Spiritual Gifts
Part Three
Text:
Ephesians 4:7-16
Body:
I.
The One Who Gave the Gifts
II.
The One Who Received the Gifts
III.
The Purpose for the Spiritual Gifts
IV.
The Duration of the Spiritual Gifts
V.
The Results from the Unity of Faith
Verse 14
When Paul penned these words to the saints at Ephesus, less
than ½ of the books of the New Testament had been written.
For that reason, the church was “subject to being blown off
course by every wind of man’s doctrine.” Those who would
teach false doctrine by trickery, deceit, and cunning could
shipwreck the faith of some. Without the complete New
Testament, it would be easier to fall prey. Examples:
Judaizers (Galatians 2:3-5) Note also Romans 16:18, II Peter
2:3. But since we have the completed Word, we can determine
false teaching. (I John 4:1) Verse 15 Note the
contrasts with verse 14. “Speaking” is not the usual Greek
word for speaking. The idea is to “hold to the truth, walk
in the truth, and deliver the truth.” God’s Word is truth.
(John 17:17) This truth can both convert sinners and cause
saints to mature spiritually. (James 1:18, I Peter 1:22-25)
Truth is to be spoken “in love.” This implies that truth can
be spoken without love with a harsh, uncaring attitude or in
a self-righteous manner. “Love” is the word that means the
kind that seeks what is truly best for others. (I John
5:2-3) One does not show “true love” when one allows a
person to go to hell to avoid hurting his feelings! What if
Peter would have done this on Pentecost? This kind of love
does not condone sin or religious error. (Galatians 4:16)
“May grow up” Christ is head of the body, the church.
(Colossians 1:18) When God’s Word was completely revealed in
the 1st Century, the church reached adulthood
because its members had the entire revelation available for
them to grow thereby. (I Corinthians 13:8-12) Verse 16
The church is pictured using the figure of the human
body. Our human body is an absolute marvel. All the
different parts work together so the body can function
properly. The head directs the body. The church is supposed
to be like this. Each member is to do what it can to make
the body function as God intended. (I Corinthians 12:12-21)
There is not to be work by proxy. We see each member
supplying what it can. When that happens, the body, the
church, is edified and nourished. In the 1st
Century, the infant church needed miraculously-endowed men
to help do this. With the completed Word, those men [gifts]
are no longer necessary.
Conclusion:
We have so much to be thankful for, especially that
we have God’s complete revelation to man available to one
and all.
Bobby Stafford
July 6, 2014