The Gift That Keeps On Giving

7 But grace was given to each one of us according to the measure of Christ's gift. 8 Therefore it says,

“When he ascended on high he led a host of captives,
    and he gave gifts to men.”

9 (In saying, “He ascended,” what does it mean but that he had also descended into the lower regions, the earth? 10 He who descended is the one who also ascended far above all the heavens, that he might fill all things.) 11 And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, 12 to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, 13 until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, 14 so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes. – Ephesians 4:7-14 ESV

Paul has encouraged the believers in Ephesus to live together in unity, recognizing their shared faith and common bond in Christ. God had called them and placed them in the body of Christ, and together, they were to bring glory and honor to God. Paul reminded them that God had given them gifts to make their unification possible. Paraphrasing from Psalm 68:18, Paul emphasized that when Jesus ascended back to heaven, He gave gifts to men. This was fulfilled with the coming of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost.

On the day of Pentecost all the believers were meeting together in one place. Suddenly, there was a sound from heaven like the roaring of a mighty windstorm, and it filled the house where they were sitting. Then, what looked like flames or tongues of fire appeared and settled on each of them. And everyone present was filled with the Holy Spirit and began speaking in other languages, as the Holy Spirit gave them this ability. – Acts 2:1-4 NLT

Jesus’ departure guaranteed the arrival of the Holy Spirit. Just before His death, He told His disciples, “If you love me, obey my commandments. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate, who will never leave you. He is the Holy Spirit, who leads into all truth” (John 14:15-17 NLT). He went on to prepare them for His pending death, but then assured them, “I will not abandon you as orphans—I will come to you. Soon, the world will no longer see me, but you will see me. Since I live, you also will live. When I am raised to life again, you will know that I am in my Father, and you are in me, and I am in you” (John 14:18-20 NLT).

The Holy Spirit’s arrival was a game-changer for the disciples. He empowered and equipped them for service. He provided them with the capacity to speak languages they didn’t know and perform supernatural miracles of healing. And Jesus had told them this would happen.

“I will send the Holy Spirit, just as my Father promised. But stay here in the city until the Holy Spirit comes and fills you with power from heaven.” – Luke 24:49 NLT

The gift of the Holy Spirit was not just for Jesus’ original disciples. He was to become a permanent fixture in the life of every believer. At the point of salvation, the Holy Spirit takes up residence in a believer, providing them with a gift, a supernatural enablement designed to build up the body of Christ. Paul described the nature of the gifts in his letter to the Corinthians.

A spiritual gift is given to each of us so we can help each other. To one person the Spirit gives the ability to give wise advice; to another the same Spirit gives a message of special knowledge. The same Spirit gives great faith to another, and to someone else the one Spirit gives the gift of healing. He gives one person the power to perform miracles, and another the ability to prophesy. He gives someone else the ability to discern whether a message is from the Spirit of God or from another spirit. Still another person is given the ability to speak in unknown languages,[while another is given the ability to interpret what is being said. It is the one and only Spirit who distributes all these gifts. He alone decides which gift each person should have. – 1 Corinthians 12:7-11 NLT

These gifts are God-ordained, Spirit-empowered, and not man-made. They are not talents or natural capabilities, and no one is born with these gifts.

But the Spirit’s indwelling presence and the gifts He provides are not all that God has given the church. Paul reminds the Ephesians that God has also provided godly leaders for the church. These are divinely appointed individuals whom God has chosen and equipped for the task of leading His people. Just as God chose and appointed Moses to lead the people of Israel out of slavery in Egypt, He also chose David to transform Israel from a kingdom of former slaves to prominence as one of the greatest nations in the world. In the same way, God provided the church with leaders.

Paul describes them as apostles, prophets, evangelists, shepherds, and teachers. An apostle was literally a “sent one” or messenger. The original 11 disciples had been commissioned and sent by Jesus to take the gospel message to the world. Paul, though not one of the original 12 disciples chosen by Jesus, regarded himself as an apostle because he had been commissioned byJesus on the road to Damascus. The primary role of an apostle was to spread the gospel and establish churches throughout the known world.

Prophets were “forth-tellers” who had the divinely enabled ability to speak the truth of God. These individuals were responsible for building up the body of Christ, especially the local churches. Paul provides insight into their role in his letter to the Corinthian believers: “The one who prophesies speaks to people for their upbuilding and encouragement and consolation” (1 Corinthians 14:3 ESV). In the early days of the church, before most of the New Testament had even been written, the role of prophets was vital. These individuals were divinely empowered to discern and disseminate the truth of God in a time when false teachers and false gospels were prevalent. 

