So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.
Summary: Sometimes it helps to restate what Paul has said in simpler terms. Here we look at a simplified version of this passage to get a better picture of what Paul is trying to say.
I want to look at this sentence as a whole so we can get an overview of what Paul is talking about here. To better capture the essence of Paul’s thought, let’s simplify the sentence for discussion’s sake. Please don’t misunderstand! I am not “messing with” God’s Word. We are only going to restate Paul’s thought in different words before going back to Paul’s original language.
Here we go:
So Christ himself [provided certain people] to equip his people [to be like Christ], so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity… and become mature, [fully Christ-like].
What do you think? Is this a fair restatement of this passage?
The people Christ provides his body, the church, are apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, and teachers. These people have specific roles and responsibilities in the body. Each role represents an aspect of who Christ is. All of these people are servants of God. They do not come on their own authority or of their own power.
The body of Christ, “his people,” are to be equipped and built up. The best summation of the equipment Paul refers to is found at the end of his letter, in the passage known as, “The Armor of God.” Paul’s metaphor of armor is something we “put on,” but in practice, this equipment is all spiritual. When it is put on internally, it changes the outer man.
The reason for building each believer up is so that we can put aside our own will and submit completely to our Lord Jesus. When that happens, when we let go of any claim to being in charge of our own lives and opinions, we find there are no more barriers between us and the other members of the body.
The other barrier that evaporates with our release of self-interest is the barrier between ourselves and our Lord. With this last barrier gone, we can attain “the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.”
The goal of Paul’s words is to help us understand why different people in the body of Christ have different roles. So why are some people considered more important than others?
What I see in Paul’s words is a different story. It is not about who is important, rather, it is about how we become more Christ-like and what happens when we get there.
Application: Thank God for people who are both gifted and willing to serve others.
Food for Thought: Paul talks about the leaders in the body of Christ and “his people,” meaning the other believers. When the body of Christ matures and attains the fullness of Christ, what is the difference between the leaders and the believers?
There really is no meaningful difference. The goal is for everyone to become mature in Christ. We all have different gifts to edify the body. Some water, some plant, but all growth is done by the Lord. It is not so much our differences that unite us as our common standing in Christ. 1 Corinthians 3: 5 – 9; 1 Corinthians 12: 7 – 12; 1 Corinthians 14: 26.
Rich,
Your words have prompted me to think about the parable of the workers in Matthew 20: 1-16. In the parable the vineyard owner pays everyone the same whether they worked all day or one hour. In the story the workers who had been there all day grumbled, but in the body of Christ I think the workers understand and gladly accept their gift of unmerited grace.
I like Rich’s response; good words and good scripture.
I have rewritten my response three times and started over. My analytical side always caters to putting thing in categories. Born again, believer, follower…to me these seem to be more milk-fed in the Spirit. Asking for and given milk when they are hungry. I’m not passing judgment on anyone!
Apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers…to me seem hungry for “real meat.” Hungry to receive and hungry to share.
When the body of Christ matures and attains the fullness of Christ, what is the difference between the leaders and the believers?
This question raises another question to me:
Will we all have the full knowledge of everything or will our level of understanding be to what we understood in the Spirit in our lives here on Earth?
I don’t have the answer. Seems like the Spirit has placed a sense of urgency for me to understand it. Knowing Him as I have, it could be a doorway into another area of my life that is a barrier. Seems like that happens a lot with Him and me.
Sort of like a padlock on a door. Left three times, right twice, one more time to the left. Once the lock is off and the door is opened, the numbers on the lock aren’t as important.
I’ll have to pray on it.
Chris,
The passage you spark in my memory is Mark 10:15 —
“Truly I tell you, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.”
When you use the phrase “full knowledge” I hear the connotation of full ‘left brain’ knowledge. But there is another kind of knowledge. As Paul says in his letter to the Corinthians:
“For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.” (1 Corinthians 13:12)
As children of God, we will know our Savior face to face, hug to hug, hand in hand. It doesn’t get better than that. 🙂
06-22-2023, When the body of Christ matures and attains the fullness of Christ, what is the difference between the leaders and the believers?
We will all be sanctified, perfected by God and enjoy His eternal presence equally. At the same time. the Bible does speak of different crowns and rewards as a result of our submission to His will here on earth.
Ephesians 2:8-9, Galatians 2:20
Our salvation, faithfulness, works, all good is being done in the name and power the of our Lord Jesus Christ working through us. However Jesus clearly tells us, He is coming and there will be crowns for all believers.
Revelation 3:11
I am coming quickly; hold fast what you have, so that no one may rob you and deprive you of your crown.
2 Timothy 4:8, The crown of RIGHTEOUSNESS, to all who have loved His appearing
James 1:12, The crown of LIFE , the VICTORS crown
1 Peter 5:4, The unfading conqueror’s crown of GLORY.
Revelation 22:12, Jesus say’s “I shall bring My WAGES and REWARDS with Me, to repay and RENDER to each one just what HIS own actions and HIS own work merit.”
Revelation 4:10–11
In John’s vision of heaven we see, the twenty-four elders fall down before Him who is seated on the throne and worship Him who lives forever and ever as they cast their crowns before the throne,
I believe the elders’ response is the way all will respond when we receive our promised reward from Jesus.
Although the Scriptures do not state it specifically, it is likely that we will all follow the example of the twenty-four elders in placing our crowns at the feet of Jesus. This priceless crown will be the best gift we can give as in humility we return the gift to the ONE who has always been the power of all good done through us.
Ron,
Thank you! You take us from earth to heaven and I totally agree. Standing before our Lord will be an incredibly humbling experience.