Perfecting Training

Book excerpt: According to [Ephesians 4:11-16], we are first told that the gifts were given: 'And He gave some apostles, and some prophets, and some evangelists, and some shepherds and teachers.' This is the initial step; then the result is unto the work of the ministry, that is, unto the building up of the Body of Christ. How could the Body be built up? By the growth in life. Then out of the growth in life the function will come, the operation in measure of each one part, to cause the growth of the Body unto the building up of itself in love. Thus, there is the initial stage and then there is the result. Between these two ends is the perfecting of the saints. If there is no perfecting of the saints, all the gifts given by the Head become vain. Also, there will be nothing to cause the growth of the Body in life that functions may come out to build up the Body in love. The crucial and central point in this portion of the Word is the perfecting of the saints. Throughout the past years the Lord has been leading us in the ministry to perfect the saints for the growth in life so that the functions may come out to build up the Body in love.