The Twenty Sixth Sermon, the Sixth on the Fourth Chapter - Ephesians 4:11-14

"And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; 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: 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." - Ephesians 4:11-14

We have seen this morning how God, considering our frailty, has shown His mercy to us by appointing that we should be taught by fellow human beings like ourselves. He also made it clear that He had in mind what would be most suitable for His servants. When He said that He would always send a prophet in Israel from among the people, He intended to convey that we need not search far for Him; He will find a way to be closely present among us. Thus, when the gospel is preached, God's condescension to our limitations is as if He came down to us in person. Therefore, we should not despise the order that He has established for us. Our unfaithfulness would be even more reprehensible if we fail to acknowledge how greatly He loves us and accommodates us according to our limited capacity. While we may not possess the excellent abilities of angels, God provides us with the means necessary for our condition.

Furthermore, let it be known that this provision is not temporary; we must continue in it throughout our entire lives. For if He had not added this, one might argue that we should conform to God's rule for a while, much like sending children to school but not expecting them to spend their entire lives there. It might seem that the previous instructions were intended only for a brief period, and once we have been trained for a year or two, it should be sufficient, and everyone should be sufficiently learned. However, we must understand that as long as we are in this world, we must continue to profit from God's teaching. Our ears must be continually exposed to His Word to restrain us on one side and to strengthen and advance us on the other. Even if we had the ability to learn all that is necessary for our salvation in two or three years, our fickle nature would lead us astray if not held in check. Therefore, God's grace ensures that His Word is preached to us until our dying day, securing our faith and steadfastness.

Moreover, there is an even greater necessity, as those who consider themselves advanced will find that they are still far from the goal they pursue. Therefore, we must daily seek to grow stronger and have the light of our faith increase, just as the daylight grows brighter and reaches its zenith. We must continue to progress until the Sun of Righteousness appears to us. Some may be so stubborn that they refuse to believe this, content with their present knowledge. You will find many who are proud and presumptuous, thinking they surpass even the greatest doctors in the world because they have mastered a few Latin words. Similarly, those who have just begun studying a subject often believe they have already reached perfection, even though they have only scratched the surface. Such people are bolder and more reckless than those who have made substantial progress.

Thus, it is essential to understand that those who diligently continue their education in God's school will find themselves ahead after ten or twenty years. Regardless of how the world sees it, we must heed the apostle's words that God does not intend for us to be instructed in the Gospel for only two or three years; we must persist in it. Even if we live for a hundred years or more in this world, we must remain students, realizing that we are still far from perfection and must continue moving forward. Each of us must motivate ourselves, and God must graciously continue teaching us without interruption so that we may never grow weary. When we have learned a lesson that benefits us, we should not assume that it is already firmly imprinted in our hearts or well-known to us. Even when we have learned one, two, or three lessons, we still need much more. No one is so wellprepared that they do not require further instruction. In short, we must firmly understand that God has ordained this system in His church so that the gospel may be preached. As long as we are on this earthly journey, we should continually return to the school where God teaches us because we walk by faith, not by sight.

In his show, we do not yet have the capacity to behold God's glory, as St. John also states in his first epistle. We shall not see Him as He is until we are all made holy, transfigured, and made like unto God. As St. Paul says elsewhere, we currently see only in part and know only in part because we walk in faith. The source of faith, its nourishment, and its growth come through the word of God, especially when we have preaching and diligently seek edification through it. This is the initial point where our faith begins, and it is the means by which it continues to develop and increase until it is thoroughly perfected.

For this reason, John addressed both old men and young men, including those in the prime of their age, urging them all to submit to the obedience of the gospel. To the old men, he said, "Come, hear Him who was before all time," referring to our Lord Jesus Christ. To the young men and little children, he advised, "Learn to know that you have a Father in heaven," and to the stronger, he said, "Know your strength and life." In short, he showed us that God's children must be humble enough to submit themselves to instruction and teaching from day to day and from year to year. They should recognize that they have not yet reached the desired goal. He added that this should continue until we are all united in the unity of faith.

