Being saved by grace—through faith—is a gift from God; we could not do anything of our own efforts to earn God’s gift (Eph. 2: 8, 9). Afterwards, however, what we do with that gift is our responsibility, which is to grow in grace (2 Peter 3:18). Grace is not a stagnant position. Grace is a growth process!
Like an embryo that is predestined to grow into a baby, so
the newborn Christian is predestined to grow into the fullness of Christ (Eph.
4:13). To accomplish this goal, the church is supposed to bring us to unity:
1) of
the faith, and
2) of
the knowledge of the Son of God (Eph. 4:13).
We, the body of Christ, are to provide the necessary tools
to bring us into this predestination (Rom. 8:29, 30). These tools are the
apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, and teachers (Eph. 4:11, 12). They
are to grow us up until we arrive “unto a perfect man…”
Perfect, tĕlĕiŏs, is to be complete (in various applications of labor, growth, mental and
moral character, etc.). The dictionary defines complete as “having all necessary parts, elements, or steps”;
“brought to an end: concluded”; “finished”; and is “marked by the highest
quality”.
Our Christian journey begins and ends by faith in Christ
Jesus. So let us encourage these ministries who grow us up. If we don’t, then
perhaps we not only failed “of the grace of God” (Heb. 12:15), but also of
faith—to the household of faith (Gal. 6:10)!
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All Scriptures come from The King James Version of the
bible; definition from Strong’s Concordance: “perfect” #5046 (Eph. 4:13); and Merriam
Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary.
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