Ephesians 4:13-16 | “The Church Needs to Grow Up”

Taking the Long View and Expecting Growth

The most effective teachers take the long view with their students.  They know that their students won’t change overnight.  They know that they’ll require months of patient instruction.  They know that their students won’t be transformed after one class.  They’re committed to the process of slow and steady instruction because they know that growth happens over time.

Effective teachers take the long view, but effective teachers also place reasonable expectations on their students.  They know growth will happen slowly, but they expect their students to grow.  They push their students to do things they didn’t think they could do.  They want their students to be further along at the end of the school year.  They expect their students to grow and mature.

In the same way, God takes the long view with his people.  He knows that they won’t change overnight.  He knows that they won’t look like Christ as soon as they’re saved.  He knows that it’ll take decades to teach them and mold them into the image of his Son, and he’s committed to the process.  But he also expects his people to grow up in the faith.  He wants them to mature.  He wants them to move from spiritual childhood to spiritual adulthood.  He expects them to move from the kiddie pool to the deep end.  He wants his church to grow up, to mature.

The main point of our text this morning is that the church must grow up, that Christian’s must mature in Christ.  Paul says that spiritual gifts are given to equip the church until the church is mature.  He says that the church needs to be mature in order to be spiritually safe.  He says that, instead of remaining spiritual children, the church must grow up into Christ by speaking the truth in love.  And he says that Christ himself is who enables the church to grow up (4:11-16).

Maturity Is the Goal of the Gifts

The ascended Christ gave the gifts of verse 11 in order to equip the church for the work of ministry, to train the church to build up the church.  This work must continue “until” the church is mature (v. 13). 

Paul’s language here tells us that all of God’s people are involved in this work.  He says, “we all.”  All Christians are involved in the maturing process.  The church’s growth is a group project.  The church’s growth is dependent on a collective buy-in by all members.  “We all” must continue serving until the church reaches maturity. 

“Unity of the Faith and of the Knowledge of the Son of God”

Paul defines maturity in verse 13 by three specific things being accomplished.   First, maturity happens when “we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God.”  The unity that Christ died to establish and the Spirit created must be “maintained” (v. 3) and “attained” (v. 13).  The unity of the church is a fact – we are one in Christ.  But it’s also a goal that we must “attain.”  It must be worked for. 

It’s not a unity around social preferences or a pastor or a worship style.  It’s the unity of “the faith” and of “the knowledge of the Son of God.”  This “faith” refers to the objective content of the message of Christ, not our believing it.  The “knowledge” we should attain is an intimate relationship with Christ, not knowing facts about him.  Jesus wants his people to have a growing relationship with him. 

The “faith” and the “knowledge” that must unite us is the person and work of Jesus Christ.  Unity in our church is impossible unless it’s built on the foundation of who Jesus is and what he’s done.  Any other unity is purely human in nature.  This is why the church itself is a compelling witness to the world.  We don’t gather around political persuasion, social class, age, marital status, country of origin, or skin color.  We gather around Jesus and his word.  Our unity shouldn’t be explained by anything else.  If it is, it’s not a supernatural unity. 

    

“To Mature Manhood”

The “mature person” here isn’t referring to individual believers.  Paul doesn’t use the plural form “mature persons” but chooses to use the singular form “mature person.”  He’s referring to the church, saying that the church must “attain to a mature person.”  This points back to verse 12.  All believers (“saints”) must do the “work of ministry” in order to “build up the body of Christ.”  This work must continue “until we all attain to” the goal of a mature person.

We often think of maturity only in terms of individual believers, but in this passage the emphasis is on the maturity of the church.  How do you know if a church is mature or maturing?  Using this section as a guide, a mature church is a church growing in unity around the gospel, growing in a united pursuit of intimacy with Christ, growing in the using of their gifts to build up the body, growing in humility, gentleness, patience and bearing with one another in love (v. 2).  A mature church is “walking in a manner worthy of the calling to which they’ve been called” (v. 1).  A mature church isn’t necessarily big or small, doesn’t have a specific kind of music, doesn’t have certain programs or events.  A mature church is a church that is collectively growing to know and love the Lord Jesus Christ.

“To the Measure of the Stature of the Fullness of Christ”

The final goal of our maturity is that we attain the full stature of Christ.  As we use the gifts he’s given us to build up his body, the church will reveal the fullness of Christ.  Paul said earlier in the letter that the church is the fullness of Christ (1:23).  Christ is risen and exalted in heaven, but, in a sense, he has incarnated himself again by placing his church, his body, in the world.  As John MacArthur says, “The church in the world is Jesus Christ in the world.” 

Jesus put us here to show and tell the world what he’s like.  We’re meant to be living picture on earth of the exalted Christ in heaven.  This has massive implications for everything we do as a church.  This is why we take membership so seriously.  The members of the church are the church.  They’re the ones showing and telling the world what Jesus is like.  This is why we’re committed to regenerate membership – to doing our best to ensure that only those who give evidence of being born again by the Spirit are allowed into the membership of our church.  Think about it, what does a lost person who’s a member of a church tell the world about Jesus? 

