SNT 0279 Ephesians 4:8-14
Ephesians 4:8-14
December 12, 1965
The importance of the gift ministries to the Body for communicating the Word and staying like-minded.
SNT – 279
Format: audio
Publication Date: 12-12-1965
Victor Paul Wierwille was a Bible scholar and teacher for over four decades.
By means of Dr. Wierwille's dynamic teaching of the accuracy and integrity of God's Word, foundational class and advanced class graduates of Power for Abundant Living have learned that the one great requirement for every student of the Bible is to rightly divide the Word of Truth. Thus, his presentation of the Word of God was designed for students who desire the in-depth-accuracy of God’s Word.
In his many years of research, Dr. Wierwille studied with such men as Karl Barth, E. Stanley Jones, Glenn Clark, Bishop K.C. Pillai, and George M. Lamsa. His formal training included Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Theology degrees from Mission House (Lakeland) College and Seminary. He studied at the University of Chicago and at Princeton Theological Seminary from which he received a Master of Theology degree in Practical Theology. Later he completed his work for the Doctor of Theology degree.
Dr. Wierwille taught the first class on Power for Abundant Living in 1953.
Books by Dr. Wierwille include: Are the Dead Alive Now? published in 1971; Receiving the Holy Spirit Today published in 1972; five volumes of Studies in Abundant Living— The Bible Tells Me So (1971), The New, Dynamic Church (1971), The Word's Way (1971), God's Magnified Word (1977), Order My Steps in Thy Word (1985); Jesus Christ Is Not God (1975); Jesus Christ Our Passover (1980); and Jesus Christ Our Promised Seed (1982).
Dr. Wierwille researched God's Word, taught, wrote, and traveled worldwide, holding forth the accuracy of God's "wonderful, matchless" Word.
Eph 4:8, 11; 2Ti 2:15
Eph 4:11-14; Col 2:6, 7
Col 2:7-23; 3:1-4; Gal 5:1
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Snt-0279-ephesians4_8-14
SUMMARY KEYWORDS: God, Christ, ordinances, ministry, apostles, circumcised, rudiments, world, gave, life, prophets, edify, walk, talk, born
Take your Bible, please and turn to the book of Ephesians tonight Ephesians chapter four during the course of this men's advance, someone made the statement among the men, that if people do not understand the word of God, they cannot believe it. And I thought that was a tremendous state. If you do not understand the Scripture, the word of God, people cannot believe. We can only believe that scripture or that word of God, if we really understand. Also, during the course of this men's event, following up on the theme of men united, the Scripture teaches and talks about men and women being of the same mind. Of course, we're of the same spirit when were born again of God's Spirit, right. But not everybody born of God's Spirit is always of the same mind. And you unless you are of the same mind, you can't work with men and women, you can't pull together, you cannot work effectively, unless you are united. It's like putting up the talk about a tongue between two horses or something. If one wouldn't pull, pull backwards, another one forward, you couldn't get the job done. Men must be united in their total life, and their total commitment says I brightness are God's word, if we want to make it living and real and carry it around blue. According to this man, the united in their upbringing, their outreach, and advancing with it. I heard the statement made today among our men, the first thing you must do is learn the word to learn the word. Secondly, the fillers. And in the third place, stay in a fellowship with men and women who are working the words. And furthermore, I heard another unique statement among our men, summarizing this whole thing. He says the upgrade is to get it. When you reach up, you get it, you get God's word. That's the first thing, get it appraised. Go for God's word, get God's word. But without God's Word, we cannot have God's will. For to know God's will. We have to know God's word. And you cannot believe the Word of God if you do not know it. So he said, we have to upgrade, we have to get it. Secondly, he says our outreach is to give it get it, give it and the third place of fellowship, he said is to be in it. And I thought those three little comparisons were tremendous. You get it, you give it and you are in it. The fellowship. And in line with that to our members. Those of you who have been in the advanced to the rest of you men who are here tonight, and our men who are scattered across the states of our union and even in foreign countries, and to the men who are listening to our radio broadcasts, I would like to specifically set forth some of the great truths in the Word of God, which however, will be just as applicable to our labor. Because the word of God is no respecter of us are no respecter of persons. That reminds me of a story. Place your house where we allowed a few women in on the men said Ben, you know, to do the cooking, and to play the piano and the Oregon, et cetera. And last night during the course of that you men won't mind if I let the women in on these secrets. We we we sang a song blessitt assurance key is mine one of the old hymns you know gospel song, and Dorothy Owens was telling of a certain person of of their acquaintance who had always this was one of his favorite songs. But whenever he wanted to sing it, he always said bless his insurance. Jesus says mine.
