Ephesians Chapter 5
Ephesians 5:1- 21 Be Careful How You Live
Verse 1 - 2 Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.
What is the significance of the first ingredient listed on a food package or can?
The first ingredient listed always represents the primary and greatest component. When we are told to be imitators of God, the first thing we are told is to live a life of love because God IS LOVE. And as most children want to emulate their parents, as His children, we should want to emulate God our Father. How do we show our love for others? Christ both laid down His life and gave up His life for us; even death on the cross. We are told in Philippians 2:6 that Christ "being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness". While on earth, Christ did not insist on His rights....on being treated like God. Instead, He laid down His life by becoming a servant leader. Christ doesn't call us to give up our lives as in death, although many faithful men and women have had to do so. What He does call us to do is to lay down our lives so that others might see Christ and come to know Him by and through the love shown them. Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one's life for one's friends. John 15:13 We lay down our life for others by putting them first and making their needs more important than your own. This type of action calls for selfless and sacrificial living and giving and will challenge our selfish nature. Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others. Philippians 2:3-4 |
Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. ! John 4:7-10
This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters. If anyone has material possessions and sees a brother or sister in need but has no pity on them, how can the love of God be in that person? 1 John 3:16-17 What is a fragrant offering? On sixteen different occasions in the book of Leviticus, an “aroma” is mentioned as something pleasing to the Lord. Specifically, the aroma of a sacrifice is important to God. The importance of a sacrifice’s aroma is not the smell but what the smell represents—the substitutionary atonement for sin. The New Testament reveals Christ as the final sacrifice for sin, the ultimate propitiation: “Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God” (Ephesians 5:2). Jesus, the Son of God, was the only One who could provide the eternally pleasing sacrifice. In Romans 12:1, Paul says, “I beseech you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God to present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, pleasing to God, which is your reasonable service.” Paul’s admonition to the believers in Rome was to sacrifice themselves to God, not as a sacrifice on the altar, as the Mosaic Law required the sacrifice of animals, but as a living sacrifice. For those who are in Christ by virtue of saving faith, the only acceptable worship is to offer ourselves completely to the Lord. Under God’s control, the believer’s yet-unredeemed body can and must be yielded to Him as an instrument of righteousness (Romans 6:12-13; 8:11-13). In view of the ultimate sacrifice of Jesus for us, this is only “reasonable.” |
How can we create the aroma of Christ in our lives?
First Essential Ingredient: Purity
Verse 3 - 6 But among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or of any kind of impurity, or of greed, because these are improper for God's holy people. Nor should there be obscenity, foolish talk or coarse joking, which are out of place, but rather thanksgiving. For of this you can be sure: No immoral, impure or greedy person - such a man is an idolater - has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God. Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of such things God's wrath comes on those who are disobedient.
Verse 7 - 14 Therefore do not be partners with them. For you were once darkness, but no you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light (for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness and truth) and find out what pleases the Lord. Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them. For it is shameful even to mention what the disobedient do in secret. But everything exposed by the light becomes visible, for it is light that makes everything visible. This is why it is said: "Wake up, O sleeper, rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you."
Verse 7 - 14 Therefore do not be partners with them. For you were once darkness, but no you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light (for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness and truth) and find out what pleases the Lord. Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them. For it is shameful even to mention what the disobedient do in secret. But everything exposed by the light becomes visible, for it is light that makes everything visible. This is why it is said: "Wake up, O sleeper, rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you."
Wouldn't you want to know what pleases the Lord?
Paul describes the first essential ingredient in order to produce the aroma of Christ in our lives - personal purity. Purity means cleanliness, the absence of any foreign matter in the ingredient. Paul lists the type of things that need to be removed from our lives in order for them to be pure:
Are you a sleeping Christian? When the Bible talks about those who sleep , the connotation is that their righteousness, which is received through faith, is not visibly evident, and therefore the person appears to be no different than someone who is unrighteous. That is, the believer and unbeliever are sometimes indistinguishable, because the believer is living a lifestyle that is no different than an unbeliever. Examine yourself and ask the Holy Spirit to quickern your spirit to make you aware of anything in your life that is not pleasing to God. Is there anything that would not stand under examination in the light? Thus the “sleeping” Christian is someone who consciously lives in darkness, where the light does not shine. Their Christian testimony therefore is compromised. As believers, we are not to be asleep in the light! Wake up, O sleeper! Wak up, O Christian! This also has connotations as living in the light as seen in the following verses. Keith Green "A Sleep in the Light" (lyrics) |
What should be our response to this type of behavior?
