Ephesians 4:1-16 and its Implications for Ministry
Ephesians 4 is a text with important implications for ministry. In this post we will look at the text itself and consider what some of those implications might be.
The Text:
A. Attitudes that favor unity and peace, 4:1-3
Before saying a word about doctrine, Paul, as a “prisoner for the Lord,” calls believers to display attitudes worthy of their calling, including humility, meekness, patience with one another, and love. Experience shows that in general, divisions and quarrels in churches are precisely caused by the lack of these and other similar attitudes and the predominance of pride, hostility, intolerance, and hatred. Paul calls us to do our best effort (Gk. spudaxo) to “keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace” by sacrificing our egos, controlling our temper, accepting one another patiently, refusing to impose our opinions or criteria on others, and loving each other with the love of Christ. Only then will churches create an environment where unity and peace are possible.
B. A basic doctrinal foundation, 4:4-6
A doctrinal foundation is also important for unity and peace. Paul refers to some essential beliefs. We are members of “one body,” the universal church made up of all those who believe in Christ as Lord and Savior. God has given us “one Spirit” promised by Christ, the Comforter (John 14: 16-17). We share “one hope,” eternal glory in Heaven (Colossians 1:27). We bend our knees before “one Lord.” We all have “one faith” in God the Father and His Son, Jesus, the Christ, and we have received “one baptism” by which we die and rise with Christ to newness of life, Romans 6:3. That’s it.
It is true that each of these essential beliefs has its ramifications, but let us be careful not to turn our opinions or personal preferences into doctrine, for it is precisely these things that divide the church and disturb its peace. God has left ample room for unity in diversity. His intention for the church was not uniformity.
C. The raison d'être of leadership, 4:7-16
The word “grace” (v. 7) here is synonymous with “gifts.” Peter says, “Minister to others according to the gift you have received, as good stewards of God's manifold grace” (1 Peter 4:10). The Holy Spirit imparts gifts to Christians (1 Corinthians 12:7-11), but since Christ is the one who has sent the Holy Spirit (John 15:26; 16:7), it is not contradictory to affirm—as here—that Christ has given gifts to human beings.
Leaving aside the peculiar use of Psalm 68:18 by the apostle Paul, it is fair to say that he sees in this psalm the triumph of the Christ-King over death as well as his exaltation, and presents Him as “giving” or “distributing” gifts to the church through the Holy Spirit for the building up and maturation of it. In vv. 11-16, the apostle explains the categories of gifts and their purpose.
“Apostles and prophets” are the foundation. “Evangelists” announced the good news of salvation by grace through faith in Christ as Lord and Savior. They established churches and probably organized them with elders, as Paul commands Titus to do in Crete (Titus 1:5). The last gift mentioned is that of “pastors-teachers” (two nouns governed by the same Greek article indicating one same function). The pastors-teachers taught the church and shepherded it, fed it, cared for it, and matured it, “in order to perfect the saints for the work of the ministry, for the building up of the body of Christ.”
When leadership fulfills its role, churches grow not only numerically but also in knowledge and spiritual maturity, which results in unity and peace. Otherwise, contentions and divisions take place.
Implications:
Clearly, the lack of good attitudes among brothers and sisters, the imposition of opinions and personal preferences as if they were doctrine, and the lack of pastor-teachers in the congregations result in stagnation and divisions. This is more obvious among Spanish-speaking churches in the United States and in Latin America, where more than 95 percent of congregations are without elders, and evangelists have ruled them alone for more than 50 years. This is a serious deficiency that must be corrected as soon as possible.
On the other hand, I would suggest that sponsoring congregations reconsider their assessment of the missionary work they support, based on Ephesians 4:1-16 and that schools of preachers, Bible institutes and Christian universities bring this issue to ample discussion.
