Scripture Reference: Ephesians 4:1-16

Unity is Not Uniformity

Please read Ephesians 4:7-12 for the background to this section.

The fact that we are all one does not mean that we are all the same! There is no uniform for Christians to wear. It would be wrong if there were. We are all very different and God wants it that way. We have already spoken at length about our differences of background, culture, education and temperament. These distinctions exist but, for the reasons we have seen, they are not to affect the unity of the church. Unity there most certainly is; uniformity should never will be.

But there are differences between us in an area which we have not spoken about yet. It is in the sphere of spiritual gifts. Without exception, every one of us has received a gracious gift from Christ. The gifts are different, as we shall see, but the source of them all is exactly the same.

What specifically is Paul saying to us in these next verses? The main points are that Christ distributes spiritual gifts according to His own will and plans, and that the giving of them flows from His ascension to the Father.

As Paul considers Christ’s bodily return to heaven, which he sees referred to in Psalm 68:18, he thinks of a well-known practice of his time. If Roman generals were immensely successful in war, a great parade was organized for them on their return to the capital. Trailing in the triumphal procession would be numbers of captives taken by that general in his engagements with the enemy. He would lead captivity captive. The general would then sit on an elevated chair and give out the plunder seized in war. This would go to those who had fought with him and for him. Very different gifts would go to very differing people.

Paul has to adapt this illustration when he talks of our Lord Jesus Christ. He has won an immense victory by His death and resurrection. In triumph He has “ascended far above all the heavens, that He might fill all things.” There is nowhere that Christ does not reign, He who came to the very lowest place of all!

There are captives in Christ’s great triumphal procession. We are those captives and we are taken, not in chains, but to sit in heavenly places with Him. It is to those same captives that the Conqueror dispenses His widely varying gifts. Oh, the grace of God to those who surrender to Him!

To illustrate what an array of different gifts there are, Paul talks about only one aspect of Christian work, the founding of a local church. He is, after all, writing to local church members about their life as a church. What he says is also a short summary of how the church at Ephesus itself came into being.

First of all the ascended Christ sends an “apostle” into an area. An apostle is an authoritative teacher and interpreter of the Christian faith, appointed to this task by the risen Christ. Paul was such an apostle and he was the first person to bring the gospel to Ephesus. His point is that Christ gives differing gifts to people in order to meet differing needs. As it happens, Christ still raises up men who have the gift of announcing His gospel in pioneer situations. Remember this, in a world that is concerned with titles, the true believer should only be concerned about the message. Let the Holy Spirit sort out the titles if ones are necessary.

To Be Continued

Unless otherwise noted, Scripture taken from the New King James Version®, NKJV © 1982 by Thomas Nelson.
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