Ephesians 6: 1-9 (The Family unit that pursues Christ)

            Summary:  Paul now returns to the family unit and what it should look like.  He now shifts his attention to the children’s role in the unit.  Quoting the fifth commandment, he calls the children as well as anyone else to honor their father and mother as is fitting to the saints that all might go well with them.  He then shifts back to the masculine leader of the household in telling the father to respect his children, furthermore bringing them up in discipline.  He now shifts to the lesser mentioned role a typical family in this time, the slave.  He calls the slaves to work earnestly and with good intention not by way of eye-service but of humility, working not unto their masters but unto the Lord.  Now he calls the masters of those slaves to be honest to their slaves in treating them with respect for there is no partiality with the overall master, namely Christ (Eph. 1: 20-21).

            Note:  Paul refers to the law as presented in the Old Testament in verse 2

Timeless Principle:  This text is dealing with four different roles of the family unit: 1) children 2) fathers 3) slaves 4) masters.

The child is the first of the roles addressed in this text.  If I am not mistaken, everyone is a child of someone.  So this text is directly applicable to all people in some form despite age.  All should honor their parents that it may go well with them.  In its most obvious case, obeying a parent is extremely important as long as the command does not directly coincide with God’s commandments.  Though this is the obvious application, it should never be overlooked obeying is a form of honoring because essentially we are saying that parents, in fact, are wiser than the child due to experiential wisdom.  But honor your father and mother might not be so easily applicable for someone who is no longer living with their parents a full-time basis (adults, most college students).  Well then what does this mean?  It does not mean to disregard the command simply because it is not so easily applicable.  So then how does someone honor their father and mother outside the safety of their parent’s home.  By showing respect to their opinions and giving them the light of day.  I often find myself blowing off my parents calls or taking their advice for granted which is in direct opposition to the ideas presented in this text.  Even asking them opinions in decisions that are being made brings them honor simply because it shows that humility in implying that you might not actually have all the answers.  These applications are not to be confused with laziness in the lives of those outside the home.  It must be noted that respecting your parents does not mean giving them absolute authority being outside the home.  This is why Paul is careful to not in Eph. 5: 31 that a “man shall leave his parents and hold fast to his wife.”  Respect them but hold fast to your newly inherited biblical masculinity and womanhood.

Though this text is probably referring to the honoring of your physical parents as we commonly think of them, perhaps, for a different perspective, it would be beneficial to look at it in a different light.  Earlier in this letter alone, Paul refers to us as children “adopted” in Christ and furthermore calls us to walk as “imitators” of Him, walking as “beloved children” (Eph. 1: 5, 5:1-2). An amazing promise echoes through the bible that God, creator who is most majestic is also a “father of the fatherless” (see Psalm 68: 5).  John makes a staggering claim in his gospel proclaiming that to anyone who will “receive [Christ], who believe in His name, He gave the right to become children of” the most high God (John 1: 12).  Well then, this leads us to another question, what does this mean for us, believers in the new covenant in Christ? It means just what it implies, that we, those who were foreknown to be adopted as sons and daughters in Christ, are now considered children of God.  Well then this must mean we are to honor our heavenly father as well being as one who is a beloved child. 

The father is the second specific role addressed by Paul.  There is only one verse of the nine devoted to this particular text but it is a loaded one.  Do not drive your children to anger is the first of things presented to the paternal role.  The provoking might be referring to unreasonable demands or insincerity. It is the unnecessary provoking that causes a child to become discouraged (Col. 3: 21).  This discouragement is the opposite of what the rest of the verse is telling fathers to do.  A father is called to bring up his children in discipline and instruction of the Lord, encouraging them to be laborers for Christ.  (I do not claim much expertise in specific application as I do not yet have children)

