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Daily Devotions

Ephesians

Ephesians 
Day 
Day 292

"For we are members of His body, of His flesh and of His bones."

Text: Ephesians 5:30

AN AMAZING APPLICATION

Paul’s application of the concept of being “members” goes up to an even higher level in this text. His application is absolutely amazing.

OUR BEING JOINED TO THE LORD

Paul used many expressions to describe our being joined to the Lord. Let us take time for a quick review.

1. “Brought near” (“eggus egenethete”) (Ephesians 2:13)

2. “Made both one” (“poiesas ta amphora hen”) (Ephesians 2:14)

3. “In one body” (“hen heni somatic”) (Ephesians 2:16)

4. “Fellow citizens” (“sumpolitai”) (Ephesians 2:19)

5. “Members of the household of God” (“oikeioi tou theou”) (Ephesians 2:19)

6. “A dwelling place of God in the Spirit”
(“katoiketerion tou theou en pneumatic” ) (Ephesians 2:22)

All the above expressions describe our relationship to the Lord Jesus Christ. Each one is wonderfully gracious! But the most amazing relationship ever is the one found in the above text… where the church is said to be “members of His body, of His flesh and of His bones”.

MEMBERS OF HIS BODY

This word “members” must not be read and understood in a secular way, of people becoming members of an organization. This is often the way people think of membership in the church as an organization.

1. Lexical idea behind the word “member” (“mele”)

The literal meaning is “body parts”.

2. Theological idea

This idea is drawn from the lexical concept. The church is gloriously joined to Christ as if we make up the body parts of the Lord Jesus!

3. Strengthening this idea

Paul did not want his readers to misunderstand what he meant. Hence he added the phrase, “of His flesh and of His bones”. We belong to the Lord Jesus Christ in the most intimate way ever!