Ephesians 4:11-16 Foundations Pt 2: Unity Through Diversity

Review

Paul’s Purpose in 1st Three Chapters:

God’s Greatness, Power and Love: Throughout this letter Paul has pointed the thoughts of the Ephesians to the greatness, power and love of God.

Full & Correct Understanding of Salvation: All of the truth that Paul has set forth in these first three chapters was meant to give the Ephesians a correct understanding of their salvation and their standing in the church.

The first three chapters should have led us to a deeper understanding of our salvation, of God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit. Those truths that we covered are a great comfort and encouragement and should lead us to stand in awe of God, to praise Him for Who He is and thank Him for what he has done.

Doctrinal section; truths grounded, founded in the Great and Overflowing Love of God!

Chapter 4

Paul transitioned from teaching the great truths of God and Salvation to the admonition to live in a way that is worthy of the calling with which the Ephesians had been called. Paul called them to work toward unity in the Church.

Unity based upon foundational attitudes of:

humility

gentleness

patience

love

Unity based upon truths of:

one body

one Spirit

one hope

one Lord

one Faith

one baptism

one God and Father of all who is over all and through all and in all.

Unity that is not Uniformity:

Although all believers were one in Christ, not all believers had the same roles in the Church. We saw that just briefly last week in verses 7-10.

Foundations of a Worthy Walk include:

a right attitude

a right goal (unity)

a right understanding of that unity. (unity through diversity)

Introduction

Ephesians 4:11-16 Foundations of a Worthy Walk: Part 2: Unity through Diversity

As we continue in the text, Paul will explain how the unity of the body comes through this diversity.

It begins with a gifted leadership who’s role is to Equip the Saints so that they will Mature in their Understanding which will lead to the Growth of the Church.

Outline:

The Equipping in verses 11-12, The Maturing in verses 13-14 and The Growing in verses 15-16.

Ephesians 4:11–16 (NASB95)

And He gave some as apostles, and some as prophets, and some as evangelists, and some as pastors and teachers,

for the equipping of the saints for the work of service, to the building up of the body of Christ;

until we all attain to the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a mature man, to the measure of the stature which belongs to the fullness of Christ.

As a result, we are no longer to be children, tossed here and there by waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, by craftiness in deceitful scheming;

but speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in all aspects into Him who is the head, even Christ,

from whom the whole body, being fitted and held together by what every joint supplies, according to the proper working of each individual part, causes the growth of the body for the building up of itself in love.

Pray

The Equiping vs 11-12

As Paul mentioned back in:

Ephesians 4:7 NASB95

But to each one of us grace was given according to the measure of Christ’s gift.

God has indeed given gifts to men:

gift of grace

gift of salvation

gift of the indwelling Holy Spirit.

Spiritual gifts to individual members of the body.

These gifts are for the common good (1 Corinthians 12:7)

Spiritual Gifts are a Gift to the Church:

Ephesians 4:11 (NASB95)

And He gave some as apostles, and some as prophets, and some as evangelists, and some as pastors and teachers,

The way in which God gifts individual believers, then, is itself a gift to the Church as a whole.

This is clearly displayed in the roles of the various leaders:

Apostles, Prophets, Evangelists, Pastors and Teachers were all gifts of God to the Church. “He gave them”, as Paul says here in verse 11.

**Numbers chapter 8 and 18: God gives the Levites as a gift to the sons of Aaron (high priests) and with the work they do, they are really a gift to the nation. In the same way, believers are a gift to the church. It is believed that Paul was not only referencing Psalm 68 in Ephesians 4:8, but also Numbers 8 and 18.***

Apostles

Ask: What is an Apostle?

The term Apostle is used in two ways in the New Testament.

General way referring to someone who is a messenger of Christ.

Specific & Technical Sense: Paul is referring here to the Apostles as the 11 disciples of Christ, Matthias who replaced Judas, and Paul. To be an Apostle in this technical sense, the person had to have seen Christ after the Resurrection and been appointed as an Apostle by Him.

Prophets

Here refers to New Testament Prophets.

One Who Speaks for Another: A prophet is not simply one who gives a prophetic message of the future, but one who speaks for another.

MacArthur states, “The prophets sometimes spoke revelation from God (Acts 11:21–28) and sometimes simply expounded revelation already given (as implied in Acts 13:1, where they are connected with teachers). They always spoke for God but did not always give a newly revealed message from God. The prophets were second to the apostles, and their message was to be judged by that of the apostles (1 Cor. 14:37).”

Another commentator points out that while the ministry of the Apostles was to many churches in many areas, the work of the prophets, as spoken of here, was done in a specific local church.

Evangelists

Those who proclaim good news, in this case the good news of Jesus Christ, the Gospel. They differ from Pastors and Teachers in that they proclaim the Gospel to those who have not heard it before, to unbelievers.

Pastors and Teachers

Pastor From the Greek word that is typically translated Shepherd. God gave the church Shepherds who would care for the Church.

Teachers are those who teach the truth to believers.

One group of people or Two groups?

One Group: It could be that “teachers” further explains “pastors”

Two Groups: It could be that Paul was referring to two separate ministries. One of the roles of the pastor is to teach, so it may be that Paul was not referring to two separate gifts to the church.

