Ephesians 4:11-16 Teh Purpose of Training in the Church: "For the Equipping of the Saints."

The Purpose of Training in the Church

Ephesians 4:11-16

– The Bible Teacher's Commentary –

Ephesians 4:11-13 God's purpose of giving instructive gifts to the church.Ephesians 4:11-16 is one of the most powerful passages in the Bible after the cross. We are not only to understand what God has done for the church in Christ by His saving her but what He saved her for.  We must not only get excited about the work of the cross but also the purpose of the cross.

Paul the Apostle has clearly elaborated on the salvation of the church in Ephesians 1-2, but continues on and presents to us here the reason Jesus died: God is creating a people to wholly love, trust and serve Him. Until this truth has besieged our souls, we are victims of the world’s philosophy of life.

We will look at this passage in two sections:  

     A) God’s Work in the Church (Ephesians 4:11-13) and

    B) Our Responsibility as the Church (Ephesians 4:14-16).

The first section is outlined in the diagram on the left. Note how the three verses go together. This is what makes this section so powerful. The diagram shows how the individual elements are related to each other.

But before we look closer at these verses, ask yourself,

“What makes a great church?” and “What makes a bad church?”  

Do not only give your opinion of your own local church but of your knowledge and experience of the church as a whole.  The thing that you can identify that make a good church will be mentioned in the verses below. Poor churches have engaged in a distorted form of what is stated in Ephesians 4:11-16.  

The first section (Ephesisans 4:11-13) gives the framework for building a glorious church. The later section (Ephesisans 4:14-16) enables the church to work within the frame Christ has provided. As much as she stays within the general provisions of the Lord, the church will do great. But if she, and indeed she has in many cases, steps outside of her God-given boundaries, then she will suffer and eventually die.

This is the beautiful design for what God wants to do in the church right now. Let's see how it works practically works out! Next =>


 Read more exciting and practical articles on the Book of Ephesians.

Introduction to the Book of Ephesians

Ephesians 1

Ephesians 1:1-3 Every Spiritual Blessing

Ephesians 1:1-3 Every Spiritual Blessing
Ephesians 1:1 Only by the Will of God
Ephesians 1:2 Only in Christ Jesus
Ephesians 1:3 Every Spiritual Blessing
Ephesians 1:1-3 Bible Study Questions

Ephesians 1:4-6 Bible Study Questions
Ephesians 1:1-14 Redemption & Sovereignty
Ephesians 1:15-17 Bible Study Questions

Ephesians 2-3

Ephesians 2:1-3 Our Need, His grace

Ephesians 2:1-3, an Introduction
Ephesians 2:1 A) Man's Nature
Ephesians 2:2 B) Man's World
Ephesians 2:3 C) Man's Heart
Questions (Ephesians 2:1-3)

Ephesians 3:14-21 The Fullness of God's Love

Ephesians 4

Ephesians 4:1-3 Preserving the Spirit's Unity

Intro: Problems of Disunity
Ephesians 4:1 Calling to Unity
Ephesians 4:2-3 Our Oneness of the Body
Ephesians 4:3 Preservation of Unity
Ephesians 4:1-3 Bible Study Questions

Ephesians 4:11-16 The Purpose of Training

Ephesians 4:11-13: A) God's Word in the Church
Ephesians 4:11 Gifts in the church
Ephesians 4:12 Purpose of equipping
Ephesians 4:13 The final goal
Ephesians 4:11-13 Bible Study Questions

Ephesians 4:14 B) Responsibility 1. Deceit
Ephesians 4:15a 2. Speaking the truth in love
Ephesians 4:15b 3. Grow up into Christ
Ephesians 4:16 Summary: Function of the Church
Ephesians 4:14-16 Bible Study Questions

Ephesians 4:11-14 Chart: Equipping of the Saints
Ephesians 4:26-27 The Urgency of Resolving Anger
Ephesians 4:31 The Tree of Bitterness

Ephesians 5-6

Ephesians 5:22,24 Wives be Subject to your Husband
Ephesians 5:25 Marital Love
Ephesians 5:31-32 Redemptive Analogy & Marriage
Ephesians 5:31-33 Building a Great Marriage
Ephesians 6:1-3 Obedience to Parents
Ephesians 6:17 Sword of Spirit




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Biblical Foundations for Freedom


Paul J. Bucknell


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