Equipping the Saints

Daily Scripture Reading – 2 Peter 1

Verse of the Day – Ephesians 4:12
…for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ…

Devotional Thoughts
In our devotional on Thursday we took a look at Ephesians 4:11, seeing that God has given free gifts of His grace to the Church. These spiritual gifts, given corporately to the whole Body include the Apostles, Prophets, evangelists and pastor-teachers. We took the time to learn about each of these offices in the church and what they contribute to the structure of the church.

Today we will move on the verse 12 and see why these men have been given to the church. Why has God given these gifts? The short answer is indeed contained in Eph 4:12 – Christ has given these men to the church “for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ.” But what exactly does that mean? We will take the next 3 days to break this statement apart and learn what each phrase means and when we are done we will, I hope, have a new understanding and appreciation for the true work of the ministry and those who lead us in the worship of God.

Let us begin then by the first task of those who shepherd our souls. They have been given:

For the Equipping of the Saints

There is a difference between church growth and church expansion. Many today are clamoring after church expansion, thinking that to add numbers and budget expenditures is growth. That is simply not true. Jesus tells us that He will build His Church. As He does so, He works according to the plans He has detailed in Scripture. These next verses give us a very detailed look at how He builds His Church.

Church growth occurs when the people (believers in the local body) grow spiritually and bear good fruit. Expansion deals with quantity. Growth deals with quality. We cannot afford to confuse the two. Too often a church expands and thinks this is growth while the body is sick and dying, imbibing false doctrine and spiritual errors, being led by men who focus on meeting felt needs instead of obeying the Bible.

We should never target demographics for the sake of expansion. In fact the only demographic we are commanded to reach is the lost. Any further break down, any further categorization, is foolish and sinful!

We see then that the first step in true church growth occurs as those who lead the church and minister before God fulfill their role by equipping the saints. To equip here means to set a broken bone, and refers to a restoration original condition, to make complete, mature, and perfect. (See 1 Thess. 1:2-7 and 1 Peter 5:3-4).

What does it mean then practically for the elders of the church to equip the saints?

Individual members of the Body are equipped as they “become complete.” And Paul tells us that this is defined as being “of good comfort, be of one mind, live in peace” ( 2 Cor. 13:11). Further Hebrews 13:20-21 tells us that God, as the Great Shepherd of the sheep, will “make you complete in every good work to do His will, working in you what is well pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen.” The goal then of equipping saints is that they be mature, complete, and perfect in their faith. Will we ever be perfect while in this fallen world? No. But we are to ever be pressing toward that mark knowing that when Christ appears we will be like Him!

We also see that the church is equipped corporately as a whole local body. 1 Corinthians 1:10 tells us that Paul’s desire for the church was unity. “Now I plead with you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment.” So growth involves maturity on a personal level and that works its way out in unity on the corporate level. And as we studied last week, the true basis for unity is the truth of God’s Word as we are fed and led by sound doctrine!

So what tools are to be used by those who shepherd our souls so that we might be brought to maturity and unity? There are several tools given and used by men and by God to equip us and fit us for Christian living. Today we will look at 4 of them.

The first and probably most obvious tool used to equip the saints is the Word of God. Key verses that demonstrate this for us are found in 2 Tim. 3:16-17 and Acts 6:4. There the Word of God itself says to us:

All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.

…but we will give ourselves continually to prayer and to the ministry of the word.

The calling and work of the pastor-teacher, following the examples of the Apostles and elders in the New Testament church, is to first be given to prayer and the ministry of the Word. This is our primary focus! For only in fulfilling this mandate are we able to effectively equip the church. This is true because in prayer we learn the mind of God and in the ministry of the Word we use the only infallible, inerrant, and inspired tool that we have been given for equipping the saints.

All Scripture is God breathed. And all Scripture – ALL SCRIPTURE – is profitable for doctrine (what we believe), for reproof (confronting sin and error), for correction (turning us from our sin and to truth), and for instruction in righteousness (step by step practical ways to live what is right and true). We see then that without the sound and consistent preaching of the Word of God no church can hope to truly grow, mature, or bear fruit! Worship starts and ends with the Word of God.

It is no wonder by the way that the churches that face the greatest expansion are often those with the lowest view of Scripture. Those ministers, so called, who preach to men about men a man centered religiousity draw great crowds. But large numbers never equates automatically to growth, maturity, or the presence of sound doctrine!

The second tool given for the equipping of the saints was mentioned there along with the ministry of the Word – it is prayer. A church lives or dies by its prayer life. As Leonard Ravenhill said quite boldly, “a preacher that is not praying is playing and a people that are not praying are straying!” Prayer is the life blood of the church – communion with her Savior.

Colossians 4:12-13 says:

Epaphras, who is one of you, a bondservant of Christ, greets you, always laboring fervently for you in prayers, that you may stand perfect and complete in all the will of God. For I bear him witness that he has a great zeal for you, and those who are in Laodicea, and those in Hierapolis.

Paul notes and makes mention of Epaphras, specifically as he prays earnestly for the church. And for what does he pray? That the church be perfect, mature, and complete in the will of God. Do we pray for church growth – for maturity and depth?

