Words of Encouragement

  This page is dedicated to bringing encouragement and insight to God's people and reaching the lost for Christ.

November 8, 2022

 Ephesians 4 Model

What is the Ephesians 4 Model?

A Study of Ephesians 4:11-16

What is your experience like in your church? When you leave your church service are you different from when you entered? Is your relationship to God enhanced by your being in your church service? Are you challenged to fulfill the will of the Lord while attending church service?

There are probably a lot more questions that could be asked to determine the effectiveness of church services in your own personal walk of faith.

The intent of this study is not to come down on your church or its worship services, bible teachings, prayer meetings, or fellowships. The purpose is for you to make a personal examination of your impact upon your church’s ministry. You may be familiar with the adage; you get out of it what you put in it.

This sort of puts a different slant on the questions. For a long time, pastors have been held accountable for the success or failure of the ministry. Well, God still holds the pastor accountable. But the burden of accountability for ministry also rests with the people of God. Beginning with Moses’ exhortation to the people in Deuteronomy 4:9 , it has been the responsibility of each individual to know (experience) the works of the Lord and tell it to the next generation. It is not merely the job of ministry leadership to further the message of the good news. Every believer has a role.

The church was founded on the concept of helping one another grow in a love relationship with God and one another.

Bibleref.com points out that, the Apostle Paul was concerned with the spiritual growth of the church. For Paul “the end goal is to be “full” of Christ or the “fulness of Christ”. See Ephesians 1:23; 3:19. There is a definite cause and effect dynamic that takes place in the church as believers mature in Christ. They become more like Christ, they have more of an impact on the lives of those round them. We are able to comfort those who need comforting with the same comfort that we ourselves have received. We can weep with those who mourn and lift up the hands of the feeble. We fulfill the work of the ministry because we have matured, or are maturing. Selah

I recognize that I am not taking the scriptures in order but bear with me momentarily: In Ephesians 4:13 Paul uses the term teleios (Te-li-os) (KJV). When he speaks of the end result of the work of the ministry in the lives of believers. In the NIV the word is transliterated mature. In KJV the word is transliterated to mean perfect.

Strong’s concordance notes: Teleios has several variations, ie brought to its end, finished, wanting nothing necessary to completeness, perfect, that which is perfect; as in consummate human integrity and virtue, full grown, adult, of full age, mature.

 Hold the Strong’s Concordance explanation of “teleios” in mind as we look a little further into Ephesians 4:11-16.

Ephesians 4:11,12

Here Paul introduces what many have termed the “fivefold ministry”: The ministry of the Apostle, The ministry of the Prophet, The ministry of the Evangelist, and the ministry of the Pastors and Teachers.

While these offices of ministry have led to a form of hierarchy within the church as time rolled on, it was not so in the beginning. Jesus taught the disciples that if you want to be chief among the body of Christ you must be the servant to all. But over the centuries since the church was established, we have turned things upside down. We elevate the Apostle over the rest of the body. And the ministry of the prophet has remained something to be wary of rather than attain to. Our Evangelists have become mocked or scorned for their mega ministries, sometimes deservedly so. It is the lowly Pastor and Teacher who has been pressed into a role that forces them to attempt to do it all.

Each of these ministries were designed by God to address the needs of the young growing church. The purpose of these ministries is to equip believers for service to the Lord so the church will be built up (in the King James it says edified). Strong’s Concordance further breaks down the concept behind the word for edify, noting 1. (the act of) building, building up- metaphorically, "edifying, edification, i. e. the act of one who promotes another's growth in Christian wisdom, piety, holiness, happiness"

This is the work of the ministry to believers by believers.

Paul, emphasizes that the end result is that the church, (all the members) should grow spiritually. We’re to mature spiritually that we may go out and be followers of Jesus to the rest of the world. Jesus often proclaimed, “I have come down from heaven not to do my will but to do the will of him who sent me.” John 6:38

We are to follow in Jesus’ footsteps to do the Father’s will. It all begins with the work of the ministry to one another in the church. We practice our faith in the midst of the body of Christ that God has placed us in. And as we mature we then can do ministry in the world wherever God chooses to send us.

Jesus had a simple process: he told the disciples what God had sent him to do, he did what God had sent him to do, he empowered them to do what God had sent him to do, he sent the disciples out to do what God had sent him and he is now sending them to do.

In the church we are so very important to one another.  Selah

I did a quick google to see how often the phrase one another was mentioned in the bible. I came across this very cool infographic created by Jeffry Kranz (Overviewbible.com) In the infographic he states that the phrase one another is mentioned 100 times in 97 verses in the New Testament.

I appreciate how he has broken down the various categories of the- one- another phrases: He notes 47 of the verses give instructions to believers. And he says, Paul wrote 60% of the -one -another commands.  Kranz then offers subheading for the verses: Unity, Love, Humility and others. Check it out for yourself, I think it will be very beneficial.

