Pauls's Epistle to the
Ephesians
Chapter Seven
THE
CHURCH EDIFIED, AND EDIFYING ITSELF.
"But unto every one of us
is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ. Wherefore he
saith, "When he ascended up on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts
unto men". (Now that he ascended, what is it but that he also descended first
into the lower parts of the earth? He that descended is the same also that
ascended up far above all heavens, that he might fill all things.) 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: 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." - EPH. iv. 7-16.
THE leading thought, all through, in this whole passage
(vers. 4-16), is the oneness of the body of Christ. And that oneness is brought
out in three consecutive and closely connected points of view. First, there is
the constitution of the body (vers. 4-6). Secondly, there is the ministry
provided for the nourishment of the body (vers. 7-12). And thirdly, there is
the body's power of spontaneous growth and progress towards perfection (vers.
13-16). These are the three connections in which the word "body" here occurs.
First, "one body" (ver. 4). Secondly,"the edifying of the body of Christ" (ver.
12). Thirdly, "the body edifying itself" (ver. 16). Having considered the first
of these views, let me ask attention to the other two, briefly, for I attempt
no full exposition.
A living organised body requires for its subsistence
and development
(I.) An outward system
of means and ministries ; and
(II) An
inward power or capacity of making these means and ministries available for its
subsistence and due development. And if the body is complex and various, the
means and ministries may be expected to be manifold. So also must be the power
or capacity of improving them. Yet all must be found tending to unity. The
Church is such a body, complex and various: "Unto every one of us is given
grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ" (ver. 7). It is composed
of members having graces and gifts all but infinitely diversified. To meet the
case of such a body, and foster its growth to maturity, the outward appliances
and the inward impulses must also be very varied.
I. There are various outward appliances; all meant
for the edifying of the body of Christ (vers. 8-12). These may be regarded as
comprehending generally all the spiritual instrumentalities and gifts brought
to bear upon the church and its members from without and from above. For the
apostle is not here laying down the platform of church government, or
determining formally and authoritatively what offices had been, or were to be,
owned and sanctioned in the church. He is not thinking of that, but of
something else. He merely names the ministries then in exercise. He names them
simply to bring out their variety of function, in connection with their unity
of aim. They are all of them, as then subsisting, among the gifts which, when
he ascended up on high, leading captivity captive, Christ received of the
Father that he might give them unto men. They are widely different from one
another, in respect of their inherent nature and their official use. But all
their differences tend to unity, and they work together for one ultimate
end.
Thus we have, first, apostles hearing witness to the resurrection
of the Lord, from their intimate personal acquaintance with him, and their
directly receiving communications from him in his risen state. Then, secondly,
we have prophets; men endowed with supernatural insight and foresight as to the
mind and purpose of God. Then, thirdly, we have evangelists, possessed of
burning zeal to conquer new realms for Christ; and of ripe wisdom also to
organise their conquests. Fourthly, there are pastors, to lead and nourish, as
shepherds, the flock of Christ, feeding them with heavenly food. And, fifthly,
there are teachers, to instruct the ignorant, to guide inquirers in the right
way, and to assist all the people to grow in grace and in the knowledge of our
Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.
These are the means and ministries of
grace in full force and play at the time of the apostle's writing his letters;
various in their character, so as to meet varieties of condition and
circumstances among the members of the church, but all working together for the
church's unity, having one aim, one end, one tendency.
And what is that?
It may seem, and indeed is in one view, twofold. It contemplates "the
perfecting of the saints;" their progressive sanctification and growth to
perfection; it contemplates also, not only their personal progress and
perfection, but their work, their ministry, their deaconship; the obligation
lying on them to do good, to be of the same mind with Christ, when he said that
he came not to be ministered unto, but to minister. But though thus twofold in
the working out of it, the end is one. These various appliances, apostolical or
divinely authoritative, prophetical or divinely intuitional, evangelistic or
missionary, pastoral, didactic; promoting inward progress towards perfection in
the saints, and prompting them to outward service; all tend to one result, the
drawing of the whole together; the edifying of the body of Christ (ver.
12).
II. In this process of
edification the body of Christ is not passive. It has inward vitality; internal
vital impulses and movements. And these also are various, as are the
ministerial influences from without (vers. 13-16). And yet they too all tend to
one and the same result; the edifying of the body of Christ; its edifying
itself (ver. 16). For it is correct now to speak of the body edifying itself.
It is not merely subjected to an outward process of edification; it has in it
an inward principle of self-edification. It grows to maturity, not only in
virtue of outward influences and appliances, but in virtue also of impulses and
movements and aspirations from within. And these, however various, all tend in
one direction and to one issue, the edifying of the body of Christ; its not
only being edified, but edifying itself.
