Last Day's Essentials-13

Unity in the Body of Christ

Eph. 4:14 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;

There has always been the curse of these weird doctrines that blow through the church. There are always those little sheep who will follow anybody ringing a bell. Not matured. They come with their starry eyes. "Oh, I heard the most wonderful thing the other day. We can all be perfect now in these bodies. Oh, bless God, I am perfect." Oh, help us, God. Children tossed to and fro with every wind of doctrine and slight of men, cunning craftiness. And boy, I mean they are there. What cunning craftiness. These letters that they send out on their computers, cunning craftiness. I mean, they are masters of deceit. They lie in wait to deceive.

That...

ἵνα

hina

hin'-ah

Probably from the same as the former part of him (through the demonstrative idea; compare definite article the); in order that (denoting the purpose or the result): - albeit, because, to the intent (that), lest, so as, (so) that, (for) to.

we henceforth be...

ὦ

ō

o

Including the oblique forms, as well as ἦς ēs ace; ἦ ē ay, etc.; the subjunctive of I exist; (may, might, can, could, would, must, etc.; also with if, whether, at and its compounds, as well as with other particles) be: - + appear, are, (may, might, should) be, X have, is, + pass the flower of her age, should stand, were.

no more...

μηκέτι

mēketi

may-ket'-ee

From qualified negation and yet, still; no further: - any longer, (not) henceforth, hereafter, no henceforward (longer, more, soon), not any more.

children,...

νήπιος

nēpios

nay'-pee-os

From an obsolete particle νη ne; implying negation and a word, say; not speaking, that is, an infant (minor); figuratively a simple minded person, an immature Christian: - babe, child (+ -ish).

tossed to and fro,...

κλυδωνίζομαι

kludōnizomai

kloo-do-nid'-zom-ahee

Middle voice from to billow or dash over; to surge, that is, (figuratively) to fluctuate: - toss to and fro.

and...

καί

kai

kahee

Apparently a primary particle, having a copulative and sometimes also a cumulative force; and, also, even, so, then, too, etc.; often used in connection (or composition) with other particles or small words: - and, also, both, but, even, for, if, indeed, likewise, moreover, or, so, that, then, therefore, when, yea, yet.

carried about...

καί

kai

kahee

Apparently a primary particle, having a copulative and sometimes also a cumulative force; and, also, even, so, then, too, etc.; often used in connection (or composition) with other particles or small words: - and, also, both, but, even, for, if, indeed, likewise, moreover, or, so, that, then, therefore, when, yea, yet.

with every...

πᾶς

pas

pas

Including all the forms of declension; apparently a primary word; all, any, every, the whole: - all (manner of, means) alway (-s), any (one), X daily, + ever, every (one, way), as many as, + no (-thing), X throughly, whatsoever, whole, whosoever.

Evil teaching of the prince of the power of the air (Eph. 2:2; 1Tim. 4:1; 2Cor. 4:4).

wind...

ἄνεμος

anemos

an'-em-os

From the base of to breathe unconsciously, that is, respire, to blow ; wind; (plural) by implication (the four) quarters (of the earth): - wind.

of doctrine,...

διδασκαλία

didaskalia

did-as-kal-ee'-ah

From an instructor; instruction (the function or the information): - doctrine, learning, teaching.

Seven Blessings of Perfection

1. Maturity—no longer children (Eph. 4:14)

2. Established in the faith—no longer of doubtful mind or tossed to and fro like the waves (Eph. 4:14; Jas. 1:5-8)

3. Rooted and grounded in truth—no longer carried about by winds of doctrine (Eph. 4:14; John 8:32-36; Eph. 3:17; Col. 2:6-7; 2Pet. 1:12)

4. Freedom from deception—able to discern truth from error (Eph. 4:14; 2Tim. 2:15; Heb. 5:11-14; John 8:32-36)

5. The ability to speak the truth in love (Eph. 4:15; Rom. 15:14; Col. 3:16)

6. Constant growth in spiritual things (Eph. 4:15; 1Pet. 2:2; 2Pet. 3:18)

7. Harmony with all others in Christ (Eph. 4:16; 2Cor. 1:10; 13:11)

by...