This text may also be looked at from another angle based on other scriptural passages (it needs to be noted that this text is however dealing with the father specifically).  For those who are not fathers, like me, we should both take note as to what this text teaches about fatherhood but also take note of what it could mean for us now.  Isaiah introduces a new idea in chapter 54 which is brought up by Paul in Galatians 4 proclaiming "Rejoice, O barren one who does not bear; break forth and cry aloud, you who are not in labor! For the children of the desolate one will be more than those of the one who has a husband." (Isaiah 54: 1-2, Gal. 4: 27).  Christ, when conversing with Nicodemus says rather simply that a man must be born of water (the physical birth) and of the “Spirit” (a supernatural birth brought on through the dramatic recreation of man in justification).  Paul after quoting Isaiah in the above passage goes on to call the Galatians “His little children” for which he was in “anguish of childbirth” (Gal 4: 19).  Paul also tells the church in Corinth that they did not have many fathers for “he (Paul) became” their “father,” going on to encourage them to imitate him as he imitates Christ (1 Cor. 4: 15-16).  What does all this mean? It means that as Paul took on a paternal concern for his “spiritual offspring” so should we.  A believer is called to make disciples of all nations (not be confused with converts) training them up in sound doctrine and teaching them to walk as an imitator of Christ.  This is important, discipleship is life on life, a disciple is to give his life away to his disciples much like Paul, fighting that they might become mature in Christ.  (Note: This does not mean that you can do any of the sanctifying work of the Holy Spirit for a new creation is a supernatural event that only God can manage, it is our job not to sanctify but to equip)

Paul now shifts to the slave.  He commands them to obey their masters, not by way of eye-service as people pleasers but with a sincere heart as unto Christ.  It would be foolish to dump this off because of the fact that no one is a slave anymore right?  That’s a false thing to think.  The Bible makes it very clear that a person is a slave to something, a slave to sin or a slave to Christ.  Being the liberal people we are, we are quick to defend ourselves saying, “I am no slave, can you not see that I do what I want when I want.”  My question to the man who says that is well then who are you serving when you do those things, and the natural response, “number one.”  In this that person is saying yes I am a slave to my own desires, which biblically is called being a slave to the flesh (sin).  A dead man is content to follow essentially Satan (see Eph. 2:1-3) and is greedy to do so willingly in his flesh to be a slave to sin.  So then, almost no one would say that being a slave to something that declares war against God is a good thing so then there must be an alternative.  Jesus says that it is for “freedom that he has set us free,” in His blood sin and death has lost its grip, rejoice in this resounding truth (John 8).  But this freedom was far from free, but rather it cost Christ everything.  In accepting the risen Savior’s perfect sacrifice we make a vow to turn from our sin and turn to Christ, not looking back, not fixating upon our worldly desires but being captivated by grace.  Paul, calls himself a bond servant of Christ.  What does this mean?  It means that in my being justified by Christ, I submitted myself to the authority that is above all authority, becoming a bond servant (essentially a slave) to Christ.  This is not a negative thing, be joyful that this is true for it is a most amazing truth, we have been adopted and as beloved children should gladly pursue our Father’s and master’s will despite the temporal costs. 

Now with a new understanding of our servitude (slavery) to Christ, let us look once more at this text.  We are to work and serve not by way of eye-service but with earnest and humble hearts because we are not working for or serving man but rather we are serving the Godhead who is our true master.  This idea should shift our views of word because it means that we truly should do all things to the glory of God not just the self-defined “holy” things, for all things if done for God’s glory are Holy.

The last shift Paul makes is to the masters who are above the slaves.   (Note: as discussed earlier the master’s are also slaves)  Paul calls the master to stop threatening and making unjust commands but rather being gentle as Christ is gentle and forgiving of them.  Any authority we have no matter how small or taken advantage of.  In our positions of authority we must remember that there is only one absolute authority and with him there is no partiality.  This means that a slave on earth is seen to be no different than a master on earth and the president is just as loved as the beggar.  There is no partiality.  Having this in mind let us remember to be gentle with those we have been granted authority as Christ is gentle and patient with us through our endless rebellion and laziness.

