Ephesians

History: The Book of Ephesians was written by Paul from prison in Rome in the early A.D. 60’s.  It was written to the Church at Ephesus which Paul visited briefly on his second journey and for three years on his third journey.  The major theme is love:  God’s love shown to mankind in his rich blessings (Chapters 1-3) and man’s love in response shown in Christian walk (Chapters 4-6).  Ephesians balances doctrine and duty.  Paul first reminds us of what God has done for us; then he tells us what we must do for God in response to the mercy He has shown unto us.  As Christian we must study chapters 1 - 3 that we might know and understand the wealth of God’s blessing to us, and must live in chapters 4-6 where we practice and live out our duty to God. 

Chapter 1 

            Paul begins expounding on this theme of love by saying in verse 3 that man should praise God who has blessed (prospered) mankind.  When did God bless believers?  In eternity past.  With what did God bless believers?  Every spiritual blessing -- everything that we need to live an effective spiritual life.  Where did God bless the believer?  He blessed us in the heavenly realms.  How or through what mechanism did God bless the believer?  In or through Christ.  In establishing and carrying out the plan of salvation God has already made provision for every one of man’s physical needs.  Man now needs only to appropriate God’s provision.

            The spiritual blessing that we have received are based on the work of the Trinity; the Father (vss 4-6), the Son (vss 7-12) and the Holy Spirit (vss 13-14). 

  I.  Blessings from the Father (1:4-6) 

            A.  He has chosen us (vs 3) 

This leads to the doctrine of election which can be very confusing.  The confusion arises when believers are called the elect or chosen one’s of God, which might imply to some that God has hand picked whom He will save; He has predetermined who will go to heaven and who will go to Hell.  Though believers are called the elect or chosen of God, it is not the person that God selected, but rather the plan that God elected or chose.  God purposes to save all who will conform to His plan and this is His chose or election in the matter.  By grace, people who conform become the elect and will be saved, while those who refuse to conform will be damned (Mark 16:15-16; I Tim. 2:4-6; 2 Pet. 3:9).  The choice was first on God’s part.  He chose the plan of salvation.  The plan must be accepted by man in order for man to receive the benefits (Dental plan).  Scripture does not teach that a man is saved based on God’s choice alone.  There must be the choice of the individual to meet the terms of salvation, which God has elected.  It is the plan of God that is elected or chosen not the individual choice of man.  The plan is the same for all mankind and everyone is invited to salvation.

      The plan was established before the foundation of the world.  In other words, before the Devil tempted Adam and Eve, before God even created man, before He called the earth and all it’s creatures into being; before all of this was done, God established the plan of salvation (I Cor. 2:6-8; Rev. 13:8; I Pet. 1:18-21).  It was pre-ordained before God made any of His earthly creation, that Jesus would be slain and His blood used to purchase the redemption of all mankind.

      One might ask, if man had not been created yet, and thus he had not sinned, how did God know to or what motivated God to chose a plan for saving man.  The answer to that question is where the foreknowledge of God is introduced.  Before doing anything, God saw everything (Acts 15:18 ; Is. 46:9-10).  Not only did God see the fall of mankind, but He also saw every event in our individual lives.  God already knows who yield to the prompting of His Spirit and accept Jesus as savior (Rev. 17:8; Rev. 3:5).

B.  He has adopted us (vs. 5)

            God has pre-determined that all who conform to His plan will not only be saved, but will also be adopted into His family and become His children.  Adoption occurs by the Spirit and is a part of the rebirth experience (Rom. 8:14-17; I John 3:1-2).

C.  He has accepted us (vs. 6)

     In ourselves, we are not acceptable to God (Is. 64:6), but in Christ we are made accepted.  Through Christ we become righteous (2 Cor. 5:21).  It is in and through God’s grace that we find acceptance.

 II.  Blessings from the Son (1:7-12)

A.  He has redeemed us (vs. 7)

     To redeem means to deliver or release from a state of slavery by payment of a price (Lev. 25:48-49).  Rom. 6:23 teaches that the payment that we owed for our sin was death (eternal separation from God).  But Jesus through his death on the cross has paid the price for our sin.  He has bought us back from the death, the power of sin and the wrath of God (Rom. 6:14, 18, Heb. 9:15).  We now have a present redemption in that he has delivered us from the penalty and power of sin.  We shall also have a future redemption when he comes and delivers us from the presence of sin (I Thess 4:13-18).

