THE JOINTS OF THE BODY OF CHRIST 

© Carlos Padilla, January 2009

Without a doubt, the Lord Jesus Christ is the great master in the use of parables, teaching us many times through His creation about the similarities between physical and historical reality. The human body is a wonder of creation, although it is not the definite body for the Kingdom of Heaven, it is – in this dimension – the most sophisticated body of all, so much so that the Lord said: …Let us make man in our image, in our likeness…Genesis 1. This likeness is not the physical one, but the mental, sentimental and - of course – the spiritual one, even though the Son of God adopted the physical likeness during His saving mission.  

Nevertheless, the body, our body, the one we live with every single day of our lives, is a spiritual learning tool in itself. We have a model given by God which we can use to have a deeper knowledge of it and – with the Lord – understand not only how we are but also how our neighbour is, since they have a body just like ours, and also how the Church is, or how it should be. Each and every one of us, human beings, can feel physical, cognitive, sentimental and spiritual reactions. Many people keep looking for answers in these fields and they discover that they are missing something, but many others don’t even look for them because they feel satisfied and fulfilled with material things, but they will start looking when those material things, or health, or any other thing which is their priority or idol in their hearts, start missing. This is the blindness of the deceiver, the devil, and it is the reason why the majority does not feel the need to have a personal relationship with the Creator until they find themselves under extreme circumstances. We all need the Lord in order to have a life fulfilled in each and every aspect; but not only for that but to find the Truth, which will “set us free”, because it provides the answers to the essential questions of life and a personal relationship with the Lord.

It is only, once the person has gone from the personal search for the Lord – should we rather say that the Lord has called him – that he changes from being a creature of God to a son of God (John 1:12) when he is born again (John 3:3) because he has come to know Jesus Christ and has received Him as Saviour, repenting from his sins, from a life without God and then he starts living a new stage, where he changes from “I” to “them” and “us”.

At this point is when the Christian starts a new journey in his life: the relationship with the neighbour, not only in the Church but in the world. This study will focus on the relationship, aim and vision of the Body of Christ, for which Jesus Christ gave His life, for us, the bride, the Church. The Joints of the Body of Christ is a deep study of the relationship that, according to the Bible, we must enjoy and participate in, and not only that, but a relationship that we are responsible for. Just like the human body has many members and each of them has a function, so does the Body of Christ. The sooner we, Christians, receive the teaching about what is expected from us – and what to expect from brothers, our spiritual family – the better the experience will be for all the brothers. The love of God is, without a doubt, the nutrient that keeps the joints of the body of Christ in good state. If the brothers use this brotherly love, the whole body works adequately.

…holding fast to the Head, from whom all the body, nourished and knit together by joints and ligaments, grows with the increase that is from God. Colossians 2:19.

The word joint comes from the Latin junctus, past participle of jungere (join), related to jugum (yoke). In the explanation about the members of the body related to the members of the Church, and to each of us, we will see that the meaning of joint is a reflection of what life should be in the Body of Christ, the way to be together. Bones are only the structure, they are surrounded by muscles which provide them the power to move, and together with the ligaments which join bones and muscles. The nerves are the ones that transmit the instruction from the brain to each muscle so that they move an articulation. If in the Church, there is someone who does not want to perform the task that the Holy Spirit has appointed him to do, he becomes an obstacle, and members that do not function become sick, paralyzed and even dry, they die.

If we look at this spiritually, we will be able to see another similarity of many Christians who never do anything. Maybe none of the brothers has spoken to them; maybe nobody in their church has bothered to help them find their function. Man needs a purpose for life. Without a purpose, man does not feel fulfilled, becomes depressed, and dries. The Christian must be a warrior, anybody who is lukewarm and has not seen the Light needs the help from those of his brothers who are under the fire of the Most High. Let us help those who are weak in the faith, and when we are feeling down, our brothers will help us too. The joint will work and the whole body will move on in spiritual victory.

