For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:
Christ gave leadership gifts to equip His people for service, to carry on the work of ministry, and to build up the church as His body, so that preparation, service, and growth form one purpose. After ascending on high He bestowed these gifts, giving some as apostles, some as prophets, some as evangelists, and some as pastors and teachers to perfect believers in knowledge and holiness. That work continues until all come into unity of faith and knowledge of the Son of God, unto mature manhood measured by the fullness of Christ, no longer tossed by every wind of doctrine but joined together and growing up into Him as the head. By plainly stating this object, the verse shows that the gifts and workings of the Spirit must continue through the gospel age until that object is accomplished. Reaching it depends on varied members working together in harmony like members of the body, each in his own place, with lowliness, meekness, longsuffering and forbearing love, putting away division and self-seeking.
Words and Setting
The three phrases together state one purpose: the saints are equipped and prepared for service, the work of ministry is carried on, and the church as the body of Christ is built up and strengthened. Preparation, service, and growth belong together, so that every faithful worker and every believer contributes his part toward unity and maturity in Christ and the whole body increases in love. The different ministry roles of apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers were appointed for this end, and the ministry of the Word is the appointed means for perfecting believers in knowledge and true holiness, convicting minds and saving souls. This work is to continue until the church reaches unity in faith and knowledge of the Son of God and maturity measured by Christ's fullness, and it is made complete through many members with no one person regarded as the whole.
The gifts were given by Christ after He ascended up on high and led captivity captive, when He left His earthly work in the hands of His servants the under-shepherds. He gave some as apostles and some as prophets and some as evangelists and some as pastors and teachers for the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, till all come to unity of faith and knowledge of the Son of God unto a perfect man measured by the stature of His fullness. Through these ministers He communicates the words of eternal life to the world, and this fulfills His promise to send the Comforter the Holy Spirit to guide into all truth, with gifts placed in the church for its edification and instruction to the end of time. The treasures placed in the twelve apostles eighteen hundred years ago have descended to workers in this age.
The immediate setting defines one body and one Spirit with one hope of calling, one Lord, one faith, one baptism, and one God and Father of all who is above all and through all and in all, with grace given to every one according to the measure of Christ's gift. It requires walking worthy of the calling with all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love, and endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. It also requires no longer walking as Gentiles in vanity of mind with darkened understanding and blindness of heart, but having learned Christ, putting off the corrupt old man, being renewed in mind, and putting on the new man created in righteousness and true holiness. This means putting away lying, anger, theft, corrupt speech, bitterness, wrath, clamor, evil speaking and malice, and instead speaking truth as members one of another, speaking only edifying words that minister grace, laboring honestly to give to the needy, not grieving the Holy Spirit, and being kind, tenderhearted and forgiving as God for Christ's sake forgave.
The chapter reveals God's plan so plainly and simply that all His children may lay hold upon the truth, declaring the means He appointed to keep unity in His church so its members reveal to the world a healthy religious experience. That unity requires obedience to the commandments of God and oneness in the faith of the Scriptures, being bound together as one in Christ with lives hid with Christ in God upon the exalted platform of eternal truth, the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus, instead of being at variance with opposite views and each moving independently of the body. Those so united practice doing to others as they would have others do to them, become partakers of the divine nature having escaped corruption through lust, cooperate as laborers together with God, use heaven's provision to draw souls to obedience to the law, and by consistent lives of courtesy, fidelity, justice and mercy magnify the law and demonstrate its perfection in converting the soul. The lesson is to be lived in practice rather than replaced by personal ideas and opinions that mislead others, for living by the Bible makes believers strong laborers together with Christ. With the following chapters it is to be read and heeded for holding fast the foundation of faith, which has stood sixty years in the third angel's message with not a pin or pillar moved against every effort to tear it up.
Goal and Completion
The equipping work goes on until all share unity of faith and unity in knowing the Son of God, reaching full-grown manhood measured by the stature of the fullness of Christ. Christ entrusted His earthly work to servants with differing ministries to prepare the saints for service and build up His body, and that preparation belongs to a work carried forward to completion until the church is united, mature, and made complete through its many members. Its aim is that believers grow toward Christ's fullness, become like Him, and are no longer vulnerable to misleading teaching, which calls them to pursue the unity of faith set forth in God's Word.
That maturity gives steadiness, so believers are no longer children tossed to and fro and carried about by every wind of doctrine through cunning deceit, but speak the truth in love and grow up into Christ the Head. From Him the whole body, fitly joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, works according to the measure of every part, increases, and builds itself up in love. All gifts are to be blended in that building upon the foundation of apostles and prophets with Christ as chief cornerstone, each doing its respective part unitedly and growing into a holy temple, with workers depending on God rather than supposing gift or wisdom makes them sufficient. This lesson is learned by much prayer, coming to the point with heartfelt simplicity and confidence, claiming promises by faith, so congregations learn prevailing prayer, sense the Lord's presence, open their hearts to blessing, trust the worker's sincerity, and listen willingly to instruction.
By plainly stating its object, the verse shows indirectly that the gifts and manifestations of the Spirit must continue until that object is accomplished. They were given to perfect the saints, for the work of ministry, and for building up the body of Christ until all come to unity of faith and knowledge of the Son of God unto a perfect man unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ. So their ministry serves the church through the gospel age in every age to the end of time, fulfilling the promise to send the Comforter to guide into all truth for edification and instruction.