B.  He has forgiven us (vs. 7)

The word forgive literally means “to send away”.  This forgiveness is symbolized by the treatment of the scapegoat on the Day of Atonement (Lev. 16:20-22).  Christ carried our burden of sin to the cross (I Pet.2:24).  Now that sin has been carried away from the believer, there is nothing standing between the believer and God.  The offense (sin) has been removed and God and the believer are reconciled (Rom. 5:15-21; Col 1:20-22).

C.  He has revealed God’s will to us (vs. 8-10)

A  Biblical mystery is a divine truth known only by God’s people through revelation (I Cor. 2:9-10).  The mystery hear revealed is that in God own timing He will gather together all who are in Christ, Jews and Gentiles alike.

D.  He has made for us an inheritance (vss. 11-12)

Here is another thing that God has predestined. God has determined that all who conform to His plan will have an inheritance (Col. 3:23-25, I Pet.1:3-4).

 III.  The Blessing from the Spirit (1:13-14)

A.  He has sealed us (vs. 13)

The word sealed indicates security, authentication and approval, certification of genuineness and identification of ownership (Matt. 27:66; Eph. 4:30; John 6:27; John 3:33; 2 Cor. 1:22; Rev. 7:2, 9:4).  A seal impressed on a document gives unquestionable validity to the contract.  God has sealed us with His Spirit that we might have unquestionable faith in our adoption (Rom. 8:14-16).

B.  He has given us an earnest (Pledge) (vs. 14)

Earnest is more than the down payment paid as a pledge that the rest will follow.  It is a guarantee that the contract will be fulfilled. Christ has purchased our future for us, but we have not yet entered into all the blessing.  God has given us His Spirit as the pledge or down payment to assure us that we will experience total redemption and receive God’s promised blessings in heaven.

God has shown man His love for him by blessing him.  These blessings are based on the work of all three members of the Trinity; the selection of the Father, the sacrifice of the Son and the sealing of the Spirit.

Chapter 2

            Remember that the theme of the Book of Ephesians is love.  Tonight we will focus on God’s love displayed by making a provision for the condition of man which resulted in a change in the position of man.

I.  The condition of man prior to salvation (Eph. 2:1-3, 11-12, 19a)

A.  Dead in trespasses and sins

Trespass means violation of a law or stepping aside from the correct path.  (The Jews had the law and revolted against it.)  Open rebellion against that which one knows to do.  Sin is lawlessness or transgression of God’s will, either by omitting to do what God requires or by doing that which has been forbidden.  Gentiles, being without the law were said to have sin.  All of the terms trespasses, sins, iniquities, transgressions, etc., all means that man is behaving in a way that is unpleasing to God (James 4:17).  Because of man’s condition of sinfulness he is spiritually dead; his inner man is dead to spiritual things and cannot respond to them (I Cor. 2:14).

B.  Children of disobedience (vs. 2)

The sinner is enslaved to the ways of this world and to the prince of this world (Satan II Cor. 4:3-4).  They live for the pleasures and passions of this world.  Their lives are controlled by  the drivings of their flesh and the cravings of their minds (James 4:4, Rom. 8:5-8. I John 2:15-17).

C.  Children of wrath (vs. 3)

God’s anger is directed against sin.  By nature all mankind was held bound under sin and the wrath of God abides on all unrighteousness and ungodliness (Rom. 1:18).  The nature of the unregenerated man is to follow after his flesh and it’s desires (Col:3:5-10)

D.  Without covenant (vs. 11-12)

These verses were directed specifically at the Gentile Christians who had no covenant with God and were excluded from the promises of God before the Covenant of Grace.  Because the Gentile did not have a part in the covenant (before grace), he is described as being

1.  separated from Christ - not only personally (for this was the case of   the  Jews too before grace); but the gentile had no belief of a coming messiah or savior.

2.  aliens from commonwealth of Israel - Excluded from citizenship in Israel.  Though some gentiles were admitted into Judaism as proselytes, they had limited rights and were not treated with all the respected afforded a blood Jew.

3.  strangers from the covenants of promise- Israel’s covenants included the Abrahamic, Palestinian, the Davidic and the New covenants.  All of these covenants pointed to the coming of the Messiah and of blessings through Him.  They assured Israel of a national existence, a land, a king and spiritual blessing.  The gentiles, since they had no part in these covenants until they received the gospel had none of these assurances.

4.  having no hope - they had no expectations of a personal deliverer or savior.  Though the Jew had years of oppression, he had hope in the coming Messianic Age.

5.  without God- Though the gentiles had many idol gods, they had no relationship with the living and true God.  They did not possess a god who was involved in world events and who would come to their rescue.

