Growth Into Maturity
Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of people in their deceitful scheming. 15 Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ. Ephesians 4:14,15 (NIV)
Although this growth into maturity is corporate, describing the church as a whole, it clearly depends on the maturing of its individual members: ‘Then we will no longer be infants’ (4:14). We are to be like children in humility (Matthew 18:3) and innocence (1 Corinthians 14:20) but not in ignorance or instability. Children can be like small boats in a stormy sea, very much at the mercy of the winds and the waves. Paul paints a graphic picture, ‘tossed back and forth by the waves’ and ‘blown here and there by every wind of teaching’ (4:14). ‘Blown here and there’ translates a word sometimes used of violent swinging. Paul is describing immature Christians who don’t seem to have settled convictions and who find themselves driven along by ‘every wind of teaching.’ Paul readily recognised that some Christians could be deceived and go astray without knowing because there were people lying in wait to deceive (2 Timothy 3:13). There activities are described by two words. The first, ‘cunning,’ means playing with dice and so trickery or fraud. The second, ‘craftiness’, is used in 2 Corinthians 11:3 of the guile of the devil himself (cf. Luke 20:23). When people wander away from the truth, they too often use ‘deceitful scheming’ to lead others to follow them.
Preachers of the truth stand in complete contrast to such methods (2 Corinthians 4:2). They are ambassadors of the truth are so are found ‘speaking the truth in love’ ([4:15] literally: truthing in love). The NIV adds ‘speaking’ but the more literal meaning would be ‘doing truth in love’ or ‘acting truly in love,’ maintaining, living and doing the truth. Paul has picked up an Old Testament expression used especially when truthfulness between two parties was needed (Genesis 47:29; Joshua 2:14; Judges 9:16). Truth becomes hard if not softened by love; love becomes soft if not strengthened by truth.
What is upheld and the way it is supported are to be in complete contrast to those described in 4:14. Those described there deceive others for their own gain. In contrast Christians are to present the truth so it brings spiritual benefit to others. Our motivation is to be genuine love.
‘We will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ’ (4:15). Our growth is ‘into Christ’ so that increasingly, all of our life finds its centre, object and goal in relation to Him and in union with Him. Growth is from Him as its source and under His direction. The members can be healthy and strong but only as each lives their life dependant on Him.
And then our immaturity will end! And we will not be easily shaken by trouble, nor led astray by novel teachings or by the false doctrines of deceivers’ who teach clever lies that sound like the truth – only to pull us into their “flock.” But instead we will remain strong and always sincere in our love as we express the truth. All our direction and ministries will flow from Christ and lead us deeper into him, the anointed Head of his body, the church Ephesians 4:14,15 (The Passion Translation)