THE HUMAN BODY AND THE BODY OF CHRIST

Before we go on to explain the similarities between the human body and the Body of Christ, it is essential to read two Biblical texts from the Apostle Paul to the Corinthians and to the Ephesians.

27Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it. 28And in the church God has appointed first of all apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then workers of miracles, also those having gifts of healing, those able to help others, those with gifts of administration, and those speaking in different kinds of tongues. 29Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work miracles? 30Do all have gifts of healing? Do all speak in tongues? Do all interpret? 31But eagerly desire the greater gifts. And now I will show you the most excellent way… …  1If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. 2If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. 3If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames, but have not love, I gain nothing. 4Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. 8Love never fails… 1Corinthians 12 and 13.

…As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received. 2Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. 3Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. 4There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to one hope when you were called— 5one Lord, one faith, one baptism; 6one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all. 7But to each one of us grace has been given as Christ apportioned it. 8This is why it says: "When he ascended on high, he led captives in his train and gave gifts to men."9(What does "he ascended" mean except that he also descended to the lower, earthly regions? 10He who descended is the very one who ascended higher than all the heavens, in order to fill the whole universe.) 11It was he who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers, 12to prepare God's people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up 13until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ. 14Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of men in their deceitful scheming. 15Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into him who is the Head, that is, Christ. 16From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work. Ephesians 4.

We all know the human body, because the Lord has given one to each of us and, although it is obvious, we rarely take much notice of it and how it works, as long as nothing hurts. With our body in mind, we are going to go through the different members and their function in an allegory of the Church.

The feet. Let us start at the base. We have two feet and ten toes. The feet are the base of the body, and the base of our life is the Gospel. Two, because the Word of God has two Testaments. The ten toes of the Word are, as you can imagine, the 10 commandments. Ten is the complete number, like all Scripture is given by inspiration of God and is useful for teaching. 2Timothy 3:16. The two of them, Christ’s feet, were trespassed in the heel, as announced in Genesis 3:15, by the nails of Christ in our salvation and the two blessed feet were resurrected and healed with the rest of the body, meaning that we must wait patiently for His coming because we love God, keeping His commandments and the faith of Jesus. Revelation 14:12. The feet take us to the promised land, the soul of a new brother in Christ, where milk and honey flows; they take the Gospel of Peace and our walk with Christ leads us to eternity in His Kingdom.

On a personal level, I must follow the Word of God and preach the Gospel so that my spiritual feet are of use. As a member of the Church I must know whether I am an evangelist or part of the team of evangelists, the Lord reveals it through the Spirit.

…He will keep the feet of his saints, and the wicked shall be silent in darkness; for by strength shall no man prevail. 1Samuel 2:9.

...How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of those who bring good news, who proclaim peace, who bring good tidings, who proclaim salvation, who say to Zion, "Your God reigns!". Isaiah 52:7, Romans 10:15.

…And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace. Ephesians 6:15.

The legs are also two. The two pillars of Christian life: to love God and the neighbour, all the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments. Matthew 22:40. Faith and obedience to the Lord are also two pillars. Yes, I have mentioned four and not only two, because the two legs have four bones: shinbone and fibula; two of love and two of attitude. We must trust God. Do you trust God?

The knees symbolize prayer and thanksgiving. We also have two: one of them we use the most, to pray or give thanks for us, not only for ourselves but also for those whom we have first in our heart. But there is another one which we must train to use more often, and it is the prayer which the Holy Spirit wants us to pray. Let us pray so that the Lord shows us what and who to pray for and how. Pray on your own or in a group, pray on your feet, pray on your knees, pray with your head down, pray with your face down to the ground and with your arms in a cross, pray in any way you wish, but pray, do not stop praying for the rest of your life, follow the example given by Jesus Christ: He was the Lord and He always prayed. Just like all the great people in the Bible and in the history of the Church have prayed intensely. I suggest you pray the serenity prayer: God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, courage to change things I can, and wisdom to know the difference. We will see more about prayer when we come to the hand.

