Ephesians 4:13

4:13

until – This gifting-training-serving-building up process is just that: a process. The cycle continues until …

we – it’s a group thing

all – no slackers here

reach unity – again this is unity with diversity, which requires a common purpose and goal, but not uniformity. Having said that, when will we reach this unity? Never in this lifetime. For at least two reasons: (1) Given human frailty, we will always need to keep refining and redefining the goal and purpose and differentiating purpose from methodology. This, by its nature, involves a constant process. (2) The fact that we keep having new believers and immature believers means that there will always be more people who need to be trained and oriented to the purpose.

in the faith – In v. 5, I tried to deal with faith as an active expression of trust. Here Paul seems to return to the same theme: “one faith” or unity in the faith. This cannot be reduced to our merely quoting an identical, common creed. That would cancel any reason for the gifts and a call for constant process. The physical body functions at its best when all its parts work efficiently to achieve a common goal. Similarly for the body of Christ, we/she/it works most effectively when she acts on the faith God gives here—the vision—with unity of purpose.

and – double unity; not only unity in the faith—actions, but also…

in the knowledge – I always need the reminder that Biblical use of the word “knowledge” means more than intellectual information. It must include relational knowledge as well.

of the – The possessive pronoun “of” can indicate a couple things. This can refer to knowledge peculiarly belonging to the Son of God. In other words, this preposition could indicate knowledge that Jesus has, which He wants to impart to us. But the same preposition can also mean “about”. In this case, Paul would mean our relational knowledge concerning the son of God. The former meaning can be included in the second. But I sense that the second seems to be the primary intention here.

Son of God – God the Son, heretics have co-opted the term “Son of God” and twisted it to mean something less that the Bible intends. God the Son: Do I know Him relationally? Do I trust Him? Not only for forgiveness of my sins, as incredible as that is. But more: Do I trust Him to lead, provide and orchestrate my life for His glory and my good? Has my relational knowledge of God the Son deepened to the point that I can honestly say, “Wherever He leads I’ll go”? or “Whatever He says I’ll do”? Then, if I am not ready to say those things honestly, what does that infer about the task of training, preparing God’s people until we all come to a unity of that kind of relationship? I’m not sure I can even dream such a unity. In fact, I know I cannot dream or imagine that. But then, Paul already committed us “to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine.” This leads me to conclude, admit, confess, affirm the following: The preparing of God’s people and building us up is not the work of those God has gifted with leadership gifts. This is a work that only God can achieve. Then what is the use of the leadership gifts? These are the tools, instruments, God uses to accomplish the impossible, unimaginable task of preparing and building all of us into the unity of active faith and the unity of relational knowledge of God the Son. God trains and builds the body through the leadership gifts. He builds the body to united faith-actions and united relational knowledge through the gifts. He builds and prepares. I—if I have one of these leadership gifts—I am just a tool in His hand.

and – but wait! There’s more! God uses these leadership gift-tools to build up the body until we reach unity and also until something more.

The preposition “until” at the start of v. 13 has two objects. Both objects are verb phrases. The first verb phrase is “reach unity … [continuing through] to God.” The second verb phrase is “become mature … [continuing through] of Christ.”

become mature – Grow up, grow into; process. What does maturity look like? In physical life: We all know people who act more mature than their years and vice-versa, others who act younger, less mature, than their years. Mature behavior: Accept responsibility for oneself and for the helpless; decisions based on long-range values rather than immediate impulses. Responsibility: Work for a living rather than expecting others to give handouts, contribute to society; admit errors and faults, etc. Seek to help others in need. Decisions: Long-range values, deferred satisfaction, able to have fun but not controlled by it.

attaining – effort, striving, struggle against tendencies that would hold me back. God will not wave a magic wand and give me this. I must work at it, applying His grace and allowing the leadership gifts in the body to prepare me and build me up. Or more accurately: allowing God to prepare me and build me up as He works through the leadership gifts around me in the body.

to the whole measure – This becomes just plain scary. I am expected to become as mature (spiritually) as Christ? He set the standard. Now I must mature to that level, that mark, that measure. I know I cannot reach that. But God calls me to that maturity and I cannot rest until He says enough.

of the fullness of Christ – I am sitting in a kitchen with many containers around me. Some containers are full of solids, e.g., popcorn kernels. It is not full because there is air between the individual kernels. Other containers are clearly not full because someone has consumed some of its contents. But if I had here a glass of water, filled to the brim, there would be no room for anything else. What would it be like if I were filled completely full of Christ? What would it be like if there were no room in me for anything other than Christ? Good discussion with Nancy about these questions. She suggested two possibilities:

First is the response of priests, monks and nuns who give up all earthly possessions and devote themselves completely to Christ. As I asked her about this some more, we recognized that this expression of the fullness of Christ would be difficult to impossible for me a married person. We who are married have entered a covenant that commits us to showing the love of Christ in this relationship. Walking away from this on the pretext of devotion to the fullness of Christ does not demonstrate His fullness; but rather it would dishonor Him.

The second expression she suggested calls for extending the love of Christ to the world as Jesus did. In this option, if I attained the fullness of Christ—if I were completely full of Christ—I would be available to people in need; be forgiving, merciful, and loving; be flexible to changes; I would allow the fruit of the Holy Spirit to grow in and flow through me.