The prosperity and perfection of the church depend on manifold instruments and agencies working together in concurrence and harmonious action, with all members interdependent like members of the human body. Even the finger, apparently the least important member, when afflicted telegraphs the fact to the brain and the whole body suffers. Every facility has been provided for God's purchased possession to grow into a holy temple, complete in Him with perfect character, coming off more than conqueror through Christ's merits. As members work in unity of the Spirit for the perfecting of the whole body, casting out idols that hinder spiritual advance, the Spirit brings even discordant members into harmony, purifies, refines, ennobles and strengthens the church, frees it from selfishness and divisive barriers, and trains and disciplines its energies in educating. Then the united members bear a living abiding testimony, practice doing to others as they would have others do to them, partake of the divine nature, magnify the law by lives of courtesy, fidelity, justice and mercy, and become an instrument through which God works for conversion of sinners with powerful influence on the unbelieving world.
The perfecting of the saints is the last great preparatory work, setting the churches in order and closing the door of unbelief. It makes straight paths for the feet so the weak are not turned out of the way, and prepares a people to stand in the last great day and shine in the kingdom of glory. The work is urgent because seducing power will increase until, if possible, even the elect would be deceived. It requires correction of mistakes and reorganization, with prayer and searching of heart, leaning on the judgment of those of experience as an anchor against drifting in confusion, and moving forward together in perfect harmony and order like soldiers in an army, each standing in his lot and place without stepping out of rank to work on his own account or pressing forward where not wanted to interrupt and divert the work.
Gifts and Ministers
Christ gave some as apostles, some as prophets, some as evangelists, and some as pastors and teachers for the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, and this includes ministers of the Word, leaders, officers, watchmen, shepherds, and ordained laborers appointed to equip the saints for service and strengthen the church toward unity of faith and knowledge of the Son of God unto mature manhood in the fullness of Christ. No one man is the whole and no one man's method is the rule for all, for different minds with different talents compose the body, and workers are to stand each in his lot and place in fellowship, sharing the burden together rather than one taking it alone. An evangelist is a teacher who should also be a medical missionary, and medical missionary workers are gospel workers under that head. The gifts were given when Christ ascended up on high and led captivity captive, entrusting His earthly work to His servants, and unto every one grace is given according to the measure of the gift of Christ, requiring walking worthy with lowliness, meekness, longsuffering, forbearance in love, and keeping the unity of the Spirit in peace as one body and one Spirit with one hope, one Lord, one faith, one baptism, and one God and Father above all and through all and in all.
The ministry of the Word is God's appointed and ordained agency and means for perfecting believers in knowledge and true holiness, convicting minds and saving souls, and through these ministers He communicates the words of eternal life to the world. Its work is not merely to preach truth and is not accomplished by eloquent sermons alone, but to teach practical religion and educate the people to be examples of piety and practical receivers of grace and righteousness, not fighters and debaters, and the work of teaching through God's appointed human agencies is to continue until the work is finished and until unity of faith unto a perfect man. When the gospel is not the power of God unto salvation to every soul and professed believers follow afar off without taking Christ as personal Saviour and lack personal religion, there is no defect in God's plan but the fault lies in men and in deficient human instrumentalities without living connection with God that have failed to educate in vital principles and bring the Word to bear on life.
Ministers are to watch for souls as those who must render account to God, reproving, rebuking and exhorting with longsuffering and doctrine, and to labor for the strength and unity of the church against diversity and division. They are to teach the same truth from first to last, including the duty to return tithes and offerings to God, with those who first present the truth and those who continue it urging the same obedience and not neglecting plain faithful instruction. Some must train themselves to be faithful ministers and skillful shepherds who feed the flock and bring meat in due season for sheep and lambs, for the Lord needs all kinds of skillful workmen with different offices and each has his own assigned part of the vineyard according to ability and is not required to do another's work. Workers for Christ are to learn prevailing prayer by being much in prayer and coming to the point in public prayer with heartfelt simplicity and confidence as the Spirit indites petitions and claims promises with faith, so the congregation knows prevailing prayer, is assured the Lord is present, opens hearts to rich blessing, trusts the worker's sincerity, and listens with willing ears to instruction. Ministers have the sacred duty to give God's household spiritual food at the right time, and Christ seeks to perfect His household through the perfection of its ministers.
The gifts placed in the church, including instruction given through vision for comfort, are for its benefit to encourage the desponding and fainting, correct and reprove the erring, and give evidence of calling by influence and character, and they are to be valued, used, honored, respected, hearkened to for instruction, consulted for counsel, and worked with in harmony of cooperation. Slighting and neglecting them brings God's frown, while graciously reviving them brings His smiles and mercy. Opposing them and fighting against the visions endangers souls through such influence and leads the weak astray, so God's people must not cringe and yield liberty to disaffected ones but must labor with them. To neglect or despise appointed leaders, pastors, teachers, watchmen, shepherds, and responsible ordained laborers, and to pass them by thinking light must come only directly from God, is to reject God's appointed means for help, encouragement, strength, advancement and spread of truth, to work outside His agencies and on the enemy's side producing strife, dissension, wounded souls and alienation, repeating the insubordination by which angels very beautiful and glorious yet dependent on God for happiness, light and intelligence fell in seeking independence, and leaving a person liable to deception and overthrow.
