The Stature of Christ

Paul speaks of the organization of the early Christian church and its purposes by saying:

"For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:


Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ" (Ephesians 4: 12-13).

The "body of Christ" is a term with at least two possible meanings. When Paul addresses the Corinthians, he said, "Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?" (1 Corinthians 3: 16). We often quote this verse in the context of our personal bodies being temples of God, and rightly so. But the word ye in this verse is the plural form in the original Greek. So it would mean the members of the early Christian church constitute a temple of God. A similar meaning and context is found later in the same epistle, as Paul said, "Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular." A previous verse reads, "That there should be no schism in the body; but that the members should have the same care one for another" (1 Corinthians 12: 25, 27). The context of these verses makes it clear that the body of Christ consists of many members, with each member being important.

In other Pauline writings, the body is clearly singular. He also writes to the same Corinthians saying, "What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s" (1 Corinthians 6: 19-20).

Each of us was redeemed, purchased, and ransomed by Jesus Christ and His atoning grace.

So does "the body of Christ" mean our individual bodies, or does it mean the body of the Church and kingdom? Like most scriptural passages, the answer is yes and yes. Both symbolic meanings have application.

The mission of the early church, described by Paul, has three purposes: unity of faith, knowledge of the Son of God, and attaining to the "perfect man" (or woman) "unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ." Unity in the faith can only be achieved as a group, but not the testimony of Christ. While a testimony can be shared, a sure knowledge of God can only come to an individual through the Holy Ghost.

Likewise, the term, "perfect man," speaks to each individual measuring up to the stature of Christ. The scriptural idea is that each individual can stand in the presence of God, being able to abide His glory.

Here are some examples:

"Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.

Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.

Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness" (Ephesians 6: 11, 13-14).

"Wherefore, stand ye in holy places, and be not moved" (D&C 87: 8).

" . . . Let virtue garnish thy thoughts unceasingly; then shall thy confidence wax strong in the presence of God" (D&C 121: 45).

If we become like Christ, having His attributes, like charity and virtue described in the verse above, we will one day measure up to His full stature and can stand with confidence in His presence.

The opposite is also true. In the Creation, water represents chaotic element, lacking form. Water does not stand up in the presence of God or anywhere else, except in a couple of cases I can think of, all of them involving the grace of Christ.

When the children of Israel were delivered from Egypt, the house of bondage, the waters of the Red Sea stood up and the "waters were a wall unto them on their right hand, and on their left" (Exodus 14: 22). Later, when they entered the promised land (symbolizing exaltation and Celestial glory), "the waters which came down from above stood and rose up upon an heap" (Joshua 3: 16). Again, the children of Israel crossed over the waters into the promised land.

And when the judgments of God are poured out and His sword revealed, "all knees shall be weak as water" (Ezekiel 21: 7).

In the Gospel of John, as Jesus is being arrested at the Garden of Gethsemane, something interesting happens. The chief priests and Pharisees are there to arrest Jesus. Ironically, these chief priests were the temple guards. The Garden of Gethsemane represents the Holy of Holies in the temple. The mercy seat and Ark of the Covenant were in the Holy of Holies. The Hebrew term for mercy seat is kapporeth, and means "place of atonement." Here the only infinite and eternal sacrifice took place. In the Holy of Holies on Yom Kippur (Day of Atonement) the Atonement of Christ was prefigured as the high priest would come into the symbolic presence of Jehovah, and would be protected so he might stand in His presence, shielded by a cloud of incense (see Leviticus 16).

Here at the actual garden, as Jehovah made flesh meets the temple guards and chief priests, "they went backward, and fell to the ground" (John 18: 6). They cannot stand in His presence.

I used to wonder as I read the Book of Mormon why it was such a big deal to be "large in stature." Nephi said, "And it came to pass that I, Nephi, being exceedingly young, nevertheless being large in stature, and also having great desires to know of the mysteries of God, wherefore, I did cry unto the Lord; and behold he did visit me, and did soften my heart that I did believe all the words which had been spoken by my father" (1 Nephi 2: 16).

I started writing this post last Sunday, meant to finish it during the week, and never found time. I ended up writing most of this between the two conference sessions today. I think the real meaning of this idea came out in conference twice today. Each of us can measure up to the full stature of Christ as we allow His Atonement to heal, cleanse, sanctify us, and in time, allow us to become perfect in Him.