Ephesians Study
Chapter 4
Ephesians 4:15-16
Amplified Bible:
Verse 15 Rather, let our lives lovingly express truth [in all things, speaking truly, dealing truly, living truly]. Enfolded in love, let us grow up in every way and in all things into Him Who is the Head, [even] Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed One).
Verse 16 For because of Him the whole body (the church, in all its various parts), closely joined and firmly knit together by the joints and ligaments with which it is supplied, when each part [with power adapted to its need] is working properly [in all its functions], grows to full maturity, building itself up in love.
In these verses, Paul calls us to a higher standard of selflessness to edification of the whole body. He starts with speaking the truth in love and ends in verse 16 with the body maturing in love. It is love that compels. It is love that convicts and converts. It is love that cleanses us from unrighteousness. It is love that grows us to maturity. When we love, we do not want to hurt the Lord and those for whom He died. What is this call to a higher standard? What is being built up in love? This says that it is the “body” of Christ that is being matured in love. What does that mean? We have grown up with the word “church,” and think that we know what that means. But, do we?
The first complete English bible was the Tyndale bible in about 1524, and that bible did not use the word "church" anywhere in its pages, it used the word "congregation." Sometime after this bible, they started replacing the word "congregation" with the word “church."
When you go to Tyndale's bible, which was the first English Bible, he translated ekklesia as "assembly." In the George Ricker Berry Interlinear Greek/English New Testament (it's a literal translation of the Greek into English), which was written in the late 1800's, he translated ekklesia as "assembly," and you won't find the word "church" anywhere in there. Christ only used the word ekklesia three times. It's not recorded in the book of Mark, John, or Luke. Matthew is the only one who recorded it.
This is important because to use “church” as in the quotation above (Amplified) and most others translations is to lose something important to the meaning of “assembly”. An assembly is the people. A church may be seen as the building, the organization, a business, a group of people of a particular denomination, and other things. It is important to understand that in Matthew 16:18 Jesus called His called out ones the ekklesia (assembly). He was not referring to what man has done. This calling out was accomplished by the Holy Spirit. Let me hasten to add that I am not against any church! To see the challenges that we face is simply honest.
This understanding helps me better use the imagery of a physical body…joints and ligaments knit together. I can more easily grasp the idea of oneness and the accomplishment of that oneness by relating to a called out group of people called an assembly instead of hundreds of denominations speaking different things with different creeds, doctrines, and theology. Church did not start out this way. Even King James was invested in the outcome of replacing assembly or congregation with church because church is something over which he had some ruling control. This understanding gives a more clear picture of how this developed. To lovingly express the truth to a called out assembly seems more like it could really happen. “Truth” (Jesus) is the goal… not doctrines, creeds, and theology. The truth about Jesus is full of love.
Last week, I wrote about the struggle the church is having with people leaving the church. People want to put the blame on everything but what it is. There is a calling out by the Holy Spirit (as in the days of Christ) which is happening. No matter the excuse or reason for the leaving of the church, the underlying reason is that the hearts of people are hungry for something…correct and incorrect. The reaching for this something may look different for different people. All the disciples joined Christ based on motivations which were “self” interested. He still loved and matured them into a group that received the outpouring of the Holy Spirit. That group were in one accord when waiting for Pentecost. There was a unity of purpose. That group had some differences of opinion later on. Some wanted to mix the legalism of Judaism into the message of Jesus Christ. Paul was very verbal about this being wrong.
Our call to this particular dilemma (for self and others) is a call to love…not judgement and condemnation. We do that because we are uncomfortable with what others choose because it threatens us. In that respect, all our arguments and defenses are “self” motivated…showing a lack of peace and trust in God who will finish that which concerns all of us. I consider this a “call” at this time because it “calls” us to come up to a higher place than judgement and condemnation. Why we haven't learned that these motivations (guilt and shame) are not Heaven’s is a good question to ask ourselves. Our discomfort with others is not about them!
It is easy to get lost in all of what is going on in and out of the church. By this they will know we are Christians…by our love to one another.
Hebrews 13:3 ESV “Remember those who are in prison, as though in prison with them, and those who are mistreated, since you also are in the body.” What wonderful counsel! There are different ways of being in “prison.” Paul was in a literal prison. Others may be in an emotional prison. Others may be in a physical (the body is not well) prison. Others may be in a prison of religion. Others may be in a prison of non-belief. Those who are mistreated are in prison as well as those who are doing the mistreating. We are called to remember because we are in the “body.” When we judge and condemn others, we are in prison. We hurt the body.
If you look at the example of Jesus in dealing with the disciples, we can see that although one betrayed Him to the Jews, the others betrayed Him passively when they disowned Him and fled. The Lord knew what was in their hearts. He still worked with them in love trying to bring them to maturity. In the way we treat others, He is our model.
James 1:27: "Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit orphans and widows in their tribulation, and to keep oneself unspotted from the world.” I think the reason this is “pure” is because orphans and widows cannot pay you back in anyway…speaks to motivations. If I pray with people and then invite them to church…what is the motivation? If I do anything with people, is it freely given and unspotted from the world’s agenda?
- Paul starts with love (as motivation)
- Lovingly expresses truth (as behavior)
- Enfolded in love (do we feel the arms of Heaven around us? This love we can share with others; we love because He first loved us.
- Let us grow up into Him Whom is the Head (as children being led by our model…our compass, our Master) Grow up into Him…no one else.
- For because of Him the whole body (all parts) grows to full maturity (Christ focus; not self or others).
- Building itself up in love! Read 1 Corinthians 13 again…the love chapter.
We are told to love others AS we love ourselves. When we love ourselves, we love others. Then we edify each other. We can have peace with what is happening because it is God’s message, God’s people, God’s process in God’s time. He will finish that which concerns each of us. We can have peace with each other.
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