FOR THE EQUIPPING OF THE SAINTS FOR THE WORK OF SERVICE: pros ton katartismon ton hagion eis ergon diakonias: (Luke 22:32; John 21:15, 16, 17; Acts 9:31; 11:23; 14:22,23; 20:28; Romans 15:14,29; 1Corinthians 12:7; 2Corinthians 7:1; Philippians 1:25,26; 3:12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18; Colossians 1:28; 1Thessalonians 5:11, 12, 1,3, 14; Hebrews 6:1; 13:17) (Acts 1:17,25; 20:24; Ro 12:7; 1Corinthians 4:1,2; 2Corinthians 3:8; 4:1; 5:18; 6:3; Colossians 4:17; 1Ti 1:12; 2Timothy 4:5,11)

EQUIPPING
THE SAINTS

Equipping of the saints - KJV has "perfecting of the saints" which conveys the wrong idea, for the purpose of Christs gifts ("gifted men") to the Church is not to make saints sinlessly perfect but is to completely outfit them for service or as Paul describes to make them...

a vessel for honor, sanctified (set aside), useful (easy to make use of) to the Master, prepared (carries idea of willingness and eagerness as well as of readiness) for every good (God) work. (2Ti 2:21-note)

John MacArthur gives some sage advice in this vital area of pastor-teachers equipping their sheep writing...

The surest road to a church’s spiritual stagnation, to the pastor’s burnout, or to both is for the pastor to become so engulfed in activities and programs that he has too little time for prayer and the Word. And programs that “succeed” can be even more destructive than those that fail if they are done in the flesh and for human satisfaction rather than the Lord’s glory. It is lack of knowledge of God’s Word and obedience to it (Hos. 4:6), not lack of programs and methods, that destroy His people. When they fail it is not because of weak programs but because of weak teaching. The first concern of the leadership of the church should be for the filled seats, not the empty ones. When a young preacher complained to Charles Spurgeon that his own congregation was too small, Spurgeon replied, “Well, maybe it is as large as you’d like to give account for in the day of judgment.” Spiritual growth does not always involve learning something new. Our most important growth often is in regard to truth we have already heard but have not fully applied. (MacArthur, J: Ephesians. Chicago: Moody Press)

Dr S Lewis Johnson explains this important passage writing that

what Paul is really saying is these gifted men, apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers, are given for the equipping of the saints – that’s their one duty, to equip the saints – that the saints might do the work of ministry that the body of Christ might be edified. So that the work of the ministry is not the work of the gifted man; he’s simply to equip them from the word of God. He’s to teach the Scriptures so that they, built up in the faith, strengthened, given doctrine of biblical knowledge and the application of it, are then able to carry on ministry. Everyone is a minister in the body of Christ. So you are a minister in the body of Christ...

Now in the case of each of these gifts, assuming that this last is one gift, pastor hyphen teacher, you’ll notice that each one has something to do with the word of God. So, the concept that Paul is speaking about here is the concept of men who have utterance gifts to teach the word of God, to equip us, to do the work that will lead to the edifying of the body of Christ. And I read the statement from Calvin, to the effect, in which Calvin says,

“He could not exalt more highly the ministry of the word than by attributing to it this effect. For what higher work can there be than to build up the church that it may reach its perfection. They, therefore, are insane, who neglecting this means hope to be perfect in Christ, as is the case with the fanatics who pretend secret revelations of the spirit (that is, they pretend they have prophets), and the proud, who content themselves with the private reading of Scripture and imagine that they do not need the ministry of the church.”

So Calvin made, I think, a very valid point that what leads to the edification of the church, the body of Christ, is the ministry of gifted men who bring the word of God to us. The word is the source of the edification of the body of Christ.

Now I’d like to just draw a little contrast here, based on that. You’ll note that it all comes from the word. He does not say that God has given to us educators, that they might instruct us. He does not say that he has given us organizers, that the body may be built up. He does not say that he gives us administrators, that the body of Christ may be built up. He does not say that we have been given counselors, or psychologists, or fundraisers, that the church may be built up.

In other words, the edification of the body of Christ comes from the ministry of every believer who is equipped for his task by the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastor-teacher, or, in their teaching of the word of God. It is the word of God that equips the saints for ministry. So the Apostle, I think, lays great stress upon that. (Pdf)

Equipping (2677) (katartismos from  katartizo [word study] = mend, repair, make whole or perfect, of setting bones, mending nets in turn from katá = with + artízo = adjust, fit, finish related to ) means to make something or someone (in this case the "sheep" in the flock) completely adequate or sufficient for something.  The basic idea is that of putting a thing into the condition in which it ought to be.  In politics it is used for bringing together opposing factions so that government can go on.

The English word equip means to furnish for service or action by appropriate provisioning. Equip describes the supplying with the items needed for a particular purpose, both of these definitions providing excellent pictures of the effect the gifted men should have on the body of Christ.

Fitting or preparing them fully, so that thus equipped or fitted out they might serve the purpose for which they were made.

Paul used the verb form (katartizo) in the context of a call for unity writing...

