It appears that Philip the deacon was led by the Spirit into a fruitful work of evangelism. Then the apostles were called in to establish the new converts in the Body of Christ.

Every disciple is to present his body a living sacrifice until he knows what God's will is for him or her.

Because in the evangelical churches the members of the congregations are continually exhorted to "go out and get souls saved," and because most of the believers do not have that kind of calling, they end up doing nothing. Far more would be accomplished if the Christians were exhorted to pray and serve the Lord until they knew what their role actually is.

But unto every one of us is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ. Wherefore he saith, When he ascended up on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men. (Now that he ascended, what is it but that he also descended first into the lower parts of the earth? He that descended is the same also that ascended up far above all heavens, that he might fill all things.) And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ: (Ephesians 4:7-13)

In order to discover the meaning of this passage let us compare it with a similar expression.

And God hath set some in the church, first apostles, secondarily prophets, thirdly teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, governments, diversities of tongues. Are all apostles? are all prophets? are all teachers? are all workers of miracles? Have all the gifts of healing? do all speak with tongues? do all interpret? But covet earnestly the best gifts: and yet shew I unto you a more excellent way. (I Corinthians 12:28-31)

Sometimes Ephesians 4:17-13 is employed to show there is a fivefold ministry superior to the other ministries and gifts. The Scripture does not support this. We must never stress a doctrine supported by only one passage. By adding the passage from First Corinthians Chapter Twelve, we discover that Paul regarded apostles, prophets, teachers as being on the same level as miracles, gifts of healing, and helps.

Now we can understand what Paul is teaching in Ephesians 4:17-13. Paul is saying that the ascended Christ through the Holy Spirit has set a great variety of ministries and gifts in the Body. By so doing Christ has equipped the saints so each may contribute to the building of the Body until we all come to a mature person—mature as measured by the fullness of the stature of Christ.

We must never set any office in the body as being superior to the other gifts and ministries. When we do this we retreat to the clergy-laity model of church organization which must be totally discarded if the Body is to come to maturity.

When the believer feels there are other ministries more holy, more important, than his, he may not make the effort to find his own role, believing it to be relatively insignificant. Because of this prevailing attitude of its members, the Body of Christ languishes today in a state of babyhood. We cannot come to maturity until we are being built up by that which every part supplies.

To be continued.