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The Body of Christ … A Joint Effort

HighBeamMinistry.com

“…the Head, from whom the whole body, nourished and knit together through its joints and ligaments, grows with a growth that is from God.” (Colossians 2:19 ESV)

 

“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.” (Ephesians 4:15-16 ESV)

 

Have you ever taken a moment and considered how important our body joints are? If you’re like me, not much. We take them for granted.

 

Until they don’t work because of age or injury, right?

 

Sore muscles? All the time. Bumps and bruises? Every day. Our body joints? Not usually, unless we’ve been afflicted with a temporary or chronic condition that affects a joint (or many). I’m pretty healthy and don’t think about my joints often. However, after a few flare-ups of gout in my feet, which affected the toe joints, I noticed I’ve developed a few toes that bend ever so slightly askew because a joint in each one was warped due to gout inflammation. Thankfully, there’s no lasting pain.

 

Sadly, though, I have friends who struggle greatly with widespread arthritis. After my gout bouts, I sympathize deeply with those who suffer chronic pain who know there will be no eventual relief, short of getting a new body at the resurrection (may that happen quickly and in our day!).

 

Seeing my two toes this morning as I dressed for the day’s exercise reminded me of joints. As usual, my mind flashed to biblical references. First, I recalled two scriptures in the English Standard Version Bible that jumped out to me regarding body joints. Next, I did some quick web research about the nature of joints. Once again, I’m impressed by how the Lord reveals spiritual truths through our physical world, especially something so close and familiar as our body parts.

 

I gleaned the following information from the National Institute of Health’s National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases’ website. The information is geared toward 4th to 6th graders, so I figured I could understand it.

 

“What are joints? A joint is where two or more bones connect. Since bones don’t bend, without joints, it would be impossible for you to move around! The different types of joints are based on how much they can move.” The article lists the three main types of joints: Freely Movable, or synovial (suh-NOW-vee-uhl), joints, Partially Movable, or cartilaginous (kaar-tuh-LA-juh-nuhs), joints, and Immovable, or fibrous (FAI-bruhs), joints. 

 

So far, so good. Joints are crucial for body function and growth. 

 

But what caught my attention was how joints are constructed. “What are joints made of? Many types of tissue work together to form a movable joint. These tissues include:

 

  • Bones, which come together at the joint. 

 

  • Ligaments (LI-guh-muhnts), which connect bones together.

 

  • Tendons (TEN-dnz), which attach muscles to bones and control movement of the joint. 

 

  • Cartilage (KAAR-tuh-luhj), which covers the surface of a bone at a joint and reduces friction. Friction happens when bones rub against each other, which can wear bones down and cause pain.

 

  • Bursae (BUR-say), which are fluid-filled pods within the joint that help cushion bones where they meet.

 

  • Synovial membrane, which lines the joint, seals it into a capsule, and produces synovial fluid to lubricate the joint” (Ibid).

 

I see some great metaphors in this list:

 

  • Bones (Individuals) – Individual Christians, because Paul’s analogy relates to spiritual growth.

 

  • Ligaments (Faith) – What connects Christians? The common faith we have, which is based on our relationship with Jesus and one another, produces divinely fashioned, loving fellowship.

 

The famous hymn, Blest Be The Tie That Binds, comes to mind. “It is a favorite for many because of its message of the bonds of Christian community. Six brief verses describe hearts bound in Christian love, deep fellowship, shared burdens and prayers, painful separations, and the blessed hope of reunification that lasts throughout eternity” (www.christianity.com/wiki/christian-life/blest-be-the-tie-that-binds.html).

 

  • Tendons (The Holy Spirit’s activity) – Muscles move joints, so there needs to be something that transmits spiritual power to the individual Christian that moves them together with other believers. To me, that’s the Holy Spirit. Without the Holy Spirit motivating, empowering, and coordinating our Christian lives, we’re left as a weak and spastic Body of Christ, unable to exert influence upon the culture and flailing about in meaningless efforts.

 

  • Cartilage (Love) – What covers a Christian and reduces friction between believers? Love. Lack of love often creates friction between people. Yes, even between born-again believers. One person sins against another even in the smallest way, and feelings are hurt, passions ignite, and words become sharp. But when “love covers a multitude of sins” (1 Peter 4:8), words quiet, passions calm, and feelings are soothed. For this reason, Peter, Jesus’ notoriously passionate and sometimes inflammatory disciple, speaks from experience and urges us to “keep loving one another earnestly” (Ibid).

 

  • Bursae (The Fruit of the Holy Spirit) – It’s more than love that the Holy Spirit imparts to Jesus’ Body to ease our interactions into fluid motion. I liken the Holy Spirit’s fruit to the body’s bursae, those “pods within the joint that help cushion bones where they meet.” Besides love, Jesus knows we need “joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control” to cushion our relationships not only with fellow disciples, but people in general.

 

  • Synovial membrane (The Lord’s Presence) – Through the Holy Spirit, which surrounds and infuses us, the Lord’s presence seals our relationships into unity, and whose intimate, universal work between believers oils our interactions as we work together for the Lord’s kingdom.

 

Clearly, joints are crucial for body function and growth. How much more for the divinely formed Body of Christ?

 

Based on what I found on the NIH website, there’s so much more that can be said. Suffice it to say, Paul’s point is about the need for joint health in the Body of Christ so we can all “grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ” (Ephesians 4:15). As the Head, Jesus calls the shots. He requires a strong, coordinated, and smoothly functioning Body to fulfill His will of revealing His reality spiritually and physically to the whole world. “Healthy joints,” healthy and vibrant relationships between believers, are His way of growing His Body in numbers and maturity.

 

It’s a joint effort.

 

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Sources:

 

 

Shining the Light of God’s Truth on the Road Ahead

 

Pastor Jay Christianson

The Truth Barista, Frothy Thoughts

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