The thighs are also two and fitted with the largest bone in the body as well as extremely powerful muscles to move and run. Similarly, the Church must run with the power given by God to evangelize the world so that those who belong to Christ are called to the eternal Kingdom. Remember the patriarchs, they used to swear and say the blessing of the promise with the hand under the thigh, just like Abraham did. Genesis 24. Oath or compromise and promise, they go hand in hand and they must be pillars of the faith of the Church. Jacob wrestled with God and won, in the spiritual sense, when he was looking for the blessing from the angel in Peniel, and he obtained the blessing but was touched in the joint of the thigh and the hip. The most relevant thigh is, no doubt, Jesus Christ’s riding on the white horse with a name written on His thigh: King of kings and Lord of lords. Revelation 19:16.

On a personal level, I have to have faith and trust God and obey the Word of God and I must pray for what is in my heart and for whatever the Spirit may reveal to me so that my spiritual legs, knees and thighs are of use. Additionally, I must look for the promise of the Lord. As members of the Church we must know whether we are pillars of faith and part of the team of prayer or fighters for the blessing. The Lord reveals it through the Spirit but we must always pray with the brothers and for the new brothers whom the Spirit brings to the joint of our Church.

The hips are the middle of the body, where top and bottom parts meet. Although this may seem obvious, it draws our attention to the fact that they perform a major function between the backbone and the legs. When we sit down, they are the base of the body. We spend a lot of time sitting down, or in the church. A relevant detail: the space between a woman’s hips – through which we are born, kind of a door to life in this world.

The torso is the meeting point of more members and structure. We beat, breathe, digest, are conceived, etc. In the torso we can find the vertebral column, protecting the spinal cord, the highway of the nerves which takes the instructions from the head to the rest of the parts of the body. It is the meeting point, the church, the house were we meet together.

The vertebral column is the body’s main supporting structure. It holds the spinal cord which transmits the brain’s nervous impulses and instructions to each and every member of the body. We can say that the body’s nervous system is like the Internet and Intranet of the body, just like those who, in the Church, write and transmit the spiritual teachings of the Bible, as the apostles did, they are the culmination of the scribes of the New Testament for the edifying of the Body of Christ. It is worth pointing out that just like we have 24 ribs, we also have 24 vertebrae, divided in four parts: cervical, thoracic, lumbar and sacral. Just like the four gospels are the column of the Word of God; but we see more than just this structure: another four which the Bible teaches us: the Law and the Spirit, History and Prophecy. In Exodus 13:21 we read that the Lord went before Israel by day in a pillar of a cloud and by night in a pillar of fire. The Lord Himself is our column, we are supported by Him and to Him. The Church itself is referred to as the pillar – column – and foundation of the Truth, the house of the living God, 1Timothy 3:15. The ribs come out from the column, which surround and protect the heart, lungs and other delicate and vital organs. Therefore, we are all – each and every one of us – part of the column.

The ribs have two meanings; one comes from Genesis 2:22, which is Eve, the spouse, the weaker vessel, those weak in the faith: all of us, because we must all pray…Increase our faith!. Eve is the Church. The Church wants to embrace God’s Heart, just like the ribs embrace it, this is why they are surrounding the heart, so that we are close to God’s heart, because God is merciful. The true Christian exudes mercy because judgment without mercy will be shown to anyone who has not been merciful. Mercy triumphs over judgment. James 2:13. And blessed are the merciful for they will be shown mercy. Matthew 5. This is why the Church is next to the Lord’s heart, so that we learn mercy, even if it is just by listening to His heartbeat. If only mercy and love of God were amongst us, many separations, confrontations and rejections would be avoided not only in the world but also amongst Christians. Therefore, the ribs reflect, in these spiritual qualities, the origin of the Church and the joints of the Spirit to live together in God’s heart.  

