OUR FATHER WHOSE SON ASCENDED AND GAVE GIFTS TO MEN

In the the book of Ephesians chapter 4 verses 7 - 16, after speaking of the unity of believers in the Spirit of God, begins to explain the gifts of the Spirit.

First he speaks of the scriptural foundation for the dispersion of gift found in Psalm 68 verse 13 which foretells the ascension of Christ from hades into heaven leading many sons to glory giving gifts for men.

7 But to each one of us grace was given according to the measure of Christ’s gift. 8 Therefore He says:

“When He ascended on high,

He led captivity captive,

And gave gifts to men.”

9 (Now this, “He ascended”—what does it mean but that He also first descended into the lower parts of the earth? 10 He who descended is also the One who ascended far above all the heavens, that He might fill all things.)

The Apostle Paul then enumerates the five gifts of men that were dispersed among those who believed in Jesus.  

11 And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, 12 for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, 13 till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ; 14 that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting, 15 but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head—Christ— 16 from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love.

The gifts of men were apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers and these gifts of men are given to the body to enhance and regulate the exercise of those functions among the people.  As the local body is imbued with the gifting being dispensed in their midst, they are equiped and edified so that they can healthily grow in :

• Unity
• The knowledge of the son of God
• In Stature of the fullness of Christ
• Maturity 
• Immunity to the buffeting of every wind of doctrine
• Immunity to trickery, cunning and deceitful plotting of men
• The ability to speaking truth in love

Such a healthy local body is able to be joined and knitted  closely with one another where each member is supplying what was entrusted to them which results in the local body growing so that it edifies itself in love.

Amen.

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