My Prayer: Father, you are the master of my heart, You purchased me when I did nothing but hated you.  You drug me to the foot of your cross kicking and screaming where you captivated me with your endless grace.  You have adopted me and counted me as your son.  May I honor my parents and my earthly authority as it is only there by your will and for my good.   Give me strength to walk as your beloved child in a manner worthy of the calling to which I have been called.  God build me into a passionate Father, one that builds his children both physical and spiritual into respectable men of God training them up in grace and love with discipline.  Might I remember my position in you, that I have been bought with a heavy price being purchased from sin and enslaved to you.  May I be joyful in being counted worthy to suffer for or name being a man who is not a people-pleaser but who longs to satisfy you.  Above all I pray that your will be done in my life.  In Christ’s name, Amen.

Ephesians 5:32-33 (The “mystery” in correlation with marriage)

            Summary:  Paul is coming off of defining what it means to submit to one another in the marriage bond.  He is now preparing to continue talking about the roles of the family unit but first interrupts his thoughts with verse 32, almost as a way to say that he is still talking about the mystery he set out to describe earlier in the chapter and has not shifted his focus to something other that the revelation to which he had been given in Jesus Christ.  In verse 33, he turns his attention back to the family unit.

Note: Mystery--“The calling of the Gentiles into the Christian Church, so designated (Eph_1:9, Eph_1:10; Eph_3:8-11; Col_1:25-27); a truth undiscoverable except by revelation, long hid, now made manifest. The resurrection of the dead (1Co_15:51), and other doctrines which need to be explained but which cannot be fully understood by finite intelligence (Mat_13:11; Rom_11:25; 1Co_13:2); the union between Christ and his people symbolized by the marriage union (Eph_5:31, Eph_5:32)” [Easton’s Bible dictionary]

-- “This mystery is a great one.” This profound truth, beyond man’s power of discovering, but now revealed, namely, of the spiritual union of Christ and the Church, represented by the marriage union, is a great one, of deep import.” [JFB]

           Timeless Principle:  The first point of note is a simple one.  Paul, as is his custom interrupts the flow of the surrounding verses by stopping to intercede with an encouragement of sorts.  He proclaims that this mystery is profound and incredibly dense.  It is not one that can be realized by reason or by normal means of observation but rather it is given only by revelation from the Father above.  Paul has spent Ephesians attempting to share the knowledge by which he has been divinely given.  Narrowed down the “mystery” is defined in one sentence being that the “gentiles are fellow heirs” being one body united in Christ (Eph. 3: 6).  Here Paul is saying that the mystery can also be described as a union between Christ and the church much in the same way a husband is united with his wife.  How is does this comparison come into play?  If a common man were to open up God’s word and peer into the prophetic book of Ezekiel, he would come to chapter sixteen and have a picture painted of a husband and wife, though the husband has done nothing but shower his bride with gifts, the bride makes much “of her whoring” and continues to give herself to everything taking the gifts the husband has given her and making images out of them.  The picture of the bride grows colder as the text continues and the husband is driven to anger.  To the surprise of our common man the husband makes a promise to the bride despite her prostitution in saying that He “will establish an everlasting covenant” even atoning for the wickedness she has participated in.  The husband is the Lord and he has come and atoned for His bride, the church, namely you and I, through the most agonizing torment imaginable.  This is mystery as it relates to marriage, that comparison being fully recognized in Christ’s heroic death for his bride.  We owe him everything because as Paul rightly says, we not only turned away from Christ in our sin but were greedy to do so, laboring fervently to live in our adulterous relationship to the Creator’s creation. 

My Prayer:  Father, I was greedy to follow hard after the prince of the power of the air, satan.  I loved my sin and, like a faithless bride, committed adultery without hesitation with the world, not even pausing to accept solicitation but continued out of a hatred for you.  I am without excuse.  I bow in gratitude to you, oh God, for without you I would continue to lust after the world and the things you have given me as gifts for your glory, making them idols and worshipping them over you.  God, I thank you, because you made a promise to buy back your bride, to by me back from my prostitution.  You stepped in and paid an immeasurable price to purchase me from my indecency.  May I never grow weary of the heroism displayed on the triumphantly on the cross of calvary.  Father might your church go forth and be a people zealous to follow hard after you and leave their former ways behind out of gratitude for the price you paid.  Above all things I ask that you would continually break me over these things, that I might joyfully serve you.  In Christ’s name, Amen.

