Grace is given to be used | Ephesians 4:7-12
Paul moves from encouraging his readers toward unity (4:1-6) to informing them that there is also great diversity in the church. Paul explains that when Christ descended from glory to redeem His people from captivity and ascend back to His exalted place in Heaven He won the right to give enabling grace and specific gifts to His people for the building up of the body of Christ. These gifts are in the form of men to equip the saints and gifted saints to do the work of the ministry. In this lesson we learn that every Christian is graced with gifts that Christ has secured for the building up of Christ’s church for the extension of Christ’s sovereign rule over the earth.
- GIVING: Christ gives gifts to all His people (v. 7-10)
- EQUIPING: Gifted ministers equip the saints (vv. 11-12a)
- BUILDING: Saints use their gifts to build up the church (v. 12b)