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He was the same man who always said I want you people to know that God is a what? God ain't no respectable person. The scripture says God is no respecter of persons. By you can get all screwed up all that stuff get all get it all tidied up.
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Well, thanks the Word of God is not a respecter of persons, that God is a respectable person. And he is good insurance as well as assured this record any feature to just bless the heart of every man and every woman, because the book of Ephesians is the greatest revelation that's ever been given to the church. And here is the eighth verse of this fourth chapter. It says, Wherefore he says, When He ascended up on high, He led captivity captive, and gave gifts until men. God gave gifts on demand. verses nine and 10 are in a parentheses. The thought goes on in verse 11, the gifts that he gave on demand, what are they? Verse 11, he gave some up a profit, some events, some profits, and some evangelists and some pastors and teachers. These are the size ministry. The five gifts ministry, Kevin's motto, this way down from God to man, they are not learned in school like on an horizontal plane. These gifts gifts ministries are given from God to man. These are gifts of God's grace. That's why they are charismata gifts of grace, from God to man. Now, when Jesus Christ ascended onto into heaven, 10 days later, on the day of Pentecost, men and women were born again for the first time. And that was the first time they were ever filled with the Holy Spirit. And from that day on, their words to be, and they're all in the church. These gifts, Ministry of apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers, these five ministries are in the body. Now we talk to the man a little bit yesterday or last night about a tremendous truth that I teach in every foundational class from Second Timothy, where it says we are to study to show ourselves approved under God as workman who need not to be ashamed by rightly dividing the word of truth. I teach this in every foundational class, because I know the greatness of God's Word. And I know that unless men and women again, get the key, and learn how to study the Word of God and then study the Word of God, their lives never change. But when they study the Word of God and work it, then their lives take on new colors, a new effervescence a new goals and life begins to gel when it never gelled before, and with the greatness of this word, they must study. But when I worked that word in its minute accuracy, which I shared with the men yesterday, that versus study, to show thyself approved, applies specifically to men who have ministries in the body. The men who have ministry in the body of the church, we men, who are apostles, prophets, evangelists, teachers, or pastors, it is our responsibility, first and foremost, to study the word adopt, to wipe the device, so that we may stand approved before God. Now if a pastor, if a pastor studies the Word of God, and He knows the word of God, and he right the device, then what about his people? Will they have the rightly divided words? Definitely, then they leave. They believe that word which he has rightly divided the fan base, then they can share it with others. You do not need to always dig the word come up with something new, be able to work it where you can find every little nook and corner in it. That's the job God says of the gifts of grace ministries that he has put in the bodies of apostles, prophets, evangelists, teachers and pastors, that they study this word I knew that they study it, and that they in turn, give it to people. That's the key to it. So we all have ministries, and he gave these ministries, these gifts of grace to the body, the church, the body, the born again, believers, that that born again, Son of God may have that great knowledge of God's word so that he can walk with an effervescence into the book. Now what is an apostle, according to the Word of God, and a prophet is one who brings new light to his generally, it may be old light, but it's new to the generation that will be speaking. When the Apostle Paul brought light, it was he was on a Papo, it was new light. White, Peter spoke as an apostle, it was new light to that generation. Apostles always brings new light, they put the emphasis where God wanted on the word and again, make that word just shy. You know, you can go through life, and the word never shines for people. It's just $1 book. It's just another book among all the other books. It doesn't have a particular global, a particular radius. But when you find a man who has that ministry of an apostle, he'll make that word of God sign like the sun is always shining. It will just glare, it'll just be beautiful. And Apostle is always one according to the Word who brings you light to his generation. I understand. It may be old, right? It may be old, it may have been hidden in the word here for centuries. But he by God's grace does, it's a gift, the gods dig this out of the word and he gives us a gum faithful. That's why it's like somebody, it's no no degree of intelligence to be able to talk that nobody can understand that if I went to the dictionary and dug out some great big wonderful words that nobody understood, that would not be a sign of intelligence that be a sign of an educated fool or something. Because the Scripture says, The Word of God says we are to teach the words that everybody can understand. Now, God gave these ministries in the church, the body, the Ministry of an apostle property, bachelor's, teacher and pastor, what is the reason for it the purpose behind it, why did God do this? The next verse tells you verse 12, for what? the perfecting of the saints for the perfecting of the same. Well, I thought the Bible told us that when you were born again of God's Spirit, you were perfect. You are spiritually but what about our walk? What about our