INTRO: We are in Ephesians 4, the beginning of the practical section of the book. In 4:1-6 we have what I titled the call to unity, and in 4:7-16 we have the provision for unity. In 4:7-10 we have the means of this unity and in 11-16 we have the method of this unity. To achieve this unity God gave gifted people to the Church. Verse 11 says: 11 And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, Today much is made of what is called the fivefold ministry, which says that the Church always needs all five of these ministries, so we have apostles and prophets placed over the evangelists and pastors and teachers. I've read it put like this. We are to humble ourselves under the mighty hand of God. On this hand of God, the apostle is the thumb. The prophet is the forefinger, the evangelist the middle finger, the pastor the ring finger, and the teacher the little finger. However, I believe the ministry of Apostles and prophets, as viewed in this verse, speaks of those that make up the foundation of the church. That means we do not have these ministries today. The foundation that is so crucial to the whole Church is the Word of God and that is what they gave to us. The Scriptures are complete. Prophesying in the sense of that of which the NT is made up of did not continue after the writings of the NT were complete.
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