Fullness of Christ as the day breaks trough

Growing into the Fullness of Christ

The Christian journey, for many, often feels like a relentless striving towards an elusive ideal. We hear calls to spiritual maturity, to be "more like Jesus," and sometimes, these calls can subtly morph into a burdensome checklist of performance. WWJD. Yet, tucked away in the New Testament in clear sight, is a profound declaration of our destiny, particularly in Ephesians 4:13 (NKJV): "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 fullness of Christ."

From a grace perspective, this isn't a command to labour tirelessly to achieve something we lack. Instead, it's a glorious invitation to manifest the divine reality that is already complete within us through the finished work of Jesus Christ. This verse, when seen through the lens of God's lavish grace and its surrounding context, reveals spiritual growth not as a demanding climb, but as a beautiful, effortless unfolding of Christ's life within the united Body of Christ.

The Foundation: Our Identity in Christ (Ephesians 1-3)

To truly grasp Ephesians 4:13, we must first understand the magnificent foundation laid in the preceding chapters. Paul doesn't just jump into practical instructions; he first establishes our unshakeable identity and inheritance in Christ.

Ephesians 1-2: Paul opens by declaring our spiritual blessings in Christ – we are chosen, adopted, redeemed, forgiven, made alive, and seated in heavenly places with Him (Ephesians 1:3-14, 2:4-7). Crucially, he emphasizes that our salvation is "by grace through faith, not of works, lest anyone should boast" (Ephesians 2:8-9). This sets the stage: our standing before God is entirely His gift, totally independent of our performance. He then reveals the astounding truth that through Christ's finished work, Jews and Gentiles, once separated, are now brought together to form one new man, tearing down the dividing wall (Ephesians 2:11-22).

Ephesians 3: Paul unveils the "mystery" – that Gentiles are fellow heirs, of the same body, and partakers of His promise in Christ through the Gospel (Ephesians 3:6). He prays that we might be granted strength "through His Spirit in the inner man, that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend... what is the width and length and depth and height—to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God" (Ephesians 3:16-19). This prayer is a direct lead-in to the "fullness of Christ" in 4:13, indicating that being filled with His fullness, which is a gift, but our unconditional receipt is the outcome from where we will be knowing His immeasurable love, not our striving.

This entire foundation is about who we already are and what Christ has already done. It’s the grace-drenched reality that precedes any talk of walking or growing.

The Appeal: Walking Worthy and Unified (Ephesians 4:1-12)

With our complete identity firmly established, Paul transitions in Ephesians 4 to walk (our response), from our position to our practice (appropriation). He appeals: "I, therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, entreat you to walk worthy of the calling with which you were called" (Ephesians 4:1). This isn't about walking to earn the calling, but about our behaviour from the reality of the calling (see this post) we have already received by grace. This is an expression stating the obvious, not an acquisition.

He then lays out the basis for this worthy walk (behaviour; response): unity. He speaks of the "seven ones" – one in the Body of Christ, one Spirit, one hope, one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all (Ephesians 4:4-6). This deep, spiritual unity is the context for the "unity of the faith" mentioned in 4:13. It’s not something we manufacture, but a divine reality already present because of Christ's finished work and indwelling Spirit, which we are called to maintain and express.

Then comes a crucial point leading directly to our main verse: "But to each one of us grace was given according to the measure of the gift of Christ... And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ" (Ephesians 4:7, 11-12). There is a name for “the measure”, and His name is Jesus, the full measure. Also, everyone received the same Measure. Christ has no favourites and one did not receive a bigger portion than another, even though religion would gladly have you believe this.

Here, Paul reveals the purpose of these gifts: to equip the saints (all of us). And the ultimate goal of that equipping is the edification (building up) of the Body of Christ (which is our unity in Him and not necessarily the so-called church). It's this collective edification with Him that directly leads into the very next verse, 4:13. Our individual growth is deeply interconnected with the health and function of the Body (our unity with Him). It's a response-journey in agreement of the fully accomplished work of Christ, not a solitary one where we do our own thing.

Unpacking Ephesians 4:13: A Grace-Based Analysis

Now, let's dissect Ephesians 4:13 through the lens of this rich context and the finished work:

1. "Till we all come in the unity of the faith..." (μέχρι καταντήσωμεν οἱ πάντες εἰς τὴν ἑνότητα τῆς πίστεως)
As established earlier, this "faith" (πίστις, pistis) refers to the common, singular Gospel of grace – the profound truth of what God has done through Christ. That is His faith, not ours. It's the "faith of Christ" (Romans 3:22, Galatians 2:16) – His faithfulness and completed work – that unites us with Him. Coming into "unity of the faith" is therefore a coming together in a unified understanding (with Christ) and unwavering conviction of this grace-based Gospel. When it comes to the assembling of ourselves together, the deeper we collectively grasp that it is finished, the more unified we become in the very foundation of our hope. There's no division in the finished work; it's a single, glorious truth that silences all religious striving.

2. "...and of the knowledge of the Son of God..." (καὶ τῆς ἐπιγνώσεως τοῦ Υἱοῦ τοῦ Θεοῦ)
This isn't just head knowledge (gnosis). The Greek word used, ἐπίγνωσις (epignosis), signifies a full, precise, intimate, and experiential knowledge. It's a profound, increasing revelation of who Jesus is as the Son of God, and crucially, what He has fully accomplished for us. To "know the Son of God" in this sense means to know Him as your very life (Colossians 3:4), as your wisdom and righteousness (1 Corinthians 1:30), as your complete sufficiency (Colossians 2:10). This deep, experiential knowledge, unveiled by His Spirit, systematically dismantles the old, self-effort-driven mindset founded on religious dogma and replaces it with a grace-based understanding that continually transforms our lives.

