“THE ALL-INCLUSIVE GOAL” 

“Until we all attain unto...the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ”, (Eph.4:13)

Everything before this and after it in this Letter has its focus upon this clause.

If you ask, “What is this whole Letter about”?

The answer is in four words: “The fulness of Christ”.

The two usages of this word “Fulness” by the Apostle in this Letter not only sum up the whole Letter, but present the most wonderful and remarkable thing in this wonderful document and, in fact, the most wonderful thing in the Bible.

In chapter 1, verse 23, the astounding statement is that the Church, which is the Body of Christ, is “the fulness of Him that fills all in all”.

So much for a statement.

Here is something I have pondered for a long, long time.

Having looked at the various translations and interpretations available to me, I cannot help but feel that there is a sense in which the Church is actually ‘the fulness of Christ’. 

Let me explain: The Lord Jesus as the eternal Son of God, is totally self-sufficient and independent without us, who make up the Church.

However, as the Son of Man or the God-man, the One sent by the Father to redeem and bring His people to the Father, and having accomplished that, we are told that He, the Father “gave Him as the Head of all things to the church”. (Eph. 1:22)

He is joined to the Body, the Church.

Of course, we all know that a head is not complete without a body, a head needs a body.

And so, in a spiritual sense those of us who are ‘born of the Spirit’ are ‘members of His Body’ and are part of ‘the fulness of the Lord Jesus Christ’.

This Body, the Church, is continuing to grow “until we all attain unto...that measure of development which is meant by the fulness of Christ”.

ONE NEW MAN - What a tremendous fact that is: ‘The Church is the Body of Christ, and He is the Head of the Church’!

Do we all realize what that means?

That seems clearly to mean that Christ can no more be full as Head without His body to make Him complete: that He needs and depends upon His body for His self-realization and self-expression.

Closer still: He “fills all in all” and yet requires His body in order to fulfil His filling.

The body is the fulness, the completing of Him.

Let me just say in all humulity that you and I, unworthy as we are in ourselves, must learn to see ourselves for what we are in Christ; and as such we are essential and a vital part of the fulness of the spiritual Body of Christ; and what is true of Him is also true of us.

In 4:13 the finality of that truth is pushed along a line to future climax.

“Until we all attain to the unity of the faith, and of the full knowledge of the Son of God, that brings completeness of personality, tending toward the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ”.

“Until we all attain” is linked with a varied provision of functions.

We are informed that, on His return to heaven - “When He ascended on high” - the Lord Jesus forthwith “gave gifts unto men”. 

These were personal gifts as persons, and they were the expression of various functions: ‘Apostles, Prophets, Evangelists, Pastors and Teachers’ - different functions, each one given “grace according to the measure of their gift”, but all together bound and energized by one object.

The Apostle - inclusive, the other three (Pastors and Teachers being one function) making up one interrelated and interdependent ministry.

These are not different “Schools” or categories working apart, but only different aspects or functions of one body.

There has been mutual recognition, mutual evaluation and mutual co-operation.

The separating of these functions can only result in an unbalanced condition, and lack of balance always results in weakness and loss.

To give unbalanced emphasis to evangelism is only to have immature Christians.

To give out-of-proportion weight to teaching may result in the introversion which is divorced from objective concern for men’s salvation.

In a local assembly, constituted by the Holy Spirit, for its full-growth, all of these functions should be present.

Those who minister should know what their particular gift, grace and anointing is; and the assembly also ought to know it.

Things are thrown into confusion when there is a trying to be and do what the anointing is not meant for.

What pathetic, and even tragic, situations come about when men try to be that for which they are not anointed!

A leader must be obviously anointed for that function, and the anointing must be accepted and acknowledged.

The same must be true of all other parts of the one ministry.

But each personal gift must - and this is absolutely imperative - must keep the one inclusive goal in view, and definitely contribute to it - “The fulness of Christ”, because it is a “measure of the gift of Christ”.

The question may arise as to knowing what our particular function is.

The answer in general will, of course, be that as we seek to be a responsible member of the body, in the local church, we find that the Holy Spirit “burdens” us and exercises us in a particular way.

Notice: this is not official.

That is, it is not by our assumption, but by our spontaneous and voluntary exercise in concern for Christ’s interests in His body.

The Lord save His body, and its ministering members, from the pathetic scene of ministries which are not the definite projecting “He gave...”; He gave; not man chose, appointed, or “opened the pulpit” to anyone who would take it.

The “giving” of the ascended Lord is selective, specific, deliberate.

We must here indicate something very precious and helpful in this connection in the New Testament procedure.

It is indicated in 1.Tim.4:14 and implicit in various other instances.

“Neglect not the gift that is in you, which was given you 
by prophecy, with the laying on of the hands by the presbytery”.

The “Presbytery” here does not necessarily mean special Apostles, but surely 1.Tim.5:17 - “Let the elders that rule well”.

True, Paul did speak of “the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands”. (2.Tim.1:6)

It would seem clear that, at some time, there was a praying over the members of Christ’s body, and in the praying the Holy Spirit constrained to ask for some particular qualification by which the persons concerned would make a specific contribution to the ministry in the body.

Elsewhere Paul exhorted Timothy to “do the work of an evangelist, make full proof of your ministry” (2.Tim.4:5,A.V.), and to Archippus he sent a specific message that he should “take heed to the ministry which you have received in the Lord, that you fufil it”. (Col.4:17) 

It might be a good thing if all ministries were the result of such specific action in prayer!

There would be a much greater “attaining unto the fulness of Christ”, and much less of the ineffective and unprofitable “wisdom (or otherwise) of men”.

Our passage in Eph.4:13 indicates that the body, whether universal or locally represented should, by the ministries, be making progress toward the ultimate fulness.

The words are “the building up of the body of Christ”.

The word “edifying” in the Authorized Version means just that; “building up”.

While it is corporate growth, it, of course, must be true of every member.

While Paul mixes his metaphors, at one time speaking of a Temple and the next of the body, he eventually comes down fully on the body as “the full-grown man”, and what he means by building up is seen in 4:14: “no longer children”.

“that we may no longer be children, tossed here and there by waves, and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, by craftiness with regard to the scheming of deceit”.

It is the transition from childhood in which the persons concerned are always having to be nursed and, like children, draw attention all the time to themselves, to becoming such as can take spiritual responsibility and care for others, with the outward-looking concern for other members of the body.

It is a matter of coming into an increasing measure of Christ.

“Until...” represents process and progress; “we all attain” is the corporate object; “the fulness of Christ” - the goal reached.

From chapter 4, verses 10 to 15, we are thrown backward to the election, the calling, and vocation, to the relevant conduct and walk, and onward to the conflict and the demand for “standing”.

“He who descended is Himself also He who ascended far above all the heavens, that He might fill all things.
And He gave some as apostles, and some as prophets, and some as evangelists, and some as pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints (i.e., true believers) for the work of service, to the building up of the body of Christ;
until we all attain to the unity of the faith, and of the true knowledge of the Son of God, to a mature man, to the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ.
That we may no longer be children, tossed here and there by waves, and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, by craftiness with regard to the scheming deceit;
but speaking the truth in love, we may grow up in all aspects into Him, who is the head, even Christ”.

Notice: Everything relates to and focuses upon “Attaining unto the fulness of Christ”.

As we reach the conclusion of our meditation on “The Stewardship of the Mystery” next Sunday, we shall consider ‘The Basis of All’; Lord willing!