Members of a Body, Not an Organization

Ephesians 4:1-7, 11-16

In our modern world, we are professional "members." We hold memberships at big-box retailers, local gyms, and social clubs. In these contexts, membership is a consumer transaction: we pay a fee, agree to terms, and in exchange, we receive a service or a benefit. It is a choice based entirely on what the organization can do for us.

But when the Apostle Paul writes to the church in Ephesus, he uses the Greek word melos. This word doesn't describe an entry in a database; it describes a limb on a body [07:59]. To be a member of the church is not like joining Costco; it is like your hand being part of your arm. It is visceral, organic, and inescapable.

Based on Ephesians 4:1-7 and 11-16, let’s explore what it truly means to move from being an "organizational member" to a "living member" of the Body of Christ.

1. The Source of Life: Union with the Head

“...grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ.” (Eph. 4:15)

The life of a hand doesn’t come from "trying harder" to be a hand. Its life flows from its connection to the wrist, the arm, and ultimately the head [16:19]. In the same way, your life as a believer is not a test of sheer willpower or a "battery" you must keep charged. Your life is found in your union with Christ.

Through faith, everything that belongs to Jesus now belongs to you. His righteousness is your clothing; His life is your heartbeat [15:04]. When we acknowledge Jesus as Savior, we are acknowledging Him as the "Head" of our lives. If a hand is removed from the head, it has no life. To "abide" in Christ is simply to stay connected to the Source from which all power and direction flow.

2. The Strength of the Body: Connected to One Another

“...joined and held together by every supporting ligament...” (Eph. 4:16)

Because you are united to Christ, and I am united to Christ, we are—by definition—united to one another [10:53]. This connection is more real than blood relation. In the Kingdom of God, the "water of baptism is thicker than the blood of birth" [12:24].

This means your walk with God can never be a solitary, "Jesus-and-me" endeavor. You are as connected to the person in the pew next to you as your fingers are to your palm. When one part of the body suffers, the whole body feels it; when one part grows, the whole body is strengthened. We are "tangled up" in each other’s lives because we are all joined to the same Head.

3. The Gift of Growth: Equipped for Service

“So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, to equip his people for works of service...” (Eph. 4:11-12)

A body without a skeleton or a nervous system is just a puddle—it can’t stand, move, or protect itself [20:51]. Paul explains that Christ provides "gifts" to the church in the form of leadership and teaching to act as the framework for the body.

The goal of this "government" isn't control; it’s equipment. Leaders are given to the body so that every member can perform "works of service." Whether through acts of compassion or sharing the Gospel, the body builds itself up in love as each part does its work [23:09]. We don't just attend church to consume a sermon; we engage with the body to become mature, no longer tossed back and forth by the winds of the world.

4. The Calling of the Body: Maintaining Unity

“Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.” (Eph. 4:3)

Notice that Paul does not tell us to create unity. He tells us to maintain it [25:46]. You don’t have to manufacture a bond with your brother or sister in Christ; Jesus already manufactured it at the Cross. He established the peace through His own blood.

Our job is simply not to tear it apart. We maintain this divine unity by refusing to gossip, refusing to harbor bitterness, and choosing to speak the truth in love [27:02]. We "keep" the unity because it is a precious gift already given to us by the Spirit.

Reflect and Respond

• Shift your Perspective: Do you view your church involvement as a "membership" where you consume services, or as a "union" where you contribute life?

• Check the Connection: A hand only functions when it follows the direction of the head. In what area of your life is the "Head" (Christ) calling you to move or serve this week?

• Maintain the Bond: Is there a "ligament" (a relationship) in the body that is strained? How can you "make every effort" to maintain the peace Christ has already won for you?

[This blog is based on a sermon preached by The Rev. Paul Becker, titled "Members of a Body, Not an Organization,” at the First Presbyterian Church of Bakerstown. Click Here to watch the full message on YouTube.]