Ephesians 5: 28-31 (Biblical Manhood)

            Summary: Paul continues to describe a biblical husband and what responsibilities that correlates to.  He now logically defends the points he has made and is making.  He then gives evidence that it is good for a man to marry, quoting a passage from Genesis that commissions men to leave their parents and hold fast to their wives. 

Note: passage cited from Genesis 2: 23-24

Timeless Principle: Paul makes an argument for treating a wife with upmost gentleness in loving her like Christ loved the church.  He states that no man ever hated his flesh but rather nourishes it and cherishes it like Christ did the church so then shall a man nourish and cherish his wife.  This may lead to a question, on what grounds can Paul make these claims? Paul can claim these things because of Genesis 2:

“The man said, “This is now bone of my bones, And flesh of my flesh; She shall be called Woman, Because to his wife; and they shall become one flesh.” [Genesis 2: 23-24 NASB]

In the beginning God created all and in all but one thing he said it was good.  The one thing that was not was the fact that man was alone so he made him a helper, the wife.  And by the text above a man and his wife are to be one flesh.  The word for flesh in the original Hebrew is not a figurative word but literally means to be unified, or one.  And by this Paul is supported in saying that if a man hates his wife he also hates himself which does not make sense for no one ever hated his own flesh. 

After giving this evidence, Paul turns his attention to the single man.  He commissions single men to leave their parents and hold fast to their wives.  Only very few obtain a call to singleness as Paul had (see 1 Cor. 7).  Therefore if few receive this call then the others are made to eventually be joined in wedlock and should live a life sold out to Christ which in turn will prepare that man for marriage.

My Prayer: Father, these words are true, though I cannot fully understand them now for you have not yet delivered me over to marriage, I pray that you would give me further knowledge into the area so that I might make a man as described in this passage.  May my soul focus be on the endless agony of Calvary and on it alone.  So that I may be cleansed of my sin and in doing so removing my sin, furthermore becoming a man of this text.   God you are sovereign and in control, Give me strength to lean upon your will as your son did in Gethsemane, crying out will pure intentions “not will but thine.” And so I’m calling father not my will but yours and yours alone.  Continue your deadly work within me transforming me to the beautiful likeness of your son.  I pray for the men who are not living by this text says treating their wives with hatred for they are hating themselves in doing so.  Comfort those wives oh lord and give insight to the husbands to be Godly men. I pray for those who are living by this text, that you might continue to guide them as follow hard after you, leading their wives unto you.  Above all Father you are good and you are working all things for your good, might I rest in this overarching truth. In Christ’s name, Amen.

Ephesians 5: 22-27 (Husbands love your wives in a Holy way)

            Summary:  Paul is coming off of calling the church to submit to one another and now he is turning his attention to giving some examples how what that can look like.  He now shows a picture of both biblical womanhood and manhood and gives brief descriptions of what they look like.

Note: Paul spends three times as much time in referring to husbands as opposed to wives.

Note: Man was not created alone because nor is it good for him to be alone, in fact the first thing that was not good in the Genesis account was the fact that man was alone and so God created a helper, the wife.  We have been created for marriage not singleness therefore we must delve into a lifestyle that prepares us for the next step if single.  Though this statement is imperfect in some, but rare cases (see 1 Cor. 7).

Note: Disclaimer, I am limited in my knowledge of this subject because the ideas presented below are merely that, ideas, theological standpoints that I will not experience for some time and therefore cannot confidently make bold claims pertaining to the matter at hand.

Timeless Principle: The first calling of submission in this Christ is addressed to the wife.  Paul calls the wife to submit to her husband with a humble heart.  Paul does not dance around this matter.  In a marital relationship one party is dependent on the other.  God created men to lead and gave them attributes that help them to do this and He also created women to be helpers.  Wives, as clearly stated in this passage, are to submit in everything to their husbands as to the Lord.  This command, in our society, has lost its reality.  It is accepted rarely and when accepted it is hardly followed.  I will not continue into this matter because of my lack of knowledge and discomfort of discussing it further.