This is also why in our main worship gathering we devote ourselves to worshipping Jesus through son, to talking to Jesus through prayer, and to listening to Jesus through the preaching of his word.  We want the world to look at our church and see “the fullness of Christ.”  We want it to be unmistakable that we’re about the person and work of Christ.  We want it to be uncomfortable for a nominal or cultural or casual Christian to be part of our church.  We’re called to show the world the glory of the exalted Christ.  Our church will say something about Jesus.  May we be saying true and compelling things with our words and our life together. 

Maturity Is for Our Spiritual Safety

Verse 14 says that the church must mature so that they’ll “no longer be children.”  I love Eugene Peterson’s interpretation of this verse in The Message.  He says, “No prolonged infancies among us, please.  We’ll not tolerate babes in the woods, small children who are an easy mark for imposters.”

A spiritual child has no rudder and is easily “tossed to and fro by the waves.”  A spiritual child isn’t anchored on the truth and is easily “carried about by every wind of doctrine.”  Being a spiritual child is dangerous because a spiritual child is more susceptible to false teaching.  A spiritual child isn’t strong enough to hold their ground when a storm of false doctrine blows in.  When we go to the Rosemeade Rec Center and Elisha and I ride on the lazy river, I can walk against the current if I need to.  Elisha can’t.  I’m strong enough to go against the current.  Elisha isn’t.  A spiritual child doesn’t have the strength to walk against the current and is therefore more susceptible to drowning.  A spiritual adult has the strength to do so and will therefore be safer in the water.  Growing in maturity means growing in our ability to discern good doctrine from bad.  This means that maturity is essential for our spiritual safety.

Here are seven examples of “winds of doctrine” that are currently blowing around in our culture and churches.  First, the theory of evolution and naturalism, which teaches that we’re an accident of biological and chemical processes over millions of years and that everything that happens in the world must have a natural explanation.  Second, the teaching of universalism, or the idea that all roads lead to God and that all people will end up in heaven.  Third, the teaching of the basic goodness of humanity, or the idea that people are able to save themselves.  This stands in contrast to the Bible’s teaching that sinners are unable to save themselves.  Fourth, the idea that the local church isn’t a necessary part of the Christian faith, that we can claim to be Christians without any meaningful connection to a local body of believers.  Fifth, the idea that Christians who’re truly walking with God will regularly hear God speaking to them outside of the Bible.  Sixth, and perhaps most obviously, the prosperity gospel and word of faith movement, which teaches that God wants us to be materially prosperous and that if we have enough faith anything is possible.  Seventh, the idea that making disciples is only for a group of special Christians rather than the task and duty of the entire church.

  

Paul tells us what’s behind the teaching that tosses immature believers and immature churches about.  Spiritual children are tossed around by “human cunning” and “by craftiness in deceitful schemes.”  Paul says that this teaching is human in nature.  This means that it’s opposed to Christ and his teaching.  The word for “cunning” literally means a “readiness to do anything.”  False teachers will say and do whatever they have to in order to get you to believe them.

Paul may have in mind another source behind false teaching.  He uses the same word for “cunning” elsewhere to refer to the serpent deceiving Eve “by his cunning” (2 Cor. 11:3).  He says in 6:11 that it’s the devil who’s full of crafty “schemes.”  One of Satan’s primary ways of hindering God’s work in the church is by misleading immature believers who aren’t grounded in “the faith” and the “knowledge of the Son of God.”  This is why so many evangelical Christians have become Mormons or Jehovah Witnesses or part of the Word of Faith movement.  There’s a supernatural and evil power behind those who twist the truth of Christ and his word.   

This power is crafty and deceitful.  How else do we explain the prevalence of the teaching that Jesus can be our Savior without being God?  How else do we explain the valuing of animals more than humans in our culture?  Animals were flown to California during hurricane Harvey while thousands of people were left homeless.  How else do we explain the fact that we have compassion for children at the border but not for children in the womb?  How else do we explain a culture that promotes the valuing of women while simultaneously pouring billions of dollars into the sex industry, an industry built on the degradation of women?

Maturity Is from Truth Spoken in Love

In verse 15, Paul says that all Christians need to “grow up.”  Even Paul knows he needs to grow (“we”).  Maturity isn’t optional, it’s essential.  A Christian wants to mature.  A non-Christian is okay with immaturity.  We’re to grow up “in every way.”  There aren’t any areas of our lives that we don’t need to grow in. 

The rest of the verse helps us understand more specifically how we need to “grow up.”  We’re told to “grow up into him who is the head, into Christ.”  We’re to grow up into Christ, the head of the church.  In other words, we’re to grow to look more like Christ.  God saved us so that we would look like Christ in every way (1:4; Rom. 8:29).

