The New Testament stresses the unity of the church of Jesus Christ, and we must seek in practical ways to secure or maintain whatever visible unity is possible. We are not to treat unity as a trivial matter. That, however, does not mean that the church is to manifest a dull uniformity or that Christians are to think or behave as clones with no individuality. Instead, the church is a richly varied community. Consider now Ephesians 4:7-13 Unity in diversity.
1. The Giver of gifts
In v7 Paul points to the basis of the church’s diversity – ‘grace has been given as Christ apportioned it’. He refers to the gifts that the Lord graciously gives. It is the same theme that Paul considers in 1 Corinthians 12:14ff. Christians are not all the same – they have a diversity of gifts. As v8-10 demonstrates, the gifts flow from the victory of Christ as he rose from the dead, having made atonement for his people. Paul quotes from Psalm 68:18, changing it (under the Spirit’s inspiration) to fit his argument more exactly. The original context was God’s victory, as the ark returned to Jerusalem. Victory was fulfilled in the empty tomb, when Christ ‘led captives in his train’. Christ ‘has ascended higher than all the heavens, in order to fill the whole universe’. He has obtained not only salvation, but all the gifts we need to serve him. He sovereignly distributes gifts to all his people.
2. The gift of leaders
One of the Lord’s gifts is leaders for his church – men qualified by the Holy Spirit for leadership. Not all offices are of the same type. Thus ‘apostles…prophets’ are not permanent roles. They were part of the foundational order for the church (2:20) and are no longer needed. The work of ‘evangelists’ is not clear – perhaps itinerant preachers of the gospel. Finally, ‘pastors and teachers’ – the wording indicates a single office with various functions. They teach and shepherd the flock of God. Faithful leaders are God’s gift to his church.
3. The work of ministry
The task of leaders is to ‘prepare God’s people for works of service’ (v12), or for ‘ministry’. The word used for ‘preparing’ is used of repairing nets – encouraging and restoring by expounding and applying the Word and coming alongside to help. It is God’s people who are to do the ministry, using their God-given gifts. The range of tasks is matched by the variety of gifts (Romans 12:6-8). Mutual ministry ensures that ‘the body of Christ may be built up’. All have a responsibility to be active in the ministry of the church.
4. The goal of maturity
Note the ultimate goal: ‘until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God’ (v13). As each Christian grows, there is a growing together of the members of Christ’s body. Perfect unity will not be found in this life, but it is a goal to be aimed for. We are to ‘become mature’, with the pattern ‘the whole measure of the fulness of Christ’. It is a staggering description of growth to maturity and unity in Christ by the enabling of God.