This is indicated in the
opening words of ver. 13 - "Till we all come." The risen Saviour gives certain
gifts to us for certain effects to be wrought on us, till we all come, with a
view to our all coming to one goal. Not as dragged, or forced, or driven by
external compulsion or constraint; but as reaching what we have ourselves been
aiming at. It is clearly implied that we all, who are members of the body,
however different our circumstances may be, and however different our paths,
are yet moving to one goal. What that is the apostle indicates in verse 13:
"Till we all come to (not '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." Oneness of faith and knowledge as regards the Son of God is
the great terminus ad quern, the meeting-point for all the members of
the body. Oneness of faith and knowledge about the Son of God is what
constitutes the church's perfect manhood, her full-grown mature unity; and that
according to the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ. There is
ripeness or maturity of manhood among Christians in proportion as there is
oneness of faith and knowledge about the Son of God. To that we are all to come
at last: to that we are all coming now.
But our coming to it implies the
fulfilling of two terms or conditions: - First, There must be an end of all
childishness or infantile imbecility; of mere passive submission to external
influences (ver. 14). And, secondly, there must be wrought in us an active,
energetic principle, bent on doing the true thing, and doing it lovingly (ver.
15). There can be no growth, no tendency to oneness of faith and knowledge
about the Son of God, where there is nothing more than a sort of childish
receptivity. But let there be wrought in us a fixed, manly determination to
embrace and act out the truth lovingly, cordially, affectionately, with our
whole souls and hearts. Then there is a growing up into Christ. There is a
growing up of the whole nature into him. All of us, the members, thus
exercising ourselves truly and lovingly, grow up into Christ. And all growing
up into him, we draw from Him an all-pervading element of unity.
Mark,
then, the two causes or conditions of that growth which is the full development
of the unity of the body of Christ.
On the one hand (vers. 7-12) there is
the outward ministry, in all its variety of means and influences, adapted to
the double character which all Christians have to sustain as saints and
deacons; personally sanctified and set apart as holy unto the Lord, and
officially, as it were, called to be workers, fellow-workers, with the Lord. In
the one character they need to be perfected, completed. Their consecration to
the Lord, their coming out from the world, their devoted-ness, their piety,
their godliness, all the elements of the hidden life of God in their souls;
their spiritual tastes, convictions, and affections; all need to be becoming
more thorough, real, intense. In the other character they need to be
stimulated, encouraged, guided, stirred up to love and to good works; made to
walk and abound more and more in all good works. For both ends the outward
ministry in the church is available. Let us "be edified."
Then, on the
other hand (vers. 13-16), there is the inward principle of activity, causing
you to be ever coining, as by a spontaneous movement, into oneness of faith and
knowledge of the Son of God. That principle is faith working by love. It is
"speaking the truth in love." It is our being true and loving; true to
ourselves, loving towards others. Thus let us be true and loving, and so expect
the double blessing. We grow up more and more into him who is the Head in all
things. And this growing up into him, making our union more close, more vital,
more of a real identification, draws out from him, more and more, the living
virtue which, pervading the whole frame, and putting fresh oil into every
joint, brings out in fullest symmetry all its various susceptibilities of
growth and faculties of motion, and so makes it increase and edify itself. Such
is the divine ideal of the church and of its unity ; its living, growing
unity.
I cannot now enlarge on the whole subject thus brought before us.
But I fasten upon the one thought that all is of Christ the risen Saviour. He
gives the Spirit, the source and spring in us of life and growth. And he gives
the means and ministries needful instrumentally for that life and that growth.
In particular he gives " pastors and teachers," the standing ministry in his
church till now. But now, how is this gift to be ascertained and verified? How
is a pastor and teacher to be recognised and identified as really given by the
risen and ascended Lord to the church at large, or to any single congregation
in particular? Apart from any outwardly supernatural designation or sign, we
must look to indications and evidences of a more inward character. And we can
look for such indications and evidences only in the line of the views and
feelings of the parties called to judge in the matter.
I. First among these is the individual himself who
is proposed as pastor and teacher. He must, in the first instance, take the
responsibility of saying that he believes himself to be Christ's gift to the
church. He must avow, and act upon the avowal, that his call to the ministry is
from Christ. Nothing can relieve him of the burden of that decision, no human
opinion, no human authority. Human opinion, and the influence of human
authority, he may fairly weigh. In making up his mind, he must take these
elements into account. On the ground and warrant of such pressure from without,
on the part of the Christian commonwealth, men of old were constrained to
accept office in the church. And there is no reason why similar instances might
not occur in a lively and reviving state of religion. Still, ultimately,
however his mind may have been moved by such considerations brought to bear
upon him from without, his ultimate determination must be, not only, as regards
the church, his own free and voluntary act; but his act acknowledging, as
regards the Supreme Head of the church, an inward movement that leaves him no
discretion, a call from above which he cannot disobey.
