Presenting Every Man Perfect In Christ

A. Col. 1:28. In predicting that Peter would deny Him three times on the night of His betrayal, Jesus said Peter would come through the ordeal with a strengthened faith. Then He instructed Peter: in Lk. 22:32, “and when you have returned to Me, strengthen your brethren.” Peter was to receive strength that he might impart strength to his fellow Christians. In the same way, all Christians have the responsibility not only of bringing others to Christ, but also of helping them achieve their full usefulness in Christ.
1. Paul said that his work involved, “warning every man and teaching every man in all wisdom, that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus.” Col. 1:28. Perfect does not mean perfection in the sense of flawless. It means, having attained the end, or purpose, complete, fully developed. Jas. 1:4, describes it as, “Being mature and complete, not lacking anything.” Col. 4:12, uses the word this way, “...stand firm in all the will of God, mature and fully assured.” Because the members of a local congregation are “members of one another,” Paul says in Rom. 12:5. We individually have the responsibility and privilege of helping each other come to full development and spiritual maturity.
a. Growing in spiritual maturity is an important concept. We all begin our Christian lives as “babes”
in Christ. 1 Pet. 2:2, “Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow
up in your salvation.” To be normal you grow into healthy adulthood. To not do so is to remain
abnormal and unhealthy. That means you will never fully be what you were meant to be and you
will never grow to spiritual maturity, Heb. 5:13. “Anyone who lives on milk, being still an infant, is
not acquainted with the teaching about righteousness.” You cannot remain an immature, undeveloped child all your life. That is abnormal.
(A) If you remain a childish, immature Christian all your life you will never grow spiritually and
always be living in sin and personal failure, Heb. 5:14, “Solid food is for the mature, who by
constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil.” You will never learn to
please God living only on spiritual milk and pablum. 2 Pet. 3:17?18, “Be on your guard so
that you may not be carried away by the error of lawless men and fall from your secure position. But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.” No
child or immature infant is capable of that. Spiritual infants, like physical infants have only
one concern---Having their own immediate needs met. It is impossible for them to serve
the needs of others, much less their own needs.
(1) As individual members of the body grow, the body itself grows. A member who does
not grow is a hinderance to themselves and to other members of the congregation.
Paul describes them in Col. 2:18?19, As those who’s “Unspiritual mind puffs him up
with idle notions. He has lost connection with the Head, from whom the whole body,
supported and held together by its ligaments and sinews, grows as God causes it to
grow.” They have become disconnected from the Head (Jesus) and become a
hindrance to the Body. Those are the kind of people who tear up and split
congregations and cause bitterness and division among Christians. There’s a
scripture that teaches you can fall from grace. When you’ve “lost connection with the
Head,” you’re no longer a part of the body.
(2) That’s why the work of an elder is so vital, important. Their charge is not to make decisions in business meetings about how we will fix and maintain the building, parking lot, how to do benevolent work. That’s the work of deacons. Elders are charged with the spiritual growth of each member of the flock and making sure that false doctrine and division does not rear it’s ugly head in the body. Listen to the charge Paul gave the elders at Ephesus, Acts 20:28?31, “Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Spirit has made you shepherds, to feed the church of God, which he has purchased with his own blood.” The work of a shepherd is to feed the flock. The shepherd is also charged with protecting the church from spiritual wolves who teach false doctrine, divide, scatter

the flock. That’s why Paul says the bishop, shepherd, the elder (All the same
person) must be skilled in teaching God’s Word. 1 Tim. 3:2, “The bishop therefore
must be without reproach....apt to teach.” “APT” means skilled and faithful in
teaching the Word, Doctrine of Christ. Why? He is charged with feeding, teaching,
nurturing, growing the flock spiritually and with that Word to correct and refute
those who teach false doctrine. Titus 1:9?11, “He must hold fast the faithful word as
he has been taught, that he may be able, by sound doctrine, both to exhort and
convict those who contradict. For there are many insubordinate, both idle talkers
and deceivers, whose mouths must be stopped, who subvert whole households,
teaching things which they ought not...”
(B) It’s important that each member of the body grows. There is need for mutual edification. You don’t want your physical body to grow to be uneven. One great big eye and one small eye, arm, leg, foot. Well rounded growth. Edify means to build up, strengthen, benefit. Rom. 15:1?2, “Now we that are strong ought to bear the infirmities of the weak, and not to please ourselves. Let each one of us please his neighbor for that which is good, unto edifying.” Heb 10:24?25, “And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds.” We are obligated to edify not only ourselves, but others as well.
Rom. 14:19, says, “We are to make every effort to do what leads to peace and to mutual
edification.” Rom. 15:1-2, “You and I who are strong and mature are to bear the failings of
those who are week and not always seek to please our own selves. Each of us should
please his neighbor for his good, to build him up.” That kind of love and concern for one
another is what makes congregations strong and successful.
(1) Being a part of the body you cannot be anything less than loving, sympathetic, caring and concerned about every member of the body. We are to love one another as Jesus commanded in Jno. 13:34-35, Jesus gave you and me a direct command, "A
new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love
one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one
another." That’s not a suggestion, not an option. A direct command. What’s the
reason for loving each other? “Love edifies” ? 1 Cor 13:4?8, says, “Love is patient,
love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not
self?seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not
delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always
hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails.”
(2) If you love me you won’t let me do things that endanger my soul. And that’s why each member is actively and personally involved in the discipline of the congregation, both “instructive” 1 Thess. 5:14, and “corrective” 2 Thess. 3:14-15. A true friend will not
coddle our weaknesses, but encourage our strengths. The best friend you have is
one who brings out the best in you. But, unfortunately it’s as Norman Vincent Peale
said, “The trouble with most of us is that we would rather be ruined by praise than
saved by criticism.” We need the help others can give us — that’s why the Lord
established the Church as our Body of salvation. We need each other. The
“self?made” man is usually an example of unskilled labor!
(3) Acts 20:32

Spur - 10/12/03 am