 |  |
In verses 12 and 13 we read that Christ gave the apostles, prophets, etc. for the
"perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the Body of
Christ". The word `perfecting' means adjusting, mending, or equipping. After the setting
aside of Israel there was a need for adjustment as the revelation of the Mystery was made
known. The "work of the ministry" does not mean a service restricted to preaching and
teaching. Ministry means serving, and therefore has a wider meaning which includes all
the various ways of serving the Lord. So every member of the Body of Christ is included
in the "work of the ministry", and each member should do his or her part in the building
up and edification of the Body of Christ. This work goes on with the objective in verse
13:
"Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect
man, unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ"
Stuart Allen has pointed out that sometimes "faith" is used as the equivalent of a
body of truth (e.g. 2 Tim. 4:7), and this verse indicates what constitutes the "good
deposit". Knowledge here means full knowledge resulting from acknowledging all the
claims that the Lord Jesus Christ has upon us. It is only by living with Him, and
endeavoring to do His will that we grow in grace and in our knowledge of Him. Growth
is indicated in the closing words of verse 13. The word stature may mean age as well as
height, and represents full growth. What a tremendous statement it is, that we should
reach the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ! Can we ever fathom the
meaning of these words?
Let us pause to consider the references to fullness:
1:23.........His Body, the fullness of Him that filleth all in all.
3:19.........And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye
might be filled with all the fullness of God
4:12, 13.....for the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the
edifying of the Body of Christ: till we all come in the unity of the
faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man,
and unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ.
We now come to some negative statements in verse 14:
"That we be no longer children, tossed to and fro and carried about by every wind of
doctrine, by the sleight of men, in craftiness, after the wiles of error" (Eph. 4:14 R.V.)
These strong words are directed to those who do not grow up spiritually. As spiritual
infants they are a target for Satan, and the system which is called "the Lie". If a person
does not mature he is unstable, and easily attracted to the latest new idea. He is like the
people of Athens who "spent their time in nothing else, but either to tell, or to hear, some
new thing" (Acts 17:21). Stuart Allen comments in Letters From Prison, page 90:
"These `winds of doctrine' do not blow by chance. They are directed by the father of lies and
so attractively presented by his dupes that the spiritual baby clutches at them readily and is
completely deceived".