Unto The Perfect Man

“There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling; But unto every one of us is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ. Wherefore he saith, When he ascended up on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men. For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: 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: But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ: From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love. And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.” (Ephesians 4:4,7-8,12-13, 15-16, 24). When Paul talks about coming in the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God unto a perfect man, I don’t believe that he is talking about each of us becoming, as individuals, perfect men and women. I believe that the “perfect man” to which Paul is referring is a Collective Perfect Man - One Body made of imperfect individuals, who have each been given grace and gifts of Christ, fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, making increase of the One Body unto the edifying of itself in love. As we come together in the unity of faith, we will remain imperfect people, but even in our imperfection Christ will give us gifts not only to aid us in our own trials, but to be joined together with the gifts that He has given every other person. We may feel that we are too imperfect to go to church or join in the community of Christ, but it is only with each of us working together that perfection of the group as a whole can be achieved. In this way, the full participation of every single person is absolutely essential. Perfection is impossible without each of us contributing our own unique gifts to the whole. And as we fully come unto the “Perfect Man”, we can put on this new man, and in this way we can slowly become perfected. Our gifts flow into the Perfect Man, and perfection flows back down into us.