*Ephesians 4:1-16
Paul calls believers to live in unity with one another, emphasizing humility, love, and spiritual gifts that contribute to the growth of the body of Christ.
- Call to Unity and Humility:
- Paul urges believers to live in a manner worthy of their calling with complete humility, gentleness, and patience.
- He emphasizes the importance of bearing with one another in love and maintaining the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.
- One Body, One Spirit:
- The text reinforces that there is one body, one Spirit, one hope, one Lord, one faith, one baptism, and one God and Father of all, who is over all, through all, and in all.
- Gifts from Christ:
- Christ has given gifts to his people, such as apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, and teachers.
- These gifts are for the purpose of equipping believers for works of service, to build up the body of Christ.
- Goal of Spiritual Maturity:
- The aim is for all believers to reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God, becoming mature and attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.
- This maturity helps believers to no longer be infants in faith, tossed back and forth by cunning and crafty schemes of deceit.
- Speaking Truth in Love:
- Believers are encouraged to speak the truth in love, growing in every way to become more like Christ, who is the head of the body, the church.
- Through Christ, the whole body is joined and held together, with each part working properly, which promotes the growth of the body in love.
4:1 I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called, 4:2 With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love; 4:3 Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.
4:4 There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling; 4:5 One Lord, one faith, one baptism, 4:6 One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.
4:7 But unto every one of us is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ.
4:8 Wherefore he saith, When he ascended up on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men.
4:9 (Now that he ascended, what is it but that he also descended first into the lower parts of the earth? 4:10 He that descended is the same also that ascended up far above all heavens, that he might fill all things.) 4:11 And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; 4:12 For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: 4:13 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: 4:14 That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive; 4:15 But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ: 4:16 From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love.