II.  God’s solution to man’s condition (4-5, 8-9, 14-18)

The word quicken means to give life to or to revive (John 5:21).  Because mankind was spiritually dead, God revived us spiritually, giving us spiritual life like that of Jesus (John 3:5-7; I Cor. 12:13).  The word mercy means undeserved kindness.  God who is rich in exhibiting undeserved kindness, acts on behalf of sinners because of his great love for us.  Mercy means that God does not give men what I deserve (Rom. 6:23); grace means that He gives me what I do not deserve.  The grace of God has been extended to all mankind.  However it is individually appropriated to each man by acting in faith.  The basis of salvation is grace; the means is through faith.  There is much debate over what the ‘that’ in verse 8 refers to.  Some say to faith others say to grace.  Most likely it refers to neither word specifically, but rather to the concept of salvation.  Salvation does not have its source in man.  It is not something that man can work for and earn.  Salvation has its source in God’s grace (Rom. 3:20-24; Rom. 11:6; Gal 2:16; II Tim 1:9; Titus 3:5).  Since no man can bring salvation to himself, by his own efforts, no man can boast.

Verses 14-18 address the condition of the gentiles specifically and the hostility between Jews and gentiles.  Christ initiated peace between the Jews and Gentiles by making one group (believers) of the two.  He took away the wall (hostility) between the two.  The Jews wanted to keep the Law as a pre-requisite for relationship with God.  But Jesus rendered the Law inoperative for all believers (Rom 10:4).  Access to the Father is not through the Law but through Jesus (Acts 4:12, II Cor. 5:19, I Pet. 3:18).

III.  The believer’s new position (Eph. 2:6-7, 10, 13, 19-22)

The believer has been exhaled to a new position.  We are no longer mere creations of God, but have been elevated to status (like Jesus) of child of God (I John 3:1-2, Rom. 8:14-17).  Believers have been adopted into the family of God.  Even as Christ has been raised to sit in heaven, we who are in Christ are seen by God as residence of heaven.  In the spirit, we have been translated out of the Devils realm and have been placed in the kingdom of God (Col. 1:13).  Though we are physically present here on earth, God recognizes the believer as citizens of heaven and members of His household.  Our life is seen as being in heaven (Phil. 3:20).

Through the blood of Jesus, the believer is no longer separated from God, but rather has been brought near to Him (vs. 13).  The gulf separating man and God has been bridged and now man can again fellowship with God.  God dwells among man and within the believer, allowing Him to know the presence of God.

The believer is also the workmanship of God (vs. 10).  God pre-ordained that those who are believers should live a certain lifestyle, holy and without blame (vs. 4).  He, through His Spirit is at work in the believer changing the believer into the image of Christ (II Cor. 3:18) and we can be confident that God will continue His work while we are here on earth (Phil. 1:6).  God is at work in the believer but is not solely responsible for the work in progress.  He has imputed righteousness to us, but also requires that we work out that righteousness Phil. 2:12-13).  God is sculpting each of us into a great masterpiece.  Sometimes the work is slow and tedious, and as clay we feel the pressure of the potter’s hand and the heat of the furnace.  At other times it may feel as if we are simply turning on the potter’s wheel or waiting to go in the oven.  Whatever stage we are in, it is important to remember that the potter is still at work and that He has a master plan.

Chapter 3

         This chapter closes the first half of Ephesians in which Paul has described our wealth in Christ.  Paul is now about to move on into the practical section and talk about our walk with Christ.  But before beginning this new section he pauses to pray.  He begins his prayer in verse one, but does not continue it until verse 13.  In verses 2 - 12 he stops to talk about his special ministry to the church body and to the Gentiles.

I.  Paul explains his ministry (1 - 12)

Paul begins by calling himself a prisoner and connecting his imprisonment to the Gentiles (Acts 22:21).  He says that God has appointed him to be a minister to the Gentiles.  His words show that he feels honored by the fact that he was chosen above all the other saints to share the unsearchable riches of Christ with the Gentiles.  In his calling as minister to the Gentiles, God shared a great mystery (hidden truth) with him.  This mystery is stated in verse 6.  The mystery is that believing Jews and Gentiles are one body in Christ; they are joined together in one body.  This mystery had been hidden throughout the ages.  But Paul was to make it known.

Verses 10 - 12 refer to the fact that the wisdom of God (His plan) is revealed to angels and principalities through watching the Church (I Pet. 1:10 - 12).  Spirit beings come to understand God’s grace by watching God’s grace in action in the Church.