Many churches it is said have a great outreach and impact, and it is stated that they are 3 miles wide but only an inch deep. Jesus is not nearly so concerned with breadth as He is depth! For throughout the New Testament He was encouraging depth and often when He did teach deep truths He Himself saw “disciples” forsake Him quickly!!

Prayer is a tool that we must be using if the church is to grow. A church that does not pray will not grow, in fact. Just as people who do not breathe will die! Prayer is in truth spiritual breathing! It is necessary for life. How can we abide in Christ if we are not communing with Him often and intimately? Pastors then must lead by example and they must instist that if the church does nothing else, it prays!

The third tool, used by God for equipping us, is not very popular! Then again, neither is the Word or prayer judging by the focus of most churches around us today. But the minister must be familiar with this tool so that he can show the saints how God uses it. It is the tool of tests and trials.

These serve to purge us. To try us and to prove our faith. How can we know the quality of our faith unless it is tried? And pastors must be able to help us bear up under these trials and they must point us to the Divine purposes in the trials. James did this. He wrote in his epistle:

My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.

We must be taught to take joy in trials, for that is not usually our natural response, is it? But here it is in the Word of God, we are told to count it all joy when out faith is tried. This test will produce patience and patience matures us! There is maturity again. There is growth.

You see, over and over we keep hearing this word “complete.” To be equipped is to be made complete, to be made mature. And what was one of the obstacles to discernment that we have to learn to overcome? Immaturity. That is why we need to realise that true church growth is not about numbers, but about being made complete. Church growth is not about how many people are coming to church. It is about how those who are there are living their daily lives! If they are being brought to maturity then the church is growing, no matter how large or how small it is!!

And the fourth tool used to equip the saints is even less popular, I assure you, for it is the tool used in the hand of God to break and humble us. It is the tool of suffering. Okay. Now I have gone too far, haven’t I? How is it that suffering equips us for anything? But listen to the Scriptures:

But may the God of all grace, who called us to His eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after you have suffered a while, perfect, establish, strengthen, and settle you. – 1 Peter 5:10

…that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death… – Phil 3:10

…who comforts us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort those who are in any trouble, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so our consolation also abounds through Christ. 2 Cor 1:4-5

Too many believers today are being taught and believing the lie that suffering is always a direct result of sin. The televangelists tell us that if we are suffering it is because we are sinning, lacking in faith, or under the curse of self-deceit. They are adamant about the fact that a strong, faithful Christian never suffers. THAT is a LIE and a DOCTRINE of DEMONS!

Jesus said Himself that when we followed Him we WOULD SUFFER. The Bible tells us over and over again that a sovereign God uses suffering to grow us and make us complete. If you do not suffer, you are not saved!

It is true, too, though, that at times God will allow suffering as a result of sin. But if our suffering is our own doing it will be accompanied by the conviction of the Holy Spirit. If suffering is a tool used by God for equipping, we will experience peace and comfort while in the midst of the trouble.

In this “tool box” then we find God equipping us through testing and suffering. But it is left to the gifted men (Evangelists and Pastor-Teachers) to equip the body with the Word (Apostles and Prophets) and through Prayer.

Application Comparisons for the Equipping of the Saints

Let us look then at several right ways and several wrong ways to facilitate true church growth by the equipping of the saints. Compare:

Programs vs. Maturity

The Church is an organism, not an organization. Sadly though, many churches are “programmed” to the point that the Spirit could leave and the work would still go on without Him. People would not even realize His absence. A multitude of programs for believers of all ages does not substitute for spiritual maturity.

Entertainment vs. Worship

Where is the focus? Entertainment focuses on us. Worship focuses on God. In Hosea 4:6 we are told that God’s people perish for lack of knowledge not lack of programs, meetings, special music, or crowd pleasing sermons! Lack of the knowledge of God and His Word. Entertainment is a cheap substitute that many churches have settled for. You see, the worship of a holy God can offend a person when they are confronted with their sinfulness and told that there is nothing they can do on their own to remedy their sin or selfish lives. Entertainment never offends. It simply amuses to death.

Large vs. Small

It was wisely said that too often ministers focus on the empty seats instead of the filled ones!! That says it all, doesn’t it? Where is our focus? A young preacher once complained to Charles H. Spurgeon about his small congregation. He just knew he could do more good for the kingdom if only more people could be exposed to his ministry. Spurgeon replied, “Well, maybe it is as large as you’d like to give account for in the day of judgment!” Well said! It is not about numbers, it is about maturity and bearing fruit.

Conclusion

Simply put, we must equip and be equipped by learning the truth, applying truth, and living the truth – 2 Peter 1:12-13, 15

For this reason I will not be negligent to remind you always of these things, though you know and are established in the present truth. Yes, I think it is right, as long as I am in this tent, to stir you up by reminding you…

Moreover I will be careful to ensure that you always have a reminder of these things after my decease.

Links for Further Study
(links to study each daily topic in more detail if you have the desire and the time)

Truth vs. Technique by John MacArthur
Soul Saving Our One Business by Charles Spurgeon

Bible Reading For Further Study
Col. 1:28, 4:12; 1 Tim. 4:6, 11, 13; 2 Tim. 4:2
2 Cor 13:9; Phil 1:6; Col 2:10

Recommended Songs for Worship
The Church of God is Stablished
May the Mind of Christ My Savior

Gifts Given to the Church

Daily Scripture Reading – 1 Peter 5

Verse of the Day – Ephesians 4:11
And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers…

Devotional Thoughts
In seeing that Jesus has the Divine Right to bestow free gifts of grace upon those who are a part of His body, the church, we know that we are each given spiritual gifts to use in order to edify the Body and minister to (serve) one another. But at times, in the study of spiritual gifts, there is a category of gifts that are overlooked. Today we will look at that category of gifts given by grace freely to the church by Her Master.

