Grace Institute: The Pauline Epistles: Ephesians: 4:1 - 6:20

Ephesians Survey of the New Testament: The Pauline Epistles Winter 2006

[Previous: The Doctrine of Unity]

Unity through the Spirit (4:1-5:14)

Preserving Unity (Eph. 4:1-6)

The character of Unity (vs. 1-3)

Having established the doctrinal foundation of our unity (i.e. our common calling), Paul tells the Ephesians to walk in a manner worthy of their calling. God has called us His children, his heirs, and members of his household (Eph. 1:5, 11; 2:19 ). Therefore, if we are part of God's family, we should live like it.

What it is that God expects of his family? God's children are humble and gentle. God's family is patient, putting up with each other in love. God's family is expected to live in unity with one another.

We need to note, however, that we are not members of God's family because we are humble, patient, and bear with one another. Rather the opposite is true. We aren't called because we have walked worthy of the calling. Instead, we walk worthy because we have already been called.

The Foundation of Unity (vs. 4-6)

The Ephesians, Jew and Gentile are united by the commonality of our salvation. All have been saved, not because of works or ethnic heritage, but by the grace of God. Therefore we are united by this one hope, one Lord, one faith, one Baptism and one God and Father of all.

Our Spiritual Gifts (Eph. 4:7-13)

God has given each believer a gift for ministry. The primary tools the Holy Spirit has given the church to build unity are spiritual gifts. Specifically, the gifts mentioned in this chapter are leadership gifts. Namely, apostles, prophets, pastors, teachers. Those with these gifts are to exercise them specifically to build up the body of Christ.

The role of those who have leadership in the church, then, is not to do the work of the ministry, but to equip the church to do the work of service. In so doing it builds the body of Christ and drives us towards unity of the faith and spiritual maturity (4:13).

The Results of our Gifts (Eph. 4:13 -16)

We Become Mature (vs. 13-16)

Ultimately what should be the result of the use of our gifts? Attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ. Becoming mature. The Greek word used for the word mature has a fuller meaning than just "being a grown-up." It means to be complete, to be full, to be balanced, and to be perfect. God wants us to be a complete, full human being, reaching our full potential. Not just in a spiritual sense, but in a balanced full way.

It is easy to judge ourselves against one another. I can always find someone who I think is less mature than I am. But according to verse 14, Jesus Christ is the model of maturity. He is the complete, fully human one. Our yardstick for maturity is Jesus.

Becoming Mature

How do we achieve maturity? It is a process. Note the words Paul uses as he talks about achieving maturity. “ We will in all things grow up into Him. It is a process. It does not happen immediately. It takes place in stages. Just as a child grows in stages over a long process before they become a physical adult, so God takes us through a process of growing which eventually leads to maturity.

Secondly, we must know Jesus. To know Jesus is more than just knowing about Him. We need to know Him. That only comes from spending time with Him. Experiential knowledge is necessary to grow toward maturity. As we spend time with Him, not just reading about Him, but praying with Him, listening and responding to the Holy Spirit's prompting, maintaining a consciousness of His presence in your life, you get to know Him. The longer you spend with Him, the more you learn. And soon, you begin to sound like Him; you begin to act like Him. You begin to attain to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.

We Stand Firm (Eph. 4:14 )

One fundamental aspect of maturity is standing firm against deceitfulness. Paul says, that when we have reached maturity, we will no longer be as children are. But what are children like?

Short Attention Spans

Children have short attention spans. As Christians, a short attention span may be getting excited about a ministry, but burning out quickly, not finishing out your commitment. It may be moving from spiritual fad to spiritual fad, always looking for the latest viewpoint or self-help technique. As we mature, our attention span will lengthen. We will find it easier to stick with our commitments. We will stick with solid teaching, not moving from new thing to new thing.

Danger Magnets

Children are unable to discern danger. My wife used to call our young children "danger magnets." Infants always find the toy that will choke on. Toddlers try to put things in electrical outlets. Children don't watch before crossing a street. Children often don't realize they are even in danger.

As Christians, our danger magnet may be putting yourself in compromising situations that lead you into temptation. Maybe that means watching certain movies, being alone with someone of the opposite sex, or hanging around certain people which have a bad influence on you.

One of the things I have noticed about mature believers is that they are very aware of their own propensity to sin. They don't ask "how far can I go before it would be sin," but ask "could this lead to trouble?" As we mature, we will be able to see danger, and avoid it.