Because we might easily stray and no bridle could hold us back, as I mentioned earlier, St. Paul reminds us that we have not yet reached the point that these arrogant individuals, puffed up with their vain selfimportance, believe they have already attained. St. Paul says, "Are you not there yet?" While it is true that we should strive for unity, as I have already mentioned, for without harmony, there can be no church or religion among us, and God is not honored or served. Nevertheless, we continue to progress towards this unity, just as we do with all other virtues. As long as we live in this world, we always advance further and further. Life in this world is akin to a race or a path appointed by God.

When people speak to us about the unity of faith, it is not to suggest that Christians should hold differing and opposing opinions while they are in the process of learning and growing. Rather, it is to convey that our faith cannot truly be one until it is firmly established. There will always be imperfections and weaknesses, and there will always be clouds of ignorance. Therefore, we must continue to strive toward the goal set before us.

Furthermore, we must take note of what is crucial for us concerning the knowledge of the Son of God. In this, He shows us the essence of our faith, which is not about wavering or uncertainty but about comprehending who Jesus Christ is, understanding His power, and recognizing the benefits He brings with Him. This is the true perfection of faith, a notable point indeed. We can observe how the world, in its misery, has been led astray in the past and continues to be misled by the Pope. They often engage in devoutness, torment themselves with great effort, and tirelessly inquire about various matters, filled with questions. Yet, they remain unfulfilled, just as Paul described those who are always learning but never gaining wisdom. I am speaking of these hypocrites who despise the simplicity of the gospel and turn away from Jesus Christ to follow their own foolish inventions. They engage in speculations and make great efforts, but they will never truly gain wisdom.

Since all the treasures of wisdom and understanding are stored in Jesus Christ, we must fix our gaze upon Him. In Him alone will we find the entire substance of our salvation. When we desire to know what Jesus Christ, given to us by God the Father, has accomplished through His death and passion to reconcile us, when we wish to understand that He alone is the source of our righteousness, and when we recognize that we are cleansed from all impurities by His blood, that He has satisfied all our debts, that He has sanctified us with His Holy Spirit for God's service, and that He is our advocate, making us find favor in our prayers and supplications—once we understand all this, we can dismiss all the knowledge that others claim to possess, knowledge they have imagined without certainty. For this reason, Paul explicitly mentions the knowledge of the Son of God here, to better define the word "faith." This term is frequently used, and everyone claims to believe in it. However, when asked, those who boast of themselves as pillars of the church and devout Catholics may stumble when questioned about the essence of faith. They may say it's about believing in God, but even the Turks and pagans say the same. Yet, despite this, they condemn the Turks because they argue that the Turks don't truly know what it means to believe. The same can be said of the Papists. How do we differ from them? We, who call ourselves Christians, understand that God has sent us Jesus Christ to elevate us. We are certain that because He is our Father, He will not hold our sins against us but will accept us into His favor through His own boundless goodness. He counts us as righteous when we humble ourselves through genuine repentance and place our trust in Jesus Christ, acknowledging that there is nothing in us except our own wretchedness. You can see, then, that our Lord Jesus Christ is the true target or aim we set our sights on. If a person were to use a longbow, crossbow, or gun and had no target before them, but simply discharged their weapon at random...

Now, this way or that way, what a shooting it is! Similarly, the situation is such for those who do not aim at our Lord Jesus Christ. They only wander and entangle themselves in many troubles. We would constantly be at risk of being misled and deceived by people if we did not know Jesus Christ and firmly establish our entire faith in Him. We must be confident that He is the essence of our faith. Furthermore, I want to emphasise that this is for the age of perfection and our true fulfilment. As I mentioned earlier, we must understand that as long as we live in this world, we must continue to grow and progress because we are aware of the many imperfections within us, and we have not yet reached our full potential.