These corporate gifts, given to the whole body, are men! Yes, you read that correctly. Jesus has given as a spiritual gift to His church those men who lead and serve in the church. In our text from Ephesians 4 we see that there are a number of offices, or positions, to which He calls and appoints men to serve His bride. “He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers.”

Have you ever thought about the apostles, prophets, evangelists, or even your own pastor as a spiritual gift? Well, each of these are indeed gifts given to the church, so let us study the Scriptures to see what it is exactly that Christ has given us.

Apostles and Prophets

Apostles

The word apostle means literally “one sent on a mission.” This is a person appointed to a task or sent on an errand. It is a word used to describe several people in the New Testament including disciples, Barnabas, Paul, and others. But here, in our text in Ephesians 4, it is referring to a particular group of twelve men given to the church for a specific reason by Christ.

The Twelve Apostles are Simon Peter, Andrew, James, John, Philip, Bartholomew, Thomas, Matthew, James the son of Alpheus, Thaddeus, Simon the Canaanite, and Paul.

Some will ask how we know these are the twelve. Others want to know how we know there are only twelve. And there is always the question of Matthias, who replaced Judas after he betrayed Christ and then killed himself.

To answer these questions we need only to look to the Scriptures. Revelation 21:14 tells us that there are twelve foundations to the New Jerusalem, one for each Apostle. Matthew 10:2-4 gives us the names of the Twelve, including Judas (see also Mark 3:13-19 and John 20:19-21). Acts 1:15-26 gives us the account of Peter leading the Apostles to find a replacement for Judas; however, Matthias is never identified as an Apostle. Since we know there are only twelve in this office of the church and we only have 11 with Judas missing, then who replaced Judas?

The twelfth Apostle is a man also chosen by Christ as the others were. He was qualified by Christ to meet the requirements of the office so that he might serve the church as an apostle. He was Saul of Tarsus to whom Christ appeared on the road to Damascus, saved, renamed Paul, and appointed as an Apostle. (see Acts 9:1-9; Gal 5:15-17; 1 Cor 15:7-10).

So what were the requirements given for one to be an Apostle? According to Acts 1:21-22; 1 Cor 15:7; and 1 Cor 9:1 and 15:8 an Apostle was one called and appointed personally to the office by Christ who had also seen Him physically and visibly after His resurrection.

Prophets

Jesus refers to the Prophets on a number of occassions in order to provide a summary of the Old Testament. These were men called and appointed by God to give His Word by means of direct revelation to His people and His enemies while Israel was under the Old Covenant. There are also prophets mentioned in the New Testament who did the same, they preached, taught, and counseled people with words that came directly from God, revealed to them by the Holy Spirit. For examples of prophets in the New Testament, see Acts 13:1, 21-28 and Ephesians 3:5. And since the list of prophets is indeed long from the Old Testament we will leave that for your own study!

Responsibilities of Apostles and Prophets

The question then remains, what were the Apostles and Prophets given by Christ to His church in order to do? From Scripture we learn that there were three basic responsibilities for these gifted men in the church.

First, the Apostles and Prophets laid the foundation of the church (Eph. 2:20; Acts 2:42. Secondly, they were appointed by Christ to receive, declare, and record (write down) the Word of God (Acts 11:28, 21:10-11; Eph. 3:5. And third, they were called and empowered to give confirmation of this Divine revelation through signs, wonders, and miracles (2 Cor. 12:12; Acts 8:6-7; Hebrews 2:3-4.

So we see that in this first category we have men called, equipped, empowered, and qualified by Christ who were responsible ultimately for laying the foundation of the Church (of which Christ is the cornerstone) with the Word of God. They handled direct revelation and through the working of the Holy Spirit minister to and serve the church even today through the Word that they wrote by Inspiration.

Evangelists

The next office, or calling that is mentioned as being given to the church by Christ is that of Evangelists. Some believe that these are men who preach to great crowds of people exhorting them to be saved. Others assume that this is a special class of people who have been given a gift of evangelism. But evangelism is not a gift. The Bible never tells us that certain people have been given the gift or ability to evangelize better than others. In fact, it is the role of every believer to evangelize the lost.

We also must note that here the gift is not the ability to preach or evangelize. The spiritual gift is those who are called and equipped by God specifically to serve the church as evangelists. Notice that this is a gift given to the church, not the world! And while evangelism is aimed at the world, it starts and ends with the church.

The term evangelist is the Greek word evangelidzo. It is a word that is used 54 times in the New Testament and it means “to proclaim the good news.” That good news, the euangelion, is mentioned 76 times in the New Testament. We see then that the role of the Evangelist is two-fold as they bring the lost to Christ, and as they teach and equip the church to do the same.

We note that God Himself was the first Evangelist (Gal 3:8). Others who are called Evangelists include angels (Luke 2:10), Jesus (Luke 20:1), and the Apostles (Acts 8:4). Today we understand that those called to and fulfilling this role include missionaries and church planters (Acts 2:8; 2 Tim. 4:5; Acts 8:4-40).

