Ephesians Bible Study Spring 2009

Chapter 5

Welcome back this week for more feasting at the table with God and one another, at His kind invitation. In light of last week's lesson on our service equaling our equipping, did you flex your spiritual muscles this week, or should you drop and give me twenty?

There are so many things to be mindful of as we follow after Christ, and I'm so glad we're here together for more from Chapter 5. Have you enjoyed your table time? Are you being strengthened as well as challenged? I truly have been, and I pray this continues for us far past the short season we've shared. Treasure the beautiful truths He has revealed to your hearts, and walk in them, live by them, and so demonstrate the very love we declare we have for Him. "If you love me, you will keep my commandments", John 14:15, Jesus said to his disciples. That would be for us, too.

This chapter takes us higher still on our faithful walk in Christ with gritty, bold designs for spiritual and sexual purity, as well as some definitive contrasts of those in and those not in the faith. God delights, as David proclaimed, in truth in our inward being (Psalm 51:6). The penetrating truth of God's word is meant for this destination: our hearts. It's where He desires Christ to 'richly dwell', comfortably and quite at home, as one possessing the Deed of Trust(Ephesians 3:17).We need to know Him, this Christ and God the Father, and to imitate the Perfect One by grace, through faith and by His mighty Spirit working in and through us. The worthy walk. So grab your Nikes and let's go!

1 Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children. 2 And walk in love,

Children grow up mimicking us. I would stir my pot on the stove, and my daughters would stir their pots on the floor. My husband would hammer nails in wood, and our sons followed in chorus. In Chapter 2 we were transported back in time to when we were the children of what? Wrath. By nature, children of disobedience.We mimicked our father, Satan. This chapter stands up and directs our full, child-eyed attention toward our Heavenly Father, and as His dearly loved children we now are to imitate Him, doing what we see Him doing.

The first thing we see Him doing is loving. God is love. His great love was first made evident at the Cross. lst Corinthians 13 gives us a beautiful description of this love, the more excellent way. This is the way for us to walk now. So incredibly loved and provided for by Him, we, by our new nature according to Christ, are to mimic Him in this great love toward one another.

But we can't see God. What then is the model of love to be imitated?

as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.

Acceptable or fragrant offerings to God in the Old Testament were fully surrendered and fully consumed. Jesus gave all of Himself in love for us. He is our example. Love that selflessly gives and forgives and saves to the uttermost. I love that word, uttermost. Love that stoops and lifts and heals and delivers, yet never compromises its perfect nature to do so. Holy love, pure in motive, method and outcome. That's what our love should look like.

But there's a cruel counterfeit, bearing many ugly faces.

3 But sexual immorality and all impurity or covetousness must not even be named among you, as is proper among saints. 4 Let there be no filthiness nor foolish talk nor crude joking, which are out of place,

The world paints a fantasy-filled picture of wine and roses with regard to it's definition of love. Its mocking face of psycotic pursuit and selfish display are so sick and sad, they evade human words. We are to live one-eighty out of its example and reach. Not even its name is to be one we speak of much less exemplify. The body of Christ is becoming the bride of Christ, beautifully spotless, a virgin kept for her wedding day. As members of His body we effect one another. The feet take the legs walking, which take along the torso, etc. I know we struggle to live at this level of accountability, but it is intended by God in Christ that we do so. These popular sexual sins mercilessly drive the disobedient in what they see as individual expressions of freedom, so greedily wanting whatever and whomever for themselves, until they're done. This, beloved, is anything but free. It demands the fixed price of souls everyday. The practice of such sins disqualifies mankind for Heaven! Even talking disrespectfully regarding what God has created to be holy in marriage is forbidden. Disengage. Walk away. Turn it off. Don't open it. Delete it. Close your eyes. As fast as possible.

Again, as a subtraction problem, take all that away, and what's left over?

but instead let there be thanksgiving.