Evangelists were “heralds of salvation.” They were Spirit-empowered to share the gospel, and their role was essential. These itinerant preachers played a significant part in leading others to Christ. Some evangelists stayed close to home, ministering to their local communities, while others traveled from city to city to spread the good news of Jesus Christ to the Gentiles.

When Paul refers to pastors and teachers, he is likely speaking of a single function, not two. It could be translated as “pastor-teacher,” referring to one role within the church. Regardless of whether Paul was speaking of one or two gifts, these individuals were essential in shepherding and teaching the body of Christ. The term “pastor” literally means “shepherd,” one who ministers to the needs of the flock of Jesus Christ. He was to care for, protect, guide, and feed them. As a teacher, he was responsible for instructing the people of God in everything from the teachings of Jesus to sound doctrine. This particular role was essential to the church's well-being because of the growing problem of false teaching and divisive doctrine.

Together, these gifted individuals were to minister to God’s people, equipping them for the work of the ministry. It seems quite clear that Paul did not have in mind a professional clergy who did all the work of the ministry on behalf of God’s people. These were lay leaders who were specifically gifted as equippers and trainers, ensuring that the believers under their care were able to do the work of ministry in their local congregations.

It was as individual believers were properly taught, trained, and equipped that they were able to minister to one another and build up the body of Christ. Just a few verses later in this chapter, Paul describes the outcome of a well-equipped church:

He [God] makes the whole body fit together perfectly. As each part does its own special work, it helps the other parts grow, so that the whole body is healthy and growing and full of love. – Ephesians 4:16 NLT

The goal is growth, and the objective is spiritual health and doctrinal soundness. Jesus did not leave His flock defenseless or alone. He provided us with the Holy Spirit, and the Spirit has given the church gifted individuals to lead, guide, and equip the body of Christ.

Paul has in mind not only the spiritual maturity of every believer but also the unity and well-being of the local body of Christ. There was no place for spiritual stagnation or immaturity. There was no excuse for disunity and discord. God expected His people to grow, and so did Paul. But it was to be a team effort. Each individual was expected to do his or her job, selflessly and sacrificially. And the commitment was for the long term.

This will continue until we all come to such unity in our faith and knowledge of God’s Son that we will be mature in the Lord, measuring up to the full and complete standard of Christ. – Ephesians 4:13 NLT

Father, You have given us Your Spirit, equipped us with spiritual gifts, provided us with qualified leaders, and placed us into the body of Christ. In doing so, You have “given us everything we need for life and godliness” (2 Peter 1;3 BSB). We have no excuse. There is no reason we should struggle with uncertainty, disunity, or spiritual ignorance or apathy. Unless, of course, we choose to quench and grieve Your Spirit by refusing to hear His voice and heed His commands. As Paul made clear to the Galatians, we each have a daily choice to either live according to our selfish, sinful flesh or according to the Spirit. We can live empowered by the Spirit or enslaved to our sinful nature. Which is why Paul wrote, “let the Holy Spirit guide your lives. Then you won’t be doing what your sinful nature craves” (Galatians 5:16 NLT). That is the way I want to live, but I know I can’t do it on my own. That is why I am grateful for the gift of Your Spirit. You have given me all that I need and have surrounded me with other like-minded men and women who are Spirit-enabled, empowered, and committed to building up the body of Christ until Your Son returns. May we bring You glory and honor as we carry out Your will. Amen

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

When We Make Much of Men, We End Up With Less of God

16 Do you not know that you are God's temple and that God's Spirit dwells in you? 17 If anyone destroys God's temple, God will destroy him. For God's temple is holy, and you are that temple.

18 Let no one deceive himself. If anyone among you thinks that he is wise in this age, let him become a fool that he may become wise. 19 For the wisdom of this world is folly with God. For it is written, “He catches the wise in their craftiness,” 20 and again, “The Lord knows the thoughts of the wise, that they are futile.” 21 So let no one boast in men. For all things are yours, 22 whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas or the world or life or death or the present or the future—all are yours, 23 and you are Christ's, and Christ is God's. – 1 Corinthians 3:16-23 ESV

Back in chapter one, verse 8, Paul wrote, “The word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing.” Unbelievers cannot understand the wisdom of God revealed in the death of Christ — namely, that one man’s death could provide eternal life for those who place their faith in Him. Now, Paul states that “the wisdom of this world is folly with God” (1 Corinthians 3:19 ESV). Man’s wisdom doesn’t impress God, and it will never make anyone right with God. If anything, the wisdom of man becomes a barrier to accepting the truth of God’s redemptive plan as revealed in the death, burial, and resurrection of His Son, Jesus Christ.