Pastor-Teachers

Some break this last group into two separate groups, but the word used indicates that this is one office within the church. There are several words used to describe the function and responsibility of pastor-teachers, so let us look then at this gift given by Christ to His church. (Note that Christ appoints these men in the church! They are His gift to the Body.)

Three words describe the same office. Here are the three as they are used in a few verses:

The elders who are among you I exhort, I who am a fellow elder and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and also a partaker of the glory that will be revealed: Shepherd the flock of God which is among you, serving as overseers, not by compulsion but willingly, not for dishonest gain but eagerly – 1 Peter 5:1-2

From Miletus he sent to Ephesus and called for the elders of the church. – Acts 20:17

Therefore take heed to yourselves and to all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God which He purchased with His own blood. – Acts 20:28

This is a faithful saying: If a man desires the position of a bishop, he desires a good work. – 1 Timothy 3:1

There are three words that are translated as elder, overseer, shepherd, and bishop so let us look at what the Bible says about those who would be called and qualified to be given by Christ to His church as pastor-teachers by examining these words.

Overseer, or Bishop

Translated from the Greek word episkopas it is a word that means “overseer, guardian, decision maker, or manager.” Here are a few verses where the word is used:

1 Peter 2:25 speaks of Christ as the “Overseer of your souls.” Philippians 1:1 refers to those who were appointed as elders of the church at Philippi. 1 Tim. 3:1-2 introduces us to a paragraph of Scripture that tells us about the qualities necessary for a man who is given as a pastor to the church. And Acts 20:28 makes reference with this word to the Ephesian elders.

Roman and Greek cultural usage of the word episkopas finds an overseer being the authority figure representing Caesar in a conquered territory (like Pontius Pilate for instance). The term signified the person’s authority, their accountability to a higher power, and their task of introducing a new order of life!

Elder

The word presbuteros is translated “elder”. It speaks of a man who is older or mature. In Acts 14:23 we see that a new local church is planted by the appointing of elders. Churches all over Asia are identified as having a leadership structure consisting of elders (1 Peter 1:1; 5:1-2).

Paul sent for the elders of the Ephesian church (Acts 20:17), and he also served as an elder in the church as well as being an Apostle (Acts 13:1). And we see a meeting of these church leaders in Acts 15:2, 4, 6, 22, 23; 16:4.

These were men who are mature in the faith, some older in years but all “older” regarding spiritual maturity and character. Biblically, the elders (plural) rule the church by unanimous decision led by the Spirit and guided by the Word of God. (1 Cor 1:10; Eph 4:3; Phil 1:27; Phil 2:2).

Pastor, or Shepherd

The third word used is the word poimen which is translated “pastor.” The word means “a shepherd, one who cares for, protects, and leads.”

In Heb. 13:20-21 Christ is identified by this term as our shepherd. And interestingly 1 Tim. 5:17 shows us the labor involved in pastoring, speaking about the work of shepherding by referring specifically to the effort of the work, not the amount. And 1 Tim. 3:1-7 and Titus 1:6-9 give us the required qualifications for these men who would shpepherd the church of God.

The pastor then is a shepherd, serving under and appointed by Christ to lead, feed, and protect the flock, the local church. The pastors model of course is Christ, who Himself is the Good Shepherd.

In examining these terms then we see that they do describe one man in one office, that of a pastor-teacher. The term elder refers to who the man is (his identity as mature in the faith), the term bishop refers to what he does (his job as overseer), and the term pastor refers to his heart as he does the job (his character as a shepherd)!

The Congregation

There is also a mention, by the way, of the Church’s response to God’s gift of these men. The congregation is duty bound before God in obedience to His Word to:

1. Obey them, being submissive to them while remembering and following their faith (Hebrews 13:7, 17).

2. Recognize him and his authority, esteeming him highly in love, maintaining peace in the Body (1 Thessalonians 5:12-13).

3. Count him worthy of double honor, remember that he is worthy of his wages and to be supported by the ministry (1 Tim 5:17-18; Matt. 10:10; Luke 10:7; 1 Cor. 9:9-14).

4. Do not receive an accusation against him unless it is made by two or three witnesses (1 Tim. 5:19).

Conclusion

Now that we see that there have been these men, called, appointed, qualified, and empowered by God to lead and serve His church. We see that these are indeed spiritual gifts of grace. Each of us has been given this gift in the church with which we have joined ourselves in covenant.

Next time you see your pastor, an elder, or missionary, thank him for the work he does, and tell him that you praise God in gratefulness for this gift He has chosen and given to your church!

Links for Further Study
(links to study each daily topic in more detail if you have the desire and the time)

The Role and Duties of Pastors by Pastor Way
Duties of Elders to the Church by John Gill

Bible Reading For Further Study
Many of the relevent verses have been provided in the text of this devotional, so click on them and you will be taken to the online Bible where you can read what each of these verses say!

Recommended Songs for Worship
Tell the Blessed Story
The Church of God a Kingdom Is

The Unity of the Faith

Daily Scripture Reading - Psalm 68

Verse of the Day - Ephesians 4:7-10
But to each one of us grace was given according to the measure of Christ’s gift. Therefore He says: “When He ascended on high, He led captivity captive, and gave gifts to men.” (Now this, “He ascended”—what does it mean but that He also first descended into the lower parts of the earth? He who descended is also the One who ascended far above all the heavens, that He might fill all things.)