The Church came out of the side of the body of Christ on the Cross, which is the prophetic fulfillment of the rib taken from Adam. The first Adam, a living soul, the last Adam – Christ – is a life-giving spirit. 1Corinthians 15:45. Whilst talking about this with my wife, she remembered reading about this the night before in a book which I had recommended for her “ Twelve Extraordinary Women” by John MacArthur, who quoted a phrase from Matthew Henry, a Presbyterian clergyman of the 18^th century: “Eve was not taken out of Adam's head to top him, neither out of his feet to be trampled on by him, but out of his side to be equal with him, under his arm to be protected by him, and near his heart to be loved by him”. This is how marital relationship should be. Furthermore, this is the relationship that Christ has with the Church.

If you want to learn more about God’s endless love, read a Bible Study about The Heart.

Our impressive bone structure will continue to surprise us when we realize that there are 24 ribs protecting the heart, just like there are 24 priests guarding the temple, 12 on each side: the 12 apostles and the 12 tribes of Israel. The apostles received the New Testament where we, gentiles, can enter the Kingdom of God as in the promise of the Old Testament and the Jews had it through the Messiah until the coming of the Lord. The 24 elders guard and protect the Holy Place, the Heart of God, just like the ribs protect ours. The body is the temple:…Don't you know that you yourselves are God's temple and that God's Spirit lives in you…1Corinthians 3… Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; for you were bought at a price. Therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s. 1 Corinthians 6:19.

But this is not all, if we continue looking at the structure in detail, we will see more similarities with the structure that the Spirit has revealed, especially in the bone that connects the ribs from both sides: the sternum. This is the shield of the heart and the connection of the two groups of ribs, represents Jesus Christ the Messiah, where Gentiles and Jews come together. He is the one who supports the tabernacle and who makes the brothers live together in unity, Psalm 133. Brothers must adhere to and look at Christ, always, in order to have unity, following the example of the ribs. Join your brothers in Christ in order to have a good Relationship!

In the Church, and in churches, the 12 and 24 represent the eldership, the government of the church which must rely on spiritual elders known as bishops or presbyters  “supervisors”. The Lord is called the Bishop of our souls in 1Peter 2:25 and the Bible does not make a difference between elders and bishops, but appoints them and the deacons to serve in the Church. The episcopal system after the 2^nd century and which is still used in Episcopalian churches derives from the primitive Church of the Apostles, being a derivation of human origin, not divine. Reading about Patristic history (history of the doctrines and organization of the first Church fathers after the primitive Church: 2^nd to 8^th century) we can see that this is the cause of the major problems in the history of the Church, which Paul already warned about – in a prophetic way – in his farewell to the Ephesian elders saying: For I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock. Also of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them… …And now, brethren, I commend you to God, and to the word of his grace, which is able to build you up, and to give you an inheritance among all them which are sanctified. I have coveted no man's silver, or gold, or apparel. Yea, you yourselves know, that these hands have ministered unto my necessities, and to them that were with me. Acts 20:29-34. Any similarities between the large clerical churches and the true and original one shown here is mere coincidence. Therefore, get to work, my beloved brothers, because there is a lot of work to be done, many souls still don’t know Christ.

Those who are appointed as elders and bishops by the Holy Spirit must hold firmly to Christ, not to their own interests, which is why many churches deceive their believers. Acts 20:28 shows us the truth. Bishops are servants of Christ to serve the sons of God, and they must follow the standard set by the Bible, in Titus 1, being friendly, sincere, trustworthy, fair, self-controlled, good, with ability to teach, humble, being impartial, being available and working for the blessing of the brothers, not looking at themselves but at the needs of the sons of God, as well as working for evangelization. Jesus took a little child and had him stand beside him. Then he said to them, "Whoever welcomes this little child in my name welcomes me; and whoever welcomes me welcomes the one who sent me. For he who is least among you all—he is the greatest. Luke 9:46.

Like in each member or part of the body, those who are ribs in the Church have a function, but we also see our own function as an individual rib in which we must be unanimous with the order in the people of God in Christ, to be subject in Christ one to another which is the perfect bond, the one of the Spirit in God's Love, called Charity, in a live that carries fruits of the Spirit.

