Three Distinct Purposes – Rhapsody Of Realities TeeVo Devotional May 3rd

(The Unique Blessings of the Five-fold Ministry Gifts to the Church)

TO THE BIBLE: Ephesians 4:11-12 KJV
“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:”

LET’S TALK
The Apostle Paul, in today’s opening verses, outlines the purposes of the five-fold ministry gifts in the Body of Christ.

However, some Bible translations wrongly present verse 12 thus: “for the perfecting of the saints, so that the saints can do the work of the ministry, which is the edifying of the Body of Christ.”

This phrasing suggests that the sole purpose of the five-fold ministry is to equip the saints, who then carry out the work of ministry and edify the Church.

However, a closer examination of this portion of scripture in context reveals that there are indeed three distinct purposes identified here by Paul.

The first purpose of the five-fold ministry is to equip the saints. Their second purpose is for the work of the ministry itself, while their third purpose is the edification of the Body of Christ.

So, the idea that the saints themselves are responsible for edifying the Body is a misunderstanding of this scripture.

Of course, when every part of the Body functions as it should, the entire Body is edified. That much we know from Ephesians 4:16 NIV: “From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work” and Colossians 2:19 “…holding fast to the Head, from whom all the body, nourished and knit together by joints and ligaments, grows with the increase that is from God.”

However, in Ephesians 4, Paul directs our attention to the distinct purposes of the five-fold ministry which, again, are to equip the saints, to do the work of the ministry, and to build up the Church.

Understanding this will ensure that we honor the unique roles of these gifts and get the most out of them while also fulfilling our collective responsibility as the Body of Christ.

Go Deeper:
Ephesians 4:11-13; 1 Corinthians 14:12

Speak:
I affirm that i am equipped, edified, and built up in the Body of Christ through the ministry gifts. I don’t walk in darkness, weakness, or live in stagnation, for I’m always fruitful, productive and abounding in every good work. Halleluyah!

Daily Bible Reading
ONE YEAR
Luke 24:36-53, 2 Samuel 12-14
TWO YEAR
1 Corinthians 3:1-9, Psalm 147-148

Act:
Recognize the distinct role of the five-fold ministry in equipping, ministering, and building up the Church. Reflect on Ephesians 4:11-12 and consider how you can support and learn from those in ministry.