"And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors (shepherds) and teachers, for
(1) the equipping of the saints
for the work of ministry (service),
(2) for the edifying
of the body of Christ,
(3) till we all come
to the unity of the faith
(4) and of the knowledge
of the Son of God,
(5) to a perfect ('full-grown') man,
(6) to the measure
of the stature
of the fullness of Christ." (Ephesians 4:11-13)
The above format is what I learned in Intervarsity while in college. It was a way to help various parts of a passage "stand out." It is a great Bible study method.
I must confess that over the last 50 years of "the renewal," when most people talked about the purpose of the "five-fold ministry," it was not what our text is saying. It had to do with "miracles," healing, great camp meeting-type atmosphere, "gifts in operation." While these may be a part of Church Life, they are not the main objective. Rather
"edifying ('with a view to the perfecting of the saints'-- Interlinear)"
"unity of the faith" (not a faith, but what the Bible calls, "the faith of Jesus")
"knowledge of the Son of God"
"perfect man" (the "perfection" of Matthew 5, "as Your Father")
Some people talk of "unity" as though it is a feeling. It is not. "Unity," in our text, is not a feeling. It is, "unity of the faith," viz., believing the same thing, which means believing the Bible. This is the reason the Bible must be central, fundamental, not marginal. Denominations and "independent" churches are too much guided by, "we know best," or, "I just have to preach and be in charge."
Our text is the "cornerstone" of Church Life, calling us all out of self and into Jesus.
Father, in Jesus' Name, may my life reflect our text. Amen.
(1) the equipping of the saints
for the work of ministry (service),
(2) for the edifying
of the body of Christ,
(3) till we all come
to the unity of the faith
(4) and of the knowledge
of the Son of God,
(5) to a perfect ('full-grown') man,
(6) to the measure
of the stature
of the fullness of Christ." (Ephesians 4:11-13)
The above format is what I learned in Intervarsity while in college. It was a way to help various parts of a passage "stand out." It is a great Bible study method.
I must confess that over the last 50 years of "the renewal," when most people talked about the purpose of the "five-fold ministry," it was not what our text is saying. It had to do with "miracles," healing, great camp meeting-type atmosphere, "gifts in operation." While these may be a part of Church Life, they are not the main objective. Rather
"edifying ('with a view to the perfecting of the saints'-- Interlinear)"
"unity of the faith" (not a faith, but what the Bible calls, "the faith of Jesus")
"knowledge of the Son of God"
"perfect man" (the "perfection" of Matthew 5, "as Your Father")
Some people talk of "unity" as though it is a feeling. It is not. "Unity," in our text, is not a feeling. It is, "unity of the faith," viz., believing the same thing, which means believing the Bible. This is the reason the Bible must be central, fundamental, not marginal. Denominations and "independent" churches are too much guided by, "we know best," or, "I just have to preach and be in charge."
Our text is the "cornerstone" of Church Life, calling us all out of self and into Jesus.
Father, in Jesus' Name, may my life reflect our text. Amen.
When Peter, an 18 year old Norwegian, "heard the call to evangelize China, on that day he not only emptied his wallet into the collection plate, but included a small note with the words, 'and my life.'"
Hebrews 12:2
Hebrews 12:2
