In the fourth chapter of Ephesians, the apostle Paul transitions from explaining doctrinal truths about the Church to issuing a heartfelt challenge. The focus shifts from understanding the Church’s doctrine to embodying it in daily life. Central to this transformation is the call for unity within the Church, emphasizing Spirit-empowered ministry and love.
Unity and Spirit-Empowered Ministry:
Paul begins by stressing the Church’s need for unity, describing it as essential for releasing full Spirit-empowered ministry and love. Leaders in the Church are tasked with equipping believers for full-time ministry to their workaday world, emphasizing humility, gentleness, and patience.
One Body, One Spirit:
The apostle underscores the oneness of the Church, highlighting its unity in the Spirit, shared hope, faith, and baptism. This unity is grounded in the acknowledgment of one God and Father, emphasizing that each believer has received grace according to the measure of Christ’s gifts.
The Role of Leadership:
Paul introduces the concept of leadership as a means to equip saints for service, contributing to the building up of the body of Christ. He outlines various roles, such as apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, and teachers, stressing their purpose in fostering unity and maturity within the Church of Holy Spirit enabled ministers.
Transformation and Growth:
The overarching goal is the transformation of believers into mature individuals, attaining the unity of faith and knowledge of the Son of God. Paul encourages believers to grow up, avoiding doctrinal instability and deceit. Speaking the truth in love is emphasized as the pathway to growing up in all aspects into Christ, the head of the Church.
The Last Great Awakening – Lessons Learned:
Drawing from Rustan Hicks’ book, “The Last Great Awakening: A Wakeup Call to America’s Christians,” we find a call to align our lives with God’s will. Rustan emphasizes the transformative power of God, urging believers to move from self-centeredness to God-centeredness. The lessons learned from Ephesians 4 resonate with the need for a spiritual awakening, stressing unity, maturity, and love.
In Ephesians 4, Paul challenges every member of the Church to live in a manner worthy of their calling. As we unpack these verses, we discover a roadmap for unity, maturity, and Spirit-empowered ministry. The call to grow up and contribute to the building up of the body of Christ echoes the urgency found in “The Last Great Awakening,” reminding us of our collective responsibility as Christians in today’s world.
