In Ephesians 4:7-16, the Apostle Paul teaches us more about the unity of the one family of God. Here he teaches us that the unity of the body is ALSO dependent on our DIVERSITY. Specifically, this diversity has to do with our GIFTEDNESS. There is a rich diversity in the body of Christ in regards to our Christ and Spirit given gifts for serving one another.
WHO is responsible for giving these gifts?
In this passage Paul emphasizes CHRIST as the victorious giver of all the gifts of the body.
"But grace was given to each one of us according to the measure of Christ's gift. Therefore it says, "When he ascended on high he led a host of captives, and he gave gifts to men." (In saying, 'He ascended,' what does it mean but that he had also descended into the lower parts of the earth? he who descended is the one who also ascended far above all the heavens, that he might fill all things.'"
Note that our gifts are gifts of GRACE. Grace is, of course, God's opposite-of-what-is-deserved favor. His rich provision for WHATEVER He calls us to. Grace takes many forms. When we say that our gifts for serving are GRACE GIFTS we are saying:
- They are from God. He is the source of them all.
- They are undeserved. We can never look (sanely) at our gifts or giftedness and think highly of ourselves. HE is the giver and the effect is HIS POWER at work. This gift and its effect is to HIS glory.
- Their effective operation is dependent on our dependence on CHRIST, the GIVER.
Think of the diversity of gifts in YOUR church. There are those with gifts of teaching, of serving, of organizing, of leading, of showing mercy, of encouraging, of evangelizing, and many others. And then take any one of these gifts and ponder how many different ways that gift can be used to serve. For example, take the gift of SERVING or HELPS. One person serves older folks with passion. Another serves with abilities of carpentry. Another loves to serve with the little ones. Yet another loves to help the pastors with secretarial skills. What endless diversity!
Note also that grace gifts are given to EACH ONE OF US. No believer is without these gifts of grace from Christ. NO ONE is without this grace. We are all therefore divinely equipped to serve the church. Christ makes sure of that.
These gifts are also according to Christ's MEASURE. That is, CHRIST is the one who decides not only who gets what gifts but also to what extent that giftedness is given. So one person is an evangelist who wins folks one at a time once in a while. Another evangelist wins groups of people almost weekly. Who's the better or more blessed evangelist? BOTH are equally blessed in that BOTH are given grace gifts of different measures from the same CHRIST for the same purpose of making disciples. It's NOT, "I'm more blessed than the one with a "lesser" gift." But rather, "We have ALL been given what we did not deserve, divine abilities to serve the King in His Church."
Christ had authority to give this diversity of grace gifts because He DESCENDED to earth and was incarnated as MAN (who lived a perfect life for sinners), because He OFFERED Himself on the cross (as the perfect sacrifice for sinners' sin), and because He then was RESURRECTED and ASCENDED back to the Father (as the Victorious Eternal Son and Perfect Man). In that resurrection and ascension Christ overcame all His foes: sin, death, Satan, and therefore had the gifts of a conqueror's spoil to pour out on His church.
What are YOUR grace gifts for serving Christ in His church? Are you joyously using them?
Though they are freely given grace gifts from our Conquering Lord, we are ACCOUNTABLE for their use. We are stewards. Christ has given these gifts NOT for us primarily, but for the church. We will stand before our King in judgment for faithfulness one day. We will. I WANT to hear a good report from my Lord.
Next time, "HOW do we DISCOVER our grace gifts?"
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