Author: David McKay

When we preach the gospel, we rightly emphasise the need for a response of faith and repentance.  That, however, is just the beginning of the Christian life.  The Lord requires growth in his people and also provides all the resources we need.  Our goal is maturity in Christ, making progress until the completion that we will experience when Christ returns.  Consider now Ephesians 4:14-16 Grown-up Christians.

1. Stability in belief

Progress is essential as we engage in mutual ministry: ‘Then we will no longer be infants’ (v14).  There is to be a leaving behind of the early stages of Christian experience and there is something wrong if we remain at that point.  Spiritual infancy is characterised by instability – we are not strong enough to walk without staggering.  Paul uses vivid language – ‘tossed back and forth by the waves and blown here and there by every wind’.  When spiritually immature we may be uncertain about the truth, so that when we meet various types of false teaching, we may be tempted to follow them.  We can become more and more confused, resulting in a kind of spiritual seasickness.  We may also be unstable in our practice, inconsistent with what we do know of the truth.  An example is Peter refusing to eat with Gentiles (Galatians 2).  The pressures of others pushing us to and fro can produce inconsistency.  There are those whose aim is to deceive – ‘The cunning and craftiness of men in their deceitful scheming’ (v14).  We must be on our guard – we face ‘the devil’s schemes’ (6:11).  Stability comes through mutual ministry, helping us to be ‘rooted and built up in [Christ]’ (Colossians 2:7).  Our focus is to be on him, not on the wind and waves (Matthew 14:30, Peter sinking).

2. Integrity in life

As believers make use of their gifts to minister to each other, our entire lives will be affected.  We will be different from the world, for example ‘speaking the truth in love’ (v15), which involves every part of life, not just our words.  Here is a life of integrity, so different from the false teachers.  It is a life open to scrutiny, walking in the light (1 John 1:7).  In all their dealings Christians will be entirely trustworthy (Psalm 15:4).  The area of speech is especially important.  We will not bend the truth in any way.  Sins of speech are to be carefully avoided (1 Peter 2:1).  Instead, we are to be people of truth, communicating God’s truth in its fulness.  Note ‘in love’ – love for others springing from our love for the Lord.  We are to speak truthfully, but not in a harsh, unloving way that hurts rather than heals.

3. Growth in Christ

We have a comprehensive picture in v15 – ‘in all things grow up into him who is the Head’.  All of life is to be developing in the likeness of the Lord.  Note the imagery of the body – with Christ as Head, a description that implies his authority over his people (see 1:22).  Mutual ministry is again to the fore: ‘the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament’.  Each Christian has a particular place assigned by the Lord.  Thus the body ‘grows and build itself up in love’.  Each part of the body is united to Christ and draws strength from him, and so ‘each part does its work’.

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.

Prof. Warren Peel

Prof. Warren Peel

The pattern we often find in Paul’s letters is that he first lays the doctrinal basis then moves to the practical outworking of doctrine in personal and church life and in society.  This pattern is seen (approximately) in Ephesians.  Having surveyed God’s eternal plan of salvation and the transformation wrought in sinners in chapters 1 to 3, he turns now to the implications of this for conduct.  He begins with biblical church unity and the role of the Holy Spirit.  Consider now Ephesians 4:1-6 The unity of the Spirit.

1. The life that encourages unity

Paul describes himself as ‘a prisoner for (or ‘of’) the Lord’ (v1) – he is literally in prison, but he is also captive to the Lord, as are all the Lord’s people.  His exhortation – ‘I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received’.  This is the effectual call of God to salvation, brought home to the sinner’s heart by the Holy Spirit and always resulting in salvation.  That call shapes our whole life – ‘just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do’ (1 Peter 1:15).  Nothing less than a holy life will be an adequate response to God’s call.  We are to be ‘completely humble’ (v2) – not self-projecting or concerned to impress others, ready to acknowledge the gifts and achievements of others.  To be ‘gentle’ is to manifest a truly Christ-like spirit.  In the same way we are to ‘be patient, bearing with one another’ – showing forbearance under provocation.  The foundation for this lifestyle is love for brothers and sisters in the Lord.  This outlook encourages true biblical unity in the church.