Now I exhort you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you all agree, and there be no divisions (schisms, parties, in present context referring to no division over personalities) among you, but you be made complete in the same mind and in the same judgment. (Comment: Paul appeals for adjustments to be made in these personality divisions so that there might be unity in the church. Other issues that divided the Corinthian church included libertinism (1Cor 6:13), the relation of men and women in the church (1Cor 11:2-16), food laws (1Cor 8:10; 10:25), speaking in tongues (1Cor 14), and resurrection of the dead (1Cor 15).

Paul used the verb form (katartizo) again in second epistle to the Corinthians in his closing admonition to the believers:

Finally, brethren, rejoice, be made complete (present imperative = commands a lifelong, daily process until we see Jesus face to face!) (2Co 13:11)

Comment: Katartizo conveys the sense here not of adding something that is lacking, but of putting things in order, of adjusting things that are out of adjustment as for example in describing fisherman mending their nets. Paul was commanding the Corinthian saints to mend their ways, to straighten themselves out, and restore harmony among themselves. Spiritual wholeness comes when the church, both collectively and individually, is in complete conformity to God’s Word. To equip the saints to do so is the responsibility of the church’s leaders.

It is worth noting that in classical Greek this word group is derived from the root "ar-" which indicates appropriateness, suitability, usefulness, aptitude. Artios (katartismos) for example means suitable, appropriate, fitting a situation or requirements; hence also respectively, normal, perfect, sound in physical, intellectual, moral and religious respects. In mathematics it is used to describe what is straight and to denote even numbers.

Regarding artios NIDNTT adds that...

All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; that the man of God may be adequate (artios), equipped for every good work. (2Ti 3:16, 17-note)

Comment: The primary tool God provides for the equipping of saints is His Word (see Simple Study on the Power of God's Word). Pastors (shepherds) are feeding the sheep solid food (Heb 5:14-note = no solid food , no maturity, no discernment!), preaching the pure milk of the word (1Pe 2:2-note = no milk, no growth!) in season and out of season, reproving, rebuking and exhorting with great patience and instruction (2Ti 4:2, 3-note)? You must feed yourself first (cp Paul to the Ephesian elders = Acts 20:32a), then feed your sheep and then teach them how to feed themselves on the word - see Inductive Bible study. Don't just give them "fish" to eat, but equip them with the tools that will enable them to "fish" for themselves anywhere in the Word.

Basically katartismos refers to that which has been restored to its original condition, is being made fit or being made complete. The root word was used as a medical term used for setting bones! Secular Greek also used it to refer to the furnishing a house.

Paul's use in the context of the body, the church, pictures the complete furnishing of the believer so that he/her might be made ready to fulfill his/her purpose in the body of Christ where he/she had been placed by God's Spirit.

It follows quite logically that if the "sheep" are not equipped by the shepherds, the body will not function to its full potential or capacity, just as  human body that is deficient in vital nutrients fails to fulfill its function optimally. If this is an important truth for the temporal, physical body, how much more important is it for the eternal, spiritual body! Shepherds, feed your sheep. Have you ever just read an entire letter of Paul's together with your flock? This letter was meant to be read publicly but it seems we have drifted from such practices, for a variety of reasons. Are you encouraging your sheep to memorize the Word? (Ps 119:9, 10, 11-note)... to meditate on the Word? (Ps 1:2,3-note, Josh 1:8-note)

Ray Stedman offers an excellent illustration (mending nets) of the practical meaning of katartismos . First observe the passage Stedman is referring to...

Mt 4:21 And going on from there He saw two other brothers, James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, in the boat with Zebedee their father, mending (katartizo) their nets; and He called them.

Stedman comments...

In the original Greek, the word is katartismos, from which we get our English word "artisan"--an artist or craftsman, someone who works with his hands to make or build things. It is a special point of interest that this word first appears in the New Testament in connection with the calling of the disciples. As Jesus walked along the Sea of Galilee, he saw two pairs of brothers, Peter and Andrew, and James and John, sitting in a boat busily working. What were they doing? They were mending their nets. The word "mending" is the (Ed note: actually the related verb katartizo) word translated in Ephesians 4 as "equipping." They were equipping their nets by mending them. They were fixing their nets, making them strong, preparing them for service, getting them ready for action!

Mending the Saints - The use of this particular word suggests that the role of the four support gifts (Ed note: the gifted men in Ep 4:11-note) within the church is essentially that of mending the saints, preparing them for service, getting them ready for action. This Greek word is also translated as "fitting them out" or "preparing." The Greek authority, J. H. Thayer, says it means "to make one what he ought to be." Perhaps the nearest modern equivalent is "to shape up." The ultimate aim of apostles, prophets, evangelists, and pastor--teachers is the shaping up of the saints to do the work of the ministry. A moment's thought will make clear that the instrument to be used by the four support gifts in equipping the saints is the word of God. Obviously, all four support ministries relate somehow to that word...The task of the pastor-teacher is to use the Word of God to cleanse and feed the flock. The early church clearly understood that the word of God was the instrument of growth in the lives of Christians. Paul once spoke to the very elders to whom this Ephesian letter is addressed and said to them,

And now I commend (place you beside is the idea =  commercial technical term for giving something to someone in trust for safekeeping = to "deposit") you to God and to the word of his grace, which is able to build you up and to give you the inheritance among all those who are sanctified (Acts 20:32).