II.  Paul’s prayer for the Saints (13 - 21)

This is Paul’s second prayer in Ephesians.  The first is found in 1:15 - 23 where Paul prays for enlightenment for the saints.  Here he prays for enablement.  Paul wants the Ephesians to learn all that they have in Christ and then live what they have learned.  Paul prays that we would be strengthened by God’s Spirit in our spirits; that Christ might dwell in our hearts by faith; that we might understand the vastness of God’s love and thus ourselves be planted firmly in love; and that God would be overflowing in us.  Paul prays that we might understand the love that has been expressed for man is its breadth, length, depth and height.  The love that has been extended to man is boundless, endless, exhaustless and measureless. (John 3:16) [breadth reached to the world; at what length - it moved God to want to come down to step out of the realm of comfort; at what depth - it moved him to give; and with what measure, His most prized possession.  (John 15:13;Phil 2:5-8;Rom. 5:6-8)  Paul ends this prayer by focusing on God’s ability.  It was beyond both the Jews and the Gentiles to think that they could ever function as one body.  Paul want them to see that through the ability of God and His power that was at work in them, this merging of two to become one was possible. (Rom. 5:5; I Pet. 4:8)

Chapter 4

     Having discussed the love and blessing of God given to the believer, Paul now focuses his teaching on how believers ought to live as a result. 

I.  Walk in unity (Eph. 4:1-16)

This is the practical application to the experienced love of God.  Paul urged the believers to live a life worthy of the calling that had been placed on them.  The word worthy means of equal weight.  One’s calling and conduct should be in balance.  In this chapter Paul begins to talk about our Christian walk, or how we ought to live.  Our attitude should be one of lowliness (complete humility).  The believer should be willing to set aside his own plan and submit himself to the plan of God.  Humility is the opposite of pride, which exalts itself.  Pride promotes disunity because it causes one to think of himself more highly than other and God.  Humility promotes unity because it causes one to recognize that God’s grace has sustained him, and that he is like all others, one puzzle piece in the plan of God (I Pet. 5:5 - 6).

Second we are to have an attitude of meekness.  Meekness here mean gentleness.  This is the spirit in which we accept God’s dealings with us without disputing and resisting; also being accepting of the injuries that others have caused us with the thought in mind that God also allowed these thing and has a purpose in mind.  Meekness is the opposite of self-assertion, rudeness, and harshness.  It suggest having one’s emotions under control.  But it does not suggest weakness.  It is the balance between one who is angry all of the time and one who is never angry (Num. 12:3, Ex. 32:19; Matt. 11:29, Matt. 21:12-13).

Third believers are to be long-suffering or patient.  Patience is the spirit that never gives up; it endures to the end even in times of adversity (I Pet. 5:7-8).  It is the self-restraint   that keeps one from hastily retaliating when wronged (Rom. 12:12.  These three attitudes will help us to bear one another’s faults in love and press hard to keep unity and peace among the believers.

Verses 4-6 are to help us understand the importance of unity.  Though we are many individuals, we are all one body (the Church).  There is one Spirit that binds us all together and one hope to which we are all called (an eternal future with God).  There is one Lord that died for us all, one faith or doctrine that brings us all to Christ, and one baptism that saves us all (baptism of the Holy Spirit I Cor. 12:13. Col. 2:11-13, Rom 6:3-5).  One God, the Father of us all.  The use of all here is all believers.  God is Father of all who believe (John 1:12, Gal 3:26).  He is over all believers as their sovereign ruler.  He lives through and manifests himself in all believers. 

Note that though this section focuses on oneness, the Trinity, in its distinct part is seen.    The one body of believers is vitalized by one Spirit, so all believers have one hope.  That body is united to its one Lord (Christ) by each member’s one act of faith, and one spiritual baptism which identifies the believer with Christ.  One God and Father is supreme over all, operative through all, and resides in all (John 17:11, 20 - 23).
II.  Developing Unity and Walking in Holiness

A.  Developing unity (Eph. 4:11-16)

It was customary for a conquering king to demand gifts from his subjects, but here, Jesus the conqueror gives gifts to men.

Apostles - A special messenger of Jesus Christ; a person to whom Jesus delegated authority for certain task (Mark 3:14; 6:30).  Qualifications to hold the office of apostle are said to 1) must have seen the resurrected  Lord, and 2) must be personally commissioned by Him (Acts 9:1-19 [Paul]; Gal. 1:19, I Cor. 15:7 [James]).

Prophets - Prophets are spokespersons for God.  There emphasis was not on foretelling the future, but rather on forth telling the will of God.  However, often times in forth telling the will of God they also fore told the future because they would announce the consequences of disobedience or the blessings of obedience (Acts 11:28, 21:10-11).

