[* As we are considering "The Marks of a Healthy Church" ... last week we began a four-part consideration of the unity of the church, looking specifically at Ephesians 4:1-16 and 1 Corinthians 12-14.
* The teaching of Paul in Ephesians 4 was based upon the exhortation that he gave in verse1: that believers should "walk worthy of the calling with which we were called." This "calling" was to be conformed to the image of Christ. That is why Paul exhorted the Roman believers to offer their bodies as living sacrifices - not being conformed to the world but rather be transformed in the renewing of their minds ... that they might have the mind of Christ ... proving what is the good, acceptable, perfect will of God!
* This calling, and desire, to be conformed into the image of Christ will have a unifying impact in our individual lives and as we interact with other believers within the church. This call to be conformed to the image of Christ will be revealed in our desire for unity in our conduct with others (through humility, patience, and commitment) and reflected in our desire for unity within our doctrine.
* As we continue in this teaching, we see that it is actually the joint conformance of the church (as the body of Christ) to His image that is our collective calling! We have koinonia - a common bond - with one another because of our koinonia with Christ. This common bond
* Today, we see how our call to be conformed to the image of Christ should be the common goal of the body of Christ. It is THE mark of perfection to which we collectively should strive toward and be participating in. One of the chief marks of a truly healthy church is the level of synergism displayed within the assembly.
* Synergy - "the interaction or cooperation of two or more agents to produce a combined effect greater than the sum of their separate effects." (Oxford Dictionary)
* This message was presented on May 29, 2022 by Bob Corbin.