And again, at the close of his career, he wrote to his son in the faith, young Timothy, and urged him to teach the inspired Scripture which were given, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work. If pastors and teachers ignore the Word, God's divinely-provided instrument of equipping, then they should not be surprised if the saints in their charge are ill-equipped for--and ineffective in--the work of the ministry. That is why so many churches today are little more than spectator arenas where unequipped, unmotivated, uninvolved people sit around, waiting only to be kept amused and occupied.

The teaching of the truth of the Word of God is what Peter calls "feeding the flock of God which is among you" (1Pe 5:2-note). The Word can both feed (see He 5:12, 13-notes He 5:12; 13 and 1Pe 2:2-note), and cleanse (John 15:3 and Eph 5:26-note), and the true pastor will constantly be using it to do both. He will seek to teach the whole truth of God. There is no better means to do this than through the expository preaching of the whole Bible. The expository method of teaching or preaching is to go through a book, or a section of a book of the Bible, leaving out nothing, commenting on everything, touching it all. That prevents a pastor from only skewing his preaching only to a few favorite "pet passages," and forces that pastor to keep truth in balance...

Unfortunately, in many churches (and particularly American churches), there has come a strange reversal of roles between the pastor and the evangelist. This has effectively deprived churches of the biblical ministry of a pastor and has resulted in a sadly impoverished, untaught, unequipped people. The work of evangelism has been exalted over that of pastoral teaching in many American churches. (Body Life - see chapter "Shaping Up the Saints") (Bolding added)

In the time of Nehemiah and the rebuilding of the Temple, the Jews who returned from captivity were in great need of "shaping up", and so the following solution should not surprise us...

While they stood (you mean they didn't even have wooden pews or padded chairs?) in their place, they read from the book of the law of the LORD their God for a fourth of the day; (note the effect the Word of God has on a tender, teachable heart!) and for another fourth they confessed and worshiped the LORD their God. (Nehemiah 9:3, cp Neh 8:5 = The people often stood as a sign of reverence and humility = 1Sa 1:26; 1Ki 8:22; Lk 18:11,13)

Comment: How many congregations would sit still for a fourth of a day to hear the book of the law read? ("In Nehemiah 8 we discover that apparently the congregation stood on their feet from morning until noon, for seven days, as the Scriptures were read and expounded compare Neh8:3,7,8,18. This is an amazing testimony of reverence toward God's Word, seldom, if ever, repeated since." Morris, Henry: Defenders Study Bible)

One day we will be standing before the throne and before the Lamb, the Word of God, (Re 7:9-note), so why not "practice" standing now when the Word of God is read (no legalism here, all of grace motivated by love and reverential awe for so great a salvation and a Book so precious, standing as an act of worship. We stand when we sing songs written by men. Why do we not stand when we read Words written by God?

Saints (40) (hagios [word study]) is literally holy one and refers to one set apart (sanctified) for a special purpose. Hagios describes all who have been saved by grace through faith and whom God has set apart from that which is secular, profane, and evil and on the other hand dedicated to worship and service of God. Saints are those who have been taken out of Adam and placed into Christ. Saints are holy ones in character and are to manifest a conduct reflective of their high position and privilege. They have been set apart by God to be exclusively His, dedicated to Him and manifesting holiness of heart and conduct.

Hagios was used throughout the NT to speak of anyone or anything that represents God’s holiness, anything set apart from the common and profane -- Christ as the Holy One of God, the Holy Spirit, the Holy Father, holy Scriptures, holy angels, holy brethren, and so on.

The Gentiles (the church at Ephesus was primarily Gentile) understood the term hagios because among the pagans, hagios was a term commonly used to signify that which was separated and dedicated to the base, idolatrous gods (cp Gal 4:8, 1Co 8:4,5, 10:19, 20, Dt 32:17, Lv 17:7, 1Th 1:9b-note) but which of course carried no idea of moral or spiritual purity as in Scripture. It was primarily the idea of that which set apart from the commonplace.  In fact, the manmade gods were as sinful and degraded as the men who made them! The worshipper of the pagan god acquired the character of their pagan god and the religious ceremonies connected with their base (anything but "holy") worship. In fact the Greek temple at Corinth housed a large number of harlots ("spiritual priestesses"!) who were connected with the "worship" of the Greek god. Thus, the set-apartness or holiness of the Greek worshipper was characterized by licentious, totally depraved, sinful conduct. 

Work (2041) (ergon from érgo = to work) describes toil as an effort or occupation. In English an erg is a unit of work or energy, equal to the work done by a force of one dyne when its point of application moves one centimeter in the direction of action of the force.

For the work of service - Literally unto spiritual service. Service for the Lord will require some expenditure of ergs!  Note that the pastor-teachers are not doing their work for the saints, but are preparing the saints for their (the saint's) work! Radical! The leaders are God's gift to the church for the purpose of perfecting or equipping believers to carry on this work. We seem to have forgotten that the church is not to be a spiritual rest home, but a barracks for training soldiers of the cross! So many today think that it is the job of the pastoral staff to do the work of ministry! This is not the divine design! All (each and every single one) of the saints and not just a few (church staff) leaders are to carry on the work of the ministry (cp 1Pe 4:10, 11-note). Tragically, most local churches today do not follow this NT template for "success".  It is common practice to let the pastor do the ministering when his job is actually to be the training up of the saints to be the workers, which will make the overall ministry more effective.