Evangelist - One who proclaims good tidings.  They were not attached to any specific local church.  They traveled over a wide geographical area, preaching to those to whom the Holy Spirit led them.  Today they are also called missionaries.  They did not have the prestige and authority of the apostles who had seen the Lord.  Also they did not have the influence of the Prophet .  They were the rank and file missionaries of the church who took the good news to those who had never heard it (2 Tim. 4:5; Acts 8 [Philip]).

Pastors - the feeder, protector, and guide, or shepherds or overseers of  a flock of God’s people (Acts 20:17, 28; 1 Pet 5:1-4).  

Teacher - expounders of the Scriptures and of  the Gospel.  They offer Biblical instruction to the congregation and train others to expound the scriptures as well.

Theses gifts are given for the perfecting of the saints and building up of the body of Christ.  The thought here is that these gifts are to be used to mature the saints that the church of Jesus Christ might be  equipped to do the work that God has called it to do (2 Tim 2:2).  These gifts are to operate until the Body of Christ has unity in faith, is a matured man and becomes like Jesus (I Cor. 12:12-27).  The body needed to be matured so that it would not be swayed this way and that way by every new doctrine that surfaces or the deceitful schemes of men (2 Pet. 2:1-3).  Remember that what we have as the New Testament did not exist then.  The body is to teach the Gospel in love so that all may grow up and each member contribute to the function of the body as it is designed to be.

B.  Walking in Holiness (4:17 - 32)

vs. 17-22

Paul encourages these new believers not to continue a lifestyle like that of other gentiles; living a life of darkness separated from God because in their hearts they do not know God.  These gentiles knew about and believe in the concept of god, but did not know the living and true God (I Pet. 1:14-16).  Paul says that because these Gentiles lacked sensitivity to the Spirit, they had given themselves over undisciplined and unrestrained behavior, esp. a flagrant disregard of sexual restraint.  Their purpose was to practice every kind of impurity with a continual lust for more.

The Christian because his mind is no longer in darkness, he is no longer alienated or separated from God, and his heart is no longer hard, is told that he must put off this unholy lifestyle (Rom. 13:12, Col 3:8-10).

Vs. 23-24

         To turn from living a wicked lifestyle was only the beginning of Paul’s instruction to these believers.  He added to that the need to renew the mind.  Stopping an action does not necessarily cause a transformation (Rom. 12:1-2).  A transformation occurs when the thought process associated with that action is changed.  When my mind is renewed on a particular issue I see it through the eyes of God and His word, not through the eyes of societal norms values.  Not only are we to renew our minds, we are also to take on or walk according to our new nature, which is like that of God, righteous and holy.

Vs. 25- 32

Each of the exhortations given in this section has three parts: 1) a negative command; 2) a positive command; and 3) the reason for the positive command.

  In Chapters 4-6 of Ephesians Paul talks about the conduct of the church.  The Church is to walk in unity (4:1-16); to walk in holiness (4:17-32); to walk in love (5:1-6); to walk as children of light (5:7-14); to walk in wisdom (5:15-6:9); and to stand in warfare (6:10-20).  Tonight we will focus on Chapter 5.

Chapter 5

I.  Walking in Love

Vs. 1-2 - As Christians we are to imitate God.  This is not the first time that we are told to do so.  In Matt. 5:48 we ate told to be perfect as our Father in Heaven is perfect and in Luke 6:36 we are told to be merciful as our Father in Heaven is merciful.  God so love man that it moved Him to give (Rom. 5:8).  He gave Himself in the giving of Jesus for our sins.  Christ loved us so that He sacrificed himself for us (John 15:13, John 10:11, 15, 17-18).

Vs. 3-4 - The things mention here are the opposite or have the opposite effects of the self sacrificing love mentioned in verses 1 and 2.  They portray selfishness and unconcern for others.  Sexual immorality, any kind of impurity and greed are improper for believers.  Believers are to be God’s holy people.  Improprieties in speech such as obscenity (or shameless talk and conduct), foolish talking or coarse jesting (vulgar wit, i.e., dirty jokes, racial jokes, etc.) or not to be found among Christians, because they are often harmful to others and do not show love.  Paul is not saying that humor itself is wrong, but rather that humor at the expense of another is wrong.  Humor should never be used to tear down or destroy others.

Vs 5-6 - Paul here gives reasons why believers should abstain from the vices mentioned in verses 3 and 4.  Those he says who practice such things have no inheritance in the Kingdom of God (I Cor 6:9-11).  A greedy person is a idolater in the sense that greed causes one to put things before God (Col. 3:5).  Christians should not be deceived into believing that this warning is just empty words.  God’s view of in must be taken seriously.  As believers we must imitate God, not the world’s system or evildoers.

