WHAT HAS GOD ASK OF US?
Introduction
Jim Sasser published an outline for a sermon entitled Full Grown Christians. In this he makes the following points about those who full grown. They: have convictions, are faith contenders, put away childish things, are strong in the Lord, are Christ like and have good influence.
I believe we can add to the fine list above that the full grown Christian is tried and tested. In the scriptures which Jim gives he uses Ephesians 4 a number of times. Note particularly verses 13-16:
till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ; that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting, but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head - Christ - from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love.
Understanding the Ephesians 4 text in the light of the immediate context and the teachings of Paul in other scriptures.
I believe this is in connection with the giving of the gifts mentioned in verses 8 and 11. Verse 11 says:
He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers.
We want to understand why he gave these gifts and then look to see if we are doing what we should be doing. Verse 12 has probably been misused by preachers over the years. What I was taught and what I taught years ago is that here we find the only three works of the local church, teaching the saints, benevolence to saints, and evangelizing the world. Although I continue to believe that these are three works of the local church, I find a couple of things wrong with this understanding of this passage. For one thing there is nothing to indicate this section of Ephesians refers to a local congregation. Many feel the Ephesian letter was sent to Ephesus for the teaching to all the churches of Asia. Luke in Acts 19:10 says of teaching effort in Ephesus that "all who dwelt in Asia heard the word of the Lord Jesus, both Jews and Greeks."
Secondly the prepositions are different from the first to the last two. The first is "pros" which means "unto," "at," "nearby" and such like so the sense of equipping or perfecting the saints in this passage is looking to some end or purpose. The saints were equipped for a purpose. The next two prepositions are our old friend "eis" from Acts 2:38 fame. Pages, maybe even volumes have been written on this little word. In this passage, taking the lead from the first preposition, "pros," the word signifies an action to be taken. In other words Saints were equipped by the giving of the mentioned gifts to minister to or for and to edify the body of Christ.
The time was, even at that time, soon to be when the gifts would no longer be there so that the ministering and edifying should continue without the special gifts. If we are to do those things now, we must grow into them. I believe God has asks us to do this in this passage when he says "speaking the truth in love may grow up into him in all things."
The "till time" has passed. The apostles taught all truth and by there teaching and their teaching alone can we have unity. They brought all knowledge of the Son into the world so that all may know that Jesus the Christ is the savior of the world. They gave all things necessary for the perfection, completion, maturity of the saints - all things that pertain to life and godliness, II Peter 1:3.
No longer children tossed to and fro
We will discuss more about working together, because discussing things together is important to reach proper conclusions about difficult things. The point that I believe we should get here is that we have what we need to reach conclusions. It may not be easy, but we should not be content to stay on the fence or let others work out what we should believe for us. As we grow, we have a responsibility to feed others not just accept what others feed us. This is not to say that we won't change our minds from time to time even about important matters. We will have the maturity to do that and we have the word so that we may "grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ," - II Peter 3:18. In this passage Peter says in verse 18, "lest you also fall from your own steadfastness."
Since we are told, or since God asks us to not be tossed to and fro, we should not linger in the state of indecision. Just let me mention the safe way here. I've talked about it before. If there is such a position as the safe way it must be temporary and short. This position says, I may not understand what God wants, but this position is certainly not wrong and is therefore the safe way. This is used for the covering issue and the argument is made that it is certainly not wrong for a woman to put a covering on her head to signify the husband as her head. For one thing if women are to wear a covering it indicates if anything a freedom not a bondage. It is by covering over her head (the husband) that a Woman prays to God, this is her freedom, not her bondage. I believe the covering is mental not physical and that it could be physical only by cultural use not scriptural use. The safe way is used for so many things. How many times have you heard, It's certainly not wrong to. . - not be in the military, not have classes for all ages, not get married again, or - - marry a Christian, or give this much, or have only congregational singing, or have the women keep totally silent in the services. Oh, of course they can sing but that's all. I believe I can sing you a song to teach you something from the scriptures, such as the names of the 12 apostles. This is practiced otherwise because if anyone teaches the congregation a new a song, he probably sings solo to them at least a little. Our paranoia can enhance our hypocrisy if we don't keep a handle on it. God asks us to not be tossed around.
Joined and knit together by what every joint supplies
This places responsibility on all of us. American Heritage Dictionary defines every as "Each without exception." Not every one can do the same thing is obvious,. Other teachings about working together can help us here. In this passage the idea is by sharing we become stronger as we grow. That is what God asks of us here, that we work with others, doing our share so that we get stronger as we grow. Has this group grown? Well obviously not in numbers, but we do share the loads, we get stronger each do to withstand attacks and put downs against us and we have increased in the grace and knowledge of Jesus. Romans 12:3-8 says:
For I say, through the grace given to me, to everyone who is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think soberly, as God has dealt to each one a measure of faith. For as we have many members in one body, but all the members do not have the same function, so we, being many, are one body in Christ, and individually members of one another. Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, let us prophesy in proportion to our faith; or ministry, let us use it in our ministering; he who teaches, in teaching; he who exhorts, in exhortation; he who gives, with liberality; he who leads, with diligence; he who shows mercy, with cheerfulness.
That's it. We are to do what we can, we are to do it the very best we can. From verse 11 we are to be diligent, excited and serving the Lord.
Serving isn't always easy, convenient or without trial.
In the introduction we mentioned that the mature Christian is tried and tested.
In I Corinthians 3:11-17
For no other foundation can anyone lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Now if anyone builds on this foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw, each one's work will become clear; for the Day will declare it, because it will be revealed by fire; and the fire will test each one's work, of what sort it is. If anyone's work which he has built on it endures, he will receive a reward. If anyone's work is burned, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire. Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you? If anyone defiles the temple of God, God will destroy him. For the temple of God is holy, which temple you are.
Romans 12:1
I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service.
Hebrews 12:3-15
For consider Him who endured such hostility from sinners against Himself, lest you become weary and discouraged in your souls. You have not yet resisted to bloodshed, striving against sin. And you have forgotten the exhortation which speaks to you as to sons: "My son, do not despise the chastening of the Lord, Nor be discouraged when you are rebuked by Him; For whom the Lord loves He chastens, And scourges every son whom He receives." If you endure chastening, God deals with you as with sons; for what son is there whom a father does not chasten? But if you are without chastening, of which all have become partakers, then you are illegitimate and not sons. Furthermore, we have had human fathers who corrected us, and we paid them respect. Shall we not much more readily be in subjection to the Father of spirits and live? For they indeed for a few days chastened us as seemed best to them, but He for our profit, that we may be partakers of His holiness. Now no chastening seems to be joyful for the present, but painful; nevertheless, afterward it yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it. Therefore strengthen the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees, and make straight paths for your feet, so that what is lame may not be dislocated, but rather be healed. Pursue peace with all people, and holiness, without which no one will see the Lord: looking carefully lest anyone fall short of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up cause trouble, and by this many become defiled.
And we must close with I Corinthians 10:12-13
Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall. No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it.
That's it, God asks us to become stronger by the trials we have, it is part of His correcting us.
Jesus said, if you love me keep my commandments. John said "this is the love of God that we keep his commandments" and here's the kicker "His commandments are not burdensome."
So God through Jesus in sending the Holy Spirit asks us to work together to grow and be strengthened so that we are not tossed too and fro. We will have trials in doing so but we will be able to bear them, God said so and we should grow by them realizing that the moment will pass and becoming stronger we will find that his commandments are not burdensome.