Christ as the Giver of Gifts vs. Christ as the Constituents of God's Armor

 

Christ as the Giver of Gifts vs. Christ as the Constituents of God's Armor

• Eph. 4:7 "But to each one of us grace was given according to the measure of the gift of Christ."

• Eph. 4:8 "Therefore it says, 'Having ascended to the height, He led captive those taken captive and gave gifts to men.'"

• Eph. 4:11-12 "And He Himself gave some as apostles and some as prophets and some as evangelists and some as shepherds and teachers, for the perfecting of the saints unto the work of the ministry, unto the building up of the Body of Christ."

• Eph. 6:14 "Stand therefore, having girded your loins with truth and having put on the breastplate of righteousness."

• Eph. 6:15 "And having shod your feet with the firm foundation of the gospel of peace."

• Eph. 6:16 "Besides all these, having taken up the shield of faith, with which you will be able to quench all the flaming darts of the evil one."

• Eph. 6:17 "And receive the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which Spirit is the word of God."

• Eph. 6:18 "By means of all prayer and petition, praying at every time in spirit and watching unto this in all perseverance."

 

Item	Christ as the Giver of Gifts	Christ as the Constituents of God's Armor
Meaning	Christ is the giver of gifts for the inward building up of His organic Body	Christ is the constituent of each part of God's armor for spiritual warfare and victory
Nature/Essence	• Every member of Christ's Body is an indispensable gift • A gift is a person constituted with Christ's life and element through the dispensing of the Divine Trinity • Each gift has a specific measure according to which divine grace is given	• For the entire Body of Christ as a corporate warrior, not for individual members • Must fight the spiritual battle in the Body of Christ, not individually
Specific Components/Process	• Christ in His ascension gives those constituted by the Divine Trinity's dispensing to His Body • These include  apostles, prophets, evangelists, and shepherds and teachers • Christ captured those who were once captured by Satan and made them gifts to His Body	• The belt of truth (Christ as the reality in our living) • The breastplate of righteousness (Christ as our righteousness, covering our conscience) • The shoes of the gospel of peace (the peace accomplished by Christ as our foundation) • The shield of faith (for quenching all the flaming darts of the evil one) • The helmet of salvation (covering our mind against negative thoughts) • The sword of the Spirit (the Spirit as God's word, for attacking the enemy) • Prayer (as the means to apply the other six items of armor)
Means	Through the dispensing of divine grace according to the measure of Christ's gift	Through prayer (viewed as the seventh item of armor) to apply Christ as each part of the armor
Distinction	Emphasizes the positive building up and perfecting of the saints	Emphasizes resisting Satan's attacks and spiritual warfare
Function/Application	• To perfect the saints for the work of the ministry • To build up the Body of Christ • To bring believers to the oneness of the faith and of the full knowledge of the Son of God • To help believers grow to maturity, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ • To ensure believers are no longer children tossed by various teachings • To enable each member to be built up in love and function from the Head	• For corporate warfare, not fighting individually • Standing firm in the heavenlies against the enemy • Experiencing and applying Christ as each part of the armor in daily living • Specific applications of the shield of faith:  - Believing in the Lord's manifestation to destroy the works of the devil  - Believing in the Lord's death that has nullified Satan  - Believing in the Lord's resurrection that has put Satan to shame  - Believing in the Lord's ascension far above Satan's power  - Believing in God's heart, faithfulness, power, word, will, and sovereignty
Interrelationship	In the inward building of Christ's Body, Christ first gives gifts (gifted persons) to perfect the saints so they can function in the Body. These saints also need to put on the whole armor of God to resist the enemy's attacks and continue building Christ's Body	God's armor protects and equips the saints who have been perfected by the gifts in the Body of Christ, enabling them to continue functioning in building up Christ's Body without being hindered by Satan
Related Scriptures	• 1 Cor. 12:14-22 regarding the function and importance of different members in the body • Rom. 12:4-5 "For just as in one body we have many members, and all the members do not have the same function, so we who are many are one Body in Christ, and individually members one of another." • Psa. 68:18 "You have ascended on high; You have led captive those taken captive; You have received gifts among men, even the rebellious ones also, that Jehovah God may dwell among them."	• Heb. 9:14 "How much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without blemish to God, purify our conscience from dead works to serve the living God?" • Rev. 12:11 "And they overcame him because of the blood of the Lamb and because of the word of their testimony, and they loved not their soul-life even unto death." • John 6:63 "It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing; the words which I have spoken to you are spirit and are life."

 

This comprehensive table shows not only the comparison between "Christ as the Giver of Gifts" and "Christ as the Constituents of God's Armor," but also includes the detailed biblical foundation, demonstrating these two complementary aspects of the Christian life.

 

*Please refer to the July 2024 Anaheim, California, USA training Experiencing, Enjoying and Manifesting Christ (II) Week 24 The Giver of Gifts and the Composition of the Armor of God