data? What about our fellowship with Him? The purpose of the gifts ministry is that this thing, the born again, sons of God may be instructed as to how to walk more perfectly for the perfecting of the saints in their walk, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying, the edifying the word edify means up, the build up, the build up the body of Christ. That's the whole purpose of these five minutes. And you know, one thing it does, it doesn't even mention that you have to ball anybody out never doesn't. It doesn't mention that you have to run down anybody be leveled up, or talk disparagingly about. As a matter of fact, he says just the opposite. That these ministries are given for the purpose of the same for the edify the building up of the Body of Christ. Now, how in the world can you build men and women up? If you're always belittling them? If you're always talking about Doom, if you're always tearing them down? How in the world could it be build up? You can't build a building up by tearing it down, you're gonna build.
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And the greatness of the church to which you and I belong, ladies and gentlemen, is that God has set in this body of the church, apostles, prophets, evangelists, teachers and pastors, and there's study the Word of God the show themselves approved on the gods, as they rightly divide God's word among God's people that the church may be perfected in their walk, that the church may be edified build up, that we can go into our communities into our shops and factories and homes and our around the world, with our greatness of the power of God and manifestation are how will they ever see God, except they see the power of God in your life? That is the only way that now the theological teaching is that we've got pastors, and Evangelists left. And we've got teachers that are in the theological seminary. But there are no longer any apostles are prophets. They died when Peter died. And when Paul died, when the original apostles and prophets were gone, that are no longer any profit, or any apostles. Well, class, if there are no apostles and prophets, then there can be no evangelists. Teachers are pastors because in the same verse of scripture, where it says there are apostles prophets, it says there are evangelists, teachers and pastors, you take out the apostles and prophets out of that verse, Then you no longer have any evangelists, teachers or pastors left. How long will these ministries according to the word, evolve, be in the body, they will be in the body until the body is taken home for the last until the churches gathered together unto him, until the return of Christ, for the next verse tells you that just as tight as a protecting the same word that the ministry edifying in the body of Christ, verse 13, Chapter Four of EP, kill, or until we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge, unity, the oneness of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, onto the major of the stature of the fullness of us. And when will we be that fullness, when will we be like this? When we see him, it says, we shall be like, for then we shall see Him. So until that time, when we have all received of that fullness polling, we now need instruction, we now need to be edified, and to edify. God has set in the body, apostles, prophets, evangelists, teachers, and pastors until it comes again. And the reason for it is given in first 14 A little further, that we be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every body's ID, every Wednesday, every time somebody comes up with an old, no new idea, we put the reason apostles, prophets, evangelists, teachers in particular, is that we don't flip. They were given that from henceforth, we weren't like children any longer, we get built up on the meat of God's word, we get off with the skim milk. And we get on to the greatness of God's magnificent word. And we're no longer children talk to him. So all your guests in a place that can know that, to know that you know that and know that you know, you have get to the realization that God's word is absolutely accurate, that it means what it says and it says what it means. And that God has a purpose for everything he says where he says it why he says it, how he says it to whom He says, When he says, and you just know that you know that you know, it is God's word, because God says
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by then you have come. It's just like coming home. It's just like getting having a very extreme cold water on a hot summer day only 100,000 times but your hand for is no longer a child. You're no longer tossed to and fro with every ID every adoption. You young people can go into the colleges and they can get back to their biological field about all the evolution. You let it go in one ear and out the other except when you write examination to hand them back with a one But otherwise, you know better done. Because you've been able to fit God's wonderful words. You're no longer a child tossed to and fro. With every wind of doctrine, by the slightly cunning craftiness, whereby men who are possessed by the devil influenced by whereby men lie and waste to DC that are real acts of God ethically. And people are many people across our nation today BORN AGAIN of God's Spirit. But all Satan's got a good hold on. They're thrown about with every wind about for they believe a lot of baloney, because they have not been taught the Word human human who know bad words you do that. You share it with your neighbors, you share it with the people get to you on the telephone, in the shops, in factories, wherever you are, you speak bad words, every opportunity that God gives you by bringing you men and women. I want you to turn the Colossians. Colossians chapter two. Colossians chapter two, verse six. As you have therefore received Christ, Jesus the Lord. When you are born again you receive Christ Jesus the Lord. So walk deep in him.