II.  Walking in the Light

Vs. 7-8a - As Christians we are told not to become partners with evildoers.  It is inconsistent for children of light to join together with children of darkness (II Cor 6:14, Amos 3:3).  Light dispels darkness.  The two can not exist perfectly together in the same room.  Darkness flees in the presence of light and is over taken by it.  Our light, as Christians, should be so bright that all who are in darkness and are around us should have only two choices; either to flee from the light or to surrender and join in the light.  Unfortunately, this is often not the case.  Sinners around us are often times not affected by our presence because they can tell no difference between us and them.  As Christians we have been rescued out of darkness (Col. 1:13), and now must live as children of light (I Thess. 5:4-5).

Vs. 8b-10 - The behavior of the Child of God should correspond with the position.  Since we are children of light, we are to live accordingly (Rom. 13:12-14).  As we walk (live) as children of light, the fruit of the Spirit will be manifested in us, and thus God’s character will be reflected by us.  As we walk as children of light we will be able to show the world what pleases God.

Vs. 11-14 - Not only are Christians not to be partners with evildoers, we are not to become involved in the deeds of evil doers.  We are not to handle our affairs with deceit, scheming and trickery as the world does.  We are to stand against of the works of darkness.  Not only is it a sin for us to participate in evil doings, it is also shameful for us to stand around joking about and giving consent for such actions.  Christians by conducting themselves as children of light, expose the deeds of darkness.  This is not just talking about us exposing sin in unbelievers.  In fact, most believer that the focus her was for believers to judge believers who were participating in deeds of darkness (I Cor. 5:12-13.  Exposing of these deeds of darkness should cause one to realize that his deeds are detrimental not only to himself but also to others and to the body of Christ in general, and thus to repent.

III.  Walk in Wisdom

Vs. 15 - 17 - We are told to make sure that we live carefully, being wise and skillful in our dealings, always seeking to lease God.  We are to make good use of every opportunity to please God.  Many are walking in sin, and since the time is sort believers must make full use of their time to help turn them from darkness to the light (Col. 4:5).  Rather than being foolish or unwise, Christians are to seek to understand what the will of God is in each circumstance.  Only after we understand what pleases God can we carry it out in our lives.

Vs. 18 - 21 - When walking in wisdom one should see the error in the excessive use of alcoholic beverage.  This relates back to drunken orgies that the Ephesians were noted for in their worship of Diana (one of their idol gods).  Paul was encouraging them not to part in these activities.  Rather they were to be filled with and controlled by the Holy Spirit.

                       The Christian who walks in love, light and wisdom will find himself joyous, thankful and humble.  He will be speaking to himself and others in psalms and spiritual songs.  He will be singing praises to God in his heart.  He will be thanking God for His continual blessings and he will in humility be able to submit himself to the authority of others.

                       Paul then ends this chapter and begins chapter 6 by showing three applications where his teachings can be used.  It is relatively easy to exhibit a Spirit-filled life for one or two hours a week in church but it takes the work of the Holy Spirit to exhibit godliness in everyday relationships.  Thus Paul uses as his arenas for application the relationships between wives and husbands, children and parents, and slaves and masters.  In each of these three relationships the first partner is commanded to be submissive (5:22; 6:1; 6:5).  The second partner is also to show submissiveness by his care and concern for the first partner.  Both partners are to act towards one another as a service rendered to the Lord.

Application (5:22-6:9)

In being wise and controlled by the Holy Spirit, Paul uses as applications relationships between wives and husbands, children and parents, and slaves and masters.   In each relationship the first partner is to submit to the second.  However, the second partner in the relationship is to show submissiveness by his care and concern for the first partner.  Both partners are to keep in mind that they are rendering service to the Lord and their behavior should reflect that service.  Note that these verses seem to emphasize selflessness on the part of all in relating to others.

Vs.  22-24 – Husbands and wives.

The relationship of a wife to her husband is compare to that of the church and Christ.  Even as the church submits itself to Christ as its head so is the wife to submit herself to her husband as her head.  Balanced application of these verses requires that one ponders over both the role and behavior of Christ and also His expectation of the Church.  For instance, Christ did not ask the Church to do or endure what He himself was not willing to do or endure.  However, Christ expects the church to submit to Him by living a life and doing the work commanded by God, just as He did.  Headship is to imply a sense of order not inferiority.  It is for leadership not rulership.

Vs.  25-33 – Husbands are then commanded to love their wives like Christ loved the Church.  The word love here is Agape and means seeking the highest good for another person.  This is unselfish, sacrificial love as evidenced by Christ dieing for the Church.  The purpose of Christ’s death was to set aside a body (the Church) for himself.  This body was to be cleansed by the preached Word of God and one day presented as a glorious body, free from sin or spiritual decay and thus blameless.  Human brides prepare themselves for their husbands. Christ, on the other hand, prepares His bride for Himself.

