We have already shown that the spiritual gifts were imparted through the laying on of the hands of the apostles. We have shown with the impartation on the Samaritans (Acts 8) and the Ephesian saints (Acts 19) proves it was accomplished by apostles laying their hands on those who had been baptized in the name…
In this phrase, some commentators adopt the word “age” as the translation of ἡλικίας in preference to stature. The older English versions of Wycliffe, Tyndale, and the Geneva all choose this term, and the King James places it in the margin. The original could be either meaning. John 1:16 reads, “Of his fulness, we have…
If we conclude that Jesus has not come, there are some glaring problems that we create for ourselves. 1. First, we are forced into a ridiculous conclusion that the “last days” of an ending age has continued for over two thousand years and counting. We have already given sufficient evidence that the “last days” was…
This phrase is connected to attaining to the knowledge of Christ. Some commentators adopt the word “age” as the translation of ἡλικίας in preference to stature. The older English versions of Wiclif, Tyndale, Cranmer, the Geneva, and Rheims, all employ this term. The authorized places it in the margin. The original admits of either meaning. …
The cross was the means by which justification could be pronounced upon the guilty Jew and Gentile, “for all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God” (Rom. 3:23). The condition for both was faith in Christ Jesus. Faith is not only the conditional requirement of every individual who would come into His…
Attaining to mature manhood the accomplishment of combining two groups into one “new man,” so making peace (cf. Eph 2:14-18). If it is correct to understand this description to refer to individual maturity, it would clearly seem insurmountable and unreachable in this life and must refer to the “end of time” when we are made…
The gifted men that were given to the called out people of God were given until certain things were accomplished. The first is until we attain to the unity of the faith. The second was “until we all attain to the Knowledge of the Son of God.” We attain to the knowledge of the Son…
Our last blog began a discussion on this phase found in Ephesians 4:13, “unity of the faith.” We identified “the faith” in this verse as being the teaching of the gospel that rejects justification by the works of the law in favor of justification by faith in Christ Jesus. This news is good news…
Paul tells us that all of these men that were given to the called out in those last days or the end of the age(s), were given until some things were accomplished o fulfilled. If one applies these four phrases in verse 13 to the development of the body of Christ to include Jews and…
Ephesians 4:13 reads, “…until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ,” These gifts of gifted men would continue until a certain definite state of things is attained. That state is described with four phrases,…