Human wisdom is futile and incapable of remedying the problem of sin and our state of condemnation before a holy and just God. So Paul questions the logic of making much of men. Why would we create false idols out of men and women, worshiping them for the role they played in our salvation, while overlooking the fact that it was God who sent His Son to die? It was He who gave the message of reconciliation to those He called, and who sent His Spirit to open the hearts of those who heard that message. No man has the right to boast about his usefulness to God, and no one should elevate the messenger over the One who sent the message.

Paul’s real concern has to do with division in the body of Christ. He started out his letter with the plea, “I appeal to you, brothers, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree, and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be united in the same mind and the same judgment” (1 Corinthians 1:10 ESV). He accused them of quarreling and bickering over which man they followed. 

…each one of you says, “I follow Paul,” or “I follow Apollos,” or “I follow Cephas,” or “I follow Christ.” – 1 Corinthians 1:12 ESV

Their disunity was causing divisiveness. So Paul reminds them that they are the temple of God, not just as individuals, but as the local body of Christ. He is speaking to the church, not individual believers. How do we know this? Because in the Greek language, the personal pronoun “you” is plural, not singular. Peter confirms the idea that the local church is the temple of God, indwelt by the Spirit of God.

…you yourselves like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. – 1 Peter 2:5 ESV

In his letter to the church in Ephesus, Paul emphasized the same point.

So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God,  built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone, in whom the whole structure, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord. In him you also are being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit. – Ephesians 2:19-22 ESV

As God’s temple, the local church is to be valued and protected. If anyone does anything to harm or destroy the integrity of the body of Christ, they will answer to God. Paul warns them, “If anyone destroys God’s temple, God will destroy him. For God’s temple is holy, and you are that temple” (1 Corinthians 3:17 ESV). Disunity destroys and damages from within. However, we have been called by God to love one another, not debate and display contempt for one another. In his letter to the church in Ephesus, Paul reminded them of their oneness in Christ.

Therefore I, a prisoner for serving the Lord, beg you to lead a life worthy of your calling, for you have been called by God. Always be humble and gentle. Be patient with each other, making allowance for each other’s faults because of your love. Make every effort to keep yourselves united in the Spirit, binding yourselves together with peace. For there is one body and one Spirit, just as you have been called to one glorious hope for the future.

There is one Lord, one faith, one baptism,
one God and Father of all,
who is over all, in all, and living through all. – Ephesians 4:1-6 NLT

When Jesus prayed in the Garden of Gethsemane on the night of His betrayal, He asked the Father, “that they may all be one, just as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me” (John 17:21 ESV). He prayed for a spirit of unity and oneness among His followers because it is our unity that displays the reality of the church’s role as God’s temple. God alone can bring together people of every age, from every walk of life, ethnicity, economic strata, and social background, and mold them into one family — all sharing one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all.

Paul reminds the believers in Corinth, “So don’t boast about following a particular human leader. For everything belongs to you—whether Paul or Apollos or Peter, or the world, or life and death, or the present and the future. Everything belongs to you, and you belong to Christ, and Christ belongs to God” (1 Corinthians 3:21-23 NLT). Paul, Apollos, and Peter had been given to the church by God. They were to be seen as gifts from God intended to build up the body of Christ. When Paul wrote to the church in Ephesus, he reminded them of the various roles and responsibilities God had assigned to godly leaders who were tasked with ministering to the local church.

Now these are the gifts Christ gave to the church: the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, and the pastors and teachers. Their responsibility is to equip God’s people to do his work and build up the church, the body of Christ. – Ephesians 4:11-12 NLT

God gave these gifted individuals to the church so that it might grow and prosper, “until we all come to such unity in our faith and knowledge of God’s Son that we will be mature in the Lord, measuring up to the full and complete standard of Christ” (Ephesians 4:13 NLT). Disunity is destructive. Divisiveness is counterproductive. Boasting in men robs God of glory and the body of Christ of its power. Making celebrities out of God’s servants ends up deifying them and diminishing the effectiveness of the local church. The church may grow in numbers, but it will lack the power of God’s Spirit. When we make much of men, we experience less of God.

Father, we tend to view the local church as a convenient option rather than a necessity. We choose a church like we were selecting a country club or a fitness facility. We check out the amenities, peruse the staff, evaluate the convenience of the location, and then compare it to all the other options available to us. We even consider the personality of the pastor, the style of music, the decor of the worship center, and the demographic of the congregation. But you designed the church to be an organism, not an organization. It is a living, breathing entity made up of all kinds of people from all walks of life. The pastor is to be a messenger of God’s Word, not a celebrity or entertainer. His job is to build up the body of Christ, not amass a following and a fawning fan base. Would you protect us from the allure of entertainment disguised as worship, the wisdom of man masquerading as the wisdom of God, and personal satisfaction in place of corporate sanctification. Amen

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.