The Application of the Body of Christ #6
The Gifts of Christ Given to men Eph. 4:7-8/Ps. 68:17-18
Remember: Any discussion of gifts for edification, spiritual gifts, or anything concerning “body life”, must be preceded by the understanding and manifestation of the worthy walk of Ephesians 4:1-6. The flesh loves “gifts”, to feel important, to be esteemed for something in itself, but self-assertiveness and self-interest indicate flesh lust, not the Spirit’s Gifting! Godly meekness, the worthy walk, “is not occupied with self at all.”
Ephesians 4:7-8
I. Vs 7 “But to each one of us GRACE was given....” Here we have the source of and qualification for the gifts for edification.
A. First of all, Paul says “to each one of us”. Each and every “born from above” human has been given this gracious gifting for edification. No exceptions! No one can hide behind a preacher, teacher, or whatever. Every single member of this outworked body of Christ is gifted for the purpose of building up, strengthening the body of Christ in this world!
B. Secondly, it is Grace that is given. Natural, fleshly characteristics have NOTHING to do with this gifting. ALL IS OF GRACE. The naturally charismatic person must, by that grace, harness that natural charisma, lay it on the Romans 12 altar of sacrificial worship, and grow in the meekness and lowliness of our Lowly Jesus. But on the other hand, anyone who considers themselves unqualified to minister this edification, whether because of some supposed physical, emotional, or mental “disqualification”, must also bring that fear, dread, sense of unworthiness to that same Romans 12 altar of sacrificial worship! This is why Paul warns Timothy, in his instructions for choosing elders in the church in I Timothy 3:5, to not choose a novice, a new believer, young in the faith! And why? “Lest he being lifted up with pride he fall into the condemnation of the devil.” That should send chills down the spiritual spine of any young man who aspires to “edify” the church. This gifting, this enablement, is ALL OF GRACE!!! The source of this gifting, the working out of this gifting, and the benefit of this gifting, is ALL OF GRACE. Remember, “....God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble.” (James 4:6)
A word of caution. This does not mean that the gifted one’s personality, identity as a human, is destroyed. No, not at all. God has providentially put us in all the circumstances in this life to shape us into the vessel His Grace will be poured into, including the families into which we are born, and in some cases, no family at all. (Acts 17:25-27) But Grace works diligently and consistently through the Word by the Spirit (Hebrews 4:12-13) to put to death the fleshly “trappings” of that vessel, whether "good" or bad. In this world, we all have this gift in “cracked pots”, but as the Grace of God does it’s work, our pots look less and less like what we used to be and more and more like Him Who Is the Head of the Church!
C. Thirdly, note that this “grace was given according to the measure of Christ’s gift.” This reminds me of another passage of “measurement” in this epistle, 3:18-19, where Paul experiences the futility of human standards of measurement when it comes to the operation of the love if God. This measure does not mean “size”, or “importance”. Those are fleshly designations. These measurements strictly speak of Christ’s purpose in fulfilling the Will of the Father in manifesting His Wisdom to the “principalities and powers in heavenly places.” (Eph. 3:8-11). Each gift of grace for edification is measured to fit the exact purpose the Will of God requires for the "edifying of itself (the body of Christ-Eph. 4:16) IN LOVE." Our “pecking order of importance" mentality does not belong here. There is no “pecking order” in the Godhead, there is no place for a “pecking order” in His body left on this earth!
II. Vs 8 Paul here quotes Psalm 68:18, and declares it’s Messianic purpose. In considering this passage, it is valuable to note:
A. Psalm 68:17 is speaking of that Glorious Angelic host of “principalities and powers”, His angelic spirits, His flaming ministers of worship to the Most High God. (Psalm 104:4; Heb. 1:7) Recall the Lord descending upon Sinai in fire? (Ex. 19:18) In Deuteronomy 33:2 Moses says that “He came with ten thousand of His saints” on Sinai.