When believers remain deficient, ministers must examine their own hearts, correct their own deficiencies, make up what they lack, work wisely in the light, and live in connection with God. They are to carry the gospel to all nations and peoples in meekness and lowliness with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love and keeping unity of the Spirit in peace, educating and ministering and not only preaching, for preaching is a small part of the work, with workers in every department appointed to do their work. Through faithful labor the church advances toward heaven, grows in faith, unity and likeness to Christ, and becomes more distinct from the world while guarding its sacred interests from weakening evils. Those who enter with a human commission rather than the divine educate themselves as debaters and produce fighting churches, showing hearts not right with God and only theory without true conversion and sanctification through the truth, and the great issue near at hand will weed out those God has not appointed, while He will have a pure, true, sanctified ministry prepared for the latter rain.
Ministers' efforts are to build up the body of Christ through converts sanctified by the truth, not to exalt themselves before the people.
Unity in Diversity
Ephesians 4:12 teaches that no single person is the whole, and no one person's method is to be the rule for all, for the body is composed of different minds with different talents, experience, plans and methods. Christ gave apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers to perfect the saints, carry on ministry, and build up His body precisely because all have not the same work. Each gift is precious in its place, every gift is essential to success, none is to be lost, and no one has authority to hold the various gifts and agencies in low esteem as inferior while exalting his own way as superior. The work is shared in church capacity, with workers standing each in his own lot and place in fellowship with ministering brethren rather than one regarding himself as the whole. The grace of Christ brings the different members into unity, love and harmonious action as each contributes to the body.
The varied gifts are to be blended together in concurrence and harmonious action like the interdependent members of the human body, each supplying what another lacks. God's appointed agencies meet every case and emergency in every kind of labor, with every gift appreciated and used in its different place until unity and full Christian maturity are reached, so the work is not one-sided. The prosperity and perfection of the church depends on this manifold working together, even as when the finger, apparently the least important member, is afflicted it telegraphs the fact to the brain and the whole body suffers. This requires members to learn and live their right relation to one another, uniting their weakness to Christ's strength, dying to self and living to Christ, and having strong unchristlike traits softened, subdued and purified in order to be one with Christ in God. All are to be fitly framed together on the foundation of the apostles and prophets with Jesus Christ Himself as chief cornerstone, each doing his respective part unitedly and growing into a holy temple in the Lord.
God has not qualified anyone to bear the burden of the work alone, so no one is to take the whole burden upon himself. No single worker has all the wisdom needed, and no one is given an exclusive territory, so no worker is to separate himself to labor alone over only the few he has brought to truth, claiming them as his own to train and educate, nor to work in lines peculiar to self or act independently of the body. Different minds, gifts, plans and methods must unite in humility, with the deficiency of one supplied by the strength of another. Workers are to keep self out of sight, counsel together and pray together, constantly learn and improve, keep an uplifted Saviour before hearers so converts attach to Christ and not to a man, and labor in harmony until every person is presented perfect in Christ. Their united work under Christ the head serves the church and its ministry rather than allowing one person to become the sole head of an institution.
God gives to every man his own work according to the ability given him, so that ministry does not rest on a few while others bear no responsibility. Each worker has a distinct part of the vineyard to cultivate suited to ability, from the lowliest to the most educated and capable, and each has a necessary role in soul-saving. No one is required to take up another's work or to lay hold of work he is uneducated and untrained for, and not all can be medical missionaries in the full sense, for some must train themselves to be faithful ministers and skillful shepherds who bring meat in due season for sheep and lambs. No position gives authority to dictate to other workers whose duties are not understood, for seeing only the part where he works a man will enlarge where he should retrench and retrench where he should enlarge. Nor should anyone suppose that starting a work fits him to lead it through every stage of its growth or to occupy the highest responsibility.
Strife for supremacy, dissension, faultfinding over brethren, criticism, self-complacency, self-confidence and determined following of one's own way shut workers out from the one end of unity in faith and knowledge of the Son of God unto a perfect man, and at last from the kingdom. Such a course forfeits peace, faith and love and does Satan's work, bringing spiritual blindness down to a negative level. Reaching the end requires walking worthy of the calling with all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering forbearing one another in love, endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace, since there is one body and one Spirit, one hope, one Lord, one faith, one baptism, and one God and Father above all and through all and in all. It requires putting away selfishness, self-sufficiency, self-esteem, jealousy, evil surmising and evil-speaking, conscientiously giving fellow laborers a place to work, surrendering the will to Christ's method, and revealing the love that dwelt in Jesus by loving one another as Christ loved.
United Mission Work
Medical missionary work and gospel ministry belong together as one united ministry for the sanctifying of believers and for the care of both soul and body, after the pattern of Christ's own ministering to the sick and teaching the truths that sanctify. The medical work is ministry in a high sense and is one part of the wider work of reform, and it must remain connected with the ministry rather than separating its workers from their field of labor. Balance comes by the Holy Spirit so that every line advances solidly, with the variety of gifts blending in united service and each part supplying what another lacks. Ministers benefit from understanding health and medical workers from understanding the ministry, and an evangelist as a teacher should also be a medical missionary, with medical missionary workers as gospel workers under that head. Ministry to the sick is to care for the salvation of the soul as fully as gospel ministry does, and no one is to assume that personal talent or position fits him to work independently or to occupy the highest responsibility.