It is vitally important to understand that the bulk of the work (ministry) in the church is to be accomplished not by the paid staff but by the men and women in the pews. They are not there to just sit and soak but to hear and grow and serve! Equipping of the saints is the primary responsibility of the leadership, especially the pastor-teacher. But 1Pe 2:5 (note) makes it clear that every believer is a “priest.” (cp 1Pe 2:9-note) How tragic it is that in most churches the work of God is greatly hindered because the leadership tries to perform the services and doesn’t make adequate use of the sheep.

D. L. Moody hit the proverbial nail on the head when he said...

It is better to put ten men to work than to do the work of ten men.

Service (1248) (diakonia [word study]) means the rendering or assistance or help by performing certain duties, often of a humble or menial nature, including such  mundane activities as waiting on tables or caring for household needs—activities that in men's eyes (but not God's!) are without apparent dignity.

A caveat - Martha's serving (diakonia) serves as a reminder that we are not to work for "work's sake"! Martha worked so hard that she was distracted (literally was being drawn different directions at the same time!) with all her preparations (Lk 10:40, 41) and missed the good part  (Lk 10:42) of sitting at the Lord's feet (Lk 10:39, 42 = she was also "worried and bothered"). Spirit empowered work (cp Paul's pattern in Col 1:28-note, Col 1:29-note, 1Co 15:10) proceeds from Christ centered worship, time with the Master, in His Word, listening to His voice, speaking with Him. We must continually keep in mind our Lord's warning that apart from abiding in Him as our Vine we can do absolutely nothing of eternal value (Jn 15:5).

Diakonia - 34x in 32v - Luke 10:40; Acts 1:17, 25; 6:1, 4; 11:29; 12:25; 20:24; 21:19; Rom 11:13; 12:7; 15:31; 1 Cor 12:5; 16:15; 2 Cor 3:7, 8, 9; 4:1; 5:18; 6:3; 8:4; 9:1, 12f; 11:8; Eph 4:12; Col 4:17; 1 Tim 1:12; 2 Tim 4:5, 11; Heb 1:14; Rev 2:19. NAS translates as  ministries(1), ministry(19), mission(1), preparations(1), relief(1), serve(1),service(7), serving(2), support(1).

Paul is describing the spiritual service expected of every believer, not just of church leaders. As he wrote to the Corinthians...

Therefore, my beloved brethren, be (present imperative = Paul commands these attitudes to continually be the believer's lifestyle) steadfast (from hedra =seat, chair, thus picturing a metaphor to describe one settled or steady in mind and purpose), immovable, always abounding (superabounding continually) in the work of the Lord (Whose work? Be careful to make that distinction!), knowing that your toil is not in vain in the Lord (Why is your toil not empty, futile, fruitless?). (1Cor 15:58)

Comment: Paul says that as believers we know without a doubt that whatever we do for Him (and "in Him", Jn 15:5, see Good Deeds) will not be wasted or lost in time or eternity! 1Cor 15:58 is the Scriptural answer to Solomon's repeated refrain of vanity in Ecclesiastes (Eccl 1:2, 14; 2:11, 15, 19, 21, 23, 26; 3:19; 4:4, 7, 8, 16; 5:10; 6:2; 12:8)!

“How can a man be happy when he has to serve someone?”

Diakonía involves compassionate love towards the needy within the Christian community. Paul and Luke in the Acts use the word to designate those who preach the gospel and have care of the churches, even as Paul instructed Timothy to...

TO THE BUILDING UP OF THE BODY OF CHRIST: eis oikodomen tou somatos tou Christou: (Eph 4:6,29; Romans 14:19; 15:2; 1Corinthians 14:4,5,12,14,26; 2Corinthians 12:19; 1Thessalonians 5:11) (Eph 4:4; 1:23; Colossians 1:24)

Building up of the body of Christ - Note that Paul does not say for the increasing of the number of attendees on a given Sunday! The critical issue in view here is not quantity of saints, but quality of saints, saints equipped for the work of edifying so that they can then be engaged in edification of other saints! Does this describe the philosophy and practice of your local church? It should because it's God's pattern for real "church growth"! The body is built up externally through evangelism as more believers are added, but the emphasis in this verse is on its being built up internally as all believers are nurtured to fruitful service through the Word.

Once again Paul mixes metaphors - a body and a building, but both representing a dynamic, living entity. Peter explained that every genuine believer is also a living stone writing to the saints explaining...

you also, as living stones, are being built up as a spiritual house for a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. (See note 1 Peter 2:5, cf Eph 2:20, 21, 22 - see notes Ep 2:20; 21; 22)

Gifted people are to minister the Word to others so that they in turn are readied to get involved in ministering to others. This same pattern is seen in 2 Timothy where in his last letter Paul exhorts young Timothy...

And the things which you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses, these entrust to faithful men, who will be able to teach others also. (see note 2 Timothy 2:2) (Comment: equip faithful men who will be able to equip others also! This has always been God's pattern for disciple making.)

Oikodome - 19x in 19v - Matt 24:1; Mark 13:1f; Rom 14:19; 15:2; 1 Cor 3:9; 14:3, 5, 12, 26; 2Cor 5:1; 10:8; 12:19; 13:10; Eph 2:21; 4:12, 16, 29; 1 Tim 1:4. NAS translates as building(8), buildings(3), edification(5), edifying(1), upbuilding(1).