We are exhibit the body of Christ (vs. 16)

God is the one who has put this church together. It is God's choice to put you in this church. We must accept that people have different gifting and personalities, and that God will use those differences in our church to cause growth.

The only way the church can grow and be built up if everyone is exercising his or her gift. It takes the whole church to do the work of the church. If you are not exercising your gifting, you are keeping this church from growing to its full potential. You are stunting our growth.

The other side of this is that we need to accept the ministry of others. Often we don't allow others to meet our needs. In maybe embarrassed to have others see our needs, or too prideful to allow others to help us.

Don't Walk Like Gentiles (4:17-4:32)

The New Self Contrasted with the Old Self ( 4:17 -19)

We are to no longer walk as the Gentiles, living in ignorance, with callous hearts, seeking only to please ourselves. Instead we are to put on our new self. Our old self was corrupted in deceit. But our new self is based on righteousness and holiness of truth. We are no longer the old self. We are now the new self.

Behavior Matching the New Self

Paul outlines some very specific ways our new self should exhibit itself, particularly in our relationships with others.

• Speak the Truth in Love (4:25). One of the most important ways to maintain unity in the body of Christ is to balance truth and love. If we speak in truth without love, we will be harsh and tactless in our dealings with people. If we act in love without truth, we are filled with empty flattery or permissiveness.
• Don't Hold on to Anger (4:26-27). Anger is not condemned. Anger can be a proper response to injustice. But if we hold onto our anger and don't deal with it (perhaps by speaking the truth in love), it can lead to bitterness and divisiveness within the body.
• Work for a Living (4:28). Evidently there were freeloaders in the Ephesian church living off the generosity of the believers. If, however, these were able bodied people, then the Ephesians generosity was being taken advantage of. This was probably leading to dissention and anger within the body. Paul says we should earn our own way, so we can be generous.
• Use Encouraging Words (4:29). Paul tells us to avoid unwholesome talk. In 5:4 he says that filthiness or coarse jesting is inappropriate. Instead our talk should build up the body, not tear it down. It should be appropriate for the moment. It should "give grace" to the hearer. In other words, our words should be gifts which the hearer doesn't deserve. What a powerful picture of our words, and what a contrast to thee callous, selfish, deceitful deeds of the Gentiles.
• Put aside Bitterness & Forgive Each Other (4:30-32). When our lives are filled with bitterness and wrath and slander, we grieve the Holy Spirit. Disunity greatly saddens the Holy Spirit. Instead we should exhibit kindness, tenderness, and forgiveness, just as Christ does with us. The more we understand the grace and forgiveness we have received from Christ, the more willing we should be to exhibit it to others.

Walk in Love and Light (5:1-14)

Walking In Love (5:1-5)

Paul tells us to therefore be imitators of God. Specifically, as God demonstrated His love for us through the sacrifice of His son (5:2), we should walk in love. When we are told to imitate God, this is more than just a blanket WWJD philosophy. Paul is specific about the attributes of God he wants us to imitate. We are to imitate Christ “who gave Himself up as a sacrifice.”

Conversely, we are to have nothing to do with impurity. We shouldn't even be remotely associated with it. This is a stark contrast. Because we are new people, we shouldn't act like we aren't.

Walking in the Light (5:6-14)

We no longer walk in darkness. The deeds of darkness want to be hidden, but the light exposes the deeds of darkness. We are to expose the deeds of darkness, not by speaking of them, but through our deeds of light.

Unity through Submission (5:15-6:9)

Being Filled with the Holy Spirit (Ephesians 5:15 -21)

Beginning in chapter 5:15-16 , Paul further clarifies what it means to walk consistently by saying that believers are to walk "not as unwise, but as wise, making the most of your time, because the days are evil." This does not mean that we are to be a spiritual workaholic, but that we should invest our time wisely.

How, then, does one live wisely? Verse 5:18 says that we are to be under the control of the Spirit. This is in contrast to being drunk. Only under the Spirit's control will we understand what the will of God is ( 5:17 ), and only then will be wise, making the most of our time. When I make choices to be under the control of the Holy Spirit, on step at a time, over time as I make individual choice after choice, it becomes a lifestyle of being under the Holy Spirit's control. That is "walking" under the control of the Holy Spirit.