Purpose in Writing: Diversity leads to Unity:

However, we must realize that Paul’s purpose is not to teach the proper government of the local church. He is not teaching the different Offices of the Church.

His point is to emphasize the diversity in the body that leads to unity. So we do not need to get hung up on the issue of whether the Pastors here are the teachers or if they are two separate groups.

Pastors do teach

Believers teach but are not pastors.

Ask: Do we have all of these roles of leaders in the church today?

There was diversity in the body as is seen in the various leaders that Paul mentions. Now, someone might ask why we have Pastors and Teachers, even Evangelists, but not Apostles and Prophets. Actually that was one of the questions posed to me by a Mormon. Well, it was really more of a statement than a question. Essentially they asked why God would not continue the role of apostles since it was such an important role.

We must keep in mind that this letter was written to the early church. At the time, the New Testament was not complete.

The role of the Apostles and Prophets was to lay down the foundation of the church as Paul mentioned back in Ephesians 2:20.

They were also the ones who had revealed the mystery of the unity of Jew and Gentile as we saw in Ephesians 3:5. They received the Word of God and made it known to the church.

That Word was not only received, but was written down and is now contained in the New Testament.

The office of Apostle and Prophet has ended, but their role, their function continues through the Written Word.

Purpose of these Gifts

Ephesians 4:12 NASB95

for the equipping of the saints for the work of service, to the building up of the body of Christ;

Equipping the Saints

Equipping: Perfecting, making adequate, putting in order

The goal or purpose for having Apostles, Prophets, Evangelists, Pastors and Teachers was to equip the saints, to give the other believers what they needed.

The saints, believers, would be perfected, made adequate and therefore able to do the work of the ministry.

Work of the Ministry

Individual Saints Equipped = Ministry

The equipping prepares individual believers for ministry, work of service.

Building Up the Body of Christ (Note the analogy of the body)

Individual Saints Equipped = Ministry = Corporate Growth = Corporate Ministry

While individuals would be equipped, there is a sense in which this teaching of Paul is also corporate in nature. As individuals mature in the faith, the church as a whole is put in order, is built up and therefore able to do the work of ministry.

There is diversity in the body. Not everyone has the same role or functions in the body and it is as every member fulfills their role that the work of the ministry is accomplished.

The Maturing vs 13-14

Ephesians 4:13 NASB95

until we all attain to the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a mature man, to the measure of the stature which belongs to the fullness of Christ.

Unity of the Faith

Equipping the Saints is to continue until their is unity of the Faith

Knowledge of the Son of God

Unity is accomplished as the believers grow in their Knowledge of Jesus Christ

Mature Man

The Increasing knowledge of Jesus Christ leads to individual Spiritual maturity

Fullness of Christ

The believer matures and becomes more like Jesus Christ.

Until: Verse begins with the word, Until. The work of the leadership in the church does not end until all the believers attain to the unity of the faith and the knowledge of the son of God...

Ask: When will unity be achieved?

Perfect unity will not be achieved until eternity. The point was not to focus on that, but that the church is to continually work toward true unity of the faith and knowledge of the son of God. His concern is that they would continue to grow and mature and not stay as children.

So, they were to mature, having a unity of the Faith and the knowledge of the Son of God which would lead them to be like Christ. .

Spiritual, not Physical Maturity

Ephesians 4:14 NASB95

As a result, we are no longer to be children, tossed here and there by waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, by craftiness in deceitful scheming;

In contrast to the mature man, we see in this verse the immature, the children that are mentioned in verse 14. They were no longer to be like children in their thinking, in their understanding of truth.

The idea that Paul has in mind as he contrasts the mature man and the child is not the passage of time and the physical growth that automatically occurs. Children can grow into adults and not be mature. And believers can grow in their knowledge and yet still be like children, gullible and willing to believe whatever they are told.

Tossed Here and There...

Imagery of a Ship on the Sea

A ship that has no control over where it is going, it is just pushed by the waves and the wind. The immature believer is like that. They will believe any Doctrine, any teaching, that claims the name of Christ.

Trickery of Men, Craftieness in Deceitful Scheming

And Paul makes it clear that the winds of doctrine are deceptive. They are put forth “by the trickery of men, by craftiness in deceitful scheming.” The most dangerous lies are those lies that look and sound like True Christianity.

That is why there is diversity in the body, that is why God gave the Apostles, Prophets, Evangelists, Pastors and Teachers. So that believers might grow in their understanding of the truth of their salvation and of their Lord and Savior so that they would not fall for the lies.

Barnes states, “The doctrine taught here is, that we should have settled religious opinions. We should carefully examine what is truth, and having found it, should adhere to it, and not yield on the coming of every new teacher. We should not, indeed, close our minds against conviction. We should be open to argument, and be willing to follow the truth wherever it will lead us. But this state of mind is not inconsistent with having settled opinions, and with being firm in holding them until we are convinced that we are wrong.”

Barnes is saying that we are to be humble and teachable, yet we should be firm in our understanding of the Truth.

