of us are joints which will supply and contribute to the work of Christ in such a way that the work is effective. Since all the joints are connected and joined together, it will mean that every part is dependent on each other and every part will mutually supply and sustain each other such that they can grow. We can consider our physical body again and how the different organs depend on one another and sustain each other. If any part malfunctions, there will be trouble. Thus, we should support one another in our spiritual family and help to stand in and provide in times of need and weakness.
Finally, when every joint supplieth, it means that everyone actually labours. Every joint will contribute in a different measure. For instance, a young convert will contribute in whatever way he can, like talking to others about Jesus. His effectiveness may be limited initially because he is spiritually young. He is contributing in a small measure. All of us are supposed to contribute to the spiritual family in various measures. Whether it is a small measure or a big measure, the result is that the body of Christ is going to grow. This is because the spiritual family is a living body and so this living body will make progress and brethren should minister to each other in love. As brethren evangelise, the body will grow in love. Many of us are aware of the power that love can do. For instance when one puts in love and effort in cultivating a plant, it will grow and flowers will bloom. What a beautiful thought it is when we envision ourselves growing together in love with our spiritual family.
Although one may contribute by a small measure today, he or she will still be growing and this measure should increase and will not be as small as before. A point for us to consider: Is our measure the same today as it was last year, five years ago or even when we were a young convert?
Brethren, this spiritual family that we are in is not a social club or earthly organisation. It is a living body made up of individual members. Our spiritual family is one which is so precious that Christ purchased with His own blood through death (Acts 20:28). We may find it difficult to die for people we know well but Christ died for everyone. It is thus necessary that in this spiritual family, we speak the truth in love, be united and joined together and help one another to labour together so that the body of Christ can grow to God’s glory.