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an elect company should be called and gathered together as a holy temple, a habitation of
God. That indicates and limits the sphere and activity of the ministry appointed under
those terms. We do not write these words in criticism of the ministry of others, called
under other economies, but we do recognize in them our own all-sufficient authority for
the work we seek to do and the ministry we seek to fulfil.
To any reader who may be conscious of any indirectness of aim, or who is easily
turned aside by the criticism of others, or who is easily plunged into despair because of
opposition or non-success, we would suggest a quiet prayerful weighing over of the
dispensational grounds of his ministry and stewardship, feeling sure that conviction as to
that will carry strength for all that follows. Paul knew Whom he had believed, he was
certain of the nature of his call, and the fact that all forsook him, and many misjudged
him, then became a light matter. Let us give a resume of these important features:--
1. PERFECTING.--The first thing to decide as before the Lord is the dispensation in
which one is called to serve.
2. MINISTRY.--Then, and only then, can ministry be worthy of the name; all other
labour is in vain.
3. EDIFYING.--Never lose sight of this great feature. While others may feel called
upon to pull down, and to expose error, let us see to it that we steadily and
surely, as in the troublous times of Nehemiah, "build up the body of
Christ", thereby having blessed fellowship with the great Worker Who is
silently building up a habitation of God in Spirit.
The Threefold Goal (Eph. 4: 13)
pp. 21 25
The first great unity in this chapter is that of the Spirit; the second is that of the faith.
The first measure is that of the gift of Christ; the second is the stature of the fullness of
Christ. We found that upon mentioning the unity of the Spirit, the apostle immediately
proceeded to detail its sevenfold structure (Eph. 4: 3-6). May we expect to find the same
help in connection with the unity of the faith? We believe we may:--
"Until we all should arrive unto the unity of the faith, and the knowledge of the Son
of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ"
(Eph. 4: 13).
The word kai, translated "and", is explained by Dr. Bullinger in his Analytical
Texicon thus:--
"Kai (the conjunction of annexation, uniting things strictly co-ordinate), and;
sometimes not merely annexing, but implying increase, addition, something more, also,
or only emphasis, even."
If we take the meaning of kai to be "even" in this passage, it emphasizes the great
centre of the faith toward which the new ministry directed the saints:--