What is the Lord teaching us in Ephesians 4:13–14?
In the previous verses, we saw that Christ gives pastors, teachers, and other leaders to help His people grow. Now Paul tells us what that growth should look like and why it matters.
"Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ:"
Paul is not talking about becoming perfect in the sense of never making mistakes. He is talking about becoming mature.
When children are young, they need constant guidance. As they grow, they learn, gain understanding, and become more stable. Paul uses a similar picture here.
Christ wants His people to grow together in their faith and in their knowledge of Him. This is one reason He gives teachers and pastors to the church. Their work is not simply to pass along information. They help believers grow stronger in their understanding of God's Word and in their walk with Christ.
Growth takes time. None of us arrives overnight. Yet little by little, Christ is working to shape His people so that they become more like Him.
"That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive;"
Verse 14 shows the other side of spiritual growth.
A child can be easily influenced. One day he believes one thing. The next day he believes something completely different because someone sounded convincing.
Paul says that spiritual immaturity can look much the same.
There will always be new ideas, popular teachers, and confident voices claiming to have the latest answer. Some are helpful. Some are not. A believer who knows God's Word is less likely to be pulled in every direction.
This is why spiritual growth matters. It is not about collecting Bible knowledge or winning arguments. It is about becoming steady.
What can we glean from this passage?
Christ does not want His people to remain spiritual children.
He gives leaders to teach us, encourage us, and help us grow. As we grow, we become more grounded in the truth and less likely to be carried along by every new idea that comes our way.
A healthy Christian is not someone who knows everything. A healthy Christian is someone who is growing, becoming more like Christ, and learning to stand firm when confusing voices arise.
That is where Paul is leading us in this chapter: united believers, using different gifts, growing together, and becoming stable in the faith.
