Day 5

Ephesians 5: 1-33

VV 1-4, 1Therefore be imitators of God as dear children. 2 And walk in love, as Christ also has loved us and given Himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling aroma.3 But fornication and all uncleanness or covetousness, let it not even be named among you, as is fitting for saints; 4 neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, not coarse testing which are not fitting, but rather giving of thanks. 

Given the positional truths in Ephesians 1-3, we must be imitators of God, walk in love as Christ loved and died for us. Christ gave Himself both as an offering for our sin and a sacrifice to God. We must not involve adultery, immorality, covetousness, doublespeak, and indecent jokes. We must talk about the Lord and be thankful to the Lord. 

VV 5-7, 5 For this you know, that no fornicator, unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God. 6 Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience. 7 Therefore do not be partakers with them.

No adulterer, no covetous man, and no idolater will inherit the Kingdom of God. We must not be deceived by empty talkers and have nothing to do with them.

VV 8-11, 8 For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light 9 (for the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness, righteousness, and truth), 10 finding out what is acceptable to the Lord. 11 And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather expose them. 

We were once darkness, but now we are the light of the world. We must walk as children of light exhibiting the fruit of the Spirit. “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such, there is no law”, Galatians 5:22-23. We must have nothing to do with the unfruitful works of darkness. 

VV 12-16, 12 For it is shameful even to speak of those things which are done by them in secret. 13 But all things that are exposed are made manifest by the light, for whatever makes manifest is light. 14 Therefore He says: “Awake, you who sleep, Arise from the dead, And Christ will give you light.” 15 See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise, 16 redeeming the time because the days are evil.

When the light of Christ shines, all the secret and shameful things will be exposed and revealed. Hebrews 4:13, “And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are naked and open to the eyes of Him to whom we must give account”. We must be awake and not be asleep or we will miss the blessing. We must walk wisely in the light of Christ. We must use our time wisely, redeeming the time because the days are evil. 

VV 17-21, 17 Therefore do not be unwise but understand what the will of the Lord is. 18 And do not be drunk with wine, in which is dissipation; but be filled with the Spirit, 19 speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord, 20 giving thanks always for all things to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, 21 submitting to one another in the fear of God.

We must seek God’s will. We must not be drunk with wine but be filled with the Holy Spirit. We must sing to ourselves and one other, psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs of praise to the Lord. We must thank God always for all things in Jesus’ name submitting to each other. 1 Thess 5: 16-18, “Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you”. 

VV 22-28, 22 Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord. 23 For the husband is head of the wife, as also Christ is head of the church; and He is the Savior of the body. 24 Therefore, just as the church is subject to Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in everything.25 Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her, 26 that He might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the word, 27 that He might present her to Himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy and without blemish. 28 So husbands ought to love their own wives as their own bodies; he who loves his wife loves himself. 29 For no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as the Lord does the church.

The wife should submit to her husband, the husband should love his wife, and both should submit to Christ. The husband should love his wife as Christ loved the church and gave His life for the Church. The husband should sanctify his wife with the word, just as Christ sanctifies the Church with His word. The husband should love his wife as his own body, just as Christ loves the Church as His own body. 

VV 29-33, 30 For we are members of His body, of His flesh and of His bones. 31 “For this reason, a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.” 32 This is a great mystery, but I speak concerning Christ and the church. 33 Nevertheless let each one of you in particular so love his own wife as himself, and let the wife see that she respects her husband.

All Christians are members of Christ’s body, of which Christ is the head. The Church is the bride of Christ. Marriage is for eternity. Paul speaks of the marriage relationship as a great mystery. A man leaves his father and mother in marriage and cleaves to his wife.