The work is shared by ministers and people together, with each believer contributing according to ability so that the whole body is strengthened in love and grows toward unity and maturity in Christ. Each worker from the lowliest to the most highly educated and efficient has a place in saving souls, with distinct roles given so the saints are equipped, the ministry carried forward, and the body built up. All are to advance together in order, harmony, and love, each filling a proper position, counseling and working in concurrence rather than contending over one another's responsibilities. Christ's religion is diffusive and aggressive rather than selfish or narrow, spreading the knowledge of truth far and near with zeal, earnestness, and devotion, while not neglecting to labor for the strength and unity of the church against diversity and division. No one who starts a work is thereby fitted to lead it through every stage of its growth.
The saints are prepared as those who shepherd them awaken them to duty and set many to work, developing talents by instruction and practical training for service to the church and to unbelievers. Some teach basic lessons while others teach more advanced lessons, showing growth as a shared work in which different people contribute what they are able to do. Fathers and mothers as doers of the Word nurture and admonish their children in accordance with God's Word, raising a little army to stand under Christ's banner as witnesses under the guidance of the Spirit with Christ as pattern. Faithful workers at camp meetings minister toward this perfecting, helping believers become mature in faith and service.
Baptism pledges each one to do what can be done to strengthen the church through regular active service, so Christians do not remain spectators but take part in systematic work connected with the church. Living by the Bible makes believers strong in the Lord and laborers together with Christ, while bringing in personal ideas and opinions misleads others. Every faithful worker serves toward the saints' growth and the church's strengthening.
The diverse gifts are to be blended together in building on the foundation of the apostles and prophets with Jesus Christ as chief cornerstone, fitly framed together with each doing a respective part unitedly and growing into a holy temple. No one has authority to hold the various gifts and agencies in low esteem as inferior while carrying the work in a superior way of his own, which is dangerous to himself and others. Guided by the Spirit, the members' energies in educating, training, and disciplining themselves purify and strengthen the church and make it an instrument for the conversion of sinners, as discordant members are brought into harmony and selfishness and divisive barriers are removed. Those with different gifts and appointed work need not agree on every point of doctrine to remain united by the Spirit in winning people to Christ, with meekness, forbearance, and love preserving unity and keeping them from wasting time in disputes while people are in danger. This united labor continues until all come into unity of faith and knowledge of the Son of God unto a perfect man unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, so believers are no more children tossed to and fro by every wind of doctrine through deceitful craftiness.
Character and Application
The perfecting named here is the forming in each member of a symmetrical character by loving God supremely and the neighbor as self. It requires putting off the corrupt old life lived in vanity of mind with darkened understanding, being renewed in mind, and putting on the new man created in righteousness and true holiness. In practice this means putting away lying, anger, theft, corrupt speech, bitterness, wrath, clamor, malice, selfishness, self-sufficiency, self-esteem, jealousy, evil surmising and evil-speaking, and instead speaking truth, laboring honestly in order to give to the needy, and being kind, tenderhearted and forgiving as God for Christ's sake forgave. Speech is to be only what is good for building up and ministering grace, and only doers of the Word will receive the reward, so the instruction cannot be ignored or treated with indifference.
Perfecting requires laying hold of all the help provided and fighting the individual battle that no one else can fight. It is revealed in love to one another, in standing fast in one spirit with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel, and in pressing together with a blending in spirit and labor rather than working apart in lines peculiar to self. This calls for walking worthy of the calling with all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love, and keeping the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace as one body and one Spirit with one hope, one Lord, one faith, one baptism, and one God and Father above all and through all and in all, with grace given to each according to the measure of Christ's gift. Changed conduct shows it: no longer children tossed to and fro by every wind of doctrine and deceitful craftiness, but speaking the truth in love and growing up into Christ the head, from whom the whole body fitly joined and knit by what every joint supplies, according to the working of every part, increases and builds itself up in love without grieving the Holy Spirit.
The instruction means much and is to be read most solemnly, studied, obeyed, and impressed upon minds. It confronts those who have become hard-spirited as strangers to the working of the Spirit and calls for a great reformation in words and works and spiritual understanding. Those advancing the cause are to catch the inspiration of the heavenly courts and daily breathe the atmosphere of heaven, standing strong against the wiles of the devil. So the church is perfected through a well-ordered life and godly speech.
The passage is the basis for united labor in proclaiming the entrusted message, with workers in harmony and not obstructing one another. Each person is only one member of the body under Christ as the one Head and Master, controlled by the Holy Spirit, never seeking to be controlled by men and never standing as an independent whole. Unity is kept only as the different members each do their own office, whether preaching the word, teaching, practicing as a physician, cultivating the soil, following a trade, acting in councils, or going to foreign lands. In that place each looks to God as Companion, Counselor, Guide, Helper and Friend, gives all tact and strength of mind and heart and body and does his best, never going beyond His domain, and keeps clean and unspotted from the world.