However, it should not be assumed that we remain as little children forever, as Paul will add later. Here he sets out three stages of age. First, there is infancy and childhood. Second, there are the years beyond twelve, before discretion and self-governance have fully developed, during which time we must continue to learn and grow. Finally, when a person reaches the age of forty, they are considered to be in their prime. By that age, they should have acquired some proficiency in both body and mind, enabling them to rest. This does not mean we should not continue to learn even in our later years, but this is how St. Paul presents it.

First, he states that we must listen to the gospel until we reach full maturity. But when is that? It is at our safety in death. We must not measure our years as men do, for after a person has passed fifty, it may appear that their senses and intelligence are declining. However, St. Paul says that we will never reach full maturity until we are freed from this physical body. Therefore, the spiritual maturity of Christians is attained when they depart from this world.

But let us examine our current state. Since we began to progress in the Gospel, we are like half-grown children. Some may be past fifteen or even twenty years of age, yet they do not see the need to continue learning daily. They still require learning and are aware that they have not reached the final step. They have not acquired a stable and well-informed judgment as required. It may happen that a twenty-year-old has mastered all the sciences he was taught, but he is still immature. He lacks the ability to apply this knowledge because he is not yet fully developed. For even at that age, he is still like green corn or unripe grapes in a vineyard.

Therefore, Paul uses this analogy to convey that as long as Christians are alive, even if they are eighty or ninety years old, they must continue to be like children who willingly submit to being governed because they know they lack full discretion. Yet, Paul tells us not to be like infants who have no understanding, unable to distinguish between good and evil. Instead, we must bear in mind that even if we have seen and experienced much in the world, and have travelled extensively and engaged in numerous activities, we are not so wise that we have nothing left to learn. The issue here pertains to God's wisdom, which surpasses all human intellect. We may receive much commendation from the world and believe ourselves to be exceedingly wise, yet we only possess partial knowledge. Therefore, we must not deceive ourselves with overconfidence, thinking ourselves wise enough. I am speaking about those who are capable of teaching others. Even they must continue learning like the rest. Those who speak must also receive instruction.

In summary, we must firmly believe that if we do not progress personally, we regress. It is crucial to remain vigilant and avoid complacency, thinking there is nothing more to learn. We must acknowledge that our life is like a journey, and we should continue to advance and gain ground, just as travellers progress on their journey. We should strive for improvement, gaining more knowledge and understanding with each passing day, whether it involves deepening our understanding of what we thought we already knew or learning entirely new concepts from others. Older individuals are diligent in accumulating wealth as they approach their death, fearing their weakness and dependence on others. We, on the other hand, should feel great shame if we do not amass a wealth of God's Word in our old age, considering the continued presence of weakness and sin within us.

If we do not strive to be continually enlightened until the day of the Son of Righteousness, our Lord Jesus Christ, shines upon us like a high noon, we will remain in ignorance. Therefore, it is essential to humble ourselves and avoid excessive self-confidence. We should walk our path with caution, recognizing that we have not reached the end of our journey. This is why St. Paul stated that he did not look back at what he had already accomplished but focused on what remained. Despite his significant achievements and spiritual experiences, such as being caught up to the third heaven and witnessing divine secrets, he pressed on toward his goal.

Now, what should we do, considering that we are still in the early stages of learning? We should acknowledge that we require new and daily instruction until we are completely free from the weaknesses of our flesh, which will only happen after we depart from this world. We must allow ourselves to be guided and governed like teachable and humble young people, accepting good counsel as necessary. St. Paul attributes this full maturity to our Lord Jesus Christ, implying that we delude ourselves with unfounded selfassurance when we rely solely on our own understanding. Once we truly know Jesus Christ, we will recognize our many imperfections.