In this same chapter Paul uses oikodome to describe building up of other saints...

Let no unwholesome ("rotten") word proceed from your mouth, but only such a word as is good for edification according to the need of the moment, that it may give grace to those who hear. (See note Ephesians 4:29)

How fitting that in his last emotion filled encounter with the elders of the Ephesian church he reiterated the vital importance truth of Ephesians 4:12 declaring...

"And now I commend (literally means to place near = a banking term - Paul deposits the elders first near to God and then near to the Word of God's grace!) you to God and to the word of His grace, which is able (dunamai = the word of God has the inherent ability or resources) to  to build you up (epoikodomeo = to build upon or erect a superstructure) and to give you the inheritance (part of which is "every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ" - see note Ephesians 1:3) among all those who are sanctified (positional sanctification is in view - perfect tense describes their permanent condition. Progressive sanctification is daily walking worthy, pursuing holiness, growing in grace). (Acts 20:32)
 

Body of Christ - the church, local and universal. This same phrase is found in Ro 7:4 and 1Co 10:16.

Body (4983) (soma) refers not to a literal physical body in this verse but to the figurative ("mystical" - Paul chooses the metaphor) body of Christ, the church, the Bride of Christ. Paul explains the figurative use of body writing...

For even as the body is one and yet has many members, and all the members of the body, though they are many, are one body, so also is Christ. (1Cor 12:12)

Christ (5547) (Christos from chrio = to anoint, rub with oil, consecrate to an office) is the Anointed One, the Messiah, Christos being the Greek equivalent of the transliterated Hebrew word Messiah. As a Jew learned the Torah, now the Christian learns Christ!

Wayne Barber has an interesting illustration of unity in the face of diversity in the realm of spiritual gifts

UNTIL WE ALL ATTAIN TO THE UNITY OF THE FAITH: mechri katantesomen (1PAAS) oi pantes eis ten enoteta tes pisteos: (Ep 4:3,5; Jeremiah 32:38,39; Ezekiel 37:21,22; Zephaniah 3:9; Zechariah 14:9; John 17:21; Acts 4:32; 1Corinthians 1:10; Philippians 2:1, 2, 3) (Isaiah 53:11; Matthew 11:27; John 16:3; 17:3,25,26; 2Corinthians 4:6; Philippians 3:8; Colossians 2:2; 2Peter 1:1, 2, 3, 3; 3:18; 1John 5:20)

Until (3360) (mechri) is an adverb marking a terminus both of place and time. Here mechri is used to introduce the goals of the equipping.

We All (pas = all without exception) invokes a collective thought and indicates that Christian growth or progress does not occur in isolation.  God’s people collectively are envisioned as en route to this vital destination. It is not a goal to be attained be a select few "elite" Christians, but by all believers, which is will reach its consummation at the return of Christ, at which time the entire church arrives at complete maturity, otherwise known as glorification.

Attain (2658) (katantao from katá = intensifies meaning + antáo = meet) means to happen to, with the implication of something definitive and final coming upon one. Katantao is used figuratively in this verse and means to arrive at a particular state, with the focus on the end point. One gets a sense of the meaning of katantao observing the repeated use in the book of Acts to describe travelers arriving at their destination. In this verse katantao conveys the thought of believers arriving at their "destinations" of "unity of the faith" and full knowledge of Christ, and ultimately mature man.

Katantao - 13x in 13v - Acts 16:1; 18:19, 24; 20:15; 21:7; 25:13; 26:7; 27:12; 28:13; 1 Cor 10:11; 14:36; Eph 4:13; Phil 3:11. NAS translates as arrived(4), attain(3), came(3), come(2), reach(1).

Barber writes that...

"attain" is...used nine times in the book of Acts of a traveler who takes a journey and arrives at his destination. When you are equipped as saints, when the gifted members of the body are taught by the gifted men given to the body, and the body is equipped for the work of the ministry, you can know when you have reached the goal of all of that equipping.

To the unity of the faith - oneness is reached when one body of doctrinal truth ("the faith") is adhered to, and is lived out in the body by grace through faith (believing). Paul had earlier mentioned the importance of "one faith" and his point here is that the Church is now moving towards the goal of appropriating all that is included in "one faith". The final perfection of this unity will not be attained until the moment of glorification. Nevertheless, this goal is practical for there can never be unity in the church apart from doctrinal integrity. Since "the faith", the body of doctrine, is not fragmented, logic tells us that when the body is divided, it has to be related to some departure or distortion of "the faith", the doctrines propounded in the Bible. In Ep 4:3-note "the unity of the Spirit" is a gift to be guarded whereas in the present verse the "unity in the faith" is a goal to be reached and it is reached as pastor-teachers are preaching expository messages from the whole counsel of God's Word (both Testaments, not just the New! When one looks at the sermon series of great preachers of past ages such as Spurgeon and Maclaren, it is amazing how many sermons they preached from the Old Testament.)

Ray Stedman explains that...

