kubeia - dice playing of men

... 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.

The world of the institutional church has become a world of chance. Luck.

Adversity, prosperity, blessing curse ... all happens by chance. Then, when you get healed or delivered ... chance again. Even if God heals you, you are healed if He feels so. It is a world that says everything that happens is determined by the throw of a dice - sleight of men.

Sleight of men?

κυβεία or kubeia - dice playing; metaphorically the deception of men, because dice players cheated and defrauded their fellow players (Thayer).

Essentially that means that there is no order and no design in anything and that, like evolution, everything is based on chance. It means there is no order in your design, your purpose, your calling or who you are. Everything is determined by fate.

But Paul says something totally different.

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; Eph 4:14

Addressing the Ephesians, Paul explains that those who have received Christ know exactly who they are. They know exactly what their purpose is, what their calling is, what they are designed for.

In chapter 4 Paul says that even though we live in a world of deception and brokenness and may not have arrived yet in our own estimation, we are getting there because we have Christ. We are given, by the same One Who descended and now ascended, the encouragement as apostles, prophets, as evangelists, as pastors and as teachers so that we are no longer tossed by the outcome of the dice, by the deception and doctrine of men. Eph 4:11

Who does that? 

Who encourages through apostolos (being a Messenger; being an Ambassador); prophētēs (Interpreter of the Word of God); euaggelistēs (Bringer of the Good new of salvation); poimēn (Shepherd of the Word); and didaskalos (Teacher who brings all together)? 

Who does this amazing job?

For the answer we have to go straight to the beginning of Paul's current statement in 4:1: Paul beseeches the Ephesians to walk (follow) worthy (suitably) of the vocation (klēsis - calling) wherewith they are called (kaleō - to be called up)

The One Who does this most important job is the parakletos, the Caller, the Messenger of Grace Himself - the Holy Spirit!

This is the very Person that Jesus spoke of when he said in John 14-16 that He would not leave us behind as orphans, but that He would send us the parakletos, the Holy Spirit Who would remind us of all things He taught even showing us things to come!

The Spirit of Grace!

The writer of the book of Hebrews say exactly the same thing:

Be not carried about with divers and strange doctrines. For it is a good thing that the heart be established with grace; not with meats, which have not profited them that have been occupied therein. Heb 13:9

We are called and it is a sure thing.

We know who we are.

We know to stand against chance and deception.

We know to stand against the cheat of the enemy.

We know to stand against everything and anyone who is not for Grace Himself.

... and the Caller lives right inside of us!