It is indeed a
solemn and awful question that he has thus to raise and answer. And it is one
which every student, every preacher, every minister, must be continually, from
time to time, putting to himself, Am I Christ's gift to his church? Am I that
now? Was I that long years ago when I entered on my ministry? Am I that still;
my ministry having lasted so long since then? I cannot evade the question, as a
present question, no matter how long a time I have been in the Gospel-harness.
I must realise now, not merely what I may hopefully look upon as having been a
warrantable call to adopt the ministerial profession more than a quarter of a
century ago, but what may give me some confidence as to my being Christ's gift
to the church now. I must feel that I have, not merely a past, but a present
call to the ministry. On what evidence I may feel that I have that; or on what
evidence one entering on the ministry may feel that he has it, is a question on
which I cannot now enlarge. I would only say that there is this distinction
between him and me: - He must judge for himself without experience; without
actual trial of his ministry. I have a far deeper and far more formidable
question to raise. Have you found me faithful? Are you the seals of my
ministry?
II. The second party in
this matter is the church; or the collective body of Christians in any place or
under any organisation, acting as a collective body through its appropriate and
appointed official channel; its legitimate scripturally-sanctioned
representatives and agents. To simplify the matter, I take the presbytery, the
radical court in our church, as regards the point in question; and the court
for which we think we can plead direct apostolic authority. "What have these
presbyters to do when a man presents himself, or is presented to them, as a
candidate for the ministry, for the office of pastor and teacher? What question
have they to decide? Plainly this, Is he Christ's gift? His gift to the church
at large? His gift to any particular congregation soliciting his services?
Whatever rules may be laid down as to the training of students, whatever
conditions may be attached to the disposal of calls; in the long run, and in
the last resort, the church, in its presbyteries and other courts, has to face
this as the crucial and testing appeal to her : Is the man now before us one
whom we ought to recognise as given by the Head of the church to be a pastor
and teacher, in the church generally, or specially in this congregation? We
license and Ordain and induct. But in all that we do not act as exercising a
right, and asserting a discretion of our own. We simply seek to ascertain, as
best we can, and to acknowledge and carry out, the mind of the church's
Head.
No doubt, in the absence of miraculous indications from above, and
the power of discerning spirits here below, we must, in faith and prayer, use
and trust our own judgment; looking to personal qualifications and providential
leadings. And, knowing our own weakness, we must guard against caprice and
partiality, by enacting and enforcing general regulations on the subjects of
the curriculum of students and the calling of ministers. But that does not
shift, or in the least affect, the real state of the case, as we have
ultimately to dispose of it. In principle it always comes back to this plain,
issue: - here is, by supposition, a man, offering himself, or permitting
himself to be offered, to the church, or to one of her charges, as Christ's
gift; not merely at his own hand seeking office, but called and sent by Christ.
That must be postulated, or assumed, or taken for granted, in the first
instance. And what have we, the church's office-bearers, to do, on behalf of
Christ, the church's Head? Simply to form and give forth our opinion as to
whether what the man professes for himself, or his friends allege of him, is in
our judgment, after full trial, in the light of Scripture, and with prayer for
the Spirit's guidance, true or not. If, in some extraordinary instance, we
conclude that this is true of one who has not complied with our rules, these
rules must give place and give way. Even when these rules have been most
punctually observed, there still remains the question, Is the man. Christ's
gift?
III. There is a third party, when the case is one, not of a
general license to preach the Gospel, but of ordination or induction into a
particular ministerial charge. The congregation comes now upon the field,
without whose call or consent we hold any such transaction to be unscriptural
and unlawful, sinful and wrong. We maintain the indefeasible right of the flock
to choose its own pastor: we stand for popular election. But we do so with this
clear and solemn intimation, that in availing yourselves as a congregation of
your right, you have to entertain and dispose of the very same question which,
as we have seen, the individual believer has in the first instance to face for
himself with reference to his warrant for entering on the office of pastor and
teacher, and which we, as rulers in the Church, have to face for ourselves,
with reference to our acknowledgment of him, in that character and capacity. Is
he one whom you can and ought to regard as given by Christ to you, or rather to
the congregation of which you are one? Obviously there is here something more
than the mere exercise of a privilege or right, in the ordinary sense of these
terms; something, in fact, altogether and widely different. Your position is
really reversed. You have to ascertain, as best you may, not your own mind, but
Christ's; not what you would have, but what he gives. No doubt, in trying to
ascertain that, you must do what the other parties concerned are entitled and
constrained to do. You must exercise your own judgment, in the light of
Scripture and with prayer for the Spirit's guidance, upon all the materials
within your reach. You must inquire, and examine, and make diligent search. And
you are at full liberty, nay you. are imperatively bound, not merely to weigh
scrupulously all information coming to you through most competent and
trustworthy testimony, but to consult your own impressions and feelings, in so
far as you have the means of personal and experimental trial of a man's gifts
and graces; and in so far as you think you have reason to believe that you have
had the Spirit of the Lord along with you and within you in the trial of them.