The husband’s role is one that though I cannot discuss to the fullest I will discuss more thoroughly.  Paul makes a bold claim in saying that the husband is to be the lead.  This is never something to boast in but rather tremble at the thought.  It is my fear that I will not sufficiently provide for whomever God has set forth for me and I tremble at my responsibilities as a man.  We should take them into all seriousness and fight to be triumphant in them.  Though we are victims to the endless epidemic of sin, we must fight with all our might to do the things mentioned in this passage.  Paul make a bold statement in verse 26.  A husband is to love his wife like Christ loved the church.  What does this then mean?  Christ loved the church this much, he drank a cup of fire and brimstone, he road into Jerusalem on a donkey, he was beaten, made naked in front of a multitude, mocked, ridiculed, led like a sheep to the slaughter without opposition, he pled not my will but yours as sweat drops of blood rolled down his face, and in utter torment he was massacred by the fullness of the terrifying wrath of God.  That what Christ did for His bride and that’s what a man is called to do for His bride.  This is not something to overlook but rather it is huge.  A man should be willing to endure agonizing torment and even death for his bride.  Tremble at our responsibility such that we might beg for God to build us into that kind of men.  A population who embraces biblical manhood and bears a hatred for cowardice.  No woman should have to bear with a coward.  I cannot pretend that I have reached this model, I cannot pretend that I ever fully will, but I will fight to pursue Christ and allow Him to purge me of my cowardice and instill me with courage to lead a wife.  It is also a husband’s job to cleanse his wife.  Do not be confused no man can rid a sinner of sin, that is of the work of Christ and Christ alone but rather this is an important statement because it implies that a husband must pursue Christ to the fullest so that his wife in following is being pushed towards Christ as well, thereby making her more complete in the likeness of our blessed redeemer.

My Prayer:  Father… I have been called to a higher standard.  You have called me to something that causes me to tremble.  Give me the power to embrace this calling and live to fulfill it.  God I admit that I am still a coward in many areas of my life and pretend to be something more than that… I know that you have created me relationally and someday will provide me with a helper. Though someday this helper will be placed in my life by you, God I pray that you would give me patience as I am impatient.  God remind me, that as your word says, that you knew my unformed substance and knew every one of them, the days that have been laid out for me… for as yet there were none.  You know everyday and have mapped them out along time ago when I was being formed in secret, intricately woven in the depths of the Earth.  May I find my comfort and patience in that, that you have set forth a plan for me and though I cannot see it and do not trust in it always, might I always reckon upon the existence of your perfect plan.  I do not want to tamper with it or change it for you have made it perfect so God above mine, may your will be done.  Continue to build me up into the man who is described in this text by Paul, a man that would sacrifice everything and even give his life away to pursue for his wife as Christ did for the church.  I beg you, oh Father, to give me guidance and direction, be the light of my path.  For you alone, oh my soul waits in silence for my hope is in you, may I trust in you and you alone for you are my refuge in this storm.  In Christ’s name, Amen.

Ephesians 5: 18-21 (Christ is sufficient, give thanks to the Father through Him in all things)

            Summary: Paul continues in this text with his commission of the church in Ephesus to live holy.  He specifically names the practice of debauchery and condemns it furthermore calling the church to be filled with Christ and Christ alone.  He then once again mentions holiness in the life of a believer in accords with the treatment of other believers, singing songs of praise and hymns with all joy, giving thanks to the Father.  He also continues to say that we should submit at all times to one another, serving one another in love.