Christ gave leadership gifts to equip His people for service, to carry on the work of ministry, and to build up the church as His body, so that preparation, service, and growth form one purpose. After ascending on high He bestowed these gifts, giving some as apostles, some as prophets, some as evangelists, and some as pastors and teachers to perfect believers in knowledge and holiness. That work continues until all come into unity of faith and knowledge of the Son of God, unto mature manhood measured by the fullness of Christ, no longer tossed by every wind of doctrine but joined together and growing up into Him as the head. By plainly stating this object, the verse shows that the gifts and workings of the Spirit must continue through the gospel age until that object is accomplished. Reaching it depends on varied members working together in harmony like members of the body, each in his own place, with lowliness, meekness, longsuffering and forbearing love, putting away division and self-seeking.
Words and Setting
The three phrases together state one purpose: the saints are equipped and prepared for service, the work of ministry is carried on, and the church as the body of Christ is built up and strengthened. Preparation, service, and growth belong together, so that every faithful worker and every believer contributes his part toward unity and maturity in Christ and the whole body increases in love. The different ministry roles of apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers were appointed for this end, and the ministry of the Word is the appointed means for perfecting believers in knowledge and true holiness, convicting minds and saving souls. This work is to continue until the church reaches unity in faith and knowledge of the Son of God and maturity measured by Christ's fullness, and it is made complete through many members with no one person regarded as the whole.
The gifts were given by Christ after He ascended up on high and led captivity captive, when He left His earthly work in the hands of His servants the under-shepherds. He gave some as apostles and some as prophets and some as evangelists and some as pastors and teachers for the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, till all come to unity of faith and knowledge of the Son of God unto a perfect man measured by the stature of His fullness. Through these ministers He communicates the words of eternal life to the world, and this fulfills His promise to send the Comforter the Holy Spirit to guide into all truth, with gifts placed in the church for its edification and instruction to the end of time. The treasures placed in the twelve apostles eighteen hundred years ago have descended to workers in this age.
The immediate setting defines one body and one Spirit with one hope of calling, one Lord, one faith, one baptism, and one God and Father of all who is above all and through all and in all, with grace given to every one according to the measure of Christ's gift. It requires walking worthy of the calling with all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love, and endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. It also requires no longer walking as Gentiles in vanity of mind with darkened understanding and blindness of heart, but having learned Christ, putting off the corrupt old man, being renewed in mind, and putting on the new man created in righteousness and true holiness. This means putting away lying, anger, theft, corrupt speech, bitterness, wrath, clamor, evil speaking and malice, and instead speaking truth as members one of another, speaking only edifying words that minister grace, laboring honestly to give to the needy, not grieving the Holy Spirit, and being kind, tenderhearted and forgiving as God for Christ's sake forgave.
The chapter reveals God's plan so plainly and simply that all His children may lay hold upon the truth, declaring the means He appointed to keep unity in His church so its members reveal to the world a healthy religious experience. That unity requires obedience to the commandments of God and oneness in the faith of the Scriptures, being bound together as one in Christ with lives hid with Christ in God upon the exalted platform of eternal truth, the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus, instead of being at variance with opposite views and each moving independently of the body. Those so united practice doing to others as they would have others do to them, become partakers of the divine nature having escaped corruption through lust, cooperate as laborers together with God, use heaven's provision to draw souls to obedience to the law, and by consistent lives of courtesy, fidelity, justice and mercy magnify the law and demonstrate its perfection in converting the soul. The lesson is to be lived in practice rather than replaced by personal ideas and opinions that mislead others, for living by the Bible makes believers strong laborers together with Christ. With the following chapters it is to be read and heeded for holding fast the foundation of faith, which has stood sixty years in the third angel's message with not a pin or pillar moved against every effort to tear it up.
Goal and Completion
The equipping work goes on until all share unity of faith and unity in knowing the Son of God, reaching full-grown manhood measured by the stature of the fullness of Christ. Christ entrusted His earthly work to servants with differing ministries to prepare the saints for service and build up His body, and that preparation belongs to a work carried forward to completion until the church is united, mature, and made complete through its many members. Its aim is that believers grow toward Christ's fullness, become like Him, and are no longer vulnerable to misleading teaching, which calls them to pursue the unity of faith set forth in God's Word.
That maturity gives steadiness, so believers are no longer children tossed to and fro and carried about by every wind of doctrine through cunning deceit, but speak the truth in love and grow up into Christ the Head. From Him the whole body, fitly joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, works according to the measure of every part, increases, and builds itself up in love. All gifts are to be blended in that building upon the foundation of apostles and prophets with Christ as chief cornerstone, each doing its respective part unitedly and growing into a holy temple, with workers depending on God rather than supposing gift or wisdom makes them sufficient. This lesson is learned by much prayer, coming to the point with heartfelt simplicity and confidence, claiming promises by faith, so congregations learn prevailing prayer, sense the Lord's presence, open their hearts to blessing, trust the worker's sincerity, and listen willingly to instruction.
By plainly stating its object, the verse shows indirectly that the gifts and manifestations of the Spirit must continue until that object is accomplished. They were given to perfect the saints, for the work of ministry, and for building up the body of Christ until all come to unity of faith and knowledge of the Son of God unto a perfect man unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ. So their ministry serves the church through the gospel age in every age to the end of time, fulfilling the promise to send the Comforter to guide into all truth for edification and instruction.