Jesus Christ is referred to as the Wisdom of God, His eternal Word, and His image so that we may learn from Him and see God's glory in His person, which would otherwise be invisible to us. However, can we truly comprehend God's infinite wisdom or fully grasp His glory? We fall far short of such understanding. Therefore, we should avoid the foolish presumption that we know more than we do and instead look to our Lord Jesus Christ. Many people become overly self-assured, thinking that they can achieve faith on their own. St. Paul reminds us that faith is a gift from God, and our role is to diligently engage with His Word, attend sermons, read, and listen to good teachings to strengthen our faith. However, we should not rely on our own wisdom, for our Lord Jesus Christ must work in us through His Holy Spirit.

Therefore, let us remain humble and become learners in God's school. This humility involves recognizing that everything we have comes from God. On the other hand, St. Paul warns against being like children who are easily swayed by various doctrines or tossed about like chaff in the wind. We must not be deceived by worldly influences. St. Paul divides our spiritual growth into three stages. The first is childhood, before we receive any instruction, when we are like ignorant beings without the ability to discern God's truth.

There are many such children in the world, even at the age of three or four school years. When St. Paul speaks of children, he uses a metaphor and does not refer to the counting of days, months, or years. His meaning is that those who waver and are as unstable as a boat tossed upon water are like little children. It is true that the Scripture sometimes uses the term "child" in a different sense. For example, when St. Peter exhorts us to be like newborn babes, desiring the milk of soundness and putting away all malice. Our Lord Jesus also encourages us to be like babes, meaning that we should not be puffed up with presumption and pride, making no high estimation of ourselves and not being troubled by the lusts that trouble us.

In this sense, it is good to be like babes or little children. However, in another sense, St. Paul warns against being babes in understanding, which means being so doubtful and wavering that one is sure of nothing. Many people in the world remain in such ignorance and stubbornness. The world is filled with such babes who resist settling in God's truth and easily follow others' opinions. When asked about the gospel, some may respond that it must be good because God is its author. However, they are unable to provide a reasoned explanation of their faith, revealing their lack of understanding. They persist in their ignorance and prefer to remain as little babes.

Others may appear knowledgeable and capable of giving an account of their faith, but when faced with challenges or heresies, they become perplexed. They quickly abandon their previously held beliefs and are easily swayed. This shows that they have not put in the effort to progress and become more steadfast in their faith.

urthermore, besides likening men to babes, St. Paul presents another similitude, saying that such individuals are like reeds that sway with every wind or like a boat adrift upon the waves of the sea. This may not apply directly to little babes, but St. Paul's intention is to highlight the wretched state of those who are not firmly grounded in the Gospel. There is no greater wretchedness than being tossed and wavering at every wind, having no stability in matters concerning our salvation. If we were under constant threat, living in fear and trembling every minute of the day, we might prefer to die quickly rather than endure such uncertainty. However, our eternal souls are at stake, and we cannot afford to be so unstable.

St. Paul meant to address our slothfulness and recklessness and motivate us to action. He says that we must not be susceptible to the deceit of men. He uses a term related to dice playing, which is known for its lack of faithfulness and trustworthiness. Dice games are notorious for being deceptive, with players often resorting to cunning tactics to deceive their opponents. Even little children, not in the sense of infants but young individuals who act prematurely as adults, tend to become indignant when someone prevents them from being deceived. If all games were allowed without restraint, there would be numerous victims everywhere. Young heirs, barely a dozen years old, would be exploited and tricked, losing their possessions.

Therefore, when St. Paul speaks of the steadfastness of faith in the gospel, he employs comparisons from everyday life and common experiences. He emphasises that without a well-established faith, a determined commitment to walk in God's truth until the end, and an unwavering stance, we are like little children susceptible to deception and exploitation. We will encounter deceivers and swindlers who will plunder us without our awareness, leaving us astonished at our impoverishment. St. Paul's point is to remind us of the need for vigilance and discernment because when we let our guard down, we become vulnerable. In times of peace, we tend to relax, party, and neglect our responsibilities. However, when danger threatens, we understand the importance of remaining vigilant and guarding ourselves.