  

If we think about what Christ was like, we’ll know some of the ways we need to “grow up.”  Christ loved the Father with deep affections.  We should be growing in our affections for God.  Christ was obedient to the Father, always doing what he wanted.  We should be growing in obedience.  Christ knew the Scriptures inside and out.  We should be growing in our knowledge and understanding of the Scriptures.  Christ was led by the Spirit in everything he did.  We should be growing in our following of the Spirit’s leading.  Christ always spoke truthfully.  We should be growing in truthfulness.  Christ loved people regardless of their ethnicity, social status, or sin.  We should be growing in our love for all people.  Christ loved his enemies.  We should be growing in love for our enemies.  Christ’s life was marked by generosity and sacrifice – he gave all he had for the glory of God and the good of others.  We should also be growing in generosity and sacrifice for the glory of God and the good of others.  If we’re followers of Jesus, we must be growing to become more like Jesus in every area of our lives. 

“Speaking the Truth in Love”

How does God intend to grow us up?  The answer is right here in verse 15, “speaking the truth in love.”  The means to our growth is truth spoken in love.  Out of love, we must tell each other the truth, the truth about God and the gospel.  We do this through studying the truth, singing the truth, praying the truth, and discussing the truth with other Christians.  There’s no shortcut to Christian growth.  If you want to grow in your faith, you must be filling your life with truth.

The word of God is the primary, non-negotiable, means that God has ordained to use to grow his people.  The word of God creates, sustains, and grows the people of God.  To put it simply, reading and studying the Bible is the primary way we “grow up” as Christians.  Refusing to be in and under and around the Word is choosing a life of spiritual malnourishment, sickness, deformity, and danger.

J. C. Ryle, a pastor in England in the 1800’s, says it this way in his great little book Thoughts for Young Men.  “A quick glance at the Bible now and then does little good.  At that rate you will never become familiar with its treasures, or feel the sword of the Spirit fitted to your hand in the hour of conflict.  But store up your mind with Scripture, by diligent reading, and you will soon discover its value and power.”

Another great way to “speak the truth in love” to one another is to read good Christian books with other believers.  We have small groups of men and women doing this throughout our church who can attest to the benefit of studying good, Bible-saturated, books together.  As I’ve said before, not all Christian books are Christian.  Ryle says it this way, “Beware of bad books: there are plenty in this day.  Take heed what you read.  I suspect there is more harm done to souls in this way than most people have an idea is possible.”

Maturity is from Christ

In verse 16, Paul closes this section with a short summary of the ideas he’s expressed.  The main point of this verse is that, though Christ is the goal of the church’s growth (v. 15), he’s also the source of its growth.  Christ is the one who makes the body grow (“from him”).  Christ supplies everything necessary for the church to grow and mature.  He creates its unity, provides it with the nourishment of his word, and guarantees its progress. 

Verse 15 emphasizes our responsibility to “grow up.”  Verse 16 says we’ll only grow up if Christ grows us up.  Our responsibility and God’s sovereignty are side by side.  Another example of this is Hebrews 6:1-3.  We must “leave the elementary doctrine of Christ and go on to maturity….and this we will do if God permits.”  We must grow up.  But even our growth is dependent on grace (cf. Phil. 2:12-13).

Notice again Paul’s focus on the growth of the church as a whole, the “whole body.”  Yes, each part of the body must be “working properly.”  Every church member must be growing in the Lord and in the use of their gifts to build up the body.  The Lord gives us power to grow, but the members of the body are fully involved in the process.  Christ “makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love.”  Jesus grows his church as his church “builds itself up.”  His sovereignty over the church’s growth shouldn’t lead us to be passive spectators, but active participants.

This applies to us no matter how old we are.  None of us are too young or too old to grow up.  We all need to mature in “every way.”  Just because you’re young doesn’t mean that God’s going to go easy on you.  You don’t get a pass because you’re new to the faith or the church.  And you don’t get a pass just because you’ve been a Christian or in church for a long time.  None of us are where we need to be.  We all have immaturity that needs to be worked out.

God Takes the Long View

God, like a good teacher, takes the long view and expects growth from his students.  When we trust in Jesus’ death for our sins, we’re welcomed into God’s family and given all the rights and privileges of being his children.  Through faith in Christ, we’re fully justified and completely accepted.  But we aren’t complete.  There’s still a massive amount of change that needs to take place in our lives.  The power of sin has been broken, but the presence of sin remains and needs to be progressively eradicated.  The key word is “progressively.”  The Father’s work of justifying his church is an event.  His work of sanctifying and transforming his church is a life-long process.  When God chose and called and justified us in Christ, he knew that he was committing himself to a day-by-day process of making us, the church, more like Jesus. 

A desire for overnight change can get us into trouble.  No one matures overnight.  No church grows into the fullness of Christ after one sermon or prayer meeting or Bible study.  Christ will mature his church, but he’ll do so incrementally, slowly, but surely.  He’ll do so over time as his people devote themselves to loving and knowing him, studying his word, and building up one another in love.