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rooted, rooted, how can we have any roots and the great depth of God's word if no one would teach us God's word? God's word must be taught to us by apostles, prophets, evangelists, teachers and paths that were rooted and we are built up in him. And we are established made burn in the faith in the family faith, that faith of Jesus Christ as you have been loved, taught, abounding various abounding how just a little bit bubbly effervescing abounding barium every time I think of effervescing I think of that little thing that dropped into a glass of water for people have stomachache please call it alpha cell they'll face their pay me for this ad tonight for address, you know, they're not wanting to come all that stuff foaming up this is we I put that that's that's the picture I get in my mind. Do you know you're just settle on the inside? It gets so blessed once in a while. I'm so happy on the inside. You want to highly contagious? You know, you just get all excited. Well, that's what he's talking about. A bounding, a bounding. That's a walk along say well, how are you this morning? No, that's your Hi, how are you this morning? You look wonderful. They look wonderful tonight too. But what about tomorrow morning. Somebody said among the men that dance in the sales organization that he was a part of. Every morning if I remember correctly, he had to say to himself 10 or 12 times what was I'm enthused. That's when you get up. You're looking at old mirror and you say I miss both. So you say it again, I am until about the seventh time you start looking the part kiddo. Even if you're looking in a mirror, maybe up comb a little bit while you're doing it. But by the time you're finally saw by Gemini, I am and but you see this is a boundary a boundary. If you want to make the Word of God living and real to people would have to be a boundary and you just share it. You just let it bubble with a great positive positiveness with which God has said it in our video. abounding during Thanksgiving. The only thing you have to be aware of is his birthday. Be aware of a man or men who would spoil you to a world wisdom. Philosophy is bad. This shop in German, I hope some of our people in here much better in German than I am. But the word philosophy says world wisdom though world this Aesop wisdom of the world there are two types of wisdom, the wisdom of God which comes from his words. And the sense knowledge wisdom, which comes from the world. Now, man, the world men would follow with you with their philosophy, their world wisdom, which contradicts what the Word of God says. Because they'll make your negative like your little pictures on that paper, your chosen house. The seller was real positive, he went to take the boss out for a cup of coffee. The boss was all negative because somebody left the receiver off the hook or something else. So he takes the boss out for a cup of coffee. And when they get to this place where they have a cup of coffee, everybody's sitting at all these other tables are all negative. They're talking about this negative, they're talking about that negative talking about that negative. So when they start back home, the fellow took his boss out, he's all negative. Because while sitting among all those negative, he got negative two. They followed him for World wisdom, philosophy, or something. After the traditions of men, and after the rudiments of the world, that was rudiments, his outward appearances. I've worked ordinances. They'll tell you to outwork ordinances, whether you got a deal here. You got to say a man at the right place.