Basically, a lot of emphasis is placed on the relationship of believers to one another. How can we carry the Gospel to the lost if we cannot live the Gospel among the brothers and sisters of our own community of Faith?

One more observation about the word Teleios: One of the transliterations of Teleios is perfect or that which is perfect. I personally have always struggled with the concept of being perfect. In fact, when I read (present tense) “Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect. Matthew 5:48 I still have a pause. I am only too aware of my short comings, failures to do what I know to be right, proneness to take the easier route even though it may not be the exemplar thing to do. I could go on and make myself out to be some great sinner and fraud, so I had better stop here.

Fortunately for my troubled soul, the Spirit of the living God who knows all of my infirmities, reminds me that my perfection, like my righteousness does not come from my deeds. They come from my faith in the one who is able to make me righteous, make me perfect. Saint John, in his letter, 1 John, writes, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.” (1 John 1:9) My total dependence is upon the grace and faithfulness of God to make me perfect as he is perfect. Meanwhile I strive to correct those areas of my life that the Holy Spirit bring to my attention, in route to being perfect (Teleios) or mature.

We will pick up the study of Ephesians 4 Model  during our next installment

Ephesians 4:14-15

As we go further into the Ephesians 4 verses we come to Ephesians 4:14. Without the faithful work of the Spirit of the living God we would not have the firm foundation upon which to rest our faith. We would not have the solid rock upon which our faith can not only stand but even grow. But none of this is done in a vacuum. We need one another. And most importantly we need the Holy Spirit of God whom Paul also refers to as the Spirit of Wisdom. As we mature in Christ, we gain an understanding of how the Word of God works in various circumstances. We learn how to trust in the faithfulness of the Spirit of God to rightly guide us. We gain a stability that keeps us from being tossed by every wind of doctrine. I like the way Paul puts it he says we will no longer be like infants. By reason of the testing of our faith, by reason of the challenging of our knowledge of the Word of God we become mature in understanding the difference between Godly wisdom and error. Because we are steadfast and unmovable in our trust in the Word of the Lord, we then can be a help to others who are weak in their faith, or in need of Godly counsel. What a difference! As we mature in the Word of the Lord and in the fellowship of the saints, we are able to defeat the cunning craftiness of the evil one. Could this be what Jesus envisioned when he prayed that his disciples might all be one? John 17:21 “that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me, and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me”. Our oneness comes from a willingness to be in fellowship with one another. Our willingness to share in one another’s burdens and joys is a direct result of our maturing in Christ together. “How can two walk together?”, the scriptures asks, “except they be agreed.” Amos 3:3 Just as a point of clarity this walking in agreement does not mean we are clones of one another. God has called us as individuals to have the same mind as Christ Jesus. That mind, that focus is to do the will of him who sends us. In this we are to be agreed.

All believers do not all think alike. (Paul and Barnabus who were God’s dynamic duo ministering to the early church had a very sharp disagreement that caused them to break up the duo and choose new partners to work with.)  And yet, there is a kindred spirit that is recognizable. We can recognize the Spirit of Christ in one another. We also recognize the truth of our walk before the Lord. When we demonstrate our faith in our works, even unbelievers are able to know that we are Christians by our consistent love and deeds. Selah

Ephesians 4:15 is a continuation of the theme of maturing. Paul specifies to his readers what he considers to be the path to maturity. Paul regards truth as an essential element of our maturity. “Speaking the truth” (Eph.4:15) to one another can be a difficult task; especially if you do not have a love relationship with the person you are about to share a truth with that would have the potential of challenging them. Speaking the truth should never be used as a way to degrade, discourage, dishearten, or put someone in their place. Speaking the truth ought to be for the good of the individual to whom the truth is being directed.

Speaking the truth is also for your good as well. I was reading an article on “Thirteen Things That Will Happen When You Always Speak The Truth”, the article was not necessarily speaking from a Christian view point. The article promoted speaking the truth as a personal benefit with such rewards as, You will become more authentic to the people around you, The Truth saves you from a lot of trouble, It will shape up your morals, number 6 on the list is very interesting it says, Your spirit will be more at ease; the benefit suggested here is, “Whether religious or spiritual, opening yourself up to a more honest lifestyle will soothe your soul and promote a more productive, healthy and positive person to promote to others” The article continues with 13 reasons for why you ought to be truthful. They are excellent concepts that should work for saints or sinners. (lifehacks.org)

I cannot help but recall when I finally came to the realization that I was a sinner in need of a savior. I was not made to feel worthless. But rather the opposite. It was as though God himself was saying to me that I was more valuable than I could ever imagine. He sent his son to die for me. Why was I not running to accept his grace and forgiveness. Yes, it was very clearly true that I was a miserable sinner, but I was also greatly beloved of the Lord. Consider if you will, when the Spirit of the Living God speak the truth of who and what you are to you?