The unity of the faith is the shared understanding, in the church, of the great truths revealed in the Scriptures. Though the Scriptures are unchanging, new light is continually issuing forth from them through individual prophets and teachers who are given these new insights by the Holy Spirit. But then they must be shared widely in the body or no new truth is given. New Christians grow when they exert themselves to understand the Scriptures with the help of the teachers and leaders who make themselves available to them within the body of Christ. No growth toward wholeness and perfection can occur without this increase in the unity of the faith through the understanding of Christian doctrine. (Body Life - chapter entitled The Goal is Maturity)

John MacArthur makes an excellent point that...

The ultimate spiritual target for the church begins with the unity of the faith (cf. v. 3). As in verse 5, faith does not here refer to the act of belief or of obedience but to the body of Christian truth, to Christian doctrine. The faith is the content of the gospel in its most complete form. As the church at Corinth so clearly illustrates, disunity in the church comes from doctrinal ignorance and spiritual immaturity. When believers are properly taught, when they faithfully do the work of service, and when the body is thereby built up in spiritual maturity, unity of the faith is an inevitable result. Oneness in fellowship is impossible unless it is built on the foundation of commonly believed truth. The solution to the divisions in Corinth was for everyone to hold the same understandings and opinions and to speak the same truths (1 Cor. 1:10). (MacArthur, J: Ephesians. Chicago: Moody Press)

Unity (1775) (henotes from heís = one + genitive of henós = of one) describes a oneness or unanimity. This oneness and harmony among believers is possible only when it is built on the firm foundation of sound doctrine. The only other use of henotes is Ep 4:3.

The faith (4101) (pistis [word study]) subjectively refers to one's trust or belief and thus their conviction of the truth of anything (i.e., everyone lives on faith, e.g., that the red light works to stop the oncoming car, that the plane will lift off, etc). However in this context the phrase "the faith" (the definite article "the" indicating not just any belief system but a very specific belief) refers to the content of what is believed. It is the body of revealed truth that constitutes Christian teaching, particularly featuring the complete content of the gospel.

Paul and Barnabas "returned to Lystra and to Iconium and to Antioch, strengthening the souls of the disciples, encouraging them to continue in the faith, (not in "their faith" but in the body of truth they had placed their faith in) and saying, "Through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God." (Acts 14:21, 22)

AND OF THE KNOWLEDGE OF THE SON OF GOD: kai tes epignoseos tou huiou tou theou:  

Knowledge of the Son of God - this is not a reference to the knowledge of Christ by which we were first saved but refers to a deeper, more intimate and experiential knowledge. This refers to a growing encounter with the Lord Jesus Himself, so that we come to know Him more and more--not just know about Him, but know Him, directly and personally. That is a glorious component of a maturing faith. Don't become discouraged for this growing in the deeper knowledge of the Son of God is a lifelong process that will not be complete until we see our Lord face to face. Keep pressing on!

Knowledge (1922) (epignosis [word study] from epí = upon + ginosko = to know) is a strengthened form of gnosis (1108) and conveys the thought of a more full, larger and thorough knowledge. Epígnosis also conveys the idea of an intimate and personal relationship.

Vine says the related verb epiginosko  suggests in general a directed or more special, recognition of the object known than does the simple verb ginosko.  In fairness it should be stated that there are a few resources that suggest there is very little difference between gnósis and epignosis. This discussion holds the opinion that epignosis does have subtle but real differences. 

Epígnosis refers to exact, complete, thorough, accurate, experiential knowledge, not just abstract, intellectual, head knowledge of God or even facts about Him. Epígnosis always describes moral and religious knowledge in the NT and especially refers to full and comprehensive knowledge of God’s will that rests on the knowledge of God and of Christ found today in His Word.

Epignosis - 20x in 20v - Rom 1:28; 3:20; 10:2; Eph 1:17; 4:13; Phil 1:9; Col 1:9f; 2:2; 3:10; 1 Tim 2:4; 2 Tim 2:25; 3:7; Titus 1:1; Philemon 1:6; Heb 10:26; 2 Pet 1:2f, 8; 2:20. The NAS translates epignosis as acknowledge*(1), knowledge(14), real knowledge(1), true knowledge(4).

Son (5207) refers literally to a male offspring or descendant. The Son of God is the One Who has the essential characteristics and nature of God.

TO A MATURE MAN: eis andra teleion:  (Eph 4:12; 2:15; 1Corinthians 14:20; Colossians 1:28)

To a mature man - Mature manhood conveys the idea  that God wants believers to fulfill their humanity, the design which He intended for each of us when He created the first man and the first woman. Ponder this incredible thought for a moment. What satisfaction to be all that the All Wise God created us to be. Not to be the richest. Not to be the smartest. Not to be the best looking. But to be what God originally intended for us. This is surely a mountain worthy of the cost it will take to climb it! Some might see it as an arrival but I see it more as a pursuit, like Paul's pressing on toward the goal of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus... to be all you can be in Christ and all for the glory of God.

Ray Stedman puts it this way...

