1748 Lesson 7 Thursday Aug 10: Growing up into Christ

What danger threatens the Christlike maturity of the church? Eph. 4:14.Paul perceives an environment not unlike our own in which various ideas, such as “every wind of doctrine” and “deceitful schemes” (ESV), are thrust upon believers. He uses three sets of images to describe the dangers of wayward theology: (1) the immaturity of childhood, “so that we may no longer be children” (ESV); (2) danger on the high seas, “tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine” (ESV); and (3) being swindled by clever people who, like gamblers, practice sleight of hand. Paul uses figuratively the Greek word kubeia (“dice playing”) to mean “cunning” (ESV) or “trickery” (NKJV).Paul believes divisiveness to be an important mark of error: That which nourishes and grows the body and helps it hold together is good while that which depletes and divides it is evil. By turning from the divisive teaching and to that of tested and trusted teachers (Eph. 4:11), they will advance toward true Christian maturity and play effective roles in the body of Christ (Eph. 4:12, 13; compare Eph. 4:15, 16).In what ways does a healthy church function like a healthy body? Eph. 4:15, 16.In Ephesians 4:1–16, Paul advocates for the unity of the church and recruits the addressees to foster it actively. While unity is a theological certainty (Eph. 4:4–6), it does require our hard work (Eph. 4:3). One way we foster unity is by being active “parts” of the body of Christ (Eph. 4:7–16). Each of us is a part of the body and should contribute to its health and growth (Eph. 4:7, 16). We all should also benefit from the work of apostles, prophets, evangelists, and pastor-teachers (Eph. 4:11). These, like ligaments, tendons, and “every joint” (Eph. 4:16, ESV), have a unifying function, helping us grow up together into Christ, who is the head of the body (Eph. 4:13, 15).What are some of the “winds of doctrine” blowing through our church today, and how can we stand firm against them? Bring your answer to class on Sabbath.