Ephesians 5 & 6: More Instructions on Holy Living - November 2nd Reading!

The Imitation of Christ - Ephesians 5:1-20

Many of the early church fathers emphasized the holy life as an imitation of Christ. Christ was not only the Son of God, he was also the model of how life could be lived. Not only is the imitation of Christ a holy life, it is also a life of self-giving and self-sacrifice. The contrast here is life as darkness and life as light. The Christian lifestyle is not something that is developed in single great experiences, but rather is developed moment by moment. Instead of drunkenness and self-indulgence, we moment by moment seek to be filled with the Spirit. The chief expression of our life together in the Spirit is our worship. How can we nurture in one another a sense of the holy in our worship services?

A Submission Match (5:21-6:9)

This passage has been one of the most misunderstood passages of the Bible and used by leading people in relationships for justification of oppression and abuse. The translators of the Bible have unwittingly contributed to the problem by misplacing the paragraph break between verses 21 and 22. The original Greek manuscripts did not have paragraph breaks or even word breaks and were all in capital letters. So translators must read context and patterns of speech of the time to determine the breaks. I believe that verse 21 is the topic sentence for all that is to follow: "Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ." Seen in that context, Paul's discussion is revolutionary in the relationships of the time.

The husband-wife relationship during New Testament days was highly proprietary, with women had neither voice nor standing in society. Paul's presentation of the husband's submission role as one who loves his wife as Christ love the Church (a life of total self-giving and self-yielding) is strikingly revolutionary. The approach used by Promise Keepers to this passage emphasizing the singular authority of the husband in the home is a misreading.

The parent-child relationship was one of absolute power and children were treated very poorly. Children are to sumbit to their parents, but parents are to act on behalf of the growth of their children in the Lord. Any parent knows the difficult balance of disciplining a child with needed firmness without exasperating them. The role of father in USAmerican society is undergoing strong redefinition. But the assumption here is that fathers will be spiritual leaders, something churches have not taught or encouraged very well.

Many are offended that Paul does not counter slavery in this passage, but his purpose is clear. He is not going to be able to end slavery in his day, but he can be part of revolutionizing the relationship. The slave submits not as a statement of weakness but as an act of strength. He serves not because he must, but because he chooses to as an act of faithfulness to Christ. The master on the other hand is only in a superior role in society, not in the kingdom of God. The slave is the master's equal, again a revolutionary concept.

Fully Armed - Ephesians 6:10-24

This imaginative exhortation to authentic Christianity uses the metaphor of the Roman battle armor. Each part of the armor stands for a resource needed to live a strong Christian life: the belt of truth, the breastplate of righteousness, the shoes of readiness, the shield of faith, the helmet of salvation,and the sword of the Spirit. In all of it, he exhorts them to keep prayed up, for themselves and for each other.

But this battle with situations and people is actually a higher spiritual battle. Once we see it that way, we don't have to feel so personally threatened. There are many teachings on "spiritual warfare" in charismatic and Pentecostal settings. While I am not one who sees the devil in every struggle, I do believe there is a spiritual dimension to the challenges we face.

How is your life in Christ going? How are you growing in holiness? What kind of things are you doing to protect yourself from complacency and compromise? Are you putting on the full armor of God? And who says the Bible is impractical or irrelevant? This part has been uncomfortably so.