We are not to be deceived with empty words that excuse such behavior. Instead, we are to expose such behavior by living blameless, pure lives as children of light. Living such lives will expose those behaviors of those whose lives are lived in darkness. So then, my beloved, just as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your salvation with fear and trembling; for it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure. Do everything without grumbling or arguing, so that you will prove yourselves to be blameless and innocent, children of God above reproach in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you appear as lights in the world (OR as the NIV puts it: Then you will shine among them like stars in the sky). Philippians 2:12-15 |
Second Essential Ingredient: Spirituality
Verse 15 - 20 Be careful, then, how you live - not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord's will is.
Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit. Speak to one another with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs. Sing and make music in your heart to the Lord, always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.
How are we to be careful how we live?
To be careful here does not mean in case you accidentally mess up. It means to be purposeful. Paul compares the feature of worldly, godless living to a spiritual lifestyle. In the life without reference to God or spiritual things men are careless in their ways, don't seek after spiritual wisdom, fail to recognize that the time is short and the judgment is coming. Their greatest pleasure is to waste their life and time with parties, pleasure, and drunkenness is the favorite state of mind. But the follower of Christ is spiritual in nature and purpose. The phrase "making the most of every opportunity" is strongs #1805. exagorazó which means redeeming, ransoming the time or rescue from loss. When you live a fulfilling life, you don't ask "where did the time go" because you know where the time went...you were wise and intentional about where the time went. In redeeming our time, we live our lives wisely and ensure that we "understand what the Lord's will is". What is the will of the Lord? To be filled with the Spirit! God wants us to live our days being filled with the Spirit. When we are filled with the spirit we will have wisdom and knowledge of things that come from above not just below. The time is not wasted on foolish activities but invested in spirit filled things like praise, prayer, and thanksgiving. The fellowship and relationship is not in lust or competition like in the world but in humility and submission which is of the Spirit. |
What does it mean to be filled with the Holy Spirit?
Before giving the instruction to be filled with the Spirit, Paul instructs us to be careful (purposeful) about how we live and to understand what the Lord's will is. If we desire to live lives that are pleasing to God, we will want to change the way we live our lives so that "we will no longer be conformed to the pattern of this world, but be transformed....." (Romans 12:2a). Desiring to instill the essential ingredients that have been outlined will lead to a transformed life. But this transformation cannot be accomplished in our own strength and on our own terms. We must "be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is--his good, pleasing and perfect will" (Romans 12:2b). The Holy Spirit changes the way we think when we submit to Him and follow His leading. When we submit to the Holy Spirit, we are allowing Him to fill us with His presence, His thoughts and His direction. You can only be led by someone if you are willing to submit to their leading. And when we do, we will know what is pleasing to God because we will understand His will and the Holy Spirit will give us the desire and ability to follow His will. A continuous filling NOT a one-time event! The context of "be filled with the Spirit" is an ongoing command to be continually filled with the Spirit. It is something we need to keep doing. Paul contrasts with being drunk. If you get drunk and stop drinking, then later you would be sober. To stay drunk would take effort because you would have to keep drinking. We are to keep filling ourselves with the Spirit. |
Third Essential Ingredient: An Ordered Life
Verse 21 Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ.
Husbands and Wives
Verse 22 - 33 Wives, submit to your husbands as to the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, his body, of which he is the Savior. Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit to their husbands in everything. Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless. In this same way, husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. After all, no one ever hated his own body, but he feeds and cares for it, just as Christ does the church - for we are members of his body. For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh. This is a profound mystery - but I am talking about Christ and the church. However, each one of you also must love his wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband.
Husbands and Wives
Verse 22 - 33 Wives, submit to your husbands as to the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, his body, of which he is the Savior. Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit to their husbands in everything. Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless. In this same way, husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. After all, no one ever hated his own body, but he feeds and cares for it, just as Christ does the church - for we are members of his body. For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh. This is a profound mystery - but I am talking about Christ and the church. However, each one of you also must love his wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband.
The presence of Christ is easily seen by the orderliness in our lives and Christ requires this especially in the everyday affairs of life as we deal with family and work. - His presence must be recognizable in our everyday family and work life - just in church. An orderly life is a greater witness for Christianity than being at church on Sunday morning because unbelievers don't come to church --- but they see you in your marriage, the way you treat your family and how you are at work.