Devotional Thoughts
Continuing on in our study of Ephesians 4 under the theme of walking in unity, we come next to Eph. 4:7-16. This next paragraph of text is a rich source of truth for us as we learn to discern. For as we have studied, discernment is not something that just happens, and honestly, it is not something we can muster up on our own without any assistance or input from outside of ourselves. Here then are the verses we will work through over the next few days:

But to each one of us grace was given according to the measure of Christ’s gift. Therefore He says:

“When He ascended on high,
He led captivity captive,
And gave gifts to men.”

(Now this, “He ascended”—what does it mean but that He also first descended into the lower parts of the earth? He who descended is also the One who ascended far above all the heavens, that He might fill all things.)And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ; that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting, but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head—Christ— from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love.

Notice where this text will take us – through gifts given to the church, the work of ministry, the edifying of the church, the unity of the faith, maturity, truth, love, and church growth. These are a few of the things we will discuss. But we note in the middle of it all that this paragraph of text is telling us how to come to the unity of the faith – this is true unity. It is being unified around a common faith in a common Savior. It is about fellowship and growth within the Body of Christ. The unity of the faith.

So how do we get there and what role does discernment play in the journey?

Today we start by looking at the gifts that Christ has given to His church because in this text we see that those gifts are used to bring about edification and unity. What gifts? What tools? Look at what the Bible says.

Gifts Given by Divine Right

Within the church we are each given a free gift. Verse 7 says “But to each one of us grace was given according to the measure of Christ’s gift.” This is a free gift, specifically given as Christ directs, to enable us to walk worthy. The emphasis is not the gift or even the Giver, but the nature of the gift – the fact that it is of grace and FREE.

The key of course to using these gifts is unity, not uniformity, the two are not the same! We are not to be cookie-cutter Christians, all looking, talking, and dressing the same. Neither are we all given the same gifts. We are many members within one Body. Often there is too much emphasis put on individuality at the cost of downplaying the fact that the church is a covenant community. But here we see that we have indeed each been given, individually, gifts of grace. These gifts are not for individual use and gratification though for as the Bible so clearly shows us these gifts given to individuals have been given so that we as individuals might use them to the benefit of the rest of hte Body.

However, before I get ahead of myself we need to stop and see that Christ has a Divine Right to bestow these gifts as He pleases. The quote and explanation in verses 8-10 make this plain.

Verse 8 quotes Psalm 68. This is a Hymn of Assention and Victory. I recommend a read through this Psalm today, and while you read it think about the application Paul makes of it here in Ephesians. For here Paul quotes Psalm 68:18, “When He ascended on high, He led captivity captive, and gave gifts to men.”

Christ has a Divine Right to give free gifts of grace because He has fulfilled this Psalm. Remember I mentioned that it is a Psalm of Assention and Victory? What does that mean?

In the past, especially in the Middle East, when a war broke out, usually the invader would cross the border and conquer a border town taking the citizens that were not killed as prisoners. The victimized nation would rally behind their king and launch a counter attack. If successful, the victorious king would “ascend” back to his capital by way of a large parade. Following him in the procession would be the spoils his men had taken in battle. Some of this was shared with the cheering crowds and admiring subjects. Then would follow the prisoners taken in battle now to serve as slaves to the king and the conquering nation. Taking up the rear of the victory parade would be those of his nation’s people who had first been captured by the invaders. These rescued citizens would be paraded about as the final proof of victory. The captives had been re-captured.

This is a picture Paul uses from Psalm 68:18. Christ has come and freed and reclaimed those who are His, captured by the enemy, and now He parades them before the enemy as proof of His victory! Our salvation is the re-capturing of our souls! (See Acts 18:10; John 10:16, 11:51-52; Acts 15:14-18).

How did Christ accomplish this re-capture? Paul tells us first that Jesus descended to death.

Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross. Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. – Philippians 2:5-11

It says here that as Christ accomplishes God’s will He descended to the lower parts of the earth. Some have taken this to mean that Jesus went to hell after He died. But the Bible does not teach us that Jesus went to hell. A simple reading of the gospels proves that Jesus died and went immediately into the presence of the Father. There is no basis whatsoever for the claim that Jesus went to hell to suffer for our sins.

In fact, if Jesus went to hell, then He is a liar! For on the cross before He died He cried out “It is finished!” Now if there was still work to be done to redeem us then He lied. He had already born the full wrath of God for our sins while He was still alive and on the cross, at that moment when the Father turned His back on His Son and Jesus cried out in extreme pain and agony, “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?”

Further we see that Jesus prayed just before He died, “Father, into Your hands I commit My Spirit.” If He went to hell then His Spirit did not go to the Father at that point, and again, either He lied, or the Father denied His last request!

The bottom line here is that there was no need for Jesus to go to hell. And a careful examination of Scripture proves that what is meant when it says that Jesus descended to the lower parts of the earth. We know that it does NOT refer to hell when we look at the other ways the phrase is used in the Scripture:

Descended to death in Psalm 63:9 refers to death by sword. Descended to earth in Isaiah 44:23 refers to a place with mountains and trees, etc. Descended as Jonah in the Fish in Matt. 12:40 is used as a picture of the grave. And descended as a Man, in Psalm 139:15 refers to being in a woman’s womb, as He was born of a virgin.