I like how John puts it in his letter of 1John in verse 18 of chapter 3 he writes, “Little children, let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth” We do need to consider what impact our words will have before we loose them. Because once they have been loosed there is no drawing them back. Too often the harm an unguarded word can cause to another becomes a root of bitterness that only grows. The scriptures tell us he who wins souls is wise. We are to speak the truth in love and with great wisdom.

A different aspect of speaking the truth is our acknowledging our weaknesses rather than trying to seem to be someone we are not. In Zechariah 8:16 God says, “These are the things which you should do: speak the truth to one another; judge with truth and judgment for peace in your gates.” God through Micah also says that we are to walk humbly with our God. I really like the emphasis that the Amplified Version of The Bible offers: “He has told you, O man, what is good; And what does the Lord require of you Except to be just, and to love [and to diligently practice] kindness (compassion), And to walk humbly with your God [setting aside any overblown sense of importance or self-righteousness]?” Micah 6:8 Humility is our helper in fulfilling this walk of faith and speaking the truth. 

December 3, 2022  Ephesians 4 Model concluded: Final Installment 

Ephesians 4:16

As I conclude my remarks on Ephesians 4:11-16 I cannot help but be grateful to the God of our salvation for his Word. It has been the Word of God that has brought such wonderful changes in my life. With the Holy Spirit of God and his unfailing Word I have been blessed to indeed experience new life in Christ. I am so different from the person that I was prior to coming to faith in Christ.

Working with a number of pastors and congregations down through the years has made me so much more aware of the great work of redemption that the Lord has accomplished in my life. It has helped me to develop a greater awareness of my place in the body of Christ. I know that God has called me to be an encourager. I strive to be that within the body of Christ as well as in my encounters with those within my sphere of influence.

Ephesians 4:16 sums up the purpose of the church (the body of Christ). We are to not only reach the lost and encourage them to know the Lord, but we are to be instrumental in building one another up in our walk of faith. As we mature in Christ, we are no longer infants and require the basics but rather we are to live out the basics. We become a source of encouragement and inspiration for the younger believer and the novice. The phrase “when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love”, indicates just how much we are to be a part of the ministry of the church. I confess that I did not grasp this message soon enough. I was willing to sing, to teach and even to preach when asked but taking the responsibility for the growth of other believers was not something I was willing to take on. And yet in a real sense how we conduct our walk of faith will impact the growth and development of those around us. We are responsible for the impact we have on the rest of the body of Christ. We may think well I am not called to be a pastor so I cannot do his or her job. But you are still responsible for praying for members of the body, you are still responsible for praying for the pastor, you are still responsible for praying for the lost. You are still responsible for representing Christ. When the Lord lays a need upon your heart whether it is spiritual or natural you are responsible for responding to his calling in your life. We must identify ourselves with the body of Christ in the good and the bad. We must recognize that were it not for the grace of God we could be in the same state as our weaker fellow believer. We who are strong must support those who are weak. We are to do it in love. The unity of the church is the power of the church to accomplish the work.

I close this narrative on Ephesians 4:11-16 with an exhortation from Biblestudytools.com, “Many churches can become so distracted by financial concerns, outreach schemes, and cultural relevance that their human efforts undermine the purity of Christ’s mission. Christ has already provided all the Church needs to fulfill our mission. Our labor is only effective for the Kingdom of God when we are working Christ’s plan, in the flow of His Spirit, for God’s glory” https://www.biblestudytools.com/bible-study/topical-studies/signs-from-the-church-at-sardis-that-your-church-may-be-dying.html

There is quite a lot more than can be said regarding these scriptures but what I have shared is from my heart.

For those of you who have read through this narrative even though you yourself have not come to a soul saving relationship with Jesus, first let me say thank you for persevering and reading through to the end.

Second let me encourage you that these words can apply to you if you are simply ready to recognize that there is nothing you can ever do to make yourself ready for the judgement to come. The bible tells us that, “it is appointed and destined for all men to die once and after this [comes certain] judgment”, Hebrews 9:27 AMP But God has made a way for everyone of us to be delivered from condemnation in that judgement. You have seen the scripture “God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, John 3:16, That whoever believes in him shall not perish but shall have everlasting life”

You can walk in this new life that I have mentioned “if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.” Romans 10:9

Do that today and go tell someone of your newfound faith.

Father, I thank you for the timelessness of your Word and your Promises. I pray you will use these words to encourage your children as they grow in their relationship with you. I pray that you will work in the heart of every person who does not know you as Lord to bring them to yourself, through Jesus Christ our Lord.