Giving thanks to God for everything is His will for us in Christ Jesus, 1st Thessalonians 5:18. If we thanked Him well, it would take all day, making it impossible to engage in such forbidden things. If there are issues we are anxious over, and there will be, here is the medicine. Thanksgiving and prayer. Confession and repentance.

Back to the ugly stuff. Is this popular view of sensual expression really that big of a problem with God?

5 For you may be sure of this, that everyone who is sexually immoral or impure, or who is covetous ( that is, an idolater), has no inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God. 6 Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience.

Case closed. God settles the matter for us with flint-faced surety. Are we feeling the weight of His Word yet? What do we do?

7 Therefore do not become partners with them; 8 for at one time you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord.

Partners in crime. Cut ties, if necessary. Light does not share well. It pushes out darkness. Let it.

Walk as children of light 9 (for the fruit of light is found in all that is good and right and true), 10 and try to discern what is pleasing to the Lord.

In the frightening face of what doesn't please God, we pull our skirts in and narrow our walk with the three faces of beauty that do: goodness, righteousness, and truth. What light and strength are found in the mere sound of these words! Fleshed out, they come to the rescue of sick souls, in need of a Savior. Among unbelievers, this beauty lifts up Jesus the Beautiful and draws them to Him, while preaching a piercing testimony of light in living conflict with the darkness of fallen men and angels.

What if we are made privy to these sins among believers?

11 Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them. 12 For it is shameful even to speak of the things that they do in secret.

Exposing others' sin or tattling for prideful superiority or joy in their suffering is discouraged in children. Exposing others in the face of eminent danger is not. This is the case here, though we need to be certain to tell only those who can do something good about the evil we know. Shrugging off sin is not love. Letting people continue on in their sinful rebellion by not exposing it to the light of truth that they might repent is negligently uncaring. The sins named here are radical sins that require radical treatment.The word gangrene freaks us out with good reason! Untreated, it swiftly takes over healthy tissue.

Galatians 6:1 addresses all such cases in the body of Christ perfectly.

1 Brothers, if anyone is caught in any transgression, you who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness. Keep watch on yourself, lest you too be tempted.

Not all are spiritually gentle enough to handle another's sin so nicely. Many times, this process of surgical love in the body of Christ is botched at this level. We must be wary of the dreaded 'rising eyebrow itis', with it's symptomatic paralysis of grace. Souls without grace soon find themselves in desparate need of it, in strikingly similar proportions to what they had lacked for others. Humble pie is always on the proverbial menu, but it's a little on the bitter side. And you know how I know that!

What is the desired outcome of both such confrontations?

13 But when anything is exposed by the light, it becomes visible, 14 for anything that becomes visible is light. Therefore it says, “Awake, O sleeper, and arise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.”

If our dark sin is lovingly exposed to the light of Christ, we will awaken. The Son rises, and all things shadowy are made shiny. This brings forth both the enlightenment of rebirth and repentant restoration. He, God the Son, perfectly reveals to us the Holy face of God the Father. And as we face Him, we repent, we arise, we walk in the light. He is light, and in Him there dwells no darkness, though there's plenty of darkness to dispel elsewhere. Bringing sin to light is vital to the continued wellness of the body of Christ as well as our effective witness in the world for Him. This is love.

So, now that we're all awake, we're to watch our step!

15 Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, 16 making the best use of the time, because the days are evil. 17 Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is.

If we walk in daylight, obstacles in the path ahead are easily avoided. As the sun sets, the road dims, and concern and confusion creep in, stalling our steps to a halt. So it is with sinful distractions and spiritual drowsiness. Wise, godly walkers remain in the full daylight of accountability to God's Word and true fellowship, casting no shadows. A wise walker is mindful that time 'under the sun' is on a timer, winding down, with darkness close on her heels. There are still so many children on the path of destruction! Let there be light, our God says. Our godly living in Christ is God's will, as we read in Ephesians 1: 4, in holiness and blamelessness.