            Note:  Greek word for hymn is humnos which maintains an idea of celebration

            Note: see Col. 3:17, Heb. 13: 15-16

Timeless Principle: Paul begins here by commanding the church to avoid drunkenness.  This is seemingly a simple command but in all reality it demands attention.  Often times we will overlook passages like this claiming that they are obvious with our reasoning being simply that “everyone knows you should not get drunk. Duh, Right?”  Wrong.  There is a reason behind why drunkenness is so defiling to the body.  It is so because in being drunk we make a claim in our actions that is surpassing in seriousness.  We are saying to Christ’s face that His death was not sufficient to satisfy us.  We say that we need something else to be satisfied, we must feel better about ourselves in a fictional reality.  It is sin.  It springs forth from a unbelief.  If someone truly believes in the agonizing death of Christ then how can they look for something else to complete them when the answer has been so clearly seen?  That answer being that we are to only be filled by Christ and nothing else will do.

Now Paul turns his attention to the interaction between believers.  He is calling us here to sing praises and hymns, giving thanks to God in all things for He is ultimately working for our good whether we see it or not.  We need to be a people driven by the Gospel who want in all things to know Christ more.  We are so fickle.  We look for any and every way  to complain about our circumstances and often times we blame God for them.  Though God does not will for our heartaches, he allows them and works them at all times for our good.  After all every good and every perfect gift is coming down from the father of lights.  We should fight to offer up praises in all that we do both in good and bad times because we do not deserve relationships, we do not deserve comfort, we do not deserve fill in the blank.  All we have ever deserved is death and may we never forget that.  Therefore give praises to God in the good and the bad so that God might get glory.

Lastly in this passage, Paul calls the church here to submit to one another in love, serving one another at all times.  Christ came to serve not to be served.  If our master came to serve, be humbled, be humiliated, be spit on, be brutally slaughtered on Calvary, then we cannot settle for anything less.  Jesus once told His disciples that a servant is not above his master.  He was making a point that everything Christ endured so must we willingly endure the same in carrying a burden-laden cross. So then go forth and serve one another in love as Christ served.

My Prayer: Father my life is not my own.  I am a filthy sinner who longs merely to see your blessed face.  I have tried in vain to do it on my own and I’m driven once more to tears because of the scrutinizing death of you son.  God I admit I find my satisfaction in relationships and what people think of me and am no better than the drunkard who finds satisfaction his drink.  In doing so I have denied your grace in saying, so sickeningly, that it was insufficient and that I need other things beside it.  Father take these thoughts away from me.  God this burden is to heavy and so I cannot carry it. So I am pleading in agony that you might sustain it for me for you alone are my shelter.  God provide me with a heart to fogive and heart to serve my enemies as Christ served the bankrupt, namely myself.  He did not complain as he ascended to the skull and so God provide me with a heart that will not complain even in the hardest of these earthly struggles.  Bless those around me before me God for I want satisfaction in you alone and will spend my life pursuing souly after you. In Christ’s name, Amen.

Ephesians 5: 14-17 (warning to be careful making use of time and being wise)

            Summary:  Paul gives evidence by quoting an unknown source (probably combined references from Isaiah).  He is using this evidence to furthermore explain how the light shined into darkness and changes it.  He has just called the church to walk in light and now continues to call the church once more to walk wisely and not as unwise.  He urges the church to make best use of the time because the days are evil.  He then calls the church to lean heavily on the Lord’s will, being careful to discern what His will is through careful study of the scriptures.

Note:  The Greek word for “making the most” is exagorazo which literally means “to buy up, redeem, rescue from loss.”

            Timeless Principle:  The first major point brought out in this passage is the power of the light.  The phrase “Awake, O Sleeper and arise from the dead” is given imperatively.  It is a call to action.  So what does it mean? Why does Paul feel the need to slip this into the passage? The answer is somewhat obscure.  It is not completely spelled out, in fact, the quotation is exact but is probably the product of combined references from Isaiah.  Perhaps Paul is trying to command the church to come out of its comfort loving, approval wanting, lazy slumber and move into being a state of “awake” that is conscious of sin and its affects.  This state of alertness comes with a promise.  What is that promise?  Christ will shine on you.  He will shine a deadly light, one that darkness cannot stand up under and yet is destroyed by, leaving absolutely no path for escape (Sanctification).  In his letter to the church in Rome Paul makes a similar demand to awake from the dead saying

“Besides this you know the time, that the hour has come for you to wake from sleep. For salvation is nearer to us now than when we first believed. The night is far gone; the day is at hand. So then let us cast off the works of darkness and put on the armor of light. Let us walk properly as in the daytime, not in orgies and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and sensuality, not in quarreling and jealousy.