The prosperity and perfection of the church depend on manifold instruments and agencies working together in concurrence and harmonious action, with all members interdependent like members of the human body. Even the finger, apparently the least important member, when afflicted telegraphs the fact to the brain and the whole body suffers. Every facility has been provided for God's purchased possession to grow into a holy temple, complete in Him with perfect character, coming off more than conqueror through Christ's merits. As members work in unity of the Spirit for the perfecting of the whole body, casting out idols that hinder spiritual advance, the Spirit brings even discordant members into harmony, purifies, refines, ennobles and strengthens the church, frees it from selfishness and divisive barriers, and trains and disciplines its energies in educating. Then the united members bear a living abiding testimony, practice doing to others as they would have others do to them, partake of the divine nature, magnify the law by lives of courtesy, fidelity, justice and mercy, and become an instrument through which God works for conversion of sinners with powerful influence on the unbelieving world.
The perfecting of the saints is the last great preparatory work, setting the churches in order and closing the door of unbelief. It makes straight paths for the feet so the weak are not turned out of the way, and prepares a people to stand in the last great day and shine in the kingdom of glory. The work is urgent because seducing power will increase until, if possible, even the elect would be deceived. It requires correction of mistakes and reorganization, with prayer and searching of heart, leaning on the judgment of those of experience as an anchor against drifting in confusion, and moving forward together in perfect harmony and order like soldiers in an army, each standing in his lot and place without stepping out of rank to work on his own account or pressing forward where not wanted to interrupt and divert the work.
Gifts and Ministers
Christ gave some as apostles, some as prophets, some as evangelists, and some as pastors and teachers for the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, and this includes ministers of the Word, leaders, officers, watchmen, shepherds, and ordained laborers appointed to equip the saints for service and strengthen the church toward unity of faith and knowledge of the Son of God unto mature manhood in the fullness of Christ. No one man is the whole and no one man's method is the rule for all, for different minds with different talents compose the body, and workers are to stand each in his lot and place in fellowship, sharing the burden together rather than one taking it alone. An evangelist is a teacher who should also be a medical missionary, and medical missionary workers are gospel workers under that head. The gifts were given when Christ ascended up on high and led captivity captive, entrusting His earthly work to His servants, and unto every one grace is given according to the measure of the gift of Christ, requiring walking worthy with lowliness, meekness, longsuffering, forbearance in love, and keeping the unity of the Spirit in peace as one body and one Spirit with one hope, one Lord, one faith, one baptism, and one God and Father above all and through all and in all.
The ministry of the Word is God's appointed and ordained agency and means for perfecting believers in knowledge and true holiness, convicting minds and saving souls, and through these ministers He communicates the words of eternal life to the world. Its work is not merely to preach truth and is not accomplished by eloquent sermons alone, but to teach practical religion and educate the people to be examples of piety and practical receivers of grace and righteousness, not fighters and debaters, and the work of teaching through God's appointed human agencies is to continue until the work is finished and until unity of faith unto a perfect man. When the gospel is not the power of God unto salvation to every soul and professed believers follow afar off without taking Christ as personal Saviour and lack personal religion, there is no defect in God's plan but the fault lies in men and in deficient human instrumentalities without living connection with God that have failed to educate in vital principles and bring the Word to bear on life.
Ministers are to watch for souls as those who must render account to God, reproving, rebuking and exhorting with longsuffering and doctrine, and to labor for the strength and unity of the church against diversity and division. They are to teach the same truth from first to last, including the duty to return tithes and offerings to God, with those who first present the truth and those who continue it urging the same obedience and not neglecting plain faithful instruction. Some must train themselves to be faithful ministers and skillful shepherds who feed the flock and bring meat in due season for sheep and lambs, for the Lord needs all kinds of skillful workmen with different offices and each has his own assigned part of the vineyard according to ability and is not required to do another's work. Workers for Christ are to learn prevailing prayer by being much in prayer and coming to the point in public prayer with heartfelt simplicity and confidence as the Spirit indites petitions and claims promises with faith, so the congregation knows prevailing prayer, is assured the Lord is present, opens hearts to rich blessing, trusts the worker's sincerity, and listens with willing ears to instruction. Ministers have the sacred duty to give God's household spiritual food at the right time, and Christ seeks to perfect His household through the perfection of its ministers.
The gifts placed in the church, including instruction given through vision for comfort, are for its benefit to encourage the desponding and fainting, correct and reprove the erring, and give evidence of calling by influence and character, and they are to be valued, used, honored, respected, hearkened to for instruction, consulted for counsel, and worked with in harmony of cooperation. Slighting and neglecting them brings God's frown, while graciously reviving them brings His smiles and mercy. Opposing them and fighting against the visions endangers souls through such influence and leads the weak astray, so God's people must not cringe and yield liberty to disaffected ones but must labor with them. To neglect or despise appointed leaders, pastors, teachers, watchmen, shepherds, and responsible ordained laborers, and to pass them by thinking light must come only directly from God, is to reject God's appointed means for help, encouragement, strength, advancement and spread of truth, to work outside His agencies and on the enemy's side producing strife, dissension, wounded souls and alienation, repeating the insubordination by which angels very beautiful and glorious yet dependent on God for happiness, light and intelligence fell in seeking independence, and leaving a person liable to deception and overthrow.
