Another phrase needs considering. What do we understand by "growing into Him"?

Are we considered as separated from Him, and by slow degrees growing nearer and

nearer to Him? This may be possible if we are speaking of the believer's experimental

fellowship with the Lord, but how can a "body" grow into the "head", for that is the

figure before us? Moreover, the very next verse says, "out of whom all the body . . . . .

makes growth", so that growth is viewed as only possible while Head and members are

united.

A somewhat parallel expression occurs in 3: 19, "That ye may be filled (eis) unto all

the fullness of God", which means that the believer shall be filled for, or with a view to,

that fullness. That he may be able to take his place in that fullness, that as a member of

that body which is itself a "fullness" he may be filled up to the measure of Him that

filleth (ta panta) with all. So in Eph. 4: The growth is "for" or "with a view to" Him in

His capacity as the Head, which is but another way of indicating our "measure", "the

stature of the fullness of Christ". The fullness is the measure of our stature. "The Head"

and "the all things", is but another way of saying the same thing. Conybeare and Howson

in a footnote say, "Auxanein eis auton is grow to the standard of His growth". Christ, the

Head, is placed together with "the all things" that are "through Him" (I Cor. 8: 6); the

Lord and His great age purpose are placed before us as our standard and our goal. Should

it appear strange thus to link together Christ and ta panta, we should remember

Col. 3: 11 which says, "ta panta kai en pasin Christos", "the all things and in all things

(is) Christ". When the scriptural term is understood the sense of strangeness will vanish

as we realize how truly the Lord Jesus Christ takes the all things of this mighty purpose

into Himself.

To complete the thought of this verse we need to remember one further truth.

Running together down the ages are two mysteries.  The mystery of godliness,

culminating in the exaltation of Jesus Christ as Lord, and the mystery of iniquity,

culminating in the man of sin setting himself up as God. In Eph. 4: 4 is the mystery of

iniquity, "the systematized deception". In Eph. 4: 15 is the mystery of godliness, with

Christ as Head over all things to His church, as He will yet be in heaven and earth to the

glory of God the Father.

What an incentive to "grow in grace"! may it not be lost upon us.