Love Fulfilled Ministry

to prepare the saints for the work of ministry, to build up the body of Christ, until all attain to the unity of the faith and of knowledge of the Son of God , to mature adulthood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ , * The gifts (apostleship, prophecy, teaching, evangelism, pastoring) are given to prepare the saints, those who are mature, for the work of ministry. Prepare is καταρτισμός ( katartismos ) to get ready, prepare or preparation, training, equipping. This preparation builds up the church, the body, unto maturity so that it is no longer children tossed to and fro in deceitful doctrines. The body grows up into the full measure of the image of Christ, "truth in love growing up in Him." The purpose of ministry is to grow up the body, and this growing up is in knowledge of the Son. For this purpose all other things become as refuse, in order to know Christ. so that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, gives you a spirit of ...

Remain empowered in the Lord also in the might of His strength. * Having grown up, in maturity bearing fruit through abiding, now I am must remain empowered in the Lord. I did not grow up according to fleshly means but according to the Lord. How did I grow up? I was established, rooted in faith and love, growing up in truth in love, in knowledge of the Son. In the previous chapters we read some of things we are established in, those receiving from the rich of his grace and glory, blessings from the heavens like adoption, and redemption, the forgiveness of sins. And I received, was marked with the Holy Spirit, a pledge of my inheritance and testimony that I am of His own. I was established by grace through faith, prepared beforehand. I understand what it means to put off the old man and put on the new and what it means to participate in his death so to participate in his life. I know what it means to know Him, to grow up in knowledge of Him, to have fellowship in his sufferings, to...

You, then, exist perfect like as your heavenly Father, the one existing perfect. * The word perfect is (τέλειος ( teleios )) meaning brought to completion; fully accomplished, fully developed; full grown of ripe age, perfect, consummate. The concept of perfection is of reaching maturity, which is about growing up which bears fruit. If we have been born of God, God's seed abides in us, existing a partaker of His divine nature. If this is true then we are to exist perfect as our heavenly Father. Think about it, if you are going to heaven, existing a child of God, and the Father is perfect, then you are called to perfection and holiness. If you want to be perfect , go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven, and come, follow me. * John writes if we love the world the love of the Father is not in us. * The rich young ruler wanted to be perfect, it had followed the ten commandments since a child, but as Paul writes the Law perfected n...

Now, whoever keeps His word, truly in that person the love of God is fulfilled , in knowing, existing in Him. * The word fulfilled is τελειόω ( teleioō ) which is also translated as to perfect, complete, finish; (pass.) to reach a goal, be fulfilled, completed, made perfect; to consummate, place in a condition of finality; a person of character. The goal of the love of God, in which we are rooted as children, is that we grow up to bear fruit, achieve perfection, completeness, maturity. We know that the love of God is fulfilled when we keep His words. exists no fear in love, but love fulfilled drives out fear because fear has to do with punishment. Now, the one fearing is not fulfilled in love. * There is a place for godly fear but fear doesn't mature, perfect, complete, bring to fulfillment. In the new covenant in His blood we are being perfected in love, not through fear of punishment which had power under the Law. The Law did not perfect nor bring about maturity thus ...

I exist the vine, you the branches, the one abiding in me and I also in him bears much fruit, because apart from me powerless to do anything. *   The gospel is proclaimed and bears fruit, "of which you heard before in the word of the truth of the gospel,  which has come to you, as it has also in all the world, and is bearing fruit," * But what is this fruit of the gospel? The fruit deals with the idea of consecration, in which we present the body a living sacrifice unto holiness. This is why Christ came with a ministry of reconciliation, " in order to present you holy and blameless and above reproach before him, if indeed you continue in the faith, stable and steadfast, not shifting from the hope of the gospel that you heard, which has been proclaimed in all creation under heaven." * The gospel bears fruit of growth, of maturity, a nd we see a warning here, if we abide, continue, not shifting from faith.  In no way, all the ones born of God yields sin, be...