Ephesians 4:7-16 He who is all in all, gives gifts to his family of believers

But to each one of us grace has been given as Christ apportioned it. This is why it says: “When he ascended on high, he took many captives and gave gifts to his people.” (What does “he ascended” mean except that he also descended to the lower, earthly regions? He who descended is the very one who ascended higher than all the heavens, in order to fill the whole universe.) So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ. Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of people in their deceitful scheming. Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ. From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work. Christ is a God of ascent and decent. First he left heaven to take the form of man (descent). Then he lived a godly life, but was crucified by sinful man. After raising from the dead, according to the Scriptures first shown himself to many witnesses of his life before descending into hell to be shown to the dead apart from Christ. Then he ascends to the right hand of the Father and will in time to come descend again to rescue believers in himself. Fifty days after returning to heaven he poured out gifts to his believers which take the form of spiritual entitlements. All of this new ability was to strengthen the church and edify its believers. The goal is to have a mature faith were we are no longer uncertain of the truth, but identify and fight heresy where ever it is found and fighting the good fight alongside our Savior. Amen.