2. The effort that preserves unity

Paul urges us to ‘keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace’ (v3).  There is already a unity because of the work of the Spirit in the hearts of believers.  Thus ‘we were all baptised by one Spirit into one body’ (1 Corinthians 12:13).  This is an objective fact, but invisible to the world, but it must be made visible to the world, as Jesus prayed in John 17:21.  The unity of Chrit’s church is to be a witness to the power of the gospel.  Unity can easily be ruptured, hence ‘Make every effort to keep the unity’. Disunity may be evident within congregation, between congregations and in the multiplication of denominations.  Satan delights to divide and cause friction.  The duty to make this effort to preserve unity where it exists and to seek it where it does not rests on every Christian.  Sometimes, because of sin or error, separation is necessary.  Where there is true unity, we see a ‘bond of peace’.

3. The truth that requires unity

The only true unity must be built on truth.  In v4-6 Paul lists some foundational truths for unity.  There is ‘one body’ – the church redeemed by Christ, brought into existence by ‘one Spirit’.  As a result, we have ‘one hope’ – the completion of the salvation begun in us.  We have ‘one Lord’ – Christ alone, reigning over his church.  There is ‘one faith’ – in Christ alone (Acts 4:12).  Admission to the church is by ‘one baptism’, administered according to the Lord’s institution.  At the heart of our faith is ‘one God and Father’ – he is ‘over all and in all and through all’.  This Trinitarian faith is to be a lived daily reality in every Christian.  As we grow in obeying the truth, we grow close to one another in biblical unity.

Peter is writing to Christians scattered throughout Asia Minor who have been experiencing trials and difficulties.  Peter warns that in the near future they will have to face significant persecution – described in 4:12 as a ‘painful (lit. ‘fiery’) trial’.  They need encouragement and Peter provides this by reminding them of the great foundation truths of the faith on which their eternal welfare rests.  He has much to say about the work of Christ and its results for those who put their trust in him.  We consider the encouragement offered in 1 Peter 1:18-19 A Lamb without blemish.

1. An empty life

Peter provides a vivid description of ‘the empty way of life’ from which they have been saved.  Life lived according to man’s fallen nature is characterised by aimlessness – ‘the futility of their thinking’ (Ephesians 4:17).  As we look around we see that the lives of many are aimless, with no idea of why they are in the world or how they ought to live.  If there is no God to whom we are answerable, why not live to please ourselves?  This is true of both younger people and older people, even though the ways in which such futility shows itself vary considerably.  Like the rich farmer in Luke 12:20 they are fools in God’s sight.  This way of life is ‘handed down to you from your forefathers’ – the sinful nature we inherit from Adam asserts itself in every generation.  As Ecclesiastes 1:2 states the matter – such a life is ‘vanity’ – emptiness, meaninglessness.  It offers no lasting fruit (see Romans 6:21).

2. A useless payment

There are those who, for various reasons, come to realise the emptiness of such a godless life and seek to produce their own solution.  Sin, however, still warps their thinking and they seek redemption through ‘silver and gold’.  This sums up all man’s attempts to save himself.  He may depend on good works or try to avoid sin by his own willpower.  Some rely on religious observances, such as church attendance or presence at Communion.  This also shows itself in the popularity of various religions and cults.  None of these ways is a solution.  All are condemned as ‘perishable’ – none produces lasting results.  Good works apart from faith promote pride and self-reliance.  We cannot possibly pay our debt of sin – ‘all our righteous acts are like filthy rags’ (Isaiah 64:6).  All hopes offered by these ways are delusions, of no value in God’s sight.  Something greater than we can provide is needed.

3. A costly redemption

Peter speaks of Christians being ‘redeemed’ – a ransom must be paid if we are to be released from the captivity of sin.  We are slaves of sin and Satan, standing under the broken law of God which brings on us his holy wrath.  The cost is ‘the precious blood of Christ’ – the fact is that, because sin is so serious, ‘without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness’ (Hebrews 9:22).  It seems Peter has in mind the Passover lamb by which the Israelites were redeemed (Exodus 66).  Jesus the Lamb of God shed his blood to redeem the people of God – Titus 2:14, Mark 10:45.  He is the sinless One – ‘without blemish or defect’.  He has done all we need and we can rejoice in the amazing love of God revealed in the death of the Lamb.