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Daily Devotions

Ephesians

Ephesians 
Day 
Day 218

"That we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting."

Text: Ephesians 4:14

THE EMPHASIS ON EQUIPPING THE SAINTS

There is no question as to the fact that the apostle Paul placed tremendous emphasis on equipping every single believer. The mature believer could contribute most significantly to the edifying of the body of Christ!

GRAVE DANGER AFOOT

There was another reason why Paul urged his readers to seek to make every effort to grow towards full spiritual maturity. There was great danger afoot to those who remained immature in their faith as “children”.

1. Children are easy targets

Children are most vulnerable. They are easy targets of wicked false teachers.

2. Tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine

Paul borrowed a nautical idea to communicate just how vulnerable untaught believers are:-

a) They are like waves that are tossed to and fro by the wind.
b) False doctrine compared to mighty winds.
i) Paul saw how false teaching could devastate churches.
ii) Example of Churches threatened by false teachings- Galatians, Corinthians, Colossians.

False teachings were a terrible threat to the very survival of the Church

c) The untaught, immature believer is virtually defenseless against these false teachers

3. The cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting

i) False doctrines were cunningly forged and plotted.
ii) The false teachers were skilled in the art of deceit.
iii) Paul revealed that the source of these false teaching is demonic (Cf. 1 Timothy 4:1).

NO LONGER CHILDREN

Every spiritual leader must be convinced of the need to strengthen the hands of fellow believers. Every child of God must be taken in hand and be instructed in the faith. Only when believers become deeply rooted and grounded in the faith would they be able to overcome the threat posed by false teachings.