…until we all attain to the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a mature man, to the measure of the stature which belongs to the fullness of Christ. As a result, we are no longer to be children, tossed here and there by waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, by craftiness in deceitful scheming…

      Ephesians 4:13-14

Why is Christian discipleship so important? Why should we spend daily time in the word of God? Why does it matter whether or not we know sound, biblical teaching? All of these questions can be answered by understanding the passage above. 

Paul begins this passage with a declaration that God has given to the church, apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, and teachers. And what is the role of each of these positions? To equip born again believers in Jesus Christ with the necessary tools required to navigate the often confusing world of doctrine. How do we know what is right? How do we know what is true? And most importantly, how can we grow closer to God and foster a more intimate relationship with Him? All of the things are possible when we engage in discipleship. 

There are no less than five (5) goals associated with this passage of scripture and all five (5) of these goals can be realities in our lives if we will pursue a lifelong course of discipleship. This includes spending quality time with God everyday, participating in discipleship opportunities provided by the local church, and living out what we learn in our daily lives. So let’s take a look at what we can expect when we activity engage in activities designed to grow us in our faith.

Goal #1: Unity of the Faith

How do we know when we are growing in our faith and getting closer to God each day? When we grow, we move toward greater unity with other believers. In fact, our desire will be for more connections with other like-minded people. It is in community that we grow. Yes, personal time spent with God is vital but when we are able to connect with others and share life experiences, this is when we see the greatest growth. Unity is for grown ups and all of us are to grow up in our faith. One indication of a church full of immature individuals (or perhaps even the unsaved) is in-fighting. When the church cannot seem to “get on the same page,” we can assess that something is wrong. It is important to remember that the unifying element in the church is the Spirit of God. When a person is born again, he/she receives the Spirit of God and He comes to live within that person (Acts 2:38). Without a true conversion, a person remains void of the Spirit. This will automatically cause division between people. When the church is fighting, it could be an indication that some of the people are not truly converted. But even if all of the participants are true believers in Jesus, those that call for unity are usually the more mature individuals in the room. Unity is the first goal and byproduct of quality, Christian instruction.

Goal #2: Knowledge

There is a powerful prayer that Paul records in the chapter previous to the one containing our passage. He prays that the believers would “know the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge” (Ephesians 3:19a). At first, this seems to be a contradiction. How can we know something if it surpasses knowledge? The answer is simple. The first word used in this passage, the word “know,” means an experiential knowledge. In other words, this is knowledge that we actually experience in our lives. In this case, the love of Jesus. Not just knowing about the love of God but really experiencing it in our daily lives. The second word, “knowledge,” means “book knowledge.” This is the kind of knowledge that we can gain from studying. This kind of knowledge is essential in the Christian life because it keeps us from falling into error. Studying the word of God ensures that we are hearing the very truth from God. But as important as this kind of knowledge is, Paul prays that we would experience the love of Christ, not merely know about it. So Christian discipleship begins with studying, memorizing, meditating on, and believing the word of God but it is the application of it to our lives the opens the door to experiencing God’s presence. And actually, the “knowledge” that Paul refers to in our passage is discernment. A greater understanding of scripture and a closer walk with Christ Himself will yield for us discernment so that we can navigate the world and all of it’s philosophies and ways. Knowledge, (book knowledge, experiential knowledge, and discernment) is the second goal and byproduct of quality, Christian instruction.

Goal #3: Maturity

If we saw a 30 year old corporate executive bringing his/her “blanky” and pacifier to work, we would automatically know something was wrong. This “adult” has obviously not grown up and is evidenced by the “hanging on” to things that only belong to childhood or infancy. But what about spiritual maturity? Do we have the same concern for those who claim to have walked with Christ for years, perhaps even decades, and still exhibit the character traits of a “baby Christian?” Christian discipleship helps guard against remaining in the infancy stage. When we engage in Christian discipleship, we learn about what it means to be a spiritually mature Christian. To put it bluntly, we are not to be spiritual babies rather we are to be grown ups when it comes to our walk with Christ. Growing up in our faith is as important as growing up in our general lives. In a normal situation, with age comes greater responsibility, and not just in our own lives but also in the lives of those around us. “Babies” only think of themselves. Maturing adults learn what it means to think of others and to address their needs above their own. We are not just here for “me and mine” rather we are here to love others and to share what Christ has done for us so that others can come to experience salvation and the spiritual transformation that comes with it. As we mature in our faith, we begin to see the sacrificial side of walking with Jesus and become more outwardly focused and intentional with our lives. This leads to a life that is eternally and kingdom focused rather than lives lived merely for entertainment, pleasure, and the building of our own earthly kingdom. Spiritual maturity is the third goal and byproduct of quality, Christian instruction.

Goal #4: The Fullness of Christ

Once again, we need to look at the prayer of Paul back in Ephesians 3. In this prayer, Paul desires for the believers to be “filled up to all the fullness of God” (Ephesians 3:19b). This is quite remarkable. Christian living is not just adherence to religious motion or some mental ascent to a written set of doctrines. The Christian life is one to be lived out. It is a dynamic life and one that is uncommon in today’s culture. The maturing, Christian believer is to be growing in unity, knowledge (both intellectually and experientially), and maturity. And as we continue to grow in our faith, we become closer to God. Saving faith is not empty religious motion rather it is an entrance into a relationship with Jesus Himself. It is living our lives as a demonstration of the Spirit and of power (1 Corinthians 2:4b). Our faith no longer rests on the wisdom of men rather our faith is in the very power of God (1 Corinthians 2:5). This is the essence of what it means to be “filled up to all the fullness of God.” As we grow in our faith, we attain “to the measure of the stature which belongs to the fullness of Christ.” In other words, we become complete and perfect in Christ. We are able to live in the fullness of life that God has given us through Jesus. How many times do we settle for less than this? We are set apart for the purpose of expanding the kingdom of God (2 Corinthians 6:17). Our lives should reflect this reality! The fullness of Christ is the fourth goal and byproduct of quality, Christian instruction.

Goal #5: We Are No Longer Children

As a result of all of this spiritual growth, we are now equipped to discernment truth from fiction. We can determine what is of God and what is not. Of course, this can only be done by the power of God’s Spirit within us. Someone who has yet to be born again is void of the Spirit of God and therefore cannot understand the things of God because they are spiritually attained (1 Corinthians 2:14). In fact, to the unbeliever, the things of God are foolishness. But for us who have been redeemed through faith in Christ, we are to grow up in our faith so that we do not fall into the same traps in which the unbelieving world finds themselves. Paul mentions three things that we, as maturing Christian believers, can now navigate: “every wind of doctrine,” “the trickery of men,” and “the craftiness of deceitful scheming.” All of these are powerless in the life of someone devoted to Christ. The power of God’s Spirit gives us the spiritual eyes to navigate these “dangerous waters.” We are now no longer tossed about like the waves of the sea, not knowing what to believe. When we are “no longer children,” we have the spiritual tools to discern every situation that might come our way (1 Corinthians 2:15). The ultimate goal of maturing in our faith is to be spiritually strong and healthy, able to hear the voice of God, and to discern between His voice and that of the world. This spiritual condition is mentioned in Psalm 1:3 as the writer describes a truly blessed life, one that is “like a tree firmly planted by streams of water.” No longer being spiritual children…this is the fifth goal and byproduct of quality, Christian instruction. 

Are you regularly spending time with God each day? Are you engaged in discipleship opportunities designed to help you grow in your faith? Spiritual maturity and wellness depend on our growth. And, of course, the result of Christian instruction is to draw us closer to the Savior, effectively guarding us against the very deceit that is in the world.