Still you are to keep steadily before you the real state of the
question. You are to bear in mind what it is that you have to decide. It is not
who, as pastor and teacher, would best please you. Nay, it is not even who, as
pastor and teacher, might most plausibly or most probably be welcomed by you as
given to you by Christ the Lord, the church's Head ; I mean given by him to you
individually. No. For you cannot isolate yourself. It is not you by yourself,
and for yourself alone, who have to exercise this sacred trust, and discharge
this responsible duty; but the congregation as such. It is as one of the
congregation ; it is in the interest of the congregation, and in view of the
congregation's obligation and responsibility, that you are required to decide
and act. The question therefore now becomes far wider and far deeper. Does it
seem to be the mind of Christ that such a one may be pastor and teacher in such
a congregation? Am I shut up to the conclusion, or may I warrantably regard
myself as shut up to the conclusion, that he is one whom, not I as an
individual, but the collective congregation, may accept as Christ's
gift?
I have said that the question becomes thus far wider than if the
decision of it turned simply on your individual preference or predilection, or
even upon your conviction of what might be best for your individual good. You
cannot, of course, be responsible for the constituting of any pastorate, or
acquiesce in it when constituted, if you believe it to be unwarrantable in
itself, m injurious to the best interests of your souls. But under that
qualification you must bear in mind the duty of consulting for others;
consulting for the congregation; consulting for Christ; always devoutly and
vividly realising the large bearing of the question, viewed in the light of the
pastor and teacher being Christ's gift to the flock. For in that view, a
variety of considerations come to press upon you which would have no weight or
relevancy if you had only yourselves to think of, and your own comfort and
edification, or even your own highest spiritual perfection, to provide for. The
position of the congregation, the exigencies and wants of the time and of the
place, the interests of families as regards family visitation, the risks and
hazards of the young in the midst of social, intellectual, and spiritual
trials, are to be considered as indicating what is needed. Then again, as
pointing to an adequate meeting of the need, the strong and unequivocal opinion
of competent judges, the earnest commendation of men chosen and trusted by
yourselves for this very thing, the evidences of success, under the divine
blessing, in another sphere of usefulness, are to be weighed. All such elements
of judgment may and must enter into your disposal of the question forced upon
you, when you are called to say if you can concur in welcoming one thus pointed
out to you as Christ's gift to the congregation; not, of course, as if none but
he could, in any conceivable circumstances, be Christ's gift; but yet with
sufficient ground for believing that here and now, as regards present duty, you
have the mind of Christ.
I referred also to the question being deeper as
well as wider, in the view I have been trying to impress, than when it is
looked at in the coarse and vulgar light of its being the mere exercise of a
personal right, upon personal considerations, that is involved. What I mean is
that, not only must it be looked at more broadly, but it must be pondered more
profoundly. And especially there must gather round it, in the sphere of your
conscientious convictions, a more intense feeling of responsibility. If it were
merely your saying for yourself who it is whom you would like to preach to you
and he your minister, you might waive that right, and make a merit of waiving
it. You might stand aloof and be neutral. You might decline to take any share
of responsibility in the matter. But you cannot thus evade your duty when you
take a scriptural view of this momentous transaction, as affecting, not your
spiritual gratification merely, but the carrying out of the mind of Christ, in
his gift of pastors and teachers to his church. You cannot be guiltless if you
refuse to judge in any particular case as to whom he may be giving; and to
carry out the result of whatever judgment you may, through prayer and
meditation, reach. Let me, in closing, urge yovi to consider the vast
importance of your acting on the view now suggested, as bearing on the welcome
you give to any minister coming among you, as well as the call you address to
him inviting him to come. If you call on the principle and in the spirit I have
been endeavouring to explain, then your welcome will correspond to your call.
Go To Chapter Eight
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