Why is submission viewed so terribly? Because once again, the world has gotten it wrong. Submission viewed from the world's perspective is about control....putting people in their place. But this is not God's view of submission. Unfortunately, ignorance among people in the church has also created a very damaging view of God's idea of order and structure. Notice the order of submission: We are told in verse 21 to "submit to one another out of reverence for Christ". However, we are told to submit prior to that verse. This preceding instruction is hidden in the command to "be filled with the Spirit". Before we can be filled with the Spirit and follow His leading, we must lay down our will and submit to His leading. Once we submit to the Holy Spirit, although we still wrestle with our natural man to want to rebel, He equips us with the ability to submit to one another. So before we are even asked to submit to one another, before we are capable of submitting to one another....we must submit and be filled with the Spirit! Only then are we told that husbands and wives must submit to one another. Only when reading and studying these passages in their proper context do you see the depth of love that godly submission brings about. We fear submission in the context of our culture today because this is not understood. But know this: "perfect love casts out fear" (1 John 4:18). [Note also, these passages do not say that women are in subjection to men. Christ actually elevated the status of women and of slaves and anyone else that was looked down upon.] |
The Greek word for submit used in verse 21 "Submit to one another" is Strongs 5293 and means "I place under". The significance is that we are willingly submitting to one another....we are willingly considering others before ourselves.
The Greek word for submit used in verse 22 "Wives, submit to your husbands", is Strongs 2398 and recognizes the personal relationship between a husband and wife rather than a generalization between men and women. This verse also emphasizes that wives submit to their husbands, AS TO THE LORD....or as offered to the Lord. Just as we ALL are called to submit to one another "out of reverence for Christ", wives are called to submit to their husbands also out of reverence for Christ just like the church submits to Christ (vs 24) [which, by the way...husbands being a part of the church, also submits to Christ.]. This does not mean that wives are made to feel insignificant but on the contrary, they are to be so loved by their husbands, just as Christ loved the church and gave Himself up for her (vs 25). Jesus demonstrated a servant leadership in His ministry and teachings. The husband, out of love, will desire to emulate Christ and will show that kind of leadership and service to his wife. The Greek word for head used in verse 23 "For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church" is Strongs 2776 and it means "a corner stone, uniting two walls". This is why the husband is to be the spiritual "head", submitting the marriage to the leadership of Christ. Anytime you see a wife that elevates herself over her husband, or a husband that elevates himself over his wife; we instinctively know (whether we are believers or not) that this is not a desired relationship. But a husband and wife relationship that exhibits God's order, is a marriage to be relished and envied....not looked down upon. For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but think of yourself with sober judgment, according to the measure of faith God has given you. Romans 12:3 |
I think this will tie back to the remaining verses in ch 5
We are a living sacrifice for God by not being conformed to this world. The world is defined for us in 1 John 2:15-16 as the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life. All that the world has to offer can be reduced to these three things. The lust of the flesh includes everything that appeals to our appetites and involves excessive desires for food, drink, sex, and anything else that satisfies physical needs. Lust of the eyes mostly involves materialism, coveting whatever we see that we don’t have and envying those who have what we want. The pride of life is defined by any ambition for that which puffs us up and puts us on the throne of our own lives.
How can believers NOT be conformed to the world? By being “transformed by the renewing of our minds.” We do this primarily through the power of God’s Word to transform us. We need to hear (Romans 10:17), read (Revelation 1:3), study (Acts 17:11), memorize (Psalm 119:9-11), and meditate on (Psalm 1:2-3) Scripture. The Word of God, ministered in our hearts by the Holy Spirit, is the only power on earth that can transform us from worldliness to true spirituality. In fact, it is all we need to be made “complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work” (2 Timothy 3:16, NKJV). The result is that we will be “able to test and approve what God's will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will” (Romans 12:2b). It is the will of God for every believer to be a living sacrifice for Jesus Christ.
We are a living sacrifice for God by not being conformed to this world. The world is defined for us in 1 John 2:15-16 as the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life. All that the world has to offer can be reduced to these three things. The lust of the flesh includes everything that appeals to our appetites and involves excessive desires for food, drink, sex, and anything else that satisfies physical needs. Lust of the eyes mostly involves materialism, coveting whatever we see that we don’t have and envying those who have what we want. The pride of life is defined by any ambition for that which puffs us up and puts us on the throne of our own lives.
How can believers NOT be conformed to the world? By being “transformed by the renewing of our minds.” We do this primarily through the power of God’s Word to transform us. We need to hear (Romans 10:17), read (Revelation 1:3), study (Acts 17:11), memorize (Psalm 119:9-11), and meditate on (Psalm 1:2-3) Scripture. The Word of God, ministered in our hearts by the Holy Spirit, is the only power on earth that can transform us from worldliness to true spirituality. In fact, it is all we need to be made “complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work” (2 Timothy 3:16, NKJV). The result is that we will be “able to test and approve what God's will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will” (Romans 12:2b). It is the will of God for every believer to be a living sacrifice for Jesus Christ.