Christian hearts will own the world, but Christian Churches never will. 3. They are ambassadors for Christ, and while He has a peace to negotiate with sinners, He will still employ His ambassadors. Upward, heavenward, is the Christian's watchword. The text for this is, He climbed the high mountain, He captured the enemy and seized the booty, He handed it all out in gifts to the people.
of There is every reason to believe that our Lord Jesus Christ wore such a body. God did not call you to be canary birds in a little cage, and to hop up and down on three sticks, within a space no larger than the size of the cage. O sweet music, where the symphony shall exceedingly delight us, without division, without frets! Many preachers, and multitudes of professing people, are studious to find out how many imperfections and infidelities, and how much inward sinfulness, is consistent with a safe state in religion but how few, very few, are bringing out the fair Gospel standard to try the height of the members of the Church; whether they be fit for the heavenly army; whether their stature be such as qualifies them for the ranks of the Church militant! The nature of God; the certainty of immortality, etc. 2. 2. 3. A few points of comparison between the two will show the beauty and appropriateness of the figure. Whereunto? 6. As to baptism, it is plain from that (Matthew 28:20). This does not imply that there are still apostles and prophets in the Church. 2. And as it is in the individual, so it is collectively, or in Churches. The relation subsisting between Christ and the Church. And of the knowledge of the Son of God - That they might attain to the satire practical acquaintance with the Son of God, and might thus come to the maturity of Christian piety; see the notes on Ephesians 3:19. The officers given by Christ for the service of the Church. Measure of the stature - The full measure of knowledge, love, and holiness, which the Gospel of Christ requires. It is not knowledge that is evidence that you are a Christian; it is not a sense of duty; it is not mere outward conduct of any sort; it is the benevolent tendency of the heart; it is the soul's sweetness and love power. I have sometimes stood and marvelled at the vastness of the water wheel that lay silent by the side of the mill, and wondered by what power it could be turned. Ephesians 4:13. I do not call you to be men in the Church, or to be men according to the sects, whether they have prevailed in times past, or do now prevail.
To report dead links, typos, or html errors or suggestions about making these resources more useful use our convenient, Baker Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology, Hastings' Dictionary of the New Testament, International Standard Bible Encyclopedia, John Etheridge Translation of the Peshitta, James Murdock Translation of the Peshitta, Till we all come in the unity of the faith, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ, Commentary Critical and Explanatory - Unabridged, Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible, Lange's Commentary on the Holy Scriptures. How does the heir long till the time of his minority be overpast that he may get the inheritance in his hands. For a man to walk through cities and towns, and see what becomes of manhood, is enough to turn his head into a fountain of tears. In the case of our Saviour, goodness and knowledge were blended together. But the saints shall "meet in the unity of the knowledge of the Son of God"; there shall be union and perfection in their knowledge at that day. It passes out from the first set of hands into the second.
Let me beseech you to take heed to the substitution of class character for manhood. But the apostle's figures supply something more than the thought of childish weakness. 4.
The sacraments are to continue till then, and consequently a ministry by which they may be dispensed. Though a kingdom have in it many shires, more cities, and innumerable towns, yet is itself but one; because one king governs it, by one law: so the Church, though universally dispersed, is one kingdom; because it is ruled by one Christ, and professeth one faith. The occasion of the discordant judgments that are among the people of God, will at length be taken away. Ephesians 4:13.
Cross references. Melted and rudely shaped it is at first. The stature of the Church is ever expanding, as it receives of Christ's fullness, into that very fullness. Continuity, progression, development, evolution — or whatever else you may please to call it — this is the great governing law.
This Spirit hath begun that union, and is still at the uniting work; and it consists not with the honour of God, not to perfect that which He hath begun. I call you to discriminate between God's men and the Church's men. Growth is one of the most effective forces in nature, and yet the most silent. We'll send you an email with steps on how to reset your password. 4. This implies a spiritual stature whereunto every saint must grow.Whence infer —.
Of the faith and knowledge of God's Son.
Salem Media Group. 4. I call you, young men, to a Christian life, not simply because it is the way of duty, but because it is the only way in which you can find your own selves. God, the great and effectual instructor of the Church. This unity is prayed for, by the great Mediator, whom the Father heareth always, and whose intercession must needs be effectual (John 17:21-23). Because the ministry is a mean of the salvation of the elect. WHEREOF? He does not refer to the doctrine of “sinless perfection” - but to the state of manhood as compared with that of childhood - a state of strength, vigor, wisdom, when the full growth should be attained; see 1 Corinthians 14:20. 3. Always growing — though not always giving the same outward indications of growth — this is the law of the Saviour's kingdom. Faith is taken two ways: either passively or actively. This suggests the thought of instability and unrest. Teacheth us, that God hath ordained the ministry of the gospel to last to the end of the world. He was the standard - not in size, not in age - but in moral character. In the unity of the faith - Margin, into. 4 There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to one hope when you were called; 5 one Lord, one faith, one baptism; 6 one God and Father of … Here may be given a double excellency to the gospel. This unity hath a double reference: first, to faith; secondly, to knowledge. The word “stature” expresses the idea. Some must procure the stones, some lay them; some smooth and join the wood, and altogether make a compact uniform house. The Church is likened to the human body. The Scripture holds forth public ordinances, in which the Lord keeps communion with His people, never to be laid aside till they come to glory. "Of the knowledge." until we're all moving rhythmically and easily with each other, efficient and graceful in response to God's Son, fully mature adults, fully developed within and without, fully alive like Christ.