Ephesians: Session 8 – Equipping the Saints

Notes:

Equipping The Saints – Ephesians 4:11-16

Eph. 4:11-12. The word “equipping” is a translation of the Greek word katartismos. The picture is of  a thing we want to use but something has to be done to it first. It carries the idea of:

  • To repair (Matt.4:21). The ministry of God’s Word puts us back together again.
  • To prepare (Heb.13:20-21). The Church is not a hospital ship; it is an army with a mission.

Eph. 4:13. We are on a journey, until every member of the Body comes to its proper place in unity, maturity and intimacy. The five-fold ministries play a vital part in this process. God’s 3-fold purpose:

1) Unity. “…the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God…” Our unity is a fact. All that remains is the demonstration or outworking of it, (Eph. 4:2-3). I must understand the truth about my identity, i.e. that I am a member of a body.

  • If I operate as an individual detached from the body, I will fragment what God has united.
  • Our unity is in Him; it is organic. There is nothing that will automatically cause us to experience unity more than to focus on Jesus. What is Christianity? It is Christ. Nothing else. Christian community is experienced through connection with Him, Col.3:16.

2) Maturity. “…to a perfect man”e. “into a full-grown, fully developed new man”.

  • The Church must relate to the Head, with each member playing its part.
  • Eph. 4:14. “That we should be no longer children…” Children are characterised by 3 things:
  1. Infantility in understanding. (1 Cor.14:20).
  2. Instability in behavior. “Tossed to and fro” i.e. feelings-based.
  3. Infiltration of false teaching. Children are easily convinced and deceived. Carried about with every wind of doctrine. “Every wind” – coming from all directions. This is due to ignorance. No foundation. No reference point. Therefore, no ability to test things.
  • Warnings about false teachers are given extensive mention in New Testament. Missionaries have more trouble with false teachings than with unbelief. If Christians are not firmly established in the truth they will be a target for cults and false teachings. Cults draw most of their membership from weak and immature Christians. They “lie in wait”. This is the same word used for Eve/the fall, (2 Cor.11:3), and Jesus’ tempters, (Lk.20:23).
  • Eph. 4:15. We go from being “no longer children” to “growing up into Him in all things” unto “a perfect man” by speaking the truth in love.

3) Conformity.“…to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ…” That which is filled with or by Christ, (Eph. 1:23). We are predestined to be conformed to the image of Christ, in whom dwells all the fullness of the Godhead. Of His fullness we have received.

  • This is Christian growth – developing into the full measure of the stature of Christ. Jesus lived by an indwelling Father. Now, what God the Father was to Jesus Christ, Jesus Christ is to you and to me. Filled with the fullness of God is a result of union with Christ.
  • Eph. 4:16. The body builds itself up in love. Beware of the counterfeit! When we do not experience life we will substitute it with activity. We can be full of works, but void of life. Life should be our concern. The Head initiates life!


  # Answers to this quiz are found in the notes above. Click on quiz to commence. Only correct spelling is recognised. A minimum 70%  correct is required to advance to the next session.