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No, no, no, no, no, no, no. Mr. Dorsen. Read for us today and taught us Galatians five one where it says, Stand fast therefore in the liberty, where with Christ, Jesus has set you free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage with the yoke of bondage. Because if you're entangled again with the yoke of bondage, then the rudiments, the outward ordinances of this world have not set you free. You're still enslaved. That's what the word rudiments means is that are in Him birth night in him, draw us all the fullness of the Godhead love, bodily and verse 10. This tremendous fruit, and he are what? complete, complete in Him, you're completing him. That's why we can always be a bounding bear in with thanksgiving. Or no matter how you feel, has nothing to do with your feelings. If you're born again of God's Spirit, you're saying this Christ in you that are you complete? Spiritually you're as complete as you're ever going to get. Now it comes into manifestation only when we with a bounding Thanksgiving, thank God and walk in the light of that which we have on the inside. You are completing him, which is the head of all principality and power. Verse 11. In Home also, he were circumcised is the text with the circumcision made without ham, in putting off the body of the sins of the place, you want to circumcised by the contagion of us? But what about those rudiments, those outward ordinances? Now you see on that verse, on that verse, most of our people would go along. Most Christians would go along on that verse. They say, why fall right? circumcised in Christ circumcision. When Christ was circumcised, He fulfilled all the law, therefore, our circumcision in him that's wonderful. A lot about the next verse. Buried with him in baptism, well, better started, we got circumcised in his circumcision, and we got buried hit with him in the baptism that he was baptized, then I'll be baptized in him. All right, then if you're going to go through all the shenanigans again, then Christ died in vain glory to God. Wearing also first 12 Er wizard with him, who's the face of the operation of God who have I said, raise him from the dead. He raised Him from the dead. And verse 30, you'll be getting your spin and the uncircumcision of your place. Happy second, to gather with Him, having forgiven you all this passes for giving you all Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, and was contrary to us and took it out of business. Nearly get to his cross and having failed principalities and powers, he made a show of them openly triumphing over them in it. Let no man therefore, no man. What's that, verse 16, carefully, they cause where to stand fast in the liberty where with prices set us free. We're not to be deceived by the philosophies of man after the tradition and the outward ordinances of the world.
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Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of and holy days of the new moon, or of the Sabbath. All of those things that are man's traditions and man ordinances are only a shadow of things to come, but the body is a vote, right? Let no man beguile you have your award in a voluntary humility and worshipping of angels. This worshipping is the religious ritual of angels, our spirits. Look at the tail end of that very safe team intruding into those things which He has not seen, vainly puffed up by his playfully mind, and not holding the head with Christ. From with all the body by joints and bands, having nourishment, ministering and knit together increases with the increase of the knowledge of us. Wherefore, verse 20, if you'd be dead with Christ, from the rudiments, the outward ordinances of the world, why as though living in the world, are you still subject to ordinances? You know why? Because you let people put you under it. You let these people that I talked about in verse eight, are you through philosophy in vain deceit after the tradition, a man after the outward appearances and ordinances of the world and not after Christ's words? And so, if we're dead with Christ, from the outward ordinances, why is though living in the world are we still subject to the ordinances, touch not taste not handed up? Which all our dictionaries with the Lord, using after the commandments and the doctrines, amend? All these things? Verse 23, have indeed a show of wisdom and will worship and humility and neglecting other body not in any honor to that satisfying other place. If he then verse three says, chapter three, verse one says, if he then be risen up, when Christ died, what happened up? We died with it. When he was buried, we were buried with him. When he was circumcised, we were circumcised when he was a complete fulfillment of the law. Absolutely. And everything that was required a man, we were in Christ. So when he died, we die when he when he arose, we did was already when he offended, we did love our salaries when he sat down, we sat down already, spiritually, we're already that's why the scripture says we're already seated in the heavenly places in Christ. Ladies, gentlemen, if then you'd be risen with Christ, peace, those things. Take those things which are what? Above, seek the things which are above? Well, what are the things that are about the things that are given in God's words, that are told us in God's word, these are the things which are above with a walk by this word, seek those things which are above where Christ sit up on the right hand of God? Set your affections on things about not on things on the earth, for your debt in your life. Your life, ladies and gentlemen, is filled with hope, with Christ in your life is hid with Christ in God. And that tremendous verse, For when Christ who is our light shall appear, then shall you also appear with Him in condemnation, in judgment in defeat in this structure, no, my dear friends, when he shall appear, we shall pair with him a boat, or he is ours and we are in. Ladies and gentlemen, God has called God has called us he has put something tremendous in our hearts and lives. And you and I have only one life to live and only one life to give a decision. Tomorrow will be the last Monday of that Monday. You'll We're have to share the brightness of God's Word. Tuesday will be that last Tuesday you'll ever have of that particular Tuesday to shift the night the last night of this night. Therefore, each and every day is the most important day of your life in a month. If we're done risen with price, let's walk out of this place as men and women of God with a great sense of the power of God in our souls. And let's let this word of God.