Ephesians 4:11-16: It was he who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers, to prepare God's people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ. Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of men in their deceitful scheming. Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into him who is the Head, that is, Christ. From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work.
Last time we looked at the ministry gifts found in Ephesians 4:11.
The purpose of these ministry gifts is to prepare God's people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.
God desires maturity in the body of Christ. Too many in the church are stuck in the infancy stage of Christian maturity.
In verses 14-16 Paul gives three characteristics of spiritual infancy.
1. Tossed back and forth by waves.
2. Blown here and there by every wind of doctrine.
3. Moved by the cunning and craftiness of men in their deceitful scheming.
Everyone must experience infancy both in the natural realm and the spiritual realm. But, infancy is a temporary state. An infant needs constant care. An infant needs protection and attention 24 hours a day. Infancy must be left behind as the believer pursues the purpose of God, and learns to grow and mature in God.
The writer of Hebrews spoke bluntly about believers who were still infants, who should have already matured into teachers.
Hebrews 5:12-14: In fact, though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you the elementary truths of God's word all over again. You need milk, not solid food! Anyone who lives on milk, being still an infant, is not acquainted with the teaching about righteousness. But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil.
It is time for the church to move on into maturity. It is time to fulfull the purpose for which God created you.
I want to emphasize one phrase from this passage in Ephesians. It is from verse fifteen. Speaking the truth in love.
In this life you can never get away from the importance of the words you speak. Proverbs 18:21 states: The tongue has the power of life and death, and those who love it will eat its fruit.
In Matthew 12:36-37 Jesus states, But I tell you that men have to give account on the day of judgment for every careless word they have spoken. For by your words you will be acquitted, and by your words you will be condemned.
Without faith it is impossible to please God. And the Word clearly states the importance of words in the operation of faith. First of all, the spirit of faith is: "I believed; therefore, I have spoken." With that same spirit of faith, we also believe and therefore speak. (II Corinthians 4:13)
Secondly, Jesus said in Mark 11:23, I tell you the truth, if anyone says to this mountain, "Go, throw yourself into the sea," and does not doubt in his heart but believes that what he says will happen, it will be done for him.
Nothing of significance ever happens in the kingdom of God without the power of godly words at work. Likewise, nothing of significance ever happens in the the kingdom of darkness without the power of ungodly words at work.
What you say can make you or break you!
Here is something of the nature of God, that I have noticed, that all believers should emulate. God says what he is going to do, and then he does what he has said. There are no wasted, unproductive words with God. He says it, then he does it.
How do we learn to speak the truth in love? The first priority is to learn to hear the truth spoken in love.
If a believer desires to mature in God, then that believer must learn to hear the truth, and then respond in obedience to that truth. James wrote that a believer must be a doer of the word as well as a hearer. A believer who only hears the word deceives himself.
When you hear the Word of God taught, do you listen to see what changes you can make in your own life to become more fully obedient to the Word of God? Are you listening for truth, so that you can obey the truth?
How well do you respond when a brother or sister in Christ speaks the truth in love to you in rebuke or constructive criticism? Or, how well do you respond when someone criticizes you harshly or unfairly? Even with criticism that is generally unfair and harsh, there is usually always at least a kernel of truth, that can help you mature in Christ.
As we learn to hear the truth spoken in love, then we also need to learn to refrain from speaking words that do no qualify as truth spoken in love. Many words simply aren't the truth. Other words spoken may qualify as truth, but they are not appropriate because they are not spoken in love.
In our world today so many words qualify as "godless chatter." Paul said in II Timothy 2:16, Avoid godless chatter, because those who indulge in it will become more and more ungodly.
See the clarity of Paul's message. Don't engage in godless chatter, because if you do, you will become more ungodly. The words you speak have a direct correlation to what you become.
Our American culture is filled with godless chatter. Even much of the church is affected by this plague. People will say things and then say, "Oh, I was only kidding." Or, "just joking." I believe strongly that God wants his church to be full of joy and to robustly enjoy life. But the obsession that some have with speaking godless chatter is a clear sign of immaturity.
Even though I grew up in the church, I did not truly begin to live for God until after college graduation. Like all other believers, I had the need, and continue to have the need, to mature and to grow in God.
While attending seminary as a young single adult, some of the young single men had a bad habit of engaging in godless chatter with single female seminary students using the veil of "Oh, I was just kidding."
A young man would make a playful, flirty or perhaps even sexually explicit remark to a young woman, and then judge her reaction. If her reaction was one of shock or horror, then the young man would quickly say, "Oh, I was just kidding." But, if the young woman showed no shock, or if she made perhaps made a playful remark in return, then the young man would think the young woman could be interested.
Unfortunately, I admit I engaged in this type godless chatter at times. One day a friend of mine heard me make a comment to a young woman. I have no memory of the words that were spoken, but they did qualify as godless chatter. This friend pulled me aside and talked to me about how inappropriate it was to engage in such talk. He also explained to me how dangerous it was. As Paul clearly stated, godless chatter will lead to godless actions. Fortunately, in my case it had not gone that far.
Even though it has been thirty years since that friend chose to speak the truth in love to me, I have never forgotten the importance of what he said. Since that day I have attempted to never engage in inappropriate chatter with the opposite sex. Many, even in the church, see a few playful or flirty words, as harmless. The Word of God does not agree.
Affairs and wrong relationships among believers cause untold pain and heartache in the church today. Godless words become the fuel that Satan uses to scorch believers and innocent victims with the fire of sin and its consequences.
Diligently avoid speaking godless words. Eradicate words of doubt, fear, immorality, sickness, poverty and failure from your vocabulary.
NEVER GIVE SATAN THE FUEL OF UNGODLY WORDS SPOKEN FROM YOUR MOUTH!!
That is one decision you will never, ever regret.
Next time we will examine more closely the value of speaking the truth in love from a more positive outlook.
Wayne L. Williams
wayne@fotwm.org