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Scriptural Text [& Editorial]
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Commentary & Explanation
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Footnotes ~ References ~ JST
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CHAPTER 4
There is one Lord, one faith, one baptism—Apostles and prophets
essential to the Church—Saints exhorted to live righteously—They
are sealed unto the day of redemption.
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1 I THEREFORE, the
prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk aworthy of
the bvocation wherewith ye are called,
2 With all lowliness and meekness, with
longsuffering, aforbearing one another in love;
3 Endeavouring to keep the
aunity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.
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4 There is one abody,
and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling;
5 One Lord, one afaith, one
bbaptism,
6 One God and aFather of all,
who is above all, and through all, and in you all.
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7 But unto every one of us is given
agrace according to the measure of the gift of Christ.
8 Wherefore he saith, When he
aascended up on high, he led captivity captive, and gave
gifts unto men.
9 (Now that he ascended, what is it but that he also descended first into the lower parts of the earth?
10 He that descended is the same also that
aascended up far above all heavens, that he might fill all
things.)
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11 And he agave some,
bapostles; and some, cprophets; and some,
devangelists; and some, epastors and
fteachers;
12 For the aperfecting of
the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the bedifying
of the body of Christ:
13 Till we all come in the
aunity of the faitha,
and of the
bknowledge of the Son of
Godb, unto a
cperfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the
fulness of Christ:
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13a Till we all come in the unity of the
faith Here is the purpose and need for continuing church officers
such as the Apostles and Prophets etc. They are needed in order to maintain
the correct gospel doctrine that we might be one in our faith and
understanding. Without apostles and prophets to lead us and keep us unified,
the philosophical inovations and imaginations of the pride of men would soon
divide us in our doctines and beliefs. This is exactly what happened to the
early Christian Church. No sooner were the apostles and prophets gone than
the corruption of the musings of designing men creep in, divide and destory
the church. No more clearly is this evident than in those events surrounding
and included in the development of the Nicene Creed, proposed by men and
enforced by demand which vacated all Christian feeling and faith toward one
another.
13b and of the knowledge of the Son of
God A part of this 'unity' is to come to a true 'knowledge' of the
Son of God. That is the opposite of what occured in the Nicene
theatre of events where God's understanding was deemed uncomprehensible by
man, that man could NOT 'know' and comprehend God and his nature.
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14 That we henceforth be no more
achildren, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every
wind of bdoctrine, by the sleight of men, and
cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive;
15 But speaking the atruth
in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the
bhead, even Christ:
16 From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love.
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17 This I say therefore, and testify in the
Lord, that ye henceforth walk not as other aGentiles walk,
in the bvanity of their cmind,
18 Having the aunderstanding
darkened, being alienated from the life of God through the
bignorance that is in them, because of the
cblindness of their dheart:
19 Who being apast
bfeeling have given themselves over unto lasciviousness, to
work all uncleanness with greediness.
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20 But ye have not so learned Christ;
21 If so be that ye have heard him, and have been taught by him, as the truth is in Jesus:
22 That ye aput off
concerning the former conversation the bold man, which is
corrupt according to the deceitful clusts;
23 And be renewed in the spirit of your mind;
24 And that ye put on the
anew man, which after God is created in
brighteousness and true holiness.
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25 Wherefore putting away
alying, speak every man btruth with his
neighbour: for we are members one of another.
26 aBe ye angry, and sin
not: let not the sun go down upon your bwrath:
27 Neither give place to the
adevil.
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28 Let him that stole asteal
no more: but rather let him blabour, working with
his hands the thing which is good, that he may have to
cgive to him that needeth.
29 Let no corrupt
acommunication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is
good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers.
30 And agrieve not the holy
bSpirit of God, whereby ye are csealed
unto the day of redemption.
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31 Let all bitterness, and wrath, and
aanger, and clamour, and bevil
cspeaking, be put away from you, with all
dmalice:
32 And be ye akind one to
another, tenderhearted, bforgiving one another, even as God
for Christ's sake hath forgiven you.
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