                     As the Church is an extension of Christ, so is the wife and extension of the husband.  She is a part of him even as Christ is joined to the Church.  No reasonable person would seek ill will to his own body, but rather would nourish and cherish it.  This is how Christ behaves with the Church and it is how a man is to behave with His wife.  He is to love his wife as if she is his own body.  Men care for their bodies even though they are imperfect and they should love and care for their wives in their imperfections also.  Husbands and wives are to show both love and respect for one another.     

Chapter 6

Vs. 1-4 – Children and parents

Children are to obey their parents because it is right in the sight of the Lord (Col. 3:20).  Paul quotes the 5^th commandment to support the need for children to obey their parents.  This is the first commandment relating to children and it always comes with the promise of a prosperous and long life.  Obedience promotes self-discipline which will be reward in life.

As the head or leader of the family, the father is told not to provoke the children by unreasonable demands, petty rules or favoritism.  Instead children are to be trained and encouraged to live righteously, respecting the Lord.  Children are to obey in the Lord and parents are to train and instruct in the Lord.  The emphasis is to be on parental training and instruction and children obedience.

Vs. 5-9 – Servants and Masters

Slaves are to obey their masters with respect, reverence and sincerity, just as they would obey Christ.  They were to obey not only when they knew were being watched but at all times.  Obedience was to be consistently and from the heart.  They were to work as if working for Christ knowing that Christ would reward them.

Masters were also to treat their slaves with respect and in a way that would please the Lord.  Masters were not to keep threatening them but were to treat slaves fairly.  Masters were to understand that they have a Master in Heaven (the Lord), who shows no partiality regardless of one’s rank or status.

IV.   Standing in Warfare (6:10-24)  

This section focuses on a believer walking in victory and discusses the believer’s use of all God’s resources to help him stand against evil powers.  When Paul wrote Ephesians he was a prisoner in Rome and it is believed by many that he was actually chained to a guard during this time to prevent his escape (Acts 28:16, 20).  It is believed that seeing the Roman soldier day in and day out, and knowing that he was required to always be dressed for battle, assisted Paul in having a vision for how the Christian should also be prepared to face his enemy.  Remember too that those who would be receiving the letter would be very familiar with the dress and requirements of a Roman soldier. 

Vs. 10-11 - Paul’s goal in writing this section is to encourage the Christian to be strong in the Lord.  Recognizing that the Christian is in a constant battle, the command is giving to dress for battle in the armor that has been provided by God.  The purpose in putting on the armor is to be able to stand against the schemes and stratagems of the devil.   In the day of battle, Roman soldiers were to stand their ground, and not retreat.  As long as they stood together, on a flat, open field, properly dressed, and did not break ranks, their legions were considered virtually invincible.  We are not to attack Satan, or advance against Him; we are only to stand or hold the territory that Christ has already conquered.  As individuals, if we are to have victory and not be deceived and defeated by the devil’s schemes, we must like the Roman soldier, we must be planted on solid ground (the Word of God), refusing to compromise our beliefs, properly dressed for battle and refusing to break rank (to give in to the enemy).

Vs. 12-13 - The battle that Christian’s fight is not physical.  It is not with other human beings, although often we are deceived into focusing on a person as our enemy  and not on the force driving the person.  We are fighting against the spiritual Mafia of wickedness.  The ranks of Satan’s forces are not here fully characterized, but for sure there are principalities, and powers.  Dake’s characterizes Satan’s forces as

1.  principalities - chief rulers or beings of the highest rank and order in Satan’s kingdom.

2.  powers - authorities or those who derive their power from and execute the will of the chief rulers.

3.  world rulers of the darkness of this age, spirit world rulers (Dan 10:10-21).

4.  spiritual wicked ones in the heavenlies - regular little demons and imps.

Regardless to what the evil power is called, we know that Christ has authority and power over them all (Col. 2:10, Eph. 1:20-23).  We also know that greater is the power that dwell in us than the powers of this world (I John 4:4).

Since our enemy is spiritual and trying to kill, destroy us and steal God’s blessing from us, we are to make all necessary preparation so that we will be able to stand defensively against him as he attacks us with evil in any form.

Vs. 14-18 - Having made the proper preparations, the believer is then commanded to stand.  What are the proper preparations?

