About Spiritual Stability

In Ephesians 4:11-13, Paul wrote that after Jesus ascended, He “gave gifts to men,” and then listed some of those gifts. All of the gifts mentioned in those verses pertain to the leadership of the church, to those who would teach, instruct, correct, and guide the church as God continued to reveal His Word. Those gifts, which were imparted by the Holy Spirit to the Christians at that time, were designed to be temporary, after which elders, deacons, and preachers would continue the work of leading and instructing the church (Acts 14:23; 1 Timothy 3:1-13; 6:20). Verse 13 gives the “until,” noting that these gifts would cease to be supernaturally provided when the church was mature, and 1 Corinthians 13 would add that the church would fully mature when the word of God was completed by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. However, even before the Holy Spirit finished that revelatory work, Ephesians 4:14 states that Christians were to be completely stable in their faith and dedication to God. If they were capable of stability and unity, then current Christians are also.

The church was in its metaphorical childhood when Paul wrote Ephesians. The Scriptures of the New Covenant in Christ were still being written, and not everything was fully known concerning God's will. The Holy Spirit provided the extra direction they needed at that time through the various gifts mentioned in Ephesians 4:11. Even before God’s Word was completed, if they spoke the truth for the good of the soul, they would arrive at and maintain the stability that comes with spiritual maturity (Ephesians 4:14-16).

The path to spiritual stability remains unchanged. The church is the pillar and support of the truth (1 Timothy 3:15). If present-day Christians speak the truth in love, as was expected of past Christians, we will also attain the stability and unity that many currently struggle to find.