The lungs also share the chest, they protect the heart and also provide air for the blood. These are the two courts on each side of the Holy Place in the temple of the Lord. When they breathe, they receive the vital air, the wind or pneuma, and the wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit. John 3:28. Therefore, the lungs have a vital function for the blood to do its job through the whole body. Without oxygen in our blood, we die; without the Spirit, we are dead. The Blood of Christ is our life.

Let us breathe the Spirit of life in our worship, in spiritual songs coming from the lungs next to the heart, and that go through the vocal cords, the most perfect instrument, not made by human hand, both a string and wind instrument. Take a deep breath, the Lord loves you!  If you have been appointed to look for the Spirit and the anointment for the church, you will be part of those who worship the Lord, the choir or musical group of praise. Connecting the lungs with the mouth, as we have just now seen, we can find praise. You can and should praise the Lord individually, but if you also do it in the Church then you are part of the lungs that bring the spiritual oxygen…Let everything that has breath praise the Lord. Psalm 150.

Going back to the sternum, briefly, to connect the top part of the body, if we look at it in detail we can see that it is the connecting point for the collarbone that join the arms with the shoulders, the arms open wide and the hands nailed down on the Cross came together in the sternum, in Christ, in the centre of the eternal Temple of the universe, in the heart of the Lord; the Temple which, as Jesus Christ said, He raised on the third day.

The arms and the neck are the ones under the yoke of Christ, we use them to take the cross every day, on the back, the one that none of us can see, but if we walk with Christ under the yoke, we know that we are taking it. He is the Teacher, our shoulder next to His, let us go out there bravely every day to go next to Him. Our neck goes under the yoke and holds the head – which, as we know, is Christ, our Lord, the Lord of our life, the friend. In the Church, we have many brothers for whom, and with whom, we can take the yoke of Christ.

…Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ. Galatians 6:2. The Law of Christ.

…Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 29Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30For my yoke is easy and my burden is light. Matthew 11:28. This is what Jesus Christ teaches us, that the yoke He carries is for the salvation of men: He conquered that miracle, and we announce it throughout the centuries.

…Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep and loses one of them. Does he not leave the ninety-nine in the open country and go after the lost sheep until he finds it? 5And when he finds it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders 6and goes home. Then he calls his friends and neighbors together and says, 'Rejoice with me; I have found my lost sheep.' 7I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent. Luke 15:4. The Cross of Christ is the one that gives life to the lost sheep which is the Church, ourselves. He left His throne for us and came down to earth, died and resurrected.

The two arms are to be able to hug surrounding the body of our beloved ones. A symbol of brotherly love amongst brothers. We are brought up between them since we are little, waved like the first fruits, and cared for. In the Church, it is those brothers with a special gift, friendly and brotherly, ready to receive, hospitable, ready to help, to serve, those who are so important but who are often forgotten. We must develop this quality in an individual level so we can receive our brother, apart from those whom we know and who need to be embraced and hear about Christ.

The hands, also two of them, they represent the work, the task, the ministry. With our hands we feed, manufacture, fish, cut, nail, help, carry, write, direct, caress. With our hands we pray for the sick, we anoint and bless praying. Works and miracles go together hand in hand.  Whoever works in the work of the Lord will see miracles in his life and in the Church. Do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your giving may be in secret. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you openly. Matthew 6. Ten fingers for a complete work.

Although when we pray we can be on our knees, many times we are on our hands too! Open your hand and look at your five fingers. Praise, confession, thanksgiving, intercession and plea. The hand prayer says: the thumb is the strongest finger on your hand, symbol of the most important blessings, family and home, health, relationships that support and sustain us and the brothers we have. The index is the pointing finger, to pray for all those who are important in our life, parents, teachers, pastors, emergency services, army, police, governments. The middle finger is also the tallest one, the one that reaches God first, therefore, with Him in mind, pray for those most in need and for our children. The ring finger is the weakest one and holds our wedding ring, so we should always pray for our marriage and that of our parents, children and brothers. And last, the little finger to pray for ourselves.

