"His intention was the perfecting and the full equipping of the saints (His consecrated people), [that they should do] the work of ministering toward building up Christ's body (the church)." Ephesians 4:12
God's gifting, such as in pastors and teachers is not something that fails, although it may appear that way often. Even I question this myself sometimes, but there are several truths that I must consider. God would not give a weak or watered down gift, nor waste such a powerful thing. Another thing we must consider is that, "the saints" here in this verse (whom the pastors and teachers are given) are those same saints in the very first verse of Ephesians!
"Paul, an apostle (special messenger) of Christ Jesus (the Messiah), by the divine will (the purpose and the choice of God) to the saints (the consecrated, set-apart ones) at Ephesus who are also ones) at Ephesus who are also faithful and loyal and steadfast in Christ Jesus:" Eph 1:1
The saints are the consecrated, set-apart ones who are faithful and loyal and steadfast in Christ. When we look out across an auditorium at all the people being lead by one of the gifted men and women that Paul is talking about, not all of that body of people are "the body" of Christ! We also recognize that not every Pastor and Teacher are of "the body" either! But, when they are and when they are exercising their God-given gifts, that "saints" (the true Church) are being built-up whether it is 2, 20, or 200 out of the whole auditorium. But what does "built-up" mean or look like?
13. "[That it might develop] until we all attain oneness in the faith and in the comprehension of the [full and accurate] knowledge of the Son of God, that [we might arrive] at really mature manhood (the completeness of personality which is nothing less than the standard height of Christ's own perfection), the measure of the stature of the fullness of the Christ and the completeness found in Him."
Upon salvation, obviously, the Holy Spirit is the first feeling and experience of being joined into a oneness with. If not immediately, then sometime soon, we should start feeling this connection to other Christians into this oneness. As we hear The Word of God, it will begin to cut away at the lies that have separated us for years. The like-spiritedness of one another also draws us together.
But, the building-up of the body, we see here in this passage is from our comprehension of the full and accurate knowledge of the Son of God, that we might arrive at really mature manhood. The Amplified adds, "the completeness of personality". Ultimately, our completeness is in Christ Jesus. He is what we are being built-up in. Now, He is covering us before God so that, to God, we are Justified... "Just-If-I'd" already come to completion, while Jesus is literally completing us now! He is using these gifts in each other to help Him do this. This is another reason "oneness" is so important! Amen?
Let's pick up with Ephesians verse 4:14 next time.
I love you.
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