3. "...unto a perfect man..." (εἰς ἄνδρα τέλειον)

The word "perfect" here is τέλειος (teleios), meaning mature, complete, full, full-grown, or fully equipped for purpose. Those are the words Jesus used on the cross when He called out that it is finished. It refers to spiritual maturity, coming to full development. From a grace perspective, we are already positionally fully perfect in Christ (Hebrews 10:14). His single offering "perfected forever those who are being sanctified." Therefore, growing "unto a perfect man" isn't about becoming perfect through our own (or dogmatic) striving; it's about the manifestation of that already-imputed perfection. It's growing up into (understanding) the reality of who God already declared you to be in Christ – mature, complete, and fully qualified for life (His life) and your walk in this unity both now and in eternity, in the calling into His Body (Colossians 1:28).

4. "...unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ." (εἰς μέτρον ἡλικίας τοῦ πληρώματος τοῦ Χριστοῦ)
This is the pinnacle. It's not about achieving Christ's divinity, but growing into unity with Him to the full expression of His grace and life as He lives in and through us. The "fullness" is πλήρωμα (pleroma), which means completeness, that which fills up, or the sum total. It refers to the entirety of divine attributes and perfection embodied in Christ. We are already "filled with all the fullness of God" (Ephesians 3:19) as part of His body. Therefore, reaching "the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ" means how we by free choice allow His fullness – His love, joy, peace, wisdom, power, and righteousness – to be expressed and revealed through us. Our "stature" (ἡλικία, helikia, referring to age, maturity, or full growth) is measured by how much of His complete life we choose to  unfold in our daily experience. It's the progressive manifestation of His indwelling presence, not a goal we achieve by performance. In the assembling of ourselves together this collectively manifests in our response to walk the walk and talk the talk, to perform the "work of ministry" and "edify itself in love" (Ephesians 4:12, 16).

Aligning with the Finished Work: The Grace-Based Unfolding

The concept of "growing into the full measure of Christ" is profoundly rooted in the finished work of Jesus. It operates on a divine paradox: One - we are "already" complete, perfect, and righteous in Christ (our positional truth), and two - we have a choice and therefore we are "not yet" fully experiencing or manifesting that reality in our daily lives (our experiential truth). The finished work is the absolute foundation for both.

• No Striving, But Resting: Because Christ finished all the work necessary for our spiritual completion, our growth is not a burdensome task of earning or achieving. It is a joyful journey of receiving, resting in His already-accomplished work and allowing His divine life to unfold naturally within us. The pressure is off! We don't have to make ourselves more Christ-like; we simply allow the Christ who lives in us (Galatians 2:20) to express Himself.
• Identity First, Then Behaviour: The finished work established our perfect identity in Christ (2 Corinthians 5:17). We don't grow to become a son or daughter; we grow because we already are a beloved, complete, and righteous son or daughter. Our behaviour flows from our identity, not the other way around. This removes the performance-driven mindset that often leads to burnout and condemnation.
• The Spirit's Role: The Holy Spirit, the Spirit of grace, works from our established perfection in Christ. He illuminates the finished work, revealing Christ's fully sufficient accomplishment and our completeness. As we behold the glory of the Lord (which is the glory of the finished work), the Spirit transforms us "from glory to glory" into the same image (2 Corinthians 3:18). He doesn't make us perfect; He manifests the perfection we already possess in Christ.
• Mind Renewal, Grace-Fuelled: The finished work provides the unchanging truth for our mind renewal (Romans 12:2). When old thoughts of inadequacy, sin-consciousness, or legalistic striving arise, we consciously replace them with the liberating truth of His completed work. This consistent alignment of our minds with our spiritual reality is the engine of grace-based growth.

Practical Implications for Grace-Based Growth:

• Living out Ephesians 4:13 from a grace perspective means:
• Focus on Receiving, Not Doing: Understand that growth is primarily about receiving more of what Christ has already accomplished and made available to us. It's not about how much we can do for God, but how much we choose to receive from Him and manifest in our lives.
  
• Meditate on Your New Creation Reality: Continually remind ourselves of our completeness, righteousness, holiness, and beloved status in Him. Let these truths saturate our hearts and minds.
  
• Trust His Fully Sufficient Accomplishment: Consciously, we should let go of self-effort and the burden of getting perfection. We rely entirely on His faithfulness and the finished work. This is where true rest and stability are found.
  
• Embrace the Journey: Growth is a natural process, like a seed growing into a tree or a branch growing on a vine, when planted in the rich, nurturing substance of God's grace. It's an unfolding, not a wrestling match.

In conclusion, Ephesians 4:13 is not a burdensome command to labour for an elusive perfection. It is a triumphant invitation to mature into the glorious reality of Christ's fullness, which already dwells within us. It's the beautiful, unfolding masterpiece of His life expressed through yours – a progressive journey of stability, peace, and power within the united state of the Body of Christ. This is all based upon the unshakeable truth of His perfect and eternally finished work. As the day breaks through, so too does this liberating truth illuminate every step of your walk in grace.