It is important to realize that, according to this passage in Ephesians, the supreme purpose of the church is not the evangelization of the world. The Great Commission is often held up to us as the supreme aim and purpose of the church, and it is certainly a crucial and essential task. Jesus has clearly sent us out to preach the Gospel to every creature. But the Great Commission is not God's supreme and ultimate goal. Romans 8:29 tells us that God's ultimate plan for us is that we be "conformed to the image of his Son." Evangelization is a means of bringing people into a relationship with God, so that God's ultimate goal for them--Christlikeness--can be achieved in their lives...God's overarching goal is to produce men and women who demonstrate the character qualities of Jesus Christ. God does not want a church filled with white robed saints. He does not want a church filled with theological authorities or cultured clergyman. He wants a church filled with ordinary men and women who exemplify the extraordinary integrity, temperament, wholeness, compassion, individuality, boldness, righteousness, earnestness, love, forgiveness, selflessness, and faithfulness of Jesus Christ! Deep in your own heart, isn't that what you truly desire? You want to be a whole person, a complete human being. You want to discover and fulfill all that God has built into you...we long to fulfill our humanity, to be the kind of idealized persons that God originally designed us to be. But that is what the church is all about. It is the vehicle designed by God to achieve mature humanity--a humanity exactly like that which was exemplified by the life of Jesus Christ. We have now come full circle, for this is where the apostle began: the church is to fulfill its calling--the calling of demonstrating to the world a new character, a spirit of lowliness, love, and unity, coupled with resurrection power, proving that the church is a body inhabited by God Himself! (Body Life - chapter entitled The Goal is Maturity)

Mature (5046) (teleios [word study] from telos = an end, a purpose, an aim, a goal) means complete, mature, fully developed, full grown, brought to its end, finished, wanting nothing necessary to completeness, in good working order. Teleios signifies consummate soundness, includes the idea of being whole. Interestingly the Gnostics used teleios of the one fully initiated into their mysteries and that may have been why Paul used teleios in this epistle.

Teleios - 19x in 17v - Matt 5:48; 19:21; Rom 12:2; 1 Cor 2:6; 13:10; 14:20; Eph 4:13; Phil 3:15; Col 1:28; 4:12; Heb 5:14; 9:11; Jas 1:4, 17, 25; 3:2; 1 John 4:18. The NAS translates teleios as complete(2), mature(4), more perfect(1), perfect(12).

And we proclaim Him (Christ in believers the hope or certainty of their future glorification - note that "Him" is the first word in Greek sentence for emphasis = "Him we proclaim..."), admonishing (placing in one's mind = cautioning, gently reproving) every man and teaching every man with all wisdom, that we may present every man complete in Christ. And for this purpose also I labor (constantly toiling to the point of being weary, worn out, exhausted, even faint), striving (agonizomai - continually contending, fighting, wrestling, straining every nerve to the uttermost to reach the goal) according to His power, which mightily works within me. (See notes Colossians 1:28; 1:29)

In a parallel motivational message to the saints at Philippi Paul wrote...

I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. (Php 3:14-note)

Man (435) (aner) refers to an adult male person and in context as shown in the next  verse stands is stark contrast to the believer who is still in spiritual diapers.

J Vernon McGee in a pithy statement said on his radio broadcast one day...

I am going to talk to you very frankly. Don’t expect your pastor to do it all. He is there to train you that you might do the work of the ministry and that the church might become mature. We are not to act like a bunch of nitwits today. We are to give a good, clear-cut, intelligent witness to the world. I think the greatest sin in the local church today is the ignorance of the man sitting in the pew; he doesn’t know the Word of God, and that is a tragedy. I would hate to get into an airplane if the pilot didn’t know any more about flying than the average church member knows about Christianity and the Word of God. The plane wouldn’t make it—I think it would crash before it got ten feet into the air. That is the condition of the church today. All believers need to be trained in the Word of God so they can do the work of the ministry. (McGee, J V: Thru the Bible Commentary:  Thomas Nelson)

TO THE MEASURE OF THE STATURE WHICH BELONGS TO THE FULLNESS OF CHRIST: eis metron hlikias tou pleromatos tou Christou:  (Ep 1:23)

Measure of the stature which belongs to the fullness of Christ - In a word this is Christlikeness or conformity to the image of Christ.

As Paul explained to the saints at Rome, God has...

predestined (every believer) to become conformed to the image of His Son (Ro 8:29-note)

Comment: Howard Hendricks once said that “The Bible was not written to satisfy your curiosity, but to make you conform to Christ’s image. Not to make you a smarter sinner, but to make you like the Saviour. Not to fill your head with a collection of biblical facts, but to transform your life.”

On a wall near the main entrance to the Alamo in San Antonio, Texas, is a portrait with the following inscription:

James Butler Bonham—no picture of him exists. This portrait is of his nephew, Major James Bonham, deceased, who greatly resembled his uncle. It is placed here by the family that people may know the appearance of the man who died for freedom.

No literal portrait of Jesus exists either. But the likeness of the Son Who makes us free can and should be seen in the lives of His true followers who are being equipped and built up by sound doctrine expounded by Spirit filled pastor-teachers. The church in the world is the body of Jesus Christ in the world, for as Paul explained earlier...

And the church is his body; it is filled by Christ, who fills everything everywhere with his presence. (NLT, see note Ephesians 1:23)

The Body of Christ is to radiate the beauty of Christ to a spiritually dead world by walking in a manner worthy of the calling to which we have been called (Ep 4:1-note)!

Measure (3358) (metron) is a measure of capacity.

Metron - 14x in 12v - Matt 7:2; 23:32; Mark 4:24; Luke 6:38; John 3:34; Rom 12:3; 2 Cor 10:13; Eph 4:7, 13, 16; Rev 21:15, 17. The NAS renders metron as measure(8), measurements(1), proper(1), standard(4).