So we see by its usage that for Jesus to descend means simply that He came to earth, was born as a man, died, and His body was put in the grave. And Paul tells us in explaining the Psalm that because Jesus descended He then had the right to ascend!

He ascended far above the heavens, to the Throne of God (see Acts 1:9-11, 7:55-56). Not simply heaven, but the very Throne of God. And remember, this is to ascend to the highest possible place, for this is where God is and He has to humble Himself simply to look into the day to day affairs of heaven! (Psalm 113:6).

And as He has ascended, it is so that He might fill all things. He is the Sovereign of the Universe (Phil. 2:9-11. He fills the universe with His blessing, and He especially fills and uses His church.

We see then that Eph 4:7-10 reveal to us that Jesus has by Divine Right bestowed upon each of us free gifts of His grace. Tomorrow we will continue through the text and examine a few of these gifts that He has given to the Church.

Links for Further Study
(links to study each daily topic in more detail if you have the desire and the time)

He Descended Into Hell by John Calvin
The Importance of Spiritual Gifts by John MacArthur

Bible Reading For Further Study
1 Corinthians 12:4-6, 7-11, 27-31
Romans 12:3-9; 1 Peter 4:8-11

Recommended Songs for Worship
He Gives the Power
Ascend Thy Throne, Almighty King

Walk in Unity

Daily Scripture Reading - John 17

Verse of the Day - Ephesians 4:4-6
There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called in one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.

Devotional Thoughts
If we are learning to discern then we are actively and practically discerning the difference between good and evil and doing the good while shunning the evil. Part of discerning then is seen in how we live, our conduct, or as the Bible refers to it – our walk. We have learned from Ephesians 4 that we are to walk worthy of the calling with which we have been called. To do this, we must live in a manner that is suitable to our calling. This includes walking in lowliness and gentleness, longsuffering and love, to the point that we graciously will bear with one another in obedience to the Lord.

We also learn from Ephesians 4:1-6 that we are to walk in unity. In fact, as we walk in lowliness and gentleness, longsuffering and love, we also walk “endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.” Let us look then at this kind of walk and see what makes it possible.

To endeavor is to take pains and make every effort to reach a goal. To endeavor is not to wimp out, find an excuse, accept failure as inevitable, or close our eyes and hope for the best. To endeavor is to fight and work hard at doing what we need to do. Here it is taking pains and making every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. In order to know what we should be endeavoring for we need to understand what the unity of the Spirit is. More on that in a minute, but first, let us look at the word unity.

Unity of course is two or more people acting together in harmony. It is the pursuit of many people together toward one common goal. This is not every man for himself. It is indeed a harmony – working together in concert. It is cooperation. Many falsely believe that to engage with another person in any common pursuit is to be unified with them, but the truth is that unity is not just the pursuit of the same goal – it is using the same means and working as partners to get to that goal.

And this unity is a unity of the Spirit. So this is not a fleshly pursuit, or the pursuit of some common moral agenda. This is unity in the Holy Spirit. We have the Spirit indwelling us and the people we are working in harmony with also have the same Spirit. This is fellowship. This is taking place within the Body of Christ. It is not the church and the world on some pursuit for the greater good. No. It is the people of God cooperating in the pursuit of things that glorify and exalt God and edify His church.

So we are to be humbly, courteously, and sacrificially making every effort to keep, to maintain, to protect and enhance the harmony we have as members of one another within the Body of Christ. Sound like many churches you know?

Further, as we endeavor to keep the unity of the Spirit this is a unity in the bond of peace. A bond is a fastener, something that holds things together. It is in fact a medical term that refers to sinews. And what is this bond, this thing that fastens us together? It is the bond of peace. Peace being literally harmony, calm, and the absence of alarm. Unity is peace! So we walk worthy by walking in unity, by endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. Another way to look at it is to see that the bond that unites and holds us together in the Body of Christ is peace with God and with each other!

But there is more in our text to be discovered. In verses 4-6 we find the foundation for true unity in the Spirit. As I have already stated, this is not cooperation built around some social or moral issue, it is not about politics, or social work, or charity. For the true foundation of this kind of unity is found only one place. Let us listen to the text:

There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called in one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.

Here we have the foundation of all true unity. True unity is founded upon a common truth. It is not just the pursuit of common goals, no, it is submission to and belief in a common absolute truth. And that truth?

There is one body – one church, one family of God, one bride of Christ. No matter the denomination or any other distinctive, there is truly but one church – one group of people who belong to Jesus Christ. We cannot confuse this with the local church, for the local church, while autonomous, is but a part of the greater whole that is comprised of all of God’s elect from all time.

There is one Spirit – one Holy Spirit, the third person of the Trinity, who calls us to life, convicts us of sin, draws us to Christ, and enables us to walk worthy of this calling.

There is one hope in this calling – the hope that we have in Jesus Christ. Hope that will not be disappointed.

There is one Lord – one Jesus, one Mediator between God and men, one Savior, one Redeemer. There is only one Way to heaven.

