"How To Grow Spiritually"

Eph.4:12-15

Achieve involvement:

Review: Ephesians 4:11 “And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;”

Apostle sent with a message: So we must Receive the message.

Don’t get caught up in the messenger, the enemy will turn you against the messenger. Pray for for your leader, speak well of your leader, be a blessing to your leader. I want my leader-messenger to be free to hear from God, no worries, bills just blessed.

Facts: In order to grow Spiritually we must receive instructions.

4:12. The purpose of the gifted men is to prepare God’s people for works of service.

More literally, this purpose is “for the perfecting or equipping (katartismon; cf. the verb katartizō in

Matthew 4:21 “And going on from thence, he saw other two brethren, James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, in a ship with Zebedee their father, mending their nets; and he called them.”

“And going on from thence, he saw other two brethren, James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, in a ship with Zebedee their father, mending their nets; and he called them.”

‘mending’ or ‘preparing’ nets; in

Galatians 6:1 “Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted.”

legalists responded to such (cf. John 8:3–5; Acts 21:27–29). But a Christian should restore (katartizete, a word used in secular Gr. for setting broken bones and in the NT for mending fishing nets) him. The task of restoration is not to be undertaken by fledglings in the faith but by those who are spiritual, that is, believers who walk by the Spirit (cf. Gal. 5:16), and who are mature in the faith (cf. 1 Cor. 2:15; Heb. 5:13–14). Furthermore this delicate work must be done gently (prautētos; cf. Gal. 5:23) and with the consciousness that no one is immune from falling into sin (cf.

1 Corinthians 10:12 “Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall.”

‘restore’ for proper use; cf.

2 Corinthians 13:11 “Finally, brethren, farewell. Be perfect, be of good comfort, be of one mind, live in peace; and the God of love and peace shall be with you.”

Hebrews 13:21 “Make you perfect in every good work to do his will, working in you that which is wellpleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ; to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.”

of the saints unto the work of the ministry” (diakonias).

Gifted people (Eph. 4:11) are to minister the Word to others so that they in turn are readied to get involved in ministering to others (cf.

2 Timothy 2:2 “And the things that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also.”

. The goal of all this is the building up or edifying of the body of Christ (cf.

Ephesians 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.”

This shows that all saints and not just a few leaders should be involved in the “ministry.” All saints are gifted (v. 7) to serve others spiritually.

1 Thessalonians 5:11 “Wherefore comfort yourselves together, and edify one another, even as also ye do.”

Romans 8:29 “For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.”