Ephesians: A Worthy Walk
Background: For the next month, we will be studying the Book of Ephesians, a letter Paul wrote while he was in jail in Rome, awaiting his first trial. Ephesus was one of his best churches, and he spent a lot of time there on his missionary journeys. The church likely planted the other churches of Asia Minor that Jesus referenced in Revelation 2-3.
Ephesians is easily outlined. Chapters 1-3 speak of the great salvation we have in Christ, which comes by grace through faith alone. Then, 4:1 is the turning point, where Paul admonishes them to "walk worthy of the calling you have received." We cannot be worthy of Christ's salvation - it is a gift of grace. But having received it, we can then, by the Spirit's power, WALK worthy. Chapters 4-6 describe the worthy walk. This is a favorite template for Paul. He develops a doctrine then applies it practically.
As often as time allows, the reader is encouraged to read the entire book - it will not take more than a few minutes. Each day we will work our way through the book passage by passage.
Today's Reading: Ephesians 1-6 Focus Passage - Ephesians 5:22-33
22 Wives, submit to your husbands as to the Lord, 23 because the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church. He is the Savior of the body. 24 Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives are to submit to their husbands in everything. 25 Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself for her 26 to make her holy, cleansing her with the washing of water by the word. 27 He did this to present the church to himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or anything like that, but holy and blameless. 28 In the same way, husbands are to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. 29 For no one ever hates his own flesh but provides and cares for it, just as Christ does for the church, 30 since we are members of his body. 31 For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two will become one flesh. 32 This mystery is profound, but I am talking about Christ and the church. 33 To sum up, each one of you is to love his wife as himself, and the wife is to respect her husband.
Through the Bible Readings: Isaiah 60-61, 2 Corinthians 10, Psalm 107:36–43,Proverbs 23:26–28
If you wish to read through the Bible in a year, follow these readings.
Devotional: Biblical Marriage
This will be short today. I received my positive COVID test today and my fever returned tonight. I lack the energy to dig into this difficult passage of Scripture. I would make some simple observations.
1. This is an outflow of being filled with the Holy Spirit. Tremendous damage is done when people (yes, especially men) try to operate "Biblical Manhood" in the power of the flesh. Godly leadership becomes fleshly domination and submission turns to subservience. Do NOT try this at home without the fullness of the Holy Spirit.
2. While verse 21 does call for us to be submissive to one another, there is no way to study this passage and avoid the concept that men and women have different roles in a marriage. Paul commands women to submit and commands men to sacrificially love their wives.
3. The command to submit is middle-voice and is directed to the women. This is key. Literally, it says, "Wives, submit yourselves..." There is absolutely nothing in Scripture that gives me the right to demand, coerce, or force my wife to submit. It does not say, "Husband, bring your wife under submission." Many husbands seem to think their job is to assert their authority and "bring their wives under authority." The Scripture commands my wife to submit, but it NEVER authorizes me to cause her to submit.
For her to submit is obedience. For me to cause or coerce her submission is a form of abuse.
4. My job is to love my wife as Christ loved the church - which means I am to put her needs ahead of mine. Husbands, don't complain about your wife's "lack of submission" until you've answered the question of whether you have represented Jesus Christ in your marriage.
Chances that you've done a better job of being Christlike than she has of submitting are slim, right?
5. The doctrine we advocate is called "complementarianism" which means "we work together to make each other better." The whole idea of much of the teaching today about "manhood and womanhood" is about how to keep women in their place, not about how to be partners in making our homes better.
6. This passage focuses on Jesus, his Lordship and greatness. He is the model for marriage.
7. For each of us, the key is to focus on ourselves and our failings, not on others and their issues. If I read this passage and think about what my wife is doing wrong, I am in the wrong. If she reads it thinking about my failings, she is doing it wrong. Each of us needs to examine ourselves first.
This passage can be emotional and can elicit defensiveness and anger, but it is God's word and it is divine truth.
(Okay, this turned out not to be so short)
Father, help me to be the husband you've called me to be.
Think and Pray:
Consider your marriage and how it matches up to Christ and this passage.
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