When believers remain deficient, ministers must examine their own hearts, correct their own deficiencies, make up what they lack, work wisely in the light, and live in connection with God. They are to carry the gospel to all nations and peoples in meekness and lowliness with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love and keeping unity of the Spirit in peace, educating and ministering and not only preaching, for preaching is a small part of the work, with workers in every department appointed to do their work. Through faithful labor the church advances toward heaven, grows in faith, unity and likeness to Christ, and becomes more distinct from the world while guarding its sacred interests from weakening evils. Those who enter with a human commission rather than the divine educate themselves as debaters and produce fighting churches, showing hearts not right with God and only theory without true conversion and sanctification through the truth, and the great issue near at hand will weed out those God has not appointed, while He will have a pure, true, sanctified ministry prepared for the latter rain.
Ministers' efforts are to build up the body of Christ through converts sanctified by the truth, not to exalt themselves before the people.
Unity in Diversity
Ephesians 4:12 teaches that no single person is the whole, and no one person's method is to be the rule for all, for the body is composed of different minds with different talents, experience, plans and methods. Christ gave apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers to perfect the saints, carry on ministry, and build up His body precisely because all have not the same work. Each gift is precious in its place, every gift is essential to success, none is to be lost, and no one has authority to hold the various gifts and agencies in low esteem as inferior while exalting his own way as superior. The work is shared in church capacity, with workers standing each in his own lot and place in fellowship with ministering brethren rather than one regarding himself as the whole. The grace of Christ brings the different members into unity, love and harmonious action as each contributes to the body.
The varied gifts are to be blended together in concurrence and harmonious action like the interdependent members of the human body, each supplying what another lacks. God's appointed agencies meet every case and emergency in every kind of labor, with every gift appreciated and used in its different place until unity and full Christian maturity are reached, so the work is not one-sided. The prosperity and perfection of the church depends on this manifold working together, even as when the finger, apparently the least important member, is afflicted it telegraphs the fact to the brain and the whole body suffers. This requires members to learn and live their right relation to one another, uniting their weakness to Christ's strength, dying to self and living to Christ, and having strong unchristlike traits softened, subdued and purified in order to be one with Christ in God. All are to be fitly framed together on the foundation of the apostles and prophets with Jesus Christ Himself as chief cornerstone, each doing his respective part unitedly and growing into a holy temple in the Lord.
God has not qualified anyone to bear the burden of the work alone, so no one is to take the whole burden upon himself. No single worker has all the wisdom needed, and no one is given an exclusive territory, so no worker is to separate himself to labor alone over only the few he has brought to truth, claiming them as his own to train and educate, nor to work in lines peculiar to self or act independently of the body. Different minds, gifts, plans and methods must unite in humility, with the deficiency of one supplied by the strength of another. Workers are to keep self out of sight, counsel together and pray together, constantly learn and improve, keep an uplifted Saviour before hearers so converts attach to Christ and not to a man, and labor in harmony until every person is presented perfect in Christ. Their united work under Christ the head serves the church and its ministry rather than allowing one person to become the sole head of an institution.
God gives to every man his own work according to the ability given him, so that ministry does not rest on a few while others bear no responsibility. Each worker has a distinct part of the vineyard to cultivate suited to ability, from the lowliest to the most educated and capable, and each has a necessary role in soul-saving. No one is required to take up another's work or to lay hold of work he is uneducated and untrained for, and not all can be medical missionaries in the full sense, for some must train themselves to be faithful ministers and skillful shepherds who bring meat in due season for sheep and lambs. No position gives authority to dictate to other workers whose duties are not understood, for seeing only the part where he works a man will enlarge where he should retrench and retrench where he should enlarge. Nor should anyone suppose that starting a work fits him to lead it through every stage of its growth or to occupy the highest responsibility.
Strife for supremacy, dissension, faultfinding over brethren, criticism, self-complacency, self-confidence and determined following of one's own way shut workers out from the one end of unity in faith and knowledge of the Son of God unto a perfect man, and at last from the kingdom. Such a course forfeits peace, faith and love and does Satan's work, bringing spiritual blindness down to a negative level. Reaching the end requires walking worthy of the calling with all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering forbearing one another in love, endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace, since there is one body and one Spirit, one hope, one Lord, one faith, one baptism, and one God and Father above all and through all and in all. It requires putting away selfishness, self-sufficiency, self-esteem, jealousy, evil surmising and evil-speaking, conscientiously giving fellow laborers a place to work, surrendering the will to Christ's method, and revealing the love that dwelt in Jesus by loving one another as Christ loved.
United Mission Work
Medical missionary work and gospel ministry belong together as one united ministry for the sanctifying of believers and for the care of both soul and body, after the pattern of Christ's own ministering to the sick and teaching the truths that sanctify. The medical work is ministry in a high sense and is one part of the wider work of reform, and it must remain connected with the ministry rather than separating its workers from their field of labor. Balance comes by the Holy Spirit so that every line advances solidly, with the variety of gifts blending in united service and each part supplying what another lacks. Ministers benefit from understanding health and medical workers from understanding the ministry, and an evangelist as a teacher should also be a medical missionary, with medical missionary workers as gospel workers under that head. Ministry to the sick is to care for the salvation of the soul as fully as gospel ministry does, and no one is to assume that personal talent or position fits him to work independently or to occupy the highest responsibility.
