EPHESIANS LESSON 10
We will begin in Ephesians 5:17 "Wherefore be ye not unwise, but
understanding what the will of the Lord [is]."
In the last lesson, we saw some things that the Christian should
not be caught up in. Now, we see that to be involved with the sinners
in the world, or to be caught up in sin ourself, is unwise. We are
instructed here not to be unwise. The wise will seek the will of God
and do it. Many people I know say, that they would do the will of God,
if they knew what the will of God for their life was. My suggestion to
them is to study the Word of God, for in the Word of God, you will
find the will of God. Understanding the Word of God comes from
allowing the Holy Spirit of God to teach you what the Bible is saying
to you. Jesus spoke in parables, so that the world would not
understand. Those guided by the Spirit of God are the ones who
understand.
Ephesians 5:18 "And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess;
but be filled with the Spirit;"
You lose control of yourself when you get drunk. The only wine
that any of us need is the new wine {Holy Spirit}. When we are filled
with the Spirit, we are filled with the understanding that Spirit
brings with it.
Ephesians 5:19 "Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and
spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord;"
I never cease to amaze at the wonderful messages contained in the
beautiful hymns the writers brought for all of us to enjoy. When there
is no one else around to share them with, then singing lifts your
soul. Many times repeating the 23rd Psalm brings perfect peace to me.
All of the Psalms are beautiful, but Psalms like the 91st Psalm bring
hope. God loves for us to sing to just Him. We should be a sweet,
sweet sound in His ear. Many of the spiritual songs are like prayers.
Whatever we do, sing, read Psalms, pray, or just praise God, shows the
love we have for Him.
Ephesians 5:20 "Giving thanks always for all things unto God and
the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ;"
Notice, that even our thanksgiving has to be done in the name of
Jesus. This says that we should thank God for all things good and bad.
We must assume from that, that sometimes the things we call bad are
really a way to help us grow in the Lord. Romans 8:28 "And we know
that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them
who are the called according to [his] purpose." Notice, also, that
the thanks is to the Father.
Ephesians 5:21 "Submitting yourselves one to another in the fear
of God."
This just means to have respect for the other persons rights. Don't
feel that you must always be right. Be humble toward those
fellowservants of God. Christ humbled Himself and washed the feet of
the disciples. He, also, said that the greatest among them should
serve the others.
Ephesians 5:22 "Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands,
as unto the Lord."
People are wives and husbands in the flesh. In the family realm,
there can be only one head of the house, and that is the husband. This
is just saying to women who have chosen to be a wife, bow to the
wishes of your husband in the family realm. The only time it is
alright to go against your husband, is if he turns against God. Then
you would have to choose God over your husband. The family on earth is
really an example of the family in heaven. God, the Father, is supreme
ruler.
Ephesians 5:23 "For the husband is the head of the wife, even as
Christ is the head of the church: and he is the saviour of the body."
There is a critical statement, here, that we must not overlook.
The husband is the saviour of her body, not her spirit. Christ is the
head of the entire church, including the woman. The difference is the
church has to do with the spirit, and not with the flesh. Jesus Christ
quickened our spirit, not our flesh.
Ephesians 5:24 " Therefore as the church is subject unto Christ,
so [let] the wives [be] to their own husbands in every thing."
This is showing the church {men and women} are first subject to
Christ. It, also, shows that in the realm of the flesh, in the home,
the wife is subject to the husband.
Ephesians 5:25 "Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also
loved the church, and gave himself for it;"
Christ gave Himself for the church. We see in this, that the
husband should be willing to give himself for his wife. The love of
Christ was the agape love. This type of love is not because of what it
can get in return, but is unselfish love which loves even the
unloveable.
Ephesians 5:26 "That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the
washing of water by the word,"
This is speaking of Christ and the church. "Sanctify" means made
holy. The washing of water by the Word. The Word of God does cleanse
the person.
Ephesians 5:27 "That he might present it to himself a glorious
church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it
should be holy and without blemish."
