Growing Up Together

Watching our one-year-old granddaughter as she begins walking and talking is so much fun. We are proud of her growth and enjoy being with her as she learns. But we don’t expect her to be at this same level of growth twenty years—or even one year—from now. What about spiritual growth? Just how mature can we become in the Body of Christ? We can grow up together!

Ephesians 4:12,13 [The New Testament in Modern English]:
His gifts were made that Christians might be properly equipped for their service, that the whole body might be built up until the time comes when, in the unity of the common faith and common knowledge of the Son of God, we arrive at real maturity – that measure of development which is meant by the “fullness of Christ.”

We can arrive at real maturity and development. The Aramaic text of this letter to the Ephesians gives valuable insight as to how we can grow up together.

Ephesians 4:12,13 [Aramaic Translation]:
For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the building up of the body.
Until all of us become one and the same in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and one mature person [manly man] according to the measure of the stature of the fullness of the Messiah.

Believers can become unified in faith through an understanding of what Jesus Christ, the Son of God, has done for us. We can be one mature person–the Aramaic uses a figure of speech “manly man” to show that we have reached full adulthood spiritually.

What is the standard of that maturity? Notice all the “of the” words at the end of verse 13: “according to the measure of the stature of the fullness of the Messiah.” When you have this genitive construction in language, it shows relationships. To best understand God’s intent here, we start at the last “of the” and work backward to the previous “of the” words.

The Messiah is the foundation of all these relationships. It is the “fullness” [Aramaic: sumlaya] of the Messiah. One simple way to see what God means in the Bible is to see how He uses a word in different places. This word sumlaya is found in Romans 11:12 about all the nations who will be saved in Christ. Ephesians 1:23 says that the body of Christ is the fullness [sumlaya] of all that God has done for us through Jesus Christ. Hebrews 6:11 says we can be diligent to see our complete [sumlaya] hope until the end when Christ comes back for us.

This fullness of Christ is big. It is a complete completeness. But what is the “stature” of the fullness of Christ? This “stature” is the Aramaic word quamta, and is used in Luke’s gospel. Luke shows the human side of Jesus’ life and ministry. Jesus said in Luke 12:25 that we can’t add to our physical height [quamta] by thinking about it. Luke 19:3 says that Zacchaeus was a short man in height [quamta]. Jesus grew up in many ways during his formative years.

Luke 2:52:
And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature [quamta], and in favour [grace] with God and man.

This was more than getting taller. Jesus grew wise from his study of the scriptures. This allowed him to “grow up” in living God’s love. He had God’s grace upon him, and that led others to appreciate the goodness they saw in the young Jesus. We have “Christ in” us (Colossians 1:27) and can grow up into him.

So, we can have the completeness [sumlaya] of the stature [quamta] of Christ, the Messiah. Our growth can be according to the measure of this complete standing in our Lord. The Aramaic uses this idea of measure [mesuhta] as the amount of faith we receive when we are born again of God’s spirit [Romans 12:3,6; Ephesians 4:7]. Paul says he ministered according to the measure [mesuhta] that God gave him in reaching out to the Gentile nations [II Corinthians 10:13-16].

We can grow up according to the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ our Lord. But it takes each one of us doing our part.

Ephesians 4:16:
From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure [mesuhta] of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love.

That’s how we all grow up together, by each giving our full measure to love and serve one another [Galatians 5:13]. Sherry and I are so thankful to see our sweet little Florence get bigger and smarter every day. She has parents, family, friends, and even a puppy to help her learn about life.

As believers, maximum growth is ours as well. We have our heavenly Father’s spirit in us. We have our Lord Jesus Christ making intercession for us. And we have each other—members of the body of Christ—to give what we can to help each other grow up in Christ. Let’s help each other grow up into him.