With prayer we can do the work of the Lord with His wisdom granted by prayer that will make our hearts be full of God’s purposes to serve in the army of Christ.

…She extends her hand to the poor, Yes, she reaches out her hands to the needy. Proverbs 31:20

…They will pick up snakes with their hands; and when they drink deadly poison, it will not hurt them at all; they will place their hands on sick people, and they will get well. Mark 16:18.

…Look at my hands and my feet. It is I myself! Touch me and see; a ghost does not have flesh and bones, as you see I have. Luke 24:39. Work and blessing.

The ears are two, so that we hear the voice of the Lord twice as much. They say we have one mouth and two ears so that we listen twice as much as we speak. Having two of them also means that we hear the things from the world, as well as the ones from the Lord. A Christian must be able to discern what he should listen to since there are many things that one should turn a deaf ear to them. A person who is physically deaf can be healed by God, but a person who spiritually deaf can also be healed through the Gospel and encouragement. In the Church, we must try to make everybody pay attention to the words of the Lord. Individually, we must also try to hear the Lord’s voice whilst praying; because He speaks to those He loves.

The eyes that God has given man can also look at evil, covet, lewdness, idolatry, vanity, but they can also see the light of Christ, miracles, brothers, the church, the needed ones…all small details and great wonders of the Lord, of which we will see many on heaven but we can also see many on earth before our eyes in His creation and in His miracles which He makes every day. We must have eyes of blessing with a clean and deep look, spiritually speaking. The person that loves with the love of God, the merciful God, has a look in their eyes which differs from the person who looks with arrogant eyes. God bless our look which comes from a clean heart, because blessed are the pure in heart for they will see God. Matthew 5.

…He who has a generous eye will be blessed, for he gives of his bread to the poor. Proverbs 22:9.

…And why do you look at the speck in your brother’s eye, but do not perceive the plank in your own eye?. Luke 6:41.

…But as it is written: Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, Nor have entered into the heart of man The things which God has prepared for those who love Him. 1Corithians 2:9.

The mouth. We bless the Lord and men with our mouth, we pray, sing praise, kiss, preach, prophesize. When the Lord sends us to preach the Gospel, to teach His Word and serve our neighbour through the Words, we must use His Words; the less we use our own and the more we use His, the bigger the blessing for those who listen to us. Preachers, pastors and teachers and prophets are the mouth of the Church. Let us pray so that whenever we open our mouth, the Lord speaks, following the example of the Master:… And I know that His command is everlasting life. Therefore, whatever I speak, just as the Father has told Me, so I speak. John 12:50. Ephesians 4:29 encourages us not to let any corrupt word come out of our mouths. In the church, as well as on a personal level, we must always speak as it is expected from sons of the Lord. Bitter and sweet water cannot come out of the same fountain; therefore clean water must come from our mouth, streams of living water. Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, streams of living water will flow from within him. John 7:38. For out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks. Luke 6:45. But the most important is that whatever comes out of our mouths is true and from the heart, lest the Lord shall rebuke us like those whom He told: …Inasmuch as these people draw near with their mouths and honor me with their lips, but have removed their hearts far from me. Isaiah 29:13. How sad. Therefore, let’s praise the Lord with our heart and our mouth.

The tongue. James teaches us about the tongue like nobody else does. Read James 3. No further comments are needed.

The skin. The whole body is covered by skin, the largest of all members. It represents the robe, the cover of the Lord. Over the skin we pour the oil of the anointment after pouring it on the head for the anointment of the prophets. For the anointment of healing on the skin. The garment of the priests. Adam and Eve were naked and did not feel ashamed, because their heart was clean before they fell.

The Head. The anointment is poured over the head, this is because we must look at the Anointed one: the Lord, because He is where the blessing for the body comes from. In our heart is where God shows us His ways, His work and His messages, He gives us dreams and the visions of the Spirit. We must always thank Him for this and ask Him to speak to us always. In our lives, just like in the church, a Christian has to live according to Christ. Christ is the head. For the husband is head of the wife, as also Christ is head of the church; and He is the Saviour of the body. Ephesians 5:23.

