A Bible Study for Bereans
Ephesians 4:11-13:
And He gave some, apostles; and some, prophets;
and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and
teachers; For the perfecting of the saints, for
the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the
body of Christ: Till we all come in the unity of the
faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God,
unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the
stature of the fulness of Christ:
Thus the perfecting,
the finishing, the completing includes the building up of the body, not the
tearing down; not the things that separate us and cause us to be diverse, but
the things that unite us, bring us together, and what is that? Christ! How do
you measure the fullness of Christ? It is not going to be done with a
container, and I am not a vessel that can handle His fullness.
We are full! ! We have been filled!! Believe it!! This is where it starts, and
then we demonstrate it by showing this fullness in our lives. Showing others
the life that is within us, the hope that is within. Instead of strife, let's
focus on what we agree upon and show others the Love of Christ! So, in summary,
there are at least 32 things that Christ did to "fill up" the
believer.
32 THINGS
CHRIST DID TO FILL UP THE BELIEVER
1. Peace through the blood of His cross,
2. By Him to reconcile all things,
3. Present you holy and unblameable and unreproveable in
His sight,
4. Having obtained eternal redemption for us,
5. Purge your conscience,
6. He is the Mediator,
7. And ye are complete in Him,
8. Circumcised with the circumcision made without hands,
9. Buried with Him in baptism,
10. Quickened together with Him, having forgiven you all
trespasses,
11. Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances.
12. Having spoiled principalities and powers, triumphing over
them
13. Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or
in respect of an holy day, or of the
new moon, or the Sabbath days;
14. Why, as though living in the world, are ye subject to
ordinances (touch not; taste not;
handle not); after the
commandments and doctrines of men?
15. Gather together in one all things in Christ,
16. Obtained an inheritance,
17. First trusted in Christ (as our Head).
18. Ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise,
19. And hath put all things under His feet,
20. Gave Him to be the Head over all things to the church,
21. To know the love of Christ, which passes knowledge,
22. Unto Him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above
all that we ask or think,
according to the power that works in us.
23. And He gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some,
evangelists; and some, pastors
and teachers; for
the perfecting of the saints.
24. For the edifying of the body of Christ.
25. Come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of
God,
26. Unto a perfect man,
27. No more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every
wind of doctrine,
28. May grow up into Him in all things,
29. The whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every
joint supplies,
30. The effectual working in the measure of every part,
31. Makes increase of the body
32. Unto the edifying of itself in love.
The above are quoted from the Scriptures a challenge for you, find each one and
write by the thought above, a great way to remember each verse.
Verse 14-16:
That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to
and fro, and carried about with every wind of
doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning
craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive; But
speaking the truth in love, may grow up into Him
in all things, Which is the Head, even Christ:
From Whom the whole body fitly joined together
and compacted by that which every joint supplieth,
according to the effectual working in the measure
of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the
edifying of itself in love.
Going to Strong's Concordance:
(G4883-sunarmologe6-From G4862 and a derivative of a compound of G719 and G3004
(in its original sense of laying); to render close jointed together, that is,
organize compactly: be fitly framed [joined] together).
We have been given the truth! Do you believe it? Or are we:
...
children tossed to and fro, and carried about by every wind of doctrine.
Paul goes on in Ephesians to say, Grow up into Him." He is talking about
children maturing in the Word based upon what they know to be true. He then
adds to beware of:
... the
sleight of men in cunning craftiness,
whereby they lie in wait to deceive.
Why is it every time Paul gives us something inspiring, he comes right back and
says, "beware." Beware because there are vain philosophers. Beware
because there are deceivers, sleight-of-hand cunning men. Do you think Satan is
an ugly, grotesque, being who looks like he came out of a horror film? He
doesn't look like that. He is an attractive, shining creature. The world looks
to the pleasing of the eye, and Satan knows our weaknesses. That's how he
"deceived" Adam and Eve -- the fruit looked pleasing (Genesis 3:6).
Let's look at that verse again in Ephesians 4:15-16:
... speaking
the truth in love, may grow up into
Him in all things, Which is the Head, even Christ:
from Whom the whole body fitly joined together
and compacted by that which every joint supplieth,
according to the effectual working in the measure
of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the
edifying of itself in love.
Consider what Paul is thinking about. He is
talking about "complementing." This body, if we are all members of
it, has to complement. We have to work together. We have to fit together. Even
I, with my limitations, still have a God-given place in His order. And I am
mandated to work together with you for the unity for it to increase. And what
does it increase in? Love, charity, brotherly kindness. However you want to
describe it, it goes without saying that I/we should have output with every
input. That is what people see, and that is what people measure. I might be a
small input, but I am still a part, and I have a function. My body is a vessel,
a container.
This "body" has all kinds of parts --- they all fit together. And if
they didn't, it and I wouldn't be full. That's the point Paul is making.
"Fitly joined together" is a great Greek word --- to render closely
joined together, or fitly joined together. Have you ever seen tongue and groove
flooring? This picture shows how we are just all "tongue and grooved"
together, and, therefore, fitly joined together to be complete.
No more children ...
... the verse continues. So we have to grow up!
Are we making an increase in the body here? Is this all there is supposed to
be? Are we all the parts? Are there more parts out there? Who in our lives can
we touch with this truth that might help the body grow?
.... unto the
edifying of itself in love.
Lack of love for everyone shows we are not filled up. So now given the
knowledge that I have shared with you intellectually, are you more complete?
Maybe feelings have emotionally grabbed you which say, "I'm not quite
filled yet, and I need to do something different." Do you believe that you
are "Complete in Christ"? That is where it starts. Are you filled up?
Are you still trying to add to what Christ has already done? If so, then you
are saying that Christ was insufficient for you and YOU are greater because it
takes your effort. That effort we contribute is waste!
We are full! ! We have been filled!! Believe it!! This is where it starts, and
then we demonstrate it by showing this fullness in our lives. Showing others
the life that is within us, the hope that is within. Instead of strife, let's
focus on what we agree upon and show others the Love of Christ! So, in summary,
there are at least 32 things that Christ did to "fill up" the
believer.
How
God Saves Men
Believing
Christ DIED, that’s HISTORY.
Believing
Christ DIED for YOU SINS and Rose again that’s SALVATION.
Read
Romans 1:16, Romans 10:9-10 and 1. Corinthians 15:1-4
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