It is in this Glorious context that Vs 17 says the Messiah “received gifts among men, even from the rebellious, that the LORD God might dwell there.” The gifts are from the Father to the Christ Who gives them to a people drawn from a rebellious people! Now note! “That the LORD God might dwell there.” Recall Ephesians 2:22 in Paul’s description of the New Covenant temple “in the Lord”...”In Whom you are being built TOGETHER for a DWELLING PLACE OF GOD IN THE SPIRIT.” This is what the “body of Christ” is all about–A DWELLING PLACE OF GOD IN THE SPIRIT ON THIS FALLEN EARTH, and strangely, when He has the heavenly hosts, perfect glorious beings, at His disposal! Oh the mysterious Wisdom of God!
One last item before we move on from Vs 17. “He led captivity captive.” This is surely that which is spoken of in Hebrews 2:14-15. He has captured our bondage maker, the devil, and released us from the bondage of death. And thinking of Ps. 68:18 and its exaltation of His worshiping angels, notice Heb. 2:16, “for indeed He does not give aid to (margin: take on the nature of) angels, but He does give aid to the seed of Abraham.”
Only the Almighty God, Who IS Love, Forgiveness and Mercy, would subject His Beloved Son to such humiliation (a humiliation which He embraced most willingly–Philippians 6-7) as to take on the nature of a rebellious people (apart from their rebellious natures-II Cor. 5:21) that He might bear within them that humble and contrite spirit in order that He might dwell with them for all Eternity! (Isaiah 57:15) And remember, the pulse of that humble and contrite heart is found in Ephesians 4:2 & 3, “with all lowliness and gentleness, with longsufering, bearing with one another in love, endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of Peace.” We must not kid ourselves!! The pursuit of our self interests, protecting “what is ours” has NO PLACE in the Dwelling Place of the Most High God which is His redeemed people. All Praise to the Most High God Who is Gracious Wisdom!!!
Christ’s giving gifts to men has but one purpose, and that is for the building up, strengthening and enlarging, the dwelling place of God in the Spirit on this earth, that it might be a glorious witness to the principalities and powers in heavenly places!!! (Ephesians 3:10-11)
IF OUR GIFTEDNESS OUTSHINES THE GIVER OF THE GIFT, IT IS THE FLESH SHINING THROUGH, AND THAT IS THE GLOW OF FOOLS' GOLD!
The Gifts of Christ Given to men Eph. 4:7-8/Ps. 68:17-18
Remember: Any discussion of gifts for edification, spiritual gifts, or anything concerning “body life”, must be preceded by the understanding and manifestation of the worthy walk of Ephesians 4:1-6. The flesh loves “gifts”, to feel important, to be esteemed for something in itself, but self-assertiveness and self-interest indicate flesh lust, not the Spirit’s Gifting! Godly meekness, the worthy walk, “is not occupied with self at all.”
Ephesians 4:7-8
I. Vs 7 “But to each one of us GRACE was given....” Here we have the source of and qualification for the gifts for edification.
A. First of all, Paul says “to each one of us”. Each and every “born from above” human has been given this gracious gifting for edification. No exceptions! No one can hide behind a preacher, teacher, or whatever. Every single member of this outworked body of Christ is gifted for the purpose of building up, strengthening the body of Christ in this world!
B. Secondly, it is Grace that is given. Natural, fleshly characteristics have NOTHING to do with this gifting. ALL IS OF GRACE. The naturally charismatic person must, by that grace, harness that natural charisma, lay it on the Romans 12 altar of sacrificial worship, and grow in the meekness and lowliness of our Lowly Jesus. But on the other hand, anyone who considers themselves unqualified to minister this edification, whether because of some supposed physical, emotional, or mental “disqualification”, must also bring that fear, dread, sense of unworthiness to that same Romans 12 altar of sacrificial worship! This is why Paul warns Timothy, in his instructions for choosing elders in the church in I Timothy 3:5, to not choose a novice, a new believer, young in the faith! And why? “Lest he being lifted up with pride he fall into the condemnation of the devil.” That should send chills down the spiritual spine of any young man who aspires to “edify” the church. This gifting, this enablement, is ALL OF GRACE!!! The source of this gifting, the working out of this gifting, and the benefit of this gifting, is ALL OF GRACE. Remember, “....God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble.” (James 4:6)
A word of caution. This does not mean that the gifted one’s personality, identity as a human, is destroyed. No, not at all. God has providentially put us in all the circumstances in this life to shape us into the vessel His Grace will be poured into, including the families into which we are born, and in some cases, no family at all. (Acts 17:25-27) But Grace works diligently and consistently through the Word by the Spirit (Hebrews 4:12-13) to put to death the fleshly “trappings” of that vessel, whether "good" or bad. In this world, we all have this gift in “cracked pots”, but as the Grace of God does it’s work, our pots look less and less like what we used to be and more and more like Him Who Is the Head of the Church!
