Themes of Ephesians Chapter Five

¹ Be ye therefore followers of God, as dear children; ² And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweetsmelling savour.

The context of our walk .

Therefore: Forgiveness (Eph. 4:32)
Followers of God: Made a conscious decision to pattern after God
Dear Children: Greek root is agape.
Walk in love as Christ loved us: Not self-determined, but Christ-determined.
Given himself.

3 But fornication, and all uncleanness, or covetousness, let it not be once named among you, as becometh saints; 4 Neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor jesting, which are not convenient: but rather giving of thanks. 5 For this ye know, that no whoremonger, nor unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, hath any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God. 6 Let no man deceive you with vain words: for because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience.

Relationship Sins

Sexual sin brings the wrath of God on a person like no other class of sin. Why is sexual more wicked in the sight of God than other sins?

• Body . The body is sacred.
• Emotion . Deepest human emotion is involved.
• Intimacy . Intimacy is to be cherished.
• Reputation . Reputation and name represent the person.
• Trust . Trust is built on commitment and covenant.
• Life . Life itself is involved.

Communication sins.

• Filthiness
• Foolish talking: (Coarse language)
• Jesting: Greek (eutrapelia), indecent, dirty jokes
• Not convenient: Greek (anekin) not proper, inappropriate, out of place

Consequences.

No whoremonger…hath any inheritance. God will not reward sinful behavior.

Let no man deceive you. The context of these scriptures suggests that there was confusion about sin and forgiveness. Can a person live in sin and yet be saved? There are two perspectives here: The sinning person and the rest of the people.
The sinning person has no license to sin . He is in trouble with God.
The rest of the people have no license to withhold forgiveness . They are in trouble with God if they do.
The wrath of God may not mean the lake of fire, but it may mean chastisement, judgment and/or forfeiture of blessing . At no time will God add his blessing to sin.

Romans 6:1-23 gives the best explanation for the believer and sin.

7 Be not ye therefore partakers with them. 8 For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light: 9 (For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth;) 10 Proving what is acceptable unto the Lord. 11 And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them. 12 For it is a shame even to speak of those things which are done of them in secret. 13 But all things that are reproved are made manifest by the light: for whatsoever doth make manifest is light. 14 Wherefore he saith, Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light. 15 See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise, 16 Redeeming the time, because the days are evil. 17 Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is.

These writings are very clear without further explanation. They are to be taken as the wisdom of a man of God who has our best interests at heart. The problem is not understanding but execution . Can we have close fellowship with evil? No.

• When the light is turned on, the darkness flees.
• When the light is turned on, the works of darkness can be examined.
• Light equals understanding.
• Would you search for food in a dumpster?
• Would you wallow in a germ infested bed?

(If you lay down with the dogs, you’ll get up with fleas!)

2 Corinthians 6:14-18

18 And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit; 19 Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord; 20 Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ;

Be not drunk with wine… Proverbs 23:30-32.

(Read attached article)

But be filled with the Spirit. Do not let drink or drugs control you. Let the Spirit of God control you.

Spirit control is more than speaking in tongues. It also involves psalms, hymns, spiritual songs, singing and giving thanks.

21 Submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God. 22 Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord.

Submitting. Greek (hypotasso) To obey; to put oneself under the control of another.

The sense here does not include anything improper or harmful. It means to act in accordance with one’s relational position. We expect an employee to do his boss’s bidding. We expect a servant to abide by the wishes of his master.

Submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God. This means that husbands and wives are to be submitted relationally to each other. Unilateral submission creates resentment and rebellion. Submitted wives are disadvantaged by unsubmitted husbands. The only way this works is for both to be submitted to each other and to God.

Remember, all of this is based on Ephesians 5:1-2.

Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord. This submission is not for wives to be degraded, demeaned or abused . An abusive husband gives up his privilege to have a submissive wife. A wife should expect the same care and concern from her husband as she does from the Lord himself.

What is abuse?

• Physical . Hitting, pushing, causing physical pain of any kind.
• Sexual . Perverse, degrading, harmful, exploitative behavior.
• Psychological . To scream, show rage, berate, lie, deceive, threaten, humiliate, coercive control, isolation, deprivation, abandonment, financial guilt.
• Emotional . Denial of affection, constant accusations and fault-finding, made to feel guilty, minimization of feelings, blame for everything bad, recriminations
• Spiritual . Either no God talk or total God talk, Badgering, misuse of scripture, withholding forgiveness, fear tactics,

23 For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the saviour of the body. 24 Therefore as the church is subject unto Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in every thing.

The organizational structure of the family. The husband has God-given authority to make decisions for his household. This authority, however, should be considered equal parts responsibility and privilege. I am a privileged man to have a wife like mine; therefore, I assume full responsibility for her care and for the welfare of my home.

As Christ is the head…as the church is subject unto Christ…so let the wives. The subjection of wives is relational, not absolute . Think of it like this: The light bulb does not work independently. As a light bulb is connected to the power supply, so let it burn. When the husband does not supply a reason for his wife to submit to him, he cuts off her willingness to do so. In other words, when the husband no longer submits to Christ’s authority, he can no longer demand submission from his wife.

So let the wives be… If a husband does submit himself to Christ, the wife must follow through with submission to him. If she does not, she is in rebellion and inexcusable disobedience .

25 Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; 26 That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, 27 That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.

How would a marriage work if husbands approached their marriages as a spiritual project of creating a loving and caring home?

28 So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies. He that loveth his wife loveth himself. 29 For no man ever yet hated his own flesh; but nourisheth and cherisheth it, even as the Lord the church: 30 For we are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones. 31 For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined unto his wife, and they two shall be one flesh. 32 This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the church. 33 Nevertheless let every one of you in particular so love his wife even as himself; and the wife see that she reverence her husband.

Love their wives as their own bodies. Selfishness is anathema to a marriage. No husband should treat himself to a privilege or a possession without treating his wife to an equal or greater gift. He should take care of his family first, before attending to his own needs . He should do without rather than cause his family to do without.

These two shall be one flesh. Nothing is separate in each others’ hopes, dreams, sorrows, disappointments, futures.

This is a great mystery. The illustration of marriage serves as a type of relationship Christ has with his church. This makes marriage a spiritual institution and one worthy of total commitment on earth.

Let every one of you in particular… Even if marriage is a type of Christ and his church, the practical teachings still must apply on a day-to-day basis. Love and reverence form the basis of a truly happy home.