New believers are very susceptible to these lies. They have a desire to be pleasing to the Lord in how they live but have a limited knowledge of Scripture. That is why it is so important to be involved in a local church and learning from the mature believers that are there.

But sadly, it is not only new believers that can be like children in their thinking, tossed about by every wind of doctrine. There are many believers who have been so for many years and yet are still children in this area. They may have been involved in mediocre churches through the years and never taught well.

Or they may have allowed themselves to be tossed about by every wind of doctrine for fear they might miss something (Suseptible to Superstition). Instead of submitting to the leadership of their local church, and holding to the truths taught their, they look for teaching wherever they can find it. That might be from the Television, Radio, Internet or books. Sadly, they believe whatever teaching comes to them even if it contradicts what they are taught in the local church.

And while the leadership of the church is the primary means that God has given for believers to be taught and guided to spiritual maturity that does not mean that every Pastor is safe. We must be diligent to examine the Scriptures for ourselves to be sure that what is being taught is true.

For some have stayed as children because they have committed themselves to Pastors who continue to lead them astray. I have known people who have been and are continuing to be deceived in churches whose leaders are using trickery and deceitfulness to teach all kinds of strange doctrines. It is always something new in those churches, the strange teachings are usually outward actions and never inward transformation. If it is new, it is probably wrong!

That should not be. Every believer should be growing to Spiritual Maturity and a full knowledge of the Son of God that they may be like Christ and serve in the Church.

The Growing vs 15-16

This maturing and serving is what leads to the Growth of the body. Look at

Ephesians 4:15–16 NASB95

but speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in all aspects into Him who is the head, even Christ, from whom the whole body, being fitted and held together by what every joint supplies, according to the proper working of each individual part, causes the growth of the body for the building up of itself in love.

Speak Truth

In contrast to the deceitful scheming, Paul calls for them to speak the truth.

The verb in the Greek can mean to Speak, deal or act truthfully. It certainly means speaking the truth, but Paul may have meant even more. He may have meant that their entire lives should be characterized by truth.

In Love

Truth that is spoken and lived out in Love as Paul says.

It is not just simply speaking truth. Just because something is true does not mean that it needs to be spoken.

Growth in Christlikeness

Truth must be combined with love if we are to grow up in all aspects into Him who is the head, even Christ. Again, Paul emphasizes the need to become more like Christ. All growth individually and in the church is to be directed toward Him.

Head of the Body: That is because He is the Head of the body. This is a common image that Paul uses. Christ is the head and the church is His body. The church is made up of individual members, each with different functions, just as the body is made up of different parts. The eyes see, the ears hear, the heart pumps the blood.

Growth of the Church

Ephesians 4:16 NASB95

from whom the whole body, being fitted and held together by what every joint supplies, according to the proper working of each individual part, causes the growth of the body for the building up of itself in love.

Again we see the unity of the church in the midst of diversity. And it is because of the diversity that the church is united and grows. There is a common head which unites the individual parts of the body. And as the individual parts fulfill their functions, the body grows.

MacArthur says, “The growth of the church is not a result of clever methods but of every member of the Body fully using his spiritual gift in close contact with other believers. Christ is the source of the life and power and growth of the church, which He facilitates through each believer’s gifts and mutual ministry in joints touching other believers. The power in the church flows from the Lord through individual believers and relationships between believers.”

So each individual has a part in the ministry of the church and therefore a part in the unity and growth of the church. And as Paul has made clear, the maturity of individual members and therefore of the church begins with the leadership.

Hodge referring to verse 16 and looking back to verse 11 says, “It is, therefore, through the ministry of the Word that the divine influence flows from Christ, the Head, to all the members of his body; so where that ministry fails, the divine influence fails.”

Summary

If we desire to walk in a manner worthy of the calling with which we have been called, we must begin with the right attitude of humility, gentleness and patience.

We must willingly submit to the teaching of the local church and yet as we grow in our understanding of the truth hold firm in it and not be tossed about by every wind of doctrine.

We are all part of the one body and therefore there is great unity and yet at the same time there is diversity.

Each member has been gifted by God for service in and through the Church. We are to be first and foremost equipped by Pastors and Teachers as they minister to us through the Word. And then each one is to fulfill our role so that the body might grow and be built up. All of this, however must be done in love.

We have a difficult task before us. The reality is that though spiritual maturity is the goal which leads to unity and growth, there will always be some element of Spiritual immaturity in the body.

And there should be. Not among those who have been believers for years, but because there should be new believers brought into the Kingdom.

That is why we must tolerate one another in love and be diligent to preserve the unity of the spirit in the bond of peace.

We are to help those who are spiritual children to mature into spiritual adults.

If believers are added to the church and therefore are growing to maturity then we should recognize that there will always be people within the church who do not understand doctrine they way they should or live out the truth in a way that is worthy of the calling.

We should remember that we were at one time the same and it is only by the Grace of God that we have matured in the faith.

We should be led to love those who need to mature and to seek ways to help them to mature not become embittered against them.

The reality is that each one of us needs to continually examine our thoughts and lives and strive after spiritual maturity and growth that we might do our part in the ministry of the church.

We will not all be pastors or teachers, but we all have an important part to play if the body is to grow.