How can Ephesians 4:14-15 deepen understanding of 1 Corinthians 13:11? The Shared Call: From Childhood to Adulthood • 1 Corinthians 13:11 says, “When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I set aside childish ways.” • Ephesians 4:14-15 echoes the same transition: “Then we will no longer be infants, tossed about by the waves and carried around by every wind of teaching and by the clever cunning of men in their deceitful scheming. Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into Christ Himself, who is the head.” • Both passages use childhood as a literal-to-spiritual metaphor: God expects believers to move from immature talk, thought, and reasoning to mature, Christ-centered stability. How Ephesians Adds Depth to 1 Corinthians 1. Specific dangers of “childish ways” – Corinth emphasizes personal speech, thought, and reasoning. – Ephesians names external forces—“every wind of teaching” and “deceitful scheming”—that exploit immaturity. – Taken together, childishness is both an internal mindset and a vulnerability to outside error. 2. The growth process defined – In Corinth, maturity is simply “setting aside childish ways.” – In Ephesians, maturity is “grow[ing] up into Christ Himself, who is the head,” giving a clear goal and direction. 3. The means of growth – Ephesians inserts a crucial practice absent in 1 Corinthians 13:11: “speaking the truth in love.” – Truth keeps doctrine pure; love keeps relationships healthy. Both are required to replace childish habits. Truth and Love: The Twin Engines of Maturity • Truth without love becomes harsh legalism; love without truth drifts into error. • By pairing “speaking the truth in love,” Ephesians shows exactly how to carry out the Corinthians mandate: talk, think, and reason in a way that mirrors Christ’s character and His doctrine. Guarding Against Spiritual Instability • “Tossed about by the waves” (Ephesians 4:14) pictures believers buffeted by ideas because they have not “set aside childish ways.” • Setting aside childishness, then, is not only about personal development; it is spiritual protection. • Other supporting verses: – Hebrews 5:12-14: solid food for the mature, who “by constant use have trained their senses to distinguish good from evil.” – 2 Peter 3:18: “Grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.” Practical Steps Toward Spiritual Adulthood • Saturate the mind with Scripture daily—childish reasoning is replaced by God’s unchanging Word. • Engage in truthful conversations that are also loving; confront error without rancor. • Plug into a church body where pastors and teachers equip “for works of ministry” (Ephesians 4:12). • Discern teaching: measure every doctrine against the whole counsel of Scripture. • Practice obedience immediately; doing the Word cements adult patterns of living. Additional Verses That Reinforce the Theme • 1 Peter 2:2: “Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation.” • Colossians 1:28: “We proclaim Him, admonishing and teaching everyone with all wisdom, so that we may present everyone perfect in Christ.” The Goal: Christlike Wholeness Ephesians clarifies that the end of putting away childish things is not mere self-improvement; it is to “grow up into Christ Himself.” Maturity means stability in doctrine, integrity in love, and a life that reflects the Head of the church. Set aside the childish; embrace the fullness of Christ—this is the united call of both passages. |
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