Stature (2244)  (helikia from helix = adult, full–aged) conveys the idea of maturity in years or size. It speaks of the "ripeness" of full age. In this context it speaks of the maturity of one's renewed Christian mind.

Helikia - 8x in 8v - Matt 6:27; Luke 2:52; 12:25; 19:3; John 9:21, 23; Eph 4:13; Heb 11:11. The NAS renders helikia as age(2), life(1), life's span(2), stature(3).

Fullness (4138) (pleroma from pleroo = make full, fill, fill up) speaks of a full measure with emphasis upon completeness.  God wants every believer to manifest the qualities of His Son, Who is Himself the standard for their spiritual maturity and perfection.

As an aside the Gnostics taught that Christ was a kind of “halfway house” to God, a link in the chain with other better links on ahead. Paul says "no way" -- the complete embodiment of God dwells permanently in Christ and that is to be the goal toward which the equipping of the saints is to continually press.

Pleroma - 17x in 17v - Matt 9:16; Mark 2:21; 6:43; 8:20; John 1:16; Rom 11:12, 25; 13:10; 15:29; 1 Cor 10:26; Gal 4:4; Eph 1:10, 23; 3:19; 4:13; Col 1:19; 2:9. The NAS renders pleroma as  all it contains(m)(1), fulfillment(2), full(2), fulness(10), patch(m)(2).

F F Bruce makes an interesting observation writing that...

‘When the goal is ultimately reached, and the body of Christ has grown up sufficiently to match the Head Himself, then will be seen that full-grown Man which is Christ together with His members. That spectacle will not fully appear until the day when they are glorified together with Him; but the expectation of that day will act as a powerful incentive to spiritual development in the present time’ (Bruce, FF: Ephesians)

I like Ray Stedman's advice regarding our growth in Christlikeness...

Since growth is a matter of knowledge plus obedience plus time, we do not need to be discouraged if we find that we are not yet completely like Christ. Some years ago, a button could be seen on the lapels of many Christians. The button read:

P B P G I N T W M Y

When you asked that person, "What do those letters stand for?" he or she would reply, "Please Be Patient, God Is Not Through With Me Yet."

This is a great truth! It is not a statement of an unwillingness to change, but of a recognition that change takes time--but it is taking place! The proper attitude for a healthy Christian is an eagerness to grow.

I once asked a boy how old be was. Quick as a flash he said, "I'm twelve, going on thirteen, but soon to be fourteen." That's the kind of eagerness for maturity we all should have! We do not need to ask ourselves, "Am I mature? Am I completely like Christ?" Instead, we should ask ourselves, "Am I on the way? Is there progress? Am I growing in the right direction?" (Body Life - chapter entitled The Goal is Maturity)

Do not be discouraged if you are not experiencing overnight spiritual maturity. Remember that it takes God years to grow an oak tree, but He can grow a squash in three months and a radish plant in a few weeks! Which would you rather be!

McGee writes...

This may sound selfish, but I trust it is understood. What is the purpose of the church in the world? It is to complete itself that it might grow up. (McGee, J V: Thru the Bible Commentary:  Thomas Nelson)

F B Meyer writes the following devotional entitled "Our Sheet Anchor" which speaks to our present striving toward Christlikeness...

OUR DESTINY is the highest possible--"We shall be like Him." (1John 3:2) For this we were created, redeemed, and sanctified, that we should be conformed to the image of God's Son, that He might be the First Born among many brethren (see note Romans 8:29).

The Apostle says that those who have this Hope will purify themselves (1John 3:3). A young friend of mine once asked me if I would try to see her lover, as my train stopped at a wayside station in a far-distant western State. It was a dark night when we arrived, and a hurried conversation took place on the steps of the great Pullman car. I found that amid the many temptations of a rancher's life, this young fellow was holding on to purity and truth. He said that he had very infrequent opportunities of attending any religious services, but that the letters which came from the old country had been his sheet anchor. I understood what he meant. He realized the strong drift of circumstances, but to be loved by a sweet pure girl, who made him the object of her incessant prayer, and to receive her inspiring letters, kept him from yielding to the evil which enveloped him as an atmosphere; the thought that before long he might claim her as his bride helped to purify and steady his life. So the expectation of being with, and like Christ, should be to us as a sheet-anchor, who bear His Name. (Ed note: The body of Christ, the Church, it the Bride of Christ for we are betrothed to our Bridegroom and are to be anxiously awaiting His return to take us home)

To see Christ face to face, to be with Him in unbroken fellowship, and to be like Him--this is the threefold destiny of every Christian soul. But how little can we imagine our future life! We strive to penetrate the dense veil of mist in vain--what the resurrection body will be like; what the converse with holy beings will amount to; what ministry may be assigned to us--we know not what we shall be, but "we know that we shall be like Him"--and it is enough! All that we have ever dreamed and hoped for will find its flower and fruitage in that glad summer time.

PRAYER -O God, it is my earnest desire that I may not only live, but grow: grow in grace, and in the knowledge of my Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. May I grow in patience and fortitude of soul, in humility and zeal, in spirituality and a heavenly disposition of mind. AMEN.