ἐν

en

en

A primary preposition denoting (fixed) position (in place, time or state), and (by implication) instrumentality (medially or constructively), that is, a relation of rest (intermediate between to or into and denoting origin); “in”, at, (up-) on, by, etc.: - about, after, against, + almost, X altogether, among, X as, at, before, between, (here-) by (+ all means), for (. . . sake of), + give self wholly to, (here-) in (-to, -wardly), X mightily, (because) of, (up-) on, [open-] ly, X outwardly, one, X quickly, X shortly, [speedi-] ly, X that, X there (-in, -on), through (-out), (un-) to(-ward), under, when, where (-with), while, with (-in). Often used in compounds, with substantially the same import; rarely with verbs of motion, and then not to indicate direction, except (elliptically) by a separate (and different) prep.

the... see above.

It refers to loaded dice against which no man can win. Those who play around with false doctrines cannot win eternal life.

sleight....

κυβεία

kubeia

koo-bi'-ah

From κύβος kubos (a “cube”, that is, die for playing); gambling, that is, (figuratively) artifice or fraud: - sleight.

of men,...

ἄνθρωπος

anthrōpos

anth'-ro-pos

From properly as an individual male and ὤψ ōps (the countenance; from to gaze, with wide open eyes); manfaced, that is, a human being: - certain, man.

and... see by above.

Cheating and subtlety. It signifies the art and wiles of the devil to destroy souls by fallacy (Eph. 4:14; 4:27; 6:11; 1Tim. 4:1; 2Cor. 4:4; Mat. 13:19). It refers to the systematizing of error and making it such a perfect counterfeit of truth that only those who are experienced in truth can detect it.

cunning craftiness,...

πανουργία

panourgia

pan-oorg-ee'-ah

From all working, that is, adroit, shrewd crafty; adroitness, that is, (in a bad sense) trickery or sophistry: - (cunning) craftiness, subtilty.

whereby...

πρός

pros

pros

A strengthened form of fore, that is in front of, prior; a preposition of direction; forward to, that is, toward (with the genitive case the side of, that is, pertaining to; with the dative case by the side of, that is, near to; usually with the accusative case the place, time, occasion, or respect, which is the destination of the relation, that is, whither or for which it is predicated): - about, according to, against, among, at, because of, before, between, ([where-]) by, for, X at thy house, in, for intent, nigh unto, of, which pertain to, that, to (the end that), + together, to ([you]) -ward, unto, with (-in). In compounds it denotes essentially the same applications, namely, motion towards, accession to, or nearness at.

False teachers lie in wait to catch ignorant souls by their fallacies.

they lie in weight to deceive;...

μεθοδεία

methodeia

meth-od-i'-ah

From a compound of accompaniment and to travel [compare “method”]; traveling over, that is, travesty, (trickery): - wile, lie in wait.

πλάνη

planē

plan'-ay

Feminine of roving, as a tramp (as abstraction); objectively fraudulence; subjectively a straying from orthodoxy or piety: - deceit, to deceive, delusion, error.

Here Paul expressed the ultimate purpose, or perhaps better, the result (hina) of gifted people equipping saints to serve the Lord and others. Negatively, believers should not be like immature infants who are easily swayed and confused, like waves being tossed back and forth (cf. Luke 8:24; Jas. 1:6) and blown here and there (lit., “whirled around,” a violent swinging that makes one dizzy) by every gust of wind of teaching… by the cunning, better, “trickery” (kybeia, lit., “dice-playing”) of men in their deceitful scheming (panourgia, also used in Luke 20:23; 1Cor. 3:19; 2Cor. 4:2; 11:3), moving toward (pros indicates goal) a system of error. False teachers cause this kind of confusion regarding the truth in order to try to bring believers into their erroneous schemes.