Section 7 The Christian in the body Ephesians 4: 1-16 Simon Attwood
The Christian in the body Ephesians 4:1-16 Bible Basics Conference 12 December 2009 78
Let s recap Our calling God s purpose the good pleasure and the mystery of His will (Eph. 1:114) Prayer for Paul s readers to know this (1:15-23) God s masterpiece the material He s worked with and the result (2:122) The unsearchable riches of Christ God s counsels concerning Christ and the church revealed and displayed (3:1-13) Prayer for Paul s readers to be strengthened to take these things in (3:14-21) 79
Therefore Paul was: the prisoner of the Lord (Eph. 4:1) the prisoner of Jesus Christ for you Gentiles (3:1; Gal:2-7-8; Acts:21-24) an ambassador in bonds (Eph. 6:20) But his readers the Ephesians and we! can walk so he: beseeches us 80
Lead your life: up to the mark of the calling (the first three chapters) according to which you have been called as far as we ourselves are concerned with all: lowliness, meekness but as far as others are concerned, with: longsuffering, forbearing one another in love (Eph. 4:2) 81
There s unity Working carefully: to keep the unity of the Spirit (Ps. 133) in the bond of peace (Eph. 4:3) There is: one body, one Spirit, one hope of your calling (see 4:7-16) one Lord, one faith, one baptism (see 4:1732) one God and Father (see 5-6:9) (4:4-6) 82
but also variety within this so Each one of us has been given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ (Eph 4:7) When the Lord Jesus ascended up on high: He lead captivity captive He gave gifts to men (Barak s victory in Judges 5 is a picture of this) (4:8) By the way: He who ascended also descended into the lower parts of the earth He who descended also ascended above all the heavens to fill all things (4:9-10) 83
The gifts of Christ Persons: apostles (foundational) prophets (foundational) evangelists (continuing) shepherds and teachers (go together continuing) (Eph. 4:11) For the: perfecting the saints, so the: the work of the ministry the building up of the body of Christ (Eph 4:12) 84
Until we all arrive at... the unity of the faith the knowledge of the Son of God a perfect man the measure of the stature of the fulness of the Christ (Eph. 4:13) So that 85
we re no longer... babes tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of teaching that men get up to but... holding the truth in love grow up into the Lord Jesus in all things (Eph. 4:14-15) 86
Section 7 - The Christian in the body Ephesians 4: 1-16 From whom: the whole body fitly joined together The Lord Jesus is the Head, the Christ connected by every joint of supply according to the working in its measure of each one part works the increase of the body to its self-building up in love (Eph. 4:16) 87
This I say therefore... Summary: Walk worthy of the calling in love (Eph. 4:1-2) Work carefully to keep the unity of the Spirit (4:3-6) Grace has been given to each one of us and gifts for the perfecting of the saints (4:7-12) Till we all come to a perfect man that we may no longer be babes but, holding the truth in love, grow up into Him who is the Head from whom the whole body works the increase of the body to its self-building up in love (4:13-16) This I say therefore So then 88