When we walk under the control of the Holy Spirit, there are things that will be evident in our lives. These things are listed as three participles in the Greek in verses 19-21:

• Speaking & Singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs. If we are walking in the Spirit, our life will be characterized as having a melody in our heart and a spring in our step. ( 5:19)
• Giving Thanks for all things. If we are walking in the Spirit, we will be characterized as grateful people. ( 5:20 )
• Submitting to one another. If we are walking in the Spirit, we will be people who submit one to another. Paul, then, goes into three types of relationships showing an example of how we should submit one to another: marriage relationships (5:22-33), parent-child relationships ( 6:1-4 ), slave-master relationships ( 6:5-9 ).

Be Submissive to One Another (Ephesians 5:21 -6:9)

What does submit or submission mean? It is to defer to others. It is seeking what is best for others rather than for ourselves. It is not a passive role, waiting to do what other command of us. Instead it often requires proactive initiative to do what is best for others.

Looking at the detailed submitting relationships.

There are three relationships that Paul into which Paul will apply the principle of submission.

• Husbands & Wives (5:21-33)
• Children & Parents (6:1-4)
• Slaves & Masters (6:5-9)

All of these relationships related to the Roman household. Therefore walking in the Spirit through mutual submission is an activity that takes place not just in church or in public, but in the everyday of each of our homes.

There are significant similarities in each of these relationships. Each has a leader and a follower. Each has a tendency for the leader to abuse authority. Each of the followers is commanded to submit. Each of the leaders is commanded to look out for the follower's best interests.

But there are also some differences in these relationships, and especially in the marriage relationship. The Husband & Wife are the only ones compared to the relationship of Jesus and his church. The Husband & Wives are the only one's declared to be of one flesh. The Husband is the only authority figure that is commanded to love his follower.

Exploring the Cultural Context

The Roman law of Patris Potestas (i.e. Authority of the Father), gave the Father the absolute authority over the members of his household, including wife, children, and slaves. He could command death for anyone in his household. Only the Father had legal rights and the right to own property. The members in his household were considered his property. Mutual submission in Paul's world would have been a revolutionary thought.

Today, Paul's idea of mutual submission is just as revolutionary, but in just the opposite way. Today, the leader and the follower have equal rights and equal authority in our society. With no fault divorce and alimony payments, the wife can demand as much authority and has as much rights as the man. Children today can divorce their parents, or can turn them in for abusing their authority. Employees can form unions which demand concessions, or employees can sue their employers for wrongful discharge or other things.

The Husband-Wife Relationship (Ephesians 5:22 -33)

The first and most expansive discussion of the submissive relationships is that between husband and wife. Paul states that wives are to submit to and respect their husbands as the body submits and respects the head. Meanwhile, husbands are to love and sacrifice themselves for the wives as the head does for the body.

There are three connections being made in the roles of husband and wife in the context of the being submissive [1].

• Submission and Sacrifice. The wife is to submit to the husband in everything, but the husband is to sacrifice everything for the benefit of the wife (5:22, 24-25)
• Body and Head. The wife is the body, and the husband is the head, just as the church is the body and Christ is the head. Together they are one flesh (5:23, 28, 31)
• Respect and Love. The wife is to respect her husband while the husband is to love his wife (5:28, 33).

The joy of the marriage relationship is that when one fulfills their part of the dynamic, the other finds it easy to fulfill their part. For example, if a husband sacrifices everything for his wife, it is easy for the wife to submit. When a wife respects her husband, it is easy for the husband to love his wife.

Too often though, we take up each others roles. Women find it easier to love their husbands and sacrifice everything for him. But respect and submission is sometimes harder. Husbands might find it easier to just submit to a wife and respect her opinions. But the subtle differences in these dynamics are what make the marriage relationship more special than any other human relationship. For these are the dynamics which reflect the relationship we have with Christ.

The Mystery of Marriage

Often when we read Ephesians 5 we think it says that church's relationship to Christ is like a marriage. But I want to suggest to you that according to Ephesians 5:32, Christ and the church are not like a marriage, but rather our marriages are like Christ's relationship with the church. For in reference to the two becoming one flesh, Paul says he is “speaking with reference to Christ and the church.”

In other words, God instituted marriage, to be a reflection of Christ's relationship with the church. When people look at your marriage, they should be able to see a reflection of the bond between Jesus and his bride.

Why is the marriage relationship so important? Because marriage is a reflection of Christ's sacrifice and love for His church. Marriage is a reflection of the church's submission and respect for Christ. If the world sees strong marriages, they are going to have a living model for understanding Christ's loves us, His church.