There is one faith – one true belief. There is only sound doctrine and unsound doctrine. Whatever is not sound is unsound. Whatever is not of faith is sin.

There is one baptism – one immersion into Christ by the Spirit of God, symbolized by our water baptism. There is only one, for once we are in Christ we can never be taken from Him.

There is one God – this is in reality the most foundational truth, echoed throughout the Old and New Testament, that the Lord our God is One. And He is God. There is none other. We have no other gods before Him, we make no images of Him or of idols, we do not take His name in vain – for He is God!

The Father then is above all (you cannot be higher or more exalted), and through all (omnipresent, omnipotent, omniscious), and in you all (indwelling us through the Spirit).

If we try to find unity anywhere else, anywhere but in the Person and Word of God, then we will not find unity. We may find temporary cooperation, but true and lasting unity is found only within the Household of Faith in service to the One True God. This doctrinal foundation, this absolute truth, this singularity, this unity is the basis for why we live the way we live and walk the way we walk.

If we have by grace discerned the truth about who God is then we will walk in unity with those other believers around us. But let us not forget, this doctrinal truth is not enough. For upon this foundation we have already seen that we must walk in lowliness, gentleness, longsuffering, and unconditional love, endeavoring to keep this unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. For to do otherwise is to promote pride, strife, and sin.

And one of the things that God hates more than any other is the one who causes discord to be sown among brothers! Let us then not disturb the unity of the church but instead strive with all our might to walk this walk, to walk worthy of our calling by walking together in unity.

Links for Further Study
(links to study each daily topic in more detail if you have the desire and the time)

The Character of Christ’s People by Charles Spurgeon
The Character of a Healthy Church by John MacArthur

Bible Reading For Further Study

One Body – Eph. 2:4-18

One Spirit – Eph. 1:13-14

One Hope – Eph. 1:11-12

One Lord – Acts 4:12, John 14:6

One Faith – Jude 3, Galatians 1:6-9

One Baptism – Romans 6:3-4, 1 Cor. 12:13, Matt. 28:19-20

One God and Father of All – Deut. 6:4, John 17:11

Recommended Songs for Worship

One Holy Church of God Appears
Around the Throne of God

Walk Worthy

Daily Scripture Reading - Colossians 1

Verse of the Day - Ephesians 4:1
I, therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you to walk worthy of the calling with which you were called…

Devotional Thoughts
Throughout the course of our study Learn to Discern we have seen a definition of discernment unfold before us, proving that discernment is not just a spiritual gift given to a select few. It is in fact the working of the Spirit through us as we mature in faith and as we learn to overcome sin. To discern is to hear the truth, to understand the difference between good and evil, and then to act upon that information by making wise decisions – acting in obedience to the truth. Discernment is proved by the way we walk, by the way we live our daily lives. I want to take a few days then to review several paragraphs of text from Ephesians 4 where we are told how it is that wise, maturing, discerning disciples of Jesus Christ are expected and empowered to walk.

We start today by looking at Ephesians 4:1-6:

I, therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you to walk worthy of the calling with which you were called, with all lowliness and gentleness, with longsuffering, bearing with one another in love, endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called in one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.

Here in this text we find Paul beginning the practical application in the Book of Ephesians. As was his custom, he usually would write a letter to a church or group of churches and address sinful issues and conflicts and false doctrines at the beginning. Then as he would explain sound doctrine and correct errors he would spend the rest of the epistle explaining very specifically how this sound doctrine would work its way out in the lives of those who took his word, and God’s Word, to heart. Paul would expose false doctrines, build on the foundation of truth in the gospel, and then show the reader what this sound doctrine would look like when it was lived out.

Paul has been very specific in the truth and sound dotrine that needed to be reiterated to the church at Ephesus and now he is getting practical. And the way he gets practical is to tell them how sound doctrine would affect their walk – their daily living. In verse 1 he says that those reading and hearing the epistle should walk worthy of the calling with which they had been called. So our first lesson in living is actually an opportunity to learn how to walk. And the first steps we take in the Christian life are to be steps worthy of our calling.

Those of us who have been saved, who are converted, who have been regenerated by the power of the Spirit through the Word of God and as a result repented of our sin and turned to Christ in faith – we have been called to new life. Remember yesterday? All this that is new as a result of the effectual call of the Spirit as He draws us to the Father and calls us to new life?

What a calling this is. It is a calling from death to life, from sin to forgiveness, from lawlessness to righteousness. It is a call from the kindgom of Satan to the Kingdom of God. It is in fact a call to adoption! This is the calling with which we have been called – the effectual and irresistible call of the gospel of grace.

We then, as we hear and understand, as we learn the truth, and as we do the truth, we walk worthy of this calling. This is expected. And we are empowered to walk this walk. It is the walk, the life, of a disciple of Christ. And to walk in a worthy manner is to walk in “lowliness and gentleness, with longsuffering, bearing with one another in love.”

To walk in a worthy manner means to walk in a manner that is suitable, or in a way that matches our calling. There is no hypocricy here. We are what we seem to be and we seem to be what we are. No playing, no fraud, no deceit. Transparent honesty and realism. The Christian should indeed be a person where what you see is what you get.