In the Church, He is the Stone which the builders rejected, that has become the chief cornerstone in the temple and in the Church. Matthew 21. He rules His Body and we, as members, take part in His work which has a main target: the salvation of our souls. 1Peter 1:9. He governs over all the members that we have seen so far in our journey through the body, as a church and as individuals our life will be governed by Jesus Christ – if we are looking for the blessing of the Lord. It is from the Head that we receive the mind of Christ, that fills our soul with the Holy Spirit and filling our body, making it His temple and making us be born again. And His government has an operational method for the Church reflected in the Great Commandment: Jesus said: You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets. Matthew 22:37-40. The Lord comforts us with His message whilst we await His coming: … In My Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also…John 14:2. With the commandments and the hopes of faith in the heart, we are commanded for the Great Commission in Matthew 28, the Church’s main work, which we share and participate in. The Lord has invited us, so let us go along with Him. HalleluYah.

…He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. 16 For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him. 17 And He is before all things, and in Him all things consist. 18 And He is the head of the body, the church, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in all things He may have the preeminence. 19 For it pleased the Father that in Him all the fullness should dwell, 20 and by Him to reconcile all things to Himself, by Him, whether things on earth or things in heaven, having made peace through the blood of His cross. Colossians 1.

BIBLE TEXT ON THE JOINTS OF THE BODY

EZEKIEL 37

3And He said to me, “Son of man, can these bones live?”So I answered, “O Lord God, You know.” 4 Again He said to me, “Prophesy to these bones, and say to them, ‘O dry bones, hear the word of the Lord! 5 Thus says the Lord God to these bones: “Surely I will cause breath to enter into you, and you shall live. 6 I will put sinews on you and bring flesh upon you, cover you with skin and put breath in you; and you shall live. Then you shall know that I am the Lord.”

In this text, the Lord shows us that He is the one who raises His people, not only raises them but also gives them life and sustains them. But although the Lord does the things, He always counts on disciples who are ready to serve Him in the spiritual work. Therefore, the Lord asks us whether we have faith in that those to whom we preach will believe so they will add to the Church. Then He asks us to preach the Gospel of Salvation to them so that, believing, God gives them spirit of life, i.e.: Spirit of Life, that Jesus comes inside them and dwells with them. And the ligaments move the joints between those who love God and Him, and the brethren. The flesh that, in the body, is the one which holds it together is used here for us to have spiritual consistency, learning to bear each other’s burdens fulfilling the Law of Christ as in Ephesians 6:2, and the skin is the base over which the oil of the anointment of the Holy Spirit falls spiritually. This cover is a permanent blessing that God puts over those who ask Him to become their Lord and spouse forever. Then you shall know that I am the Lord your God: that I am is that He is with you always.

7So I prophesied as I was commanded; and as I prophesied, there was a noise, and suddenly a rattling; and the bones came together, bone to bone. 8 Indeed, as I looked, the sinews and the flesh came upon them, and the skin covered them over; but there was no breath in them.
9 Also He said to me, Prophesy to the breath, prophesy, son of man, and say to the breath, Thus says the Lord God: Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe on these slain, that they may live. 10 So I prophesied as He commanded me, and breath came into them, and they lived, and stood upon their feet, an exceedingly great army.

This is the culmination of the preacher, to invoke the Holy Spirit and give glory to Him so that He will dwell in them eternally, making them His temple. And they were on their feet – being the Eternal Gospel – a great army, the congregation of disciples of Christ, a people of kings and priests for God, a holy nation. 1Peter 2:9. The Church.

CONCLUSION

…Speaking the truth in love, we may grow up in all things into Him who is the head—Christ—from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love. Ephesians 4:15.

Although the love of God is the main joint between the members of the Body of Christ, differences in doctrine – although it should not be so - are one of the main causes of the lack of joints and synchronization between the members. We also find individual interests that divide churches, envies and other sins. In the message to the seven churches in Revelation we can see the diversity of the different ages and styles in the church in the parable of history.

