This is the final chapter in the Book of Ephesians and is thus the last article in the series ‘Unpacking Ephesians’.
In this chapter in verses 1-9 Paul directly addresses Children, Fathers, Slaves and Masters, instructing them on how to behave in a Godly way in four different relationship scenarios, firstly in the Child/Parent relationship, secondly in the Father/Child relationship, thirdly in the Slave/Master relationship and fourthly in the Master/Slave relationship.
And in verses 10-20 he tells us how to spiritually clothe ourselves in order protect ourselves from Satan’s attacks.
1 Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. 2 “Honor your father and mother”—which is the first commandment with a promise— 3 “so that it may go well with you and that you may enjoy long life on the earth.”
In verse one above, Paul’s first instruction to children is to obey your parents in the Lord as it is the right thing to do in the eyes of God.
Here it is important to know that the parents are to be in the Lord, that is they must be born again. Now this does not mean that if the parents are not born again, their children don’t have to obey them! On the contrary you should always obey even your unsaved parents, but if your unsaved parents are telling or advising you to do something ungodly then you should not obey them but rather tell them in a loving way the reason why you cannot obey an ungodly instruction from them. This will be a witness to them in your commitment to follow Jesus.
In verse two the instruction to children is to honour your father and mother. Paul does not insert the words ‘in the Lord’ here as the instruction for children to honour their parents applies to both the believing and the unbelieving parents.
What does honouring your parents mean?
In verse 2 the Greek word for ‘honour’ is ‘timaó’ (pronounced tim-ah’-o, Srong’s 5091) and its literal meaning is to put a value on something that belongs to you. In the Biblical sense of the word, it means to hold something or someone in high esteem or of high value to you and to have a high reverence for someone, and to venerate someone, venerate meaning to have a high respect for them.
Honour your parents is the first command that has a promise from God attached to it (“so that it may go well with you and that you may enjoy long life on the earth”). The promise is that when you do this all will go well for you throughout your life on this earth! This is a guarantee from God as all his promises for those in Christ Jesus are yes and amen! This doesn’t mean that you will have a trouble free life that you will just breeze through. It means in Christ Jesus you will be able to stand firm through the storms of life and still be standing at the end!
2 Corinthians 1:20 (NKJV)
For all the promises of God in Him are Yes, and in Him Amen, to the glory of God through us.
1 Corinthians 16:13 (AMP)
Be on guard; stand firm in your faith [in God, respecting His precepts and keeping your doctrine sound]. Act like [mature] men and be courageous; be strong.
4 Fathers, do not exasperate your children; instead, bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord.
In verse 4 above fathers are instructed not to exasperate their children and if we read this scripture in the Amplified Bible, we see that it brings out the full meaning of what exasperating your children is!
Paul also strongly reminds fathers to bring up their children in the training, discipline and instruction of the Lord found in the scriptures.
Ephesians 6:4 (AMP)
Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger [do not exasperate them to the point of resentment with demands that are trivial or unreasonable or humiliating or abusive; nor by showing favoritism or indifference to any of them], but bring them up [tenderly, with lovingkindness] in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.
Proverbs 22:6 (AMP)
Train up a child in the way he should go [teaching him to seek God’s wisdom and will for his abilities and talents],
Even when he is old he will not depart from it.
5 Slaves, obey your earthly masters with respect and fear, and with sincerity of heart, just as you would obey Christ. 6 Obey them not only to win their favor when their eye is on you, but as slaves of Christ, doing the will of God from your heart. 7 Serve wholeheartedly, as if you were serving the Lord, not people, 8 because you know that the Lord will reward each one for whatever good they do, whether they are slave or free.
In verses 5-8 above Paul instructs slaves on how to conduct themselves for their masters. In these modern times when slavery has supposedly been abolished, we can relate this to our work lives where we have bosses in the form of managers and supervisors and such like people in authority over us. This section refers to Christians working for Christians but of course there are many Christians that are not employed by Christians and Christian organisations, and in these cases, Christians are to still act in a Godly manner that will bring glory to Jesus!
As born again Christians how do we need to behave in the workplace? Paul, in verse 5 gives us instructions on how to be a good employee and to work as if serving the Lord himself!
Verse 5:
- Be obedient and follow the instructions and regulations of the company.
- Have respect for your superiors and work colleagues.
- Be afraid with a Godly reverence to deliberately do things wrong.
- Do your work with sincerity.
- When we are obedient in doing them, we will be doing the will of God and Jesus will be glorified.
- When we are wholeheartedly obedient in this, we are serving the Lord and not people.
- And most importantly our ultimate reward will come from Jesus when we are obedient and prove ourselves do be Godly employees.