The Threat to Unity (6:10-20)

Paul tells us to be strong in the Lord and in his might and power. In verse 11 he tells us how to do that. We are to put on God's armor and stand firm. In military terms, this is a defensive posture. We are not told to attack the devil aggressively, but to put up our defenses and stand our ground (cf. 6:13 ).

Our Adversaries ( 6:12 )

• They are spiritual, not physical . Too often we battle the physical as if that was our true enemy. The church seems to spend more time battling political, social, and moral enemies, thereby leaving flank open to the true enemy, the schemes of the devil. The people of this world are not our enemy. Rather, they are victims, captives of our enemy. Our mindset should not to do battle with the anti-Christian humans, but to seek to rescue them from their captivity. This can be difficult, especially when they may not even realize they are captives. But treating them as the enemy is the wrong approach.
• They have authority . Paul does not outline the hierarchy of our spiritual adversary. Nonetheless, it appears from this verse that there is a hierarchy within the forces of evil. Furthermore, while spiritual in nature, they have power over this world (“world forces”).
• They are evil . It may be stating the obvious to state that our adversaries are evil and wicked. Nonetheless, this should serve as a warning to those who view all things spiritual as positive. When people tap into the spiritual realm, we must remember that there is a strong evil element that is seeking to deceive us.
• They have a strategy . The old saying is that “all is fair in love and war.” The worst defeats have come to enemies who didn't recognize that their enemy is not playing by the same rules of war (e.g. Iraq, Vietnam, American Revolution). Our adversaries do not play by the same rules of war. They are “scheming.” Our enemy is intelligent using a strategy of deceit. Satan's attacks are rarely full frontal attacks. He usually sneaks into the camp pretending to be a friendly voice. He is more likely to use guerilla attacks than a frontal attack.

Our Defenses (6:13-20)

The Armor (6:13-17)

Stand Firm (6:14-16)

Verses 14 to 16 are one sentence, with the imperative “stand firm.” There are then four participles that presume these armaments have already been put on. We are to stand firm with this armor.

• The belt of truth
• The breastplate of righteousness
• The shoes of the gospel

Take up (6:16-17)

Whereas the first three pieces of our armor are already on us, the last three are “taken up,” or picked up. A soldier would only wear the helmet when he went into battle, while the sword is picked up when ready to fight.

• The shield of faith
• The helmet of salvation
• The sword of the Spirit

The Procedure ( 6:18 -20)

This is a nice metaphor. But how do we actually “put on” this armor? Paul answers in verse 18. It is through prayer and alertness.

• Prayer - When we pray, we can stand firm against Satan. Jesus, in the Lord's Prayer, says we should ask God to “deliver us from evil (Matthew 6:13 ). Prayer reminds us that our resistance comes from God's strength, and that it is God's armor, not ours.
• Alertness - We must remain alert, paying attention. We need to be looking for the sneak attack, for that is how Satan gets us. Don't let your guard down.

Bibliography

_____. “Ephesus.” Encyclopedia Britannica [online]. Available from http://www.britannica.com/bcom/eb/article/9/0,5716,33339+1,00.html [cited 8/17/00].

_____. “History of Ephesus,” The Ancient City of Ephesus [online]. Available from http://www.ephesusguide.com/ENG/efes/tarihce/efes_frame.htm [cited 8/17/00].

Chrysostom, St. John. The Argument of Ephesians [online]. From Christian Classics Ethereal Library . Available from http://www.ccel.org/fathers/NPNF1-13/chrysostom/ephesian/eph-arg.htm [cited 8/17/00].

Hoehner, Harold W. “Ephesians.” Bible Knowledge Commentary . John F. Walvoord & Roy B. Zuck, ed. Victor Books, 1988.

Ryrie, Charles C. Ryrie Study Bible. Chicago: Moody Press, 1995.

Sumner, Sarah. “Bridging the Ephesians 5 Divide.” Christianity Today. (November 2005, Vol. 49, No. 11), 59.

Thayer, Joseph H. Thayer's Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament . Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Book House, 1989.

Wallace, Daniel B. Ephesians: Introduction, Argument, and Outline [online]. From Bible Studies Foundation . Available from http://www.bible.org/docs/soapbox/ephotl.htm [cited 8/17/00].

Zodhiates, Sprio. T he Complete Word Study Dictionary: New Testament. Iowa Falls IA: World Bible Publishers, Inc., 1992.

Footnotes

1. Sarah Sumner. “Bridging the Ephesians 5 Divide.” Christianity Today. (November 2005, Vol. 49, No. 11), 59.