[Rom 13:11-13]

The hour is now.  Let the redeemed rise up out of their slumber and profoundly making movements to give Christ glory before all things in fulfilling the great commission, following not ours but His will, and furthermore living holy lives.

Let us no longer walk in darkness, in the futility of our former selves but rather putting on at all costs the new life in Christ.

            The second point made in this text is yet another profound reality that is oft forgotten among us.  This point being that time is passing away, it is ever fleeting.  Your days “pass away like smoke” and time is moving fast.  Your life is not your own, my life is not my own.  Never has it been ours nor shall it ever be ours.  Let us think this was such that we might not waste this valuable asset as it is essential to our glorification of God, that which is His will.  He has set forth for us three doctrines that describe our lives in Christ.  These three things follow in this order, justification in Christ (made whole in the blood of Christ in a supernatural conversion to faith), sanctification (the process by which the Holy spirit molds the believer into the likeness of Christ, lasts til death or return of Christ), and eventually glorification (the being made “complete,” sinless, this occurs at death or the return of Christ).  So in glorification we are made whole so that leaves the here and now to ponder on, this must be considered.  We have a window of time about eighty years, God willing of course.  Eighty years? Let’s magnify what that means for us.  Imagine a road of infinite length extended to the farthest reaches of space.  Now stand on that road for a second and now u begin chewing a piece of gum for second and spit it out again on the road.  The gum is visible there but obviously small in comparison to the infinite size of the road.  Let’s now pretend that little piece of gum represents our finite lives on earth and the road represents an infinite eternity.  As we move farther and farther away from the road the gum becomes smaller and smaller until the road appears to be a faint line and the gum is as nothing in comparison and is not even visible anymore.  Your life is short and it is minute and perishing, and forever fleeting.  This is all we have to glorify Christ in living for Him until we are made whole and glorified in Him in His returning.  It is my greatest fear to lay on my death bed and stop to consider all the things that I have been given and admit that I have wasted all of it.  The greatest fear for anyone should be a cowering fear of a wasted life.  Our time is important and yet we take it for granted, we use it unwisely and for our own leisure.  We even use our time to curse God in our sin in blatant unwillingness to seek His will.  I will strive will all my power to be able to say at the end of the day “I have finished my race, I have ran the course with endurance.”  As Christians we are on a constant path towards becoming Christ like for His glory not our own.  To ever look back or dream of slowing down or stopping is the same of never starting on the path in the first place.  May we never waste our lives.

            The next note is the simple command of Paul to understand what the will of the Lord is.  This raises a question of how?  We should be fervent in seeking godly council, reading God’s word, and being vigilant in prayer.  This is the only way to do what Paul is essentially demanding in this passage, may be serious about it.

Ephesians 5: 3-14 (No more playing games with sin; Children of the light)

            Summary:  Paul begins this section of scripture with a “but”, this must cause us to have to refer back to what he has just said in verses 1-3.  He has just mentioned some things that are a pleasing aroma unto the lord, that is to walk love and abide in Christ.  The “but” indicates a turning an appeal to the opposite.  Paul says now the things that do not offer a pleasing aroma unto the lord.  Those things being sexual immorality, impurity, covetousness, filthiness, or crude joking.  Paul now states that those who willingly participate in these things have no inheritance in the kingdom of God and in fact are threatened by a Holy and Mighty and Infinite wrath of God the Father.  He then urges that no one might be deceived with empty talk from false prophets who only tempt our flesh to sin.  He then, in verse 7, uses another word that demands our attention, the word “therefore”.  Paul is setting up to give an application.  He says that because they, those who participate in worldliness, deceive us and are under the weight of a terrifying wrath we should not become partners with them.  Not even mentioning what they do because it is disgusting.  Instead of these things walk as children of light, as adopted sons in and through Christ.  Let the light of Christ shine on you thereby sanctifying us from our ungodliness slowly and painfully but ever steadily.