The only way for the church to be without spot or wrinkle is for
it to be grounded in the Word of God. The study of the Word of God is
what makes the church ready. Jesus paid the price in full for the
church. He made the church acceptable with His precious shed blood. He
{Jesus} is, also, the One it is presented to. Another Scripture calls
the church a chaste virgin. It just means that the church had been
faithful to the Lord. The church had not followed after false gods.
Ephesians 5:28 "So ought men to love their wives as their own
bodies. He that loveth his wife loveth himself."
Notice, again here, this has to do with the body of flesh. When
they are married, they become one flesh. That is what this Scripture
is saying, when it says he loves himself. With God there is no male or
female, because He looks on the spirit. In heaven there will be no
marrying and taking in marriage. All believers in Christ {male and
female} will be the bride of Christ. These very same people will all
be sons of God. You see gender is just for this earth in the flesh,
and has nothing whatsoever to do with the spirit.
Ephesians 5:29 "For no man ever yet hated his own flesh; but
nourisheth and cherisheth it, even as the Lord the church:"
To hate your wife, would be as if you hated your own flesh. They
{husband and wife} are one in the flesh. A man would not hit himself,
but that is really what he is doing if he hits his wife. The Lord
loves the church as His bride.
Ephesians 5:30 "For we are members of his body, of his flesh, and
of his bones."
This is a spiritual statement of the church being the body of
Christ. Many of the manuscripts do not include the last seven words of
this Scripture. The Lord Jesus Christ took on the form of flesh upon
the earth. God is Spirit. Flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom
of God.
Ephesians 5:31 "For this cause shall a man leave his father and
mother, and shall be joined unto his wife, and they two shall be one
flesh."
This, again, is speaking of the arrangement of husband and wife
in the flesh upon the earth. God made male and female to procreate
life with Him upon the earth. Male and female genders are for this
earth. This Scripture is speaking of a husband and wife living
together as one family and making their own family. Not only are they
one flesh, but between them, when they have a child, they two are the
child that they produce.
Ephesians 5:32 "This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning
Christ and the church."
All of this was to show the relationship of Christ and His
church. The relation of man and wife upon this earth shows a little
shadow of the relation between Christ and His church. There is order
in heaven, as there is order upon earth. The wife was made for the man
as the church was made for the Lord Jesus. It is very difficult to
separate Christ and His church, and it should be equally hard to
separate a man and His wife. They should be as one.
Ephesians 5:33 "Nevertheless let every one of you in particular
so love his wife even as himself; and the wife [see] that she
reverence [her] husband."
"Reverence", in the above verse, means to have great respect for.
Women should be a compliment to their husband, not an embarrassment.
Women are subordinate to their husbands in the flesh, as the church is
to Christ in the Spirit.
Again, we must take note that Paul was the only penman who dealt
with the husband wife relationship.
Ephesians 10 Questions
1. We are not to be unwise, but understanding what the ______ of the
_______ is.
2. How can you know the will of God for your life?
3. Be not drunk with _______, wherein is excess; but be filled with
the ________.
4. Speak to yourselves in what?
5. What Scripture does the author say brings peace to her?
6. Which Psalm brings hope?
7. Spiritual songs are sometimes like ________.
8. What does it show God when we sing, pray, and read Psalms just to
Him?
9. What should we give thanks for?
10. How is the proper way to give thanks?
11. Quote Romans chapter 8 verse 28.
12. Wives, submit yourselves unto your own __________.
13. When is the only time it is alright to go against your husband?
14. ________ is the head of the church.
15. How are the husbands to love their wives?
16. What kind of love is Christ's love?
17. It is sanctified and cleansed by what?
18. What does "sanctify" mean?
19. Describe how the church should be presented to Him?
20. What makes the church ready?
21. Men should love their wives as their own _________.
22. He that loveth his wife, loveth __________.
23. Who is the bride of Christ?
24. Who are sons of God?
25. We are members of His ______.
26. Why should a man leave his father and mother, and cling to his
wife?
27. What is "reverence" in verse 33?
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