Therefore, it is just as important to share and know all the functions of the Body of Christ and ours as individuals as it is with the church in our congregation, taking part in the functions which the Holy Spirit appoints us to do. If you don’t know what your function is, pray to the Lord so He may reveal it to you, how you can be of blessing in the church, in your home and in the world for Christ. As Christians, we will live as the Bible teaches us to do, in community of friendly brothers, being part of the Church, in our local church and in the one of our homes, and we will achieve it through prayer and sharing our lives with brothers and serving the Lord together for the Great Commission. Matthew 28:16.

We already know the Body of Christ, and ours. Now that we know it, we must maintain it, not only working but focused in the Lord’s purpose for us and for our church and for the global Church. The body that does not rest, and does not sleep well, will not perform properly, just like the Christian and the church must live in peace, the peace of Christ, rest in the Shabbat of the Lord, not giving up gathering together…as some are in the habit of doing…Hebrews 10:25, because they lack personal, spiritual and brotherly growth. We must dedicate the holy day to the Lord and to ourselves, but also our new life in Christ is a new holy day for us. Prayer and praise, repentance and direct confession to the Father in Christ are spiritual balms.

Additionally, a body that is not well fed cannot perform properly; it lacks nutrients and becomes sick. The Word of God is our daily bread. If we eat junk food we will soon see the results, the same thing happens if we eat hollow and deceptive philosophies, vain human arguments, or false doctrines, which poison the body and make it sick until it dies. Preaching and teaching as provided by the Lord, based on the Word of God and in a good reputation of those who teach through pastors and teachers feed the congregation and the soul in Spirit. And together with the good nutrition there are vitamins and minerals of the revelation in the understanding of the Word which the Lord will give to those who ask Him for it and are willing to teach others with meekness. Exercise is also vital for the body, if we don’t exercise we are blocked, we put on weight, etc. The Church must be fit and each and every one of its members must be fit in an individual level, in their ministry and in their congregation. If a body is only partially exercised, it will be unbalanced, as we can see in the weight lifters.

A Christian must exercise in prayer. Pray continually. 1Tessalonians 5:17. But you, beloved, building yourselves up on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit, keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life. Jude 1:20 and 21. If we are well trained, well fed and fit – on a personal level as well as in the congregation – we will go on to Jude 22…Be merciful to those who doubt. And even 23…snatch others from the fire and save them; to others show mercy, mixed with fear—hating even the clothing stained by corrupted flesh. Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling, and to present you faultless before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy, to God our Saviour, who alone is wise, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and forever. Amen.

The summary of the joints of the Body of Christ, once the body is trained, united and focused in the ministry of the Lord for our individual spiritual life and for live in the congregation with the brothers, it must include the attitude and the functions of all the members, reflected in the most important parts of the Law: justice, mercy and faith. Matthew 23:23. We also find an initial quality: virtue, that will make the body work until the coming of the great day and the resurrection and rapture of the saints. To do so, we must know where we stand on the 7 steps of the spiritual stair in 2Peter1, not only individually but whether we can see these qualities in our church. If we cannot: let’s get to work. Read VIRTUE.

I finish with the farewell that Peter learnt from the Master in John 21:15, which I beg you to read in full, below, because it reflects a fully and spiritually operational church and includes a message to each member of the Body of Christ creating the joints of faith which we can read in 1Peter5:

…The elders who are among you I exhort, I who am a fellow elder and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and also a partaker of the glory that will be revealed: Shepherd the flock of God which is among you, serving as overseers, not by compulsion but willingly, not for dishonest gain but eagerly; nor as being lords over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock; and when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that does not fade away. Likewise you younger people, submit yourselves to your elders. Yes, all of you be submissive to one another, and be clothed with humility, for God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble.

Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time, casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you. Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. Resist him, steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same sufferings are experienced by your brotherhood in the world. But may the God of all grace, who called us to His eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after you have suffered a while, perfect, establish, strengthen, and settle you. To Him be the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen.