7 But grace was given to each one of us according to the measure of Christ's gift.
8 Therefore it says, "When he ascended on high he led a host of captives, and he gave gifts to men."
9 (In saying, "He ascended," what does it mean but that he had also descended into the lower regions, the earth?
10 He who descended is the one who also ascended far above all the heavens, that he might fill all things.)
11 And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers,
12 to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ,
13 until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ,
14 so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes.
15 Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ,
16 from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love.
This is our calling. To not only be saved, but to also mature into responsible leaders of the faith. Do I dable in the way of Christianity or do I embrace it and lead as Christ led?
ReplyDeleteAs we read this last night, it became clear to us that every part of the Body of Christ is important. We all serve a purpose in God's Kingdom, and we must constantly train ourselves by spending time in the word; by serving; by attending Church; and by helping other believers grow and mature.
ReplyDeleteThis is so vital for us to understand. The goal for our lives is not our individual maturity. The goal for true leaders is that every believer achieves maturity. Until every believer is solid and unable to be shaken, until every person is able to equip someone else, until the body itself becomes a perpetual machine of continual growth, our job is not done and our individual growth doesn't achieve anything close to the purpose God has for us as leaders. I have a devotion on this passage this week for RADICAL Friend With Believers.
ReplyDeleteChrist is the head; our leader. We must be good followers to be good leaders. We all work together through Christ and are equipped through Christ and building each other up.
ReplyDelete