There are more sure steps for our feet.

18 And do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery,

Drunk~a prolonged form of to intoxicate. The wine flowed in Ephesus, with worship, festal celebration and civic revelry. It literally flowed out of the doors on some occasions, sweeping souls away in it's swirling torrent of merrymaking in the hollow name of Dionysus. Here, the One True God places the regulator for drinking wine in our hands. We turn the spigot on or off. We pour another, or not. He knows our hearts, and as His dear children, He rightfully can exact honest, intimate assessment of our behavior. He knows what excess looks like, and so should we. Debauchery is the state of going beyond normal intent or application. It's riotous and can entice one to ignore cautious prudence. The personal choice to drink does at times become a public one, which may in turn spark scrutinous dialogue. Not a problem for those lovingly resolved to being imitators of God in all things.

If the Ephesian believers were feeling a bit empty without their filling of wine, Paul had a wonderful diversion.

but be filled with the Spirit, 19 addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with your heart, 20 giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ,

Nearly every age of humanity has raised a cup of cheer together. Nothing new. What is new is the pouring out of God's Holy Spirit in the life of every believer, surpassing even the power of the grape to bring gladness of heart, healing and joy. Being filled with wine is but a watery substitute of what God brings with His own mighty presence. For the believer, the private reserve of His Spirit is always on the house, yielding the sweetness of no regret. We are not cautioned in any way with regard to it's excess, rather, we're encouraged in it! With glasses raised in, may He bring out His best, offering pour after glorious full pour, until we speak, and sing, and give thanks to God with true joy!

21 submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ.

This infilling of His Spirit also produces an ease in true fellowship, and a willingness to be subjected to others not out of uninhibited stupor or intoxication, but instead, from the sober honor and respect in our hearts for the Lord. Did someone say the 's' word? Indeed, they did, and submission is for all Christians and toward all Christians. You see, it's a far-reaching submission we are called to. Paul's going to get more specific.

Ephesus was dominated by images of strong, imposing women. Diana had no equal, with stony Amazon maidens surrounding her in pillars of worship. Men and women and children were her subjects, and it was an honor to be solely devoted to her entirely for life. If one were to live well, they lived for her. To this day, we can find her idolatrous trinkets online for sale . Not bad for a goofy goddess that fell from the sky!

The modern woman of our country is somewhat of her own goddess, with access to the education, income and position equalling and even exceeding that of men. She strengthens herself, becoming scary good at many things. And why not? Marriage and family are on her terms and time clock. She bows to no one, possibly for fear of male trampling. Rightfully so in many cases. Most male-dominated societies run rampant with self-service and the wicked suppression of women and wives, reducing their value to the insulting equivalent of five fine rugs or seven fast camels. She can be murdered on a whim, with civic praise for doing so. How horrible.

Free from those fetters of bondage, the women of our nation rejoice in the life offered them here, even turning the tables on the men a bit, with nice smiles and no apologies. We wear pants in this country.Very nicely tailored pants. And as Christians, we wear pants, too. But when we wear the pants that Heaven's Tailor meant for a man, we invite trouble.

Back to Ephesus. Paul turns the marred face of the married woman away from the senseless worship of Diana, and toward the safe shadow of the Almighty. This lady knew nothing at all of God's kind intention toward her with regard to a husband's loving care in Christ. All she knew, back to the camel scene, was that men don't really love women much. Paul introduces a completely revolutionary marriage to them. A new walk of marriage. And it begins with God's orderly steps. An order that had been reversed in Ephesus. We could stand a gentle tweaking as well. Always room for growth.

Here's God's first stitch of healing.