St. Paul tells us that there will always be threats and attempts to deceive us. We live in a world with a variety of harmful influences. There will always be wicked company seeking to undermine our faith. There will be scoffers, heathens, and others who desire chaos and will try to spread their poison and heresies to corrupt and infect people. In short, the devil employs countless strategies to deceive us, and people are often eager participants in these deceptions.

There are enough proponents of false beliefs who willingly offer themselves, finding contentment in such a course. As Paul tells us, if we do not make a determined effort to advance in God's Word, we will surely be ensnared, tossed to and fro, and carried away in every direction like children. Without careful consideration, even those among us who seem the most grounded will stumble and, within a step or two, fall disastrously. It is not only here in Scripture that we are warned not to remain as little children in understanding. We can observe that the people of the Jews received this admonition as well. Isaiah, for instance, reproved them, saying that they behaved like perpetual infants still in their ABCs, trapped in their brutishness. Despite having been reminded countless times, they always needed to be taught the basics repeatedly.

The Prophet condemned them, especially in the context of God's doctrine. He said that they acted like little children and behaved like beasts in this regard. In worldly matters, they might be crafty, but when it came to matters of salvation, they understood nothing. The Lord warned that He would punish those who scorned being taught in His school. Therefore, let us strive to reach spiritual maturity. While we may not attain perfection in this world, we should not remain as complete novices or unlearned. We should demonstrate that God's gracious gift of His Word to us has not been in vain.

Furthermore, we must realize that our lack of preparedness against the devil's tricks is our own fault. By diligently seeking growth in the Gospel and God's Word, we can equip ourselves with the necessary armour and weaponry to fend off the devil's deceptions and falsehoods. This is the way to understand and resist Satan's schemes and to repel his attacks. Having the Word of God will serve as our sword, shield, and helmet, as we shall see in the sixth chapter. In short, we will be well-equipped to withstand assaults. Therefore, if we find ourselves wavering and easily influenced, we must recognise that it is a result of our own negligence. Such feeble-mindedness, if it continues, may lead to God's just punishment, as Moses warned in Deuteronomy 13. When false prophets arise and the people heed them, it signifies a lack of love for God and a failure to remain steadfast in His fear. If we are prone to being light-headed, we must arm ourselves with these exhortations from saints like Paul. When heresy emerges, we should understand that it serves as a trial for those who are truly devoted. Let us be aware that our inconsistency in God's Word and our faith faltering in the face of temptation are due to our own carelessness. This should motivate us not only to seek sustenance through God's Word but also to resist Satan and his allies, defending ourselves against all assaults that may come our way.

As our Lord pairs His sacraments with His Word, let us derive benefit from them together. With the Holy Supper approaching next Sunday, let us recognise it as our spiritual armour, designed to fortify us against Satan. It serves as a further strengthening of us after we have been instructed in God's Word. Therefore, we must not, through our ungratefulness and frivolity, let the means provided by God go to waste. Instead, let us heed St. Paul's counsel.

On the other hand, we should acknowledge our own weakness and the need for divine assistance. God's coming to us in this manner is an invitation for us to draw closer to Him and offer thanks for His kindness. Let us make an effort to complement the Word with the sacraments and the sacraments with the Word. This should inspire us to turn to our Guardian, who will aid us on the path of salvation. In the end, it should become evident that our journey has not been in vain, and our expectations have not been disappointed.

Now, let us humble ourselves before the majesty of our good God, confess our sins, and pray for the grace to deeply feel our faults, leading us to repentance. May we not only be sorry for our transgressions but also resist the sinful desires of our flesh, which hinder our obedience to God's Word and the governance of our lives accordingly. Recognising that the path to both of these goals involves profiting from His Word, may God grant us the continual benefit of His Word, enabling us to use it wisely and strive for growth in it.

May He work within us through His Holy Spirit, so that His Word takes root in us, bearing fruit in our lives until the end. May we be so firmly grounded in Him that our love and fear of Him continue to grow within us. Ultimately, may He gather us into His inheritance. May this grace be extended not only to us but also to all people and nations on Earth.