To walk then in a worthy manner, a life that suits our calling, we must walk in lowliness. This means that we walk in unassuming humility . Both parts that make up the meaning of the word lowliness here are important to understanding what it means. To be unassuming is so absolutely difficult and yet so absolutely necessary if we are to be humble! Just think about that for a moment. What usually happens when we make assumptions? Seriously. When we assume we usually miss the truth or even worse, obscure the truth. And once someone is a victim of our assumptions they will be defensive and trust is hard to rebuild once it is lost.

Further, this is unassuming humility. Humility is not thinking less of yourself, it is thinking of yourself less. It is being selfless. It is putting self to death for the sake of others. It is putting others first. Esteeming them as better, serving them, submitting to them. It is hard!! But hunility is necessary if we are to walk in a manner worthy of our calling.

Matched with this lowliness, this unassuming humility, we also find that to walk worthy is to walk in gentlness. This is a meek, gentle courtesy. How many people do you know that are courteous? It is a lost art, is it not? Too many today, even in the church, have lost all sense of manners, propriety, etiquette, and courtesy. Being gentle is at the root of being a gentleman, or a gentlewoman.

Men, are you a gentleman? Women, do you truly carry yourselves like ladies? This is essential for believers, for to behave in a rude, harsh, crude manner is to act contrary to our very nature in Christ. And while we may yearn for days long lost where manners were expected and taught, it is not enough to yearn for those days. We must reclaim this aspect of Christian living. We must not let the world around us dictate to us how we will relate to one another. We must be gentle. We must be well mannered. We must, for this is simply an outworking of sound doctrine and love.

If all we do is to be for God’s glory and if all the Law is summed up in loving God with all we are and loving our neighbor as ourselves then what room is there for a lack of courtesy in any relationship, in any acquaintance, in any arena of life? We should be model citizens in this regard. And if you have not been taught manners, find someone who can teach you. Those of us who have been called to new life in Christ should be well above crude, ill mannered living.

As we walk then in lowliness and gentleness we are also to be longsuffering. Ah, what a phrase. Steadfast endurance, especially when relating to other people. It is necessary. It is a fruit of the Spirit. It is invaluable! To be able to suffer long. This is a combination of patience, hope, love, and sacrifice. The word in fact means to offer a large sacrifice. Yet again, in today’s world, we don’t seem to know what it means to sacrifice, much less to suffer for any length of time. We live in a microwave society where fast food had better be fast and fresh and 30 seconds is too long to wait for dinner to be zapped, heated through, and thoroughly enjoyable.

If we are to be humble and gentle, we must also be longsuffering. This is accomplished by laying our expectations aside. For a lack of patience, a lack of respect and good manners, is ultimately just a lack of self denial. We have expectations and when others do not meet them we get irritated, angry, hostile, and bitter. Longsuffering leaves no room for any such behavior, motive, or mood.

Finally for today we see that we must walk in a way that we bear with one another in love. What a thought. We bear with, which means it may be a burden! We bear with one another, within the Body. We bear with one another in the Body with love. Literally, in a relationship founded upon unconditional love, we put up with each other.

Have you ever had a person in your life that you just had to put up with? Well, if your attitude was one of begrudgingly tolerating that person then you were not bearing with one another in love! There is no mere toleration here. It is an embrace of another person fully with unconditional love as a decision of our will, no matter what that person says or does!

Novel idea, eh? But the truth is that if we merely tolerate someone then in reality we have placed ourselves above them in our own minds. Instead, we see that to walk worthy of the calling is to walk in a position of unconditional love and service to others in the Body of Christ.

Is this not how the church is built? Further down in Ephesians 4 we read that pastor-teachers have been given to the church so that the church might be equipped for the work of ministry. And that word ministry is the word we usually translate “deacon.” It means to serve. The “ministry” is truly service. It is serving God and each other, putting them first, denying self, and loving as we have been loved.

Tomorrow we will see how this worthy walk enables us to walk in unity. Without lowliness, gentleness, longsuffering, and unconditional love there can be no true lasting unity. And any unity that promotes self above others or refuses to sacrifice for each other is actually not true unity! But more about that tomorrow…..

Links for Further Study
(links to study each daily topic in more detail if you have the desire and the time)

A Discourse on Meekness by Matthew Henry
The Humble Soul by Ebenezer Erskine

Bible Reading For Further Study

1 Thessalonians 2
Proverbs 25:15; Hosea 11:4; Matthew 11:29; 2 Corinthians 10:1; Galatians 5:22-23

Recommended Songs for Worship

Be Still My Soul
Blest Be the Dear Uniting Love

The Wilderness

I posted this article at the first of the year and was meditating on the idea again this week as we celebrated Reformation Day. As I stated then, it seems that God often takes His people through the wilderness before using them to accomplish mighty things. That does not make the wilderness any easier to endure, but it does give us hope that when times are tough God is using them to get “me” out of the way so that He can accomplish things that are so obviously done by His mighty hand that we cannot take any of the credit or the glory.

Read the original post here: A Walk on the Wild Side

Readings for Reformation Day

This week we celebrate Reformation Day so I wanted to put up links to previous posts on the topic from last year. Read one a day or you can read them all right now!

Reformation Day
Sola Scriptura
Sola Gratia
Sola Fide
Solus Christus
Soli Deo Gloria

And be sure to catch my latest sermon from this morning at our Sermon Audio page – To Be or Not To Be – Titus 3:1-8