1.  Girt loins with truth - Before a Roman soldier puts on his armor, he put a belt around his waist.   This belt held his garments together and served as a place on which to hand or secure his armor.  This belt though tied around his waist allowed ease and freedom of movement.  The loins are the lower abdomen, including the reproductive organs.  When a man was ready it work, he put a belt around his waist and then tucked up his robe so that his legs would not be hindered.  The believer is to live a life centered in truthfulness and honesty.  In doing so, he will find freedom of spirit and soul.  Nothing hinders Christian growth and peace of mind more than a lie and the fear that the lie will be discovered.

2.  Put on breastplate of righteousness - The soldier’s breastplate protected his chest from enemy attack.  The believer is to live a sanctified and righteous life, guarding his heart against the attack of the enemy.  Once a man begins to practice unholy acts, his heart and desires can easily be stolen away from God.  We must protect our heart, for out of it flows the issues of life (Prov. 4:23).  We are to cover our heart with righteous living so that it will sustain us and its life will not be stolen away, becoming hardened and callused by sinful living.  The breastplate of practical uprightness in daily life protects the heart, the biblical seat of one’s personality, conscience and will.

3.  Wearing the Gospel as shoes - For a soldier, there were two type of foot gear; a strong sturdy sandal for use on terrain where one could easily stand planted; and a leather half-boot studded with heavy nails for terrain’s where one need extra assistance for support.  The believer is to be planted in the Gospel so that he can maintain his balance when attacked by the enemy.  With a skillful working knowledge of how to apply the promises and commands of the Gospel of peace (Word of God), one will not be anxious and overtaken, but rather will have firm, secure footing when confronted with the circumstances of life. 

4.  Carrying the shield of faith - The Roman shield was a 4’ by 2’ rectangle made of wood, and overlaid with linen and leather.  The linen and leather would smother the flames from fiery arrows. They would also withstand javelins, spears, stones, etc., and thereby protected the other parts of the armor as well.  Therefore, in addition to having on the armor, it was important to always carry your shield.  Our faith is to act as our shield.  This is not faith in the sense of believing that God will give you something, but rather faith that says I will trust God in spite of  the conditions and circumstances of life with which you are faced.  It is the faith that says “Though He slays me, yet will I trust in Him” (Job 13:15).  This kind of faith in God will withstand against anything the enemy throws at you, because nothing in life matters more than God.  The shield also could be interlocked with those of the soldiers on either side to form a solid wall.  This suggests that one’s faith can when necessary join together with that of fellow believers to present a united front against the enemies attack.

5.   Wear helmet of salvation - The helmet of salvation symbolizes assurance of salvation.  The believer must be assured of his salvation.  He must have a firm grip on what salvation means and how the death of Christ has been appropriated in his life.  Such a foundation will free him from doubts and fears about his eternal destination.  The Roman helmet was hot and uncomfortable, and therefore was warn only when there was impending danger.  The Believer is always under attack.  Thus he must constantly wear his helmet of salvation reminding himself often that he is saved. 

6.  Carry the sword of the Spirit - This is the only offensive weapon provided. The sword is the Word of God; the written and spoken word of God.  This does not mean carry your Bible around with you.  Rather it means study the word of God so that in times of trouble the Spirit of God can use the Word of God to help you stand.  When you study and practice the scriptures, so that they have personal meaning for you, the Spirit of God will remind you of the scriptures in times of trouble.  When tempted in Matt. 4:1-11, Jesus used the Word of God to stand against the enemy.  He simply told the devil what God said with each temptation.  He offered him no argument, or explanation; simply the word.

7.  Praying and being alert - When attacked rather than sending up the battle cry as soldiers would, the believer is to be in constant prayer.  Thoroughness and intensity of prayer is suggested by the fact that all kinds of prayers are to be offered up continually.  We are to be spiritually alert, praying diligently for one another.  In prayer we receive insight into the enemy’s schemes and instructions.

            A Christian who refuses to wear his armor is like a soldier who goes off to war in the jungle and refuses to take any inoculations, and to wear boots, clothes, or insect repellent.  He will not be in the battle long.  The surrounding conditions will kill him before the enemy gets a chance to do so.  Without the armor, the enemy will not have to throw a strong attack your way.  Life itself and its cares will weaken you and finally bring about destruction.  A Christian who will not study his Word is like a soldier in a war with not gun, knife or other weapon.  He is defenseless and at the mercy of the enemy.

            Notice too that there is no armor provided for the back.  The believer is to stand and face the enemy; not to retreat and run back.  We are to be in a position where we can see the enemy and know of his schemes; not with our backs turned to him, ignorant of his devices.  We must stand, with vital body parts protected, behind our shield of faith, with sword in hand, ready to do battle.  As we stand we are to be in constant contact through prayer with our commander, receiving instructions and encouragement.  In doing so, we will be able to stand.