The work is shared by ministers and people together, with each believer contributing according to ability so that the whole body is strengthened in love and grows toward unity and maturity in Christ. Each worker from the lowliest to the most highly educated and efficient has a place in saving souls, with distinct roles given so the saints are equipped, the ministry carried forward, and the body built up. All are to advance together in order, harmony, and love, each filling a proper position, counseling and working in concurrence rather than contending over one another's responsibilities. Christ's religion is diffusive and aggressive rather than selfish or narrow, spreading the knowledge of truth far and near with zeal, earnestness, and devotion, while not neglecting to labor for the strength and unity of the church against diversity and division. No one who starts a work is thereby fitted to lead it through every stage of its growth.
The saints are prepared as those who shepherd them awaken them to duty and set many to work, developing talents by instruction and practical training for service to the church and to unbelievers. Some teach basic lessons while others teach more advanced lessons, showing growth as a shared work in which different people contribute what they are able to do. Fathers and mothers as doers of the Word nurture and admonish their children in accordance with God's Word, raising a little army to stand under Christ's banner as witnesses under the guidance of the Spirit with Christ as pattern. Faithful workers at camp meetings minister toward this perfecting, helping believers become mature in faith and service.
Baptism pledges each one to do what can be done to strengthen the church through regular active service, so Christians do not remain spectators but take part in systematic work connected with the church. Living by the Bible makes believers strong in the Lord and laborers together with Christ, while bringing in personal ideas and opinions misleads others. Every faithful worker serves toward the saints' growth and the church's strengthening.
The diverse gifts are to be blended together in building on the foundation of the apostles and prophets with Jesus Christ as chief cornerstone, fitly framed together with each doing a respective part unitedly and growing into a holy temple. No one has authority to hold the various gifts and agencies in low esteem as inferior while carrying the work in a superior way of his own, which is dangerous to himself and others. Guided by the Spirit, the members' energies in educating, training, and disciplining themselves purify and strengthen the church and make it an instrument for the conversion of sinners, as discordant members are brought into harmony and selfishness and divisive barriers are removed. Those with different gifts and appointed work need not agree on every point of doctrine to remain united by the Spirit in winning people to Christ, with meekness, forbearance, and love preserving unity and keeping them from wasting time in disputes while people are in danger. This united labor continues until all come into unity of faith and knowledge of the Son of God unto a perfect man unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, so believers are no more children tossed to and fro by every wind of doctrine through deceitful craftiness.
Character and Application
The perfecting named here is the forming in each member of a symmetrical character by loving God supremely and the neighbor as self. It requires putting off the corrupt old life lived in vanity of mind with darkened understanding, being renewed in mind, and putting on the new man created in righteousness and true holiness. In practice this means putting away lying, anger, theft, corrupt speech, bitterness, wrath, clamor, malice, selfishness, self-sufficiency, self-esteem, jealousy, evil surmising and evil-speaking, and instead speaking truth, laboring honestly in order to give to the needy, and being kind, tenderhearted and forgiving as God for Christ's sake forgave. Speech is to be only what is good for building up and ministering grace, and only doers of the Word will receive the reward, so the instruction cannot be ignored or treated with indifference.
Perfecting requires laying hold of all the help provided and fighting the individual battle that no one else can fight. It is revealed in love to one another, in standing fast in one spirit with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel, and in pressing together with a blending in spirit and labor rather than working apart in lines peculiar to self. This calls for walking worthy of the calling with all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love, and keeping the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace as one body and one Spirit with one hope, one Lord, one faith, one baptism, and one God and Father above all and through all and in all, with grace given to each according to the measure of Christ's gift. Changed conduct shows it: no longer children tossed to and fro by every wind of doctrine and deceitful craftiness, but speaking the truth in love and growing up into Christ the head, from whom the whole body fitly joined and knit by what every joint supplies, according to the working of every part, increases and builds itself up in love without grieving the Holy Spirit.
The instruction means much and is to be read most solemnly, studied, obeyed, and impressed upon minds. It confronts those who have become hard-spirited as strangers to the working of the Spirit and calls for a great reformation in words and works and spiritual understanding. Those advancing the cause are to catch the inspiration of the heavenly courts and daily breathe the atmosphere of heaven, standing strong against the wiles of the devil. So the church is perfected through a well-ordered life and godly speech.
The passage is the basis for united labor in proclaiming the entrusted message, with workers in harmony and not obstructing one another. Each person is only one member of the body under Christ as the one Head and Master, controlled by the Holy Spirit, never seeking to be controlled by men and never standing as an independent whole. Unity is kept only as the different members each do their own office, whether preaching the word, teaching, practicing as a physician, cultivating the soil, following a trade, acting in councils, or going to foreign lands. In that place each looks to God as Companion, Counselor, Guide, Helper and Friend, gives all tact and strength of mind and heart and body and does his best, never going beyond His domain, and keeps clean and unspotted from the world.