C. Thirdly, note that this “grace was given according to the measure of Christ’s gift.” This reminds me of another passage of “measurement” in this epistle, 3:18-19, where Paul experiences the futility of human standards of measurement when it comes to the operation of the love if God. This measure does not mean “size”, or “importance”. Those are fleshly designations. These measurements strictly speak of Christ’s purpose in fulfilling the Will of the Father in manifesting His Wisdom to the “principalities and powers in heavenly places.” (Eph. 3:8-11). Each gift of grace for edification is measured to fit the exact purpose the Will of God requires for the "edifying of itself (the body of Christ-Eph. 4:16) IN LOVE." Our “pecking order of importance" mentality does not belong here. There is no “pecking order” in the Godhead, there is no place for a “pecking order” in His body left on this earth!
II. Vs 8 Paul here quotes Psalm 68:18, and declares it’s Messianic purpose. In considering this passage, it is valuable to note:
A. Psalm 68:17 is speaking of that Glorious Angelic host of “principalities and powers”, His angelic spirits, His flaming ministers of worship to the Most High God. (Psalm 104:4; Heb. 1:7) Recall the Lord descending upon Sinai in fire? (Ex. 19:18) In Deuteronomy 33:2 Moses says that “He came with ten thousand of His saints” on Sinai.
It is in this Glorious context that Vs 17 says the Messiah “received gifts among men, even from the rebellious, that the LORD God might dwell there.” The gifts are from the Father to the Christ Who gives them to a people drawn from a rebellious people! Now note! “That the LORD God might dwell there.” Recall Ephesians 2:22 in Paul’s description of the New Covenant temple “in the Lord”...”In Whom you are being built TOGETHER for a DWELLING PLACE OF GOD IN THE SPIRIT.” This is what the “body of Christ” is all about–A DWELLING PLACE OF GOD IN THE SPIRIT ON THIS FALLEN EARTH, and strangely, when He has the heavenly hosts, perfect glorious beings, at His disposal! Oh the mysterious Wisdom of God!
One last item before we move on from Vs 17. “He led captivity captive.” This is surely that which is spoken of in Hebrews 2:14-15. He has captured our bondage maker, the devil, and released us from the bondage of death. And thinking of Ps. 68:18 and its exaltation of His worshiping angels, notice Heb. 2:16, “for indeed He does not give aid to (margin: take on the nature of) angels, but He does give aid to the seed of Abraham.”
Only the Almighty God, Who IS Love, Forgiveness and Mercy, would subject His Beloved Son to such humiliation (a humiliation which He embraced most willingly–Philippians 6-7) as to take on the nature of a rebellious people (apart from their rebellious natures-II Cor. 5:21) that He might bear within them that humble and contrite spirit in order that He might dwell with them for all Eternity! (Isaiah 57:15) And remember, the pulse of that humble and contrite heart is found in Ephesians 4:2 & 3, “with all lowliness and gentleness, with longsufering, bearing with one another in love, endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of Peace.” We must not kid ourselves!! The pursuit of our self interests, protecting “what is ours” has NO PLACE in the Dwelling Place of the Most High God which is His redeemed people. All Praise to the Most High God Who is Gracious Wisdom!!!
Christ’s giving gifts to men has but one purpose, and that is for the building up, strengthening and enlarging, the dwelling place of God in the Spirit on this earth, that it might be a glorious witness to the principalities and powers in heavenly places!!! (Ephesians 3:10-11)
IF OUR GIFTEDNESS OUTSHINES THE GIVER OF THE GIFT, IT IS THE FLESH SHINING THROUGH, AND THAT IS THE GLOW OF FOOLS' GOLD!