22 Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord. 23 For the husband is the head of the wife even as Christ is the head of the church, his body, and is himself its Savior. 24 Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit in everything to their husbands.The leaders of Ephesus were imaginary queens and invisible princes. People crafted their daily scripts as they went, with a lot of help from the underworld.This headless society under Satan's spell was insane, leaving family life in chaos. Brand new gifts of love, grace, truth, peace and order had come to those believing in Christ. They were all God's family, and families now were to be a new families, walking the worthy walk in Christ together.God now lovingly scripts the lives of believing families according to His eternal delight and order, beginning with the role of husbands, followed closely by their joint heirs, their wives, next the children, and at that time, there were servants of the home, who too shared a seat of grace at God's table. Yet, with such a strong female presence in the city, Paul begins with wives, as we do today. We are directed to respectfully submit to or 'arrange ourselves under' the authoritative place of leadership held by our husband. Is he perfect in leading? It would be wonderful, but probaby not. That's not mentioned here because this arrangement has its base in our primary relationship, our relationship to God in Christ Jesus. As we seek to honor the Lord in marriage, the first step in walking well together with our husbands is to recognize them over us, in leading, in loving, in protecting. It's a gracious model of Christ's place over His body, providing all of its needs , as well as salvation in loving sacrifice. Like God singing over us in Zephaniah, or as Christ longing to gather Jerusalem under His wing, or as the Spirit of God moved or brooded over the surface of the waters, this idea of submission is sweetened with His love. Just as we said "I do" at the altar, our response is to be one of willing consent. Of course, there are legitimate instances of our rising up in the face of sin and abuse. These things disqualify those in leadership, and are to be rightfully exposed and opposed. But generally, we are to align beneath the head of our husbands, looking past his humanity, and up toward the One Who oversees our marriages with intimate care.What about our husbands, Paul? We want them to know and to do their part, too, all in love, of course! Here we go.

25 Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her, 26 that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, 27 so that he might present the church to himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish. 28 In the same way husbands should love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. 29 For no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as Christ does the church, 30 because we are members of his body

To love us like GOD! This really is a tall order. Come on ladies, you know how we are! Up, down, hot, cold, laughing, crying elated, frustrated and even infuriated! And it's only 8:30 in the morning! Did Paul know some of my female ancestors? Maybe, but what he did know is that it would take the endless love of God working in Ernie's heart to withstand this spicy little Italian girl!

The responsibility for our husbands to love us just like Jesus and like his own body is huge. We need to pray, pray, pray for them, and for our sons, who will most likely be husbands as well. We want them to good husbands, don't we? It's good for us.We can help them to do just that by helping them lead us in Christ, and by trying not to lean the buggy in our own direction, if you know what I mean. Don't drive from the passenger seat.We'll never know the joy of seeing them lead if we aren't patient enough to watch them grow into these God-sized shoes. And if we missed any of the above, here it is in yet another light.

31 “Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.” 32 This mystery is profound, and I am saying that it refers to Christ and the church.33 However, let each one of you love his wife as himself, and let the wife see that she respects her husband.

You see, God tranfers the authority and responsibility over from the parental care a man has known in his life, to a pastoral-type of loving care for his wife. How they become one in Christ will be revealed by grace throughout their lives spent together; it's a patient work. And in this wondrous work of God, there will be tribulation. Jesus told us this. But nobody, not even Dad or sweet little Mom should troublesomely meddle in the delicate affairs of a married couple. This beautiful mystery regarding husband and wife is a glimmer again of the depths of the mystery within the relationship of Jesus and His bride-to-be. We won't know either relationship's secret joy apart form the Lord granting it to us. In contrast, selfish marriage morphs into a quite a caricature of the original. Satan loves to try to pervert the perfect.Guard your marriage with faithful, watchful eyes. As God makes us one in Christ, and we are safely tucked way back within the cleft of the rock together, we will see His glory. If you are suffering today in any way over things we have covered, know this, my dear. You are passionately loved by God today. He yearns for you like no other, and wants nothing between your heart and His. Come to Jesus, the lover of the Bride, the husband of all husbands, the God of all comfort. Let's pray.