From 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 (v. 16). Paul uses his frequent image of the physical organism, where each part must make its contribution in harmony with the others. All of the parts are vital and essential for the healthy and complete functioning of the body. So every member in the body of Christ is gifted by the Holy Spirit, and is called by the Holy Spirit to participate in the ministry of Christ. Every person in the body of Christ has a significant task to perform. No-one is insignificant; no-one is unimportant. There is no such thing as a misfit in the body of Christ because Christ himself, the head of the body, is the one who makes sure that we fit together and knit together into the unity of his body.
