Ephesians 4:11-16

After a short departure from Ephesians we return to Paul's practical applications of the doctrines set out in the first three chapters of the book. The very first exhortation he gives is that the Ephesians would live in unity because they are all of one Spirit, one body, one baptism...

11 And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers,

• The same man who first descended and then ascended back into heaven is the man who bestowed a variety of gifts to the church.
  
  Paul teaches in 2:20 that we are all part of a house that God Himself is building and that this building is built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets. It is easy to understand that there are no modern day apostles, that is, those who were personally commissioned by Jesus. But, to this day the office of prophet is widely debated as to its role in the modern church. We will discuss this more fully when we cover our topical study on spiritual gifts but for the sake of this study we will simply claim that the revelatory gifts (prophesy, tongues, healing) have ended. At a minimum understanding, Paul has taught that the apostles and prophets are the foundation of the building. You don't keep building the foundation after having begun building the house.

12 for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ,

• The purpose of these gifts is to equip the saints for the work of ministry not necessarily that the officers were doing the work of the ministry. This has become one of the greatest misunderstandings of the Christian church today. Many churches have hired themselves the Superman Pastor who is responsible for ministering to the hurts in the body, teaching and counseling and administering discipline. This creates an ineffective ministry and church filled with lazy Christians. If the Pastor (also called Elder, Bishop and Overseer) is doing his job properly, the bulk of all evangelism, correction, counseling and encouragement will be done by the saints. That is why the positions were given to the church.
  
• Many people think that they aren't involved with their church because they don't sing in the choir or they haven't aspired to be an elder. This is simply not true.
  
• The saints are to be equipped-this is the job description of the Elders. But you aren't growing just because you hear good teaching. Hearing good teaching and doing good are two different things.

• As each member of the body exercises its gifts the entire body is edified.

13 till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ;

• The equipping of the saints should continue until:
  • We are all unified in our faith.
  • We are unified in our knowledge of the son of God.
  • the process of sanctification is completed by God resulting in perfection.

14 that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting,

• The purpose of this equipping of the saints is done so that we do not remain as children who are easily swayed by deceptive teaching.

15 but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head-- Christ--

16 from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love. (NKJ)

• Paul gives us instruction on how we should speak to one another. It is not enough to simply spout off truth to each other and not do so compelled by love. It is also not appropriate that we do all that we do simply with sincerity and compassion yet abandon truth. These two facets must be present in our speech.