Ephesians 4:12
12 For [pros] the perfecting [katartismos] of the saints, [hagios] for
[eis] the work [ergon] of the ministry, [diakonia]
for [eis] the edifying [oikodome] of the body [soma] of
Christ: [Christos] KJV-Interlinear
12 for
the equipping of the saints for the work of service, to the building up of the
body of Christ; NASB
The apostles, the
prophets, the pastors, the teachers, are not mere people placed in history for
the promotion of civilization or the making of some form of historical theory.
These people, who
established the scriptures, and who teach them, have but one purpose and that
is to help believers learn and grow spiritually, through their teaching.
The purpose of history is
not the movements of peoples, or the evolution of social norms and standards,
or some ongoing evolving of philosophical or governmental thought, that somehow
promotes humanity to better and better levels.
History is the time given
by God, for the purpose of developing the family of God, and in that
development, the spiritual perfection and completion of His family.
Why do we have the
dispensation of this Church Age? Because,
as we have already learned, this age is used for the purpose of teaching
angels, as well as completing the Royal Family, which is being completed during
our dispensation. When that last member
is added to this family in this dispensation, then our age will end. The Rapture will occur and the remainder of
the Age of Israel will resume.
But our passage deals
with the instruction being provided. And that instruction is there for the
perfection of the believers in our era.
Perfection here means completion.
When you were born
physically into this world, you were incomplete. You were body and soul and not much
more. You had to grow up and learn how
to speak and then learn your alphabet, and how to read and write and so forth.
Over time you added
knowledge to your empty head.
But the temporal life is
only a small part of your life. Your
spiritual side is far greater, and that too needs to be completed.
As a new believer in
Christ, you are an empty vessel and need to be completed. You accomplish that through learning doctrine,
through acquiring understanding, and finally how to use what you know, and move
toward wisdom and maturity.
You do this in only one
way, and that is by means of the instruction given by instructors, from the
scriptures that were written for us, way back in that first century.
For the edifying, is a
reference to the completion of all members of the family of God, as the numbers
of believers grow, as well as the building up of a structure of doctrine within
each individual soul.
Not only are there more and
more believers added to Gods family, but there are more and more believers that
are growing up individually in their personal spiritual lives.
Spiritual growth comes
from one source only and that is through the learning process of Bible
doctrine.
Instructors are there not
for the perpetuation of humanity, not for the improvement of social norms, not
for the advancement of human dignity, not for the development of nations or
empires, but for one purpose only, and that is for the completion both
individually, and historically, of all believers.
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