In verse nine above Paul is referring to Christian employers and bosses. They are to treat their employees with respect and in a reverent fear of God. They are not to threaten their employees or subordinates or Lord it over them in any way, both Christian and non-Christian employees alike, because the overall master of all people is Jesus. Every employee is to be treated with fairness and love and without favouritism.
The Armor of God
10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. 11 Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. 12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. 13 Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand.
In the four verses above Paul is giving us a pre-battle pep talk. He knows what battles we’re going to face in our daily walk because he’s been there and done it. He’s been whipped, stoned, left for dead, bitten by a poisonous snake and for good measure, whipped some more and left for dead. He tells us to clothe ourselves in the full armour of God so that we will be able to withstand the evil spiritual forces that the devil musters against each and every born again Christian in the heavenly realms.
He knows we’re facing a spiritual battle, a battle that is not against flesh and blood and he tells us to be prepared, to be strong in the Lord to and make sure that we clothe ourselves in God’s protection – the full Armour of God. When we do this, we will be able to stand firm and strong in the Lord by the power of the Holy Spirit. We will then be fully equipped to defeat the enemy in our daily walk in Christ Jesus!
When we put on the full Armour of God, and are fully submitted to God and are walking in the power of the Holy Spirit, we will be able to withstand and resist the evil forces that come against us.
James 4:7 (AMP)
So submit to [the authority of] God. Resist the devil [stand firm against him] and he will flee from you.
In his writing of verses 14-17 below, I think we need to understand that Paul would have been very familiar with the Roman soldier dressed in full battle armour, after all he was escorted by Roman soldiers on more than a few occasions. He uses the analogy of a soldier’s armour to describe how we should be spiritually dressed and prepared to do battle with the devil as part of God’s army!
Paul also knew that no Roman soldier would ever dream of going into battle without putting on his full battle armour. The Roman soldier was probably the best protected soldier of the time, and his armour was designed to be effective against most enemy weapons of the time.
In the verses below we can examine each part of the Armour of God that Paul mentions:
14 Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place,
On a Roman soldier it is the belt that holds the other pieces of body armour in place, and it is on the belt that the sword is hung. When a Roman soldier had finished putting on his body armour, he would gird his loins with a belt as described above. This meant that he was now ready for service and to go into battle. So what Paul is saying here is that we need to gird ourselves to do battle with the belt of truth which is our integrity and right standing (being born again) in Christ Jesus and our walking in the Spirit together with our knowledge of the Bible.
The breastplate of a soldier’s armour does as it says it covers the breast, the area between the waist and the shoulders. It protects the soldier’s vital organs and most significantly it protects the heart. For the soldier of the flesh the breastplate is made of iron. For us, the spiritual soldier, our breastplate is made of our righteousness in Christ Jesus, our righteousness protects our hearts and minds from the attack of the evil one!
We all know that the Devil constantly attacks our hearts and minds with lies, accusations, and reminders of our past sin. If we do not clothe ourselves with the breastplate of righteousness the Devil’s lying arrows will penetrate our hearts and render us null and void. Be aware of who you are in Christ Jesus and come boldly into His presence and he will fill you with his Holy Spirit who will cement your righteousness in Christ Jesus.
Hebrews 4:16 (NLT)
So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most.
1 Peter 5:8 (NKJV)
Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.
Don’t try and take on the enemy without first praying and then being led by the Holy Spirit with all your armour on!
15 and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace.
Now, keeping the Roman soldier in mind, what did he wear on his feet when marching and going into battle? He wore heavy duty, hobnailed boots called Caligae – no Roman soldier marched or went into battle without them! They were the strongest footwear going in that time – military Doc Martens!
For the battle shoes of the Church, the spiritual soldier, we need to put on the peace that comes from the Good News of the Gospel in Christ Jesus so that you will be fully prepared. Our spiritual shoes (our peace in Christ Jesus) allows us to step freely, in the Spirit, and without fear while we turn our full attention to the battle at hand.
Physical battle shoes aid the soldier in his movement and defence. For us as spiritual soldiers in Christ’s army, when our feet are ready to march, the peace that God gives us in Christ Jesus will propel us onward to proclaim the victory over the enemy. The peace that surpasses all understanding. We need to prepare ourselves to follow the Lord no matter what.
John 14:27 (NIV)
Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.
Philippians 4:6-7 (NKJV)
6 Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; 7 and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
The shield not only defends the Roman soldier’s whole body but also His armour. The shield of faith has a very specific function, which the Bible makes abundantly clear, and that is it will quench all the fiery darts of the evil one and all his wicked followers. Not some, not most, but all of them.
The shield moves with the attack no matter what direction it is coming from. This is the kind of faith that Moses had when he confronted Pharaoh to let Israel go. It is the kind of faith that Elijah had when he confronted the prophets of Baal, the faith David had when he fought Goliath, the kind of faith Jesus had in his Father when he walked on earth, and this faith is made available to us today through the Holy Spirit! Without faith it is impossible to please God!
