Unity, Maturity and Diversity in the Body of Christ
study in the Chapterhouse
The Constant Need
Ephesians 4:1-16
Holman Christian Standard Bible
1 Therefore I, the prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk worthy of the calling you have received, 2 with all humility and gentleness , with patience {tolerating}, accepting {bearing} one another in love, 3 diligently keeping the unity * of the Spirit with the peace that binds us. 4 There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to {called in} one hope at your calling— 5 one Lord, one faith, one baptism, 6 one God and Father of all, who is above all and through all and in all.
*Keeping the unity means: acceptance and active love (agape: inviting love / or 'Hesed'), creating an environment with mutual trust and support.
See: David Guzik's article about unity
(see: the apostolic heart in Rm.1:12 and 14:19)
See: David Guzik's article about unity
(see: the apostolic heart in Rm.1:12 and 14:19)
7 Now grace was given to each one of us according to the measure of the Messiah’s gift. 8 For it says:
When He ascended on high,
He took prisoners into captivity {He led the captives};
He gave gifts to people. {Ps.68;18}
He took prisoners into captivity {He led the captives};
He gave gifts to people. {Ps.68;18}
9 But what does “He ascended” mean except that He {first} descended to the lower parts of the earth? {or to the lower parts: the earth}* 10 The One who descended** is also the One who ascended*** far above all the heavens, that He might {ful}fill all things.
11 And He personally gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, some pastors and teachers,* 12 for the training of the saints in the work of ministry, to build up the body of Christ , 13 until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of God’s Son, growing into a mature man with a stature measured by Christ’s fullness. 14 Then we will no longer be little children, tossed by the waves and blown around by every wind of teaching, by human cunning with cleverness in the techniques of deceit.
*These are the five basic services in the Church, the sentence refers the higher ranks too, aiming the final, healthy status for the Church: strength and unity (in v.12-13).
The next part (v.14) talks about the adversaries' works and technics.
The next part (v.14) talks about the adversaries' works and technics.
15 But speaking the truth in love, let us grow in every way into Him who is the head—Christ. 16 From Him* the whole body, fitted and knit together by every supporting ligament, promotes the growth of the body for building up itself in love by the proper working of each individual part.
*like the human body depends on its parts, lead by the head, in the same way the Church grows up in real connections, by Christ.
In Jesus's parable (Lk 16:19) we read a special place in the afterlife for the chosen: the 'Abraham's bosom'. On the opposite side the ungodly find themselves in the gehenna (ge-hinnom: a trash-valley with fire, place for the damned in the afterlife) which is well separated from the godly by a great chasm.
**The significance of this verses is the fact that Jesus willingly descended to the lower regions a) the Earth, then, after the death on the Cross He temporarily visited b) the Seol/shady place to save (I) those who died before the Cross/redemption, ***then he ascended to the c) Heaven of heaven, whilst he was/is saving others (II) here, on the Earth in this Life/Time (then & now) - exactly how the