Maturity

I believe the Word of G-d stands-- immutable.  When Saul (Paul) wrote, under the inspiration of the Ruach HaKodesh, in Ephesians 4:11 & 12, of  the five fold ministry, he did not write in past tense but in the present tense. 

He said, "Furthermore, he gave some people as emissaries, some as prophets, some as proclaimers of the Good News, and some as shepherds and teachers.  Their task is to equip God's people for the work of service that builds the body of Messiah, until we all arrive at the unity implied by trusting and knowing the Son of God, at full manhood, at the standard of maturity set by the Messiah's perfection."  Complete Jewish Bible.

Those verses are just as relevant today as they were in the middle of  the First century.

The task of all those listed is equipping us for the work of service that builds the body of Messiah.  Their job is to train us to build the body of Messiah.  How do you train?  What do you train with?  What are you training for? 

The TaNaK (Hebrew Bible/Old Testament) championed it's position in my Bible when I learned that Yeshua is the Torah (Word) made flesh, the living Torah (Word).  By substituting the word Torah for Word the meaning became clear.  My version of John 1:1 is now, In the beginning was the Torah, and the Torah was with God, and the Torah was God.

How the Torah should have preeminence in my life became clear when I learned that the references to scripture made by the Apostles were not to the New Testament writings but to the Torah.  Why is that important you ask?  Well, because if Yeshua is the Torah. He is also its author.  To know Him better, I felt I needed to start paying attention to what He wrote there. Not only that, if I said I loved Him, then I needed to put that love into action by doing what He said I should do. 

One great thing about the Messianic congregation is that every week portions of the Torah, Prophets, and The Gospels, are read out loud by members of the congregation on Shabbat.  During the reading you can feel the reverence to the Word of G-d.  It is considered an honor to be asked to read. And no one there takes it lightly.  The readings are lengthy and build upon the previous week.  Just the reading builds your knowledge of the Word of G-d.  Within one year you will have heard the Torah.

What is the standard of maturity set by the Messiah? Messiah himself is the standard we are to emulate.  As Rabbi Mark says, Yeshua, himself is the mark we are aiming for. His atoning sacrifice has freed us, to be able, and to want to do His will. 

How do you know what His will is?  How are we to live our lives, day to day, in a manner pleasing to G-d, where is that found?  It is found in the Torah.  I like boundaries because they help me stay on the right path.  The Torah teaches boundaries.  Don't you wish you had had some boundaries in your life? Do you think, sometimes had you had them, a whole lot of hurting would have been avoided?  I do.

It is a wonderful thing to be a gifted pastor, teacher evangelist, emissary, and prophet.  However, the equipping of G-ds people does not occur on the lofty heights of  metaphysical experiences as some would make it seem or sugar coated, watered down, gospel messages.

How do you raise the body of Messiah into full manhood? The answer is by teaching Torah. And the Torah (Yeshua) is the trainer. The Body of Messiah will grow with a full diet of Torah.