            Note: The Greek word porneia which covers ALL forms of sexual immorality.

Timeless Principle:  Paul is putting importance on this passage by using strong adjectives.  He is trying to get several extremely important points across.  The first of these is led off with a word that indicates a turning from the previous passage.  The verse beforehand talks about offering up a pleasing aroma to God by walking in manner worthy of being called a son of God.  He is now saying what that does not mean.  Well then what is the opposite of walking as a child of God, adopted in grace?  The opposite as described by Paul in this text in commanding the Ephesians to not so much as allow sexual immorality, covetousness, and course joking to be named among us.  Paul is not playing games in this passage, rather he attacks the hearts of the church.  We all fall victim to one of the specific sins mentioned in this text.  He knows that we should be so disgusted by them that we cannot so much as mention them except in making war against them.  The absence of war against our flesh brings on one terrifying consequence, namely played out in a horrifying wrath against sin by God (v. 6).

Sexual immorality is probably the prominent sin in this list.  The word used for immorality is the word porneia. Sound familiar?  The word, as though by some and wrongly so, does not merely mean adultery although it does cover that.  It actually covers all forms of sexual sin.  Included under this definition are homosexuality, lust, fornication, adultery, prostitution, etc.  This sin kills community and is one of the few specific sins that is mentioned in almost all of Paul’s lists of things to avoid in the church.  First and second Corinthians were both written to protest against sexual immorality.  Even some of the most upheld laborers are scarred by the empty deceit of the adulteress.  No one is above it, and it must be daily hung on a cross or it will, especially in men’s lives, cause major problems in the body and destroy personal pursuits towards holiness.  Every other sin is done outside the body but it alone is a sin against a person’s own body. 

The second point made in this text is that we should not be partnered with the world.  The word in verse 7, “therefore” indicates one thing.  Paul is setting the stage for a point.  He explains rather explicitly that we should have nothing to do with the world because all it does is deceive and corrupts the body and because of those things the wrath of God is coming (Col. 3:5,6).  Playing around in the world causes death.  It brings no good but rather causes only harm.  Paul in one instance curses the sons of disobedience saying that they claim to know God (one of their deceptions) but deny him by their works, they are detestable and disobedient, unfit for any good work (Titus 1:15).  May this never be said about us.  May we never claim to know God and then lounge in the desires of our flesh which will only lead to our own demise.  David exclaims in psalm 7 the terrible consequences of a life that knows about God but does not submit to Him in repentance and personal experience. 

“God is a righteous judge and a God who feels indignation every day.

If a man does not repent, God will whet his sword; he has bent and readied his bow;

Preparing for him his deadly weapons, making his arrows fiery shafts….

[In his evil] He makes a pit, digging it out, and falls into the hole that he has made.

His mischief returns upon his own head, on his own head does his violence descend.” (Psalm 7: 11-13, 15-16)

It is clear here that God does not play games with sin.  He does not partner with it or those who are partnered with it but rather he crushes it and in doing so them.  Paul realizes how real sin is and commands his last point.  The point that he has spends most of his letters trying to get across, to be put simply, kill yourself, do away with the old you, and put on the new self which is “created in the likeness of God.” 

            Paul now calls those who are saints in Christ to walk in the light.  That is to walk in a manner worthy of the calling by which they have been called.  A life that is no longer hostile to the creator, a lifestyle that is above reproach out of a love for Christ and gratitude of His sacrifice.

            The light in this passage does not mingle with darkness.  There can never be dark or light, just one or the other.  The light when it comes exposes sin for what it is and does not play games with it.  Therefore we must allow Christ to expose our falsehoods whereby he will nail them to the cross through the long and grueling work of the Spirit towards sanctification.