Monday, June 14, 2010

Achieving the Full Stature of Christ

In my last post I mentioned that the church should be, "a growing body of united believers achieving the full stature of Christ." This was in part taken from Ephesians 4:13 in the NRSV. 

In the NIV, and backing up to include verses 11 and 12, the passage reads:

It was he who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers, to prepare God's people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.

Other translations read:

"...unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ" -- KJV (... and several other translations read pretty much the same as this.)
"...measuring up to the full and complete standard of Christ." -- The New Living Translation
"We will receive everything that Christ has for us." -- New International Readers Version (Wow! This version reads quite differently than the rest.)

All of that simply to ask, what do you think that the "full stature of Christ" bit is all about? If we are to grow up into it, what are we growing up into? What does this look like? How do we know when it's happening? What do you think?
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7 comments:

  1. Don OwsleyJune 15, 2010 at 2:10 PM

    Funny you should ask. It's what this coming Sunday's message will be about.

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  2. Meg DunnJune 15, 2010 at 2:34 PM

    yeah, i was thinking that as i was reading through the surrounding verses. seemed like we were nearing that section.

    *looks expectantly at don in anticipation of all the answers*

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  3. Meirav BeraleJune 16, 2010 at 2:27 PM

    well... I hope you will post the answers after you hear that sermon!

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  4. Meg DunnJune 24, 2010 at 7:15 PM

    i hope to post the whole sermon. Don said some great stuff.

    i'll probably stick it in the church's group here on multiply and then i'll add a link.

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  5. Meg DunnJune 25, 2010 at 4:02 PM

    here it is: http://cornerstonefc.multiply.com/music/item/53/Ephesians_41-16 approx. 30 minutes long.

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  6. Meirav BeraleJune 25, 2010 at 4:58 PM

    thanks!!!

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  7. Meg DunnJune 26, 2010 at 9:02 AM

    more from john alexander:"...the idea is that Christ gave his people gifts, and if we use these gifts for each other, we will grow till combined we are of Jesus' stature. He is talking about us Christians becoming as radically dependent on Jesus and on each other as are the parts of a body on each other. We are to devote our whole lives to giving ourselves and our gifts to each other--just as the parts of a body do. if each of us is doing this properly, we die to ourselves and grow into union with each other and with Christ. Then, as a whole, we attain the full stature of Christ. Not as individuals, not in our own strength, but as a united body whose head is Christ. Through grace and love, dependence and unity, Christ transforms his people into his body. Which of course has his stature.... and a little further down...So the secret of growth is the people Jesus has given us. Growing into the stature of Christ is the result of people pouring themselves out for each other; it's the result of using Christ's gifts for and on each other.

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