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 1^st 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 1^st 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