Hebrews 11:6 (AMP)
But without faith it is impossible to [walk with God and] please Him, for whoever comes [near] to God must [necessarily] believe that God exists and that He rewards those who [earnestly and diligently] seek Him.
The Roman soldier’s helmet was made of iron and was strong enough to withstand several hefty sword or spiked battle club blows. It covered the whole head and the back of the neck with just slits for the eyes and for the mouth. It even had an iron piece to protect the bridge of the nose and the cheeks.
Satan's favourite target is our mind. We have often heard it said that our minds are the devil’s playground. Satan's weapons are lies and false accusations. The enemy wants to make us doubt God and our salvation.
The helmet of salvation protects our minds from doubting the truth of God's saving work in us. The assurance of salvation is in Christ Jesus and the truth of the Word!
1 Thessalonians 5:8 (NIV)
But since we belong to the day, let us be sober, putting on faith and love as a breastplate, and the hope of salvation as a helmet.
The Roman soldier’s sword was light and short and ideal for hand-to-hand combat where short, stabbing motions were required. It was not only a weapon of offence but was also ideal for defense as well.
The believer as a spiritual soldier needs to be prepared to go head to head and toe to toe with the devil at all times.
The sword of the Spirit – the Bible, the Word of God, is not only a weapon of offense in the armour, but also a tool for defence. Strongholds, arguments and thoughts are all weapons the enemy uses against us. With the Sword of the Spirit, God's word, the Church is equipped to deal with them all. We need to trust in the truth of God's Word.
Have confidence in the value of God's word and develop a hunger and desire to know it and study it. When Jesus went head to head with the devil in the dessert – Matt 4:10-11 – he used the Word to defeat him and resist temptation. We need to be prepared to battle the enemy in the same way. By the Word of God and in the power of the Holy Spirit.
Matthew 4:10-11
10 Jesus said to him, “Away from me, Satan! For it is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.’”
11 Then the devil left him, and angels came and attended him.
Hebrews 4:12 (KJV)
For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.
18 And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people.
And last but not by any means least, prayer! Every believer and the Church corporately, needs to be constantly in prayer. Praying in the Spirit in tongues and praying in the Spirit in our understanding.
We need to be constantly praying the Word into our lives and into the lives of others, especially our brothers and sisters in Christ. Our battle is not against flesh and blood, Eph 6:12, and so we always need to be in the Spirit – walking in the Spirit. The battle is won in the heavenly realms. Prayer is an integral part of our worship of God – it should never be neglected. Praying in the Spirit in our understanding and praying in the Spirit in tongues always!
Matt 18:18 (KJV)
Verily I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever ye shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.
Praying in the Spirit is mentioned three times in Scripture.
1 Corinthians 14:14-15 (AMP)
14 For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays, but my mind is unproductive [because it does not understand what my spirit is praying]. 15 Then what am I to do? I will pray with the spirit [by the Holy Spirit that is within me] and I will pray with the mind [using words I understand]; I will sing with the spirit [by the Holy Spirit that is within me] and I will sing with the mind [using words I understand].
Romans 8:26-27 (NIV)
26 In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans. 27 And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for God’s people in accordance with the will of God.
In teaching about the gift of tongues, Paul mentions “pray with my spirit.” First Corinthians 14:14 states that when a person prays in tongues, he does not know what he is saying, since it is spoken in a language he does not know. Further, no one else can understand what is being said, unless there is an interpreter, interpretation of tongues being another gift of the Spirit.
1 Corinthians 14:27-28 (NKJV)
27 If anyone speaks in a tongue, let there be two or at the most three, each in turn, and let one interpret. 28 But if there is no interpreter, let him keep silent in church, and let him speak to himself and to God.
In Ephesians 6:18, Paul instructs us to “pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests.” How are we to pray with all kinds of prayers and requests and pray for the saints in agreement, if no one, including the person praying, understands what is being said?
Therefore, praying in the Spirit should be understood as praying in the power of the Holy Spirit, by the leading of the Holy Spirit, and according to His will (the Father’s), not solely as praying in tongues.
1 Corinthians 14:4 (NIV)
4 Anyone who speaks in a tongue edifies themselves, but the one who prophesies edifies the church. 5 I would like every one of you to speak in tongues, but I would rather have you prophesy. The one who prophesies is greater than the one who speaks in tongues, unless someone interprets, so that the church may be edified.
19 Pray also for me, that whenever I speak, words may be given me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel, 20 for which I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I may declare it fearlessly, as I should.
In verses 19-20 above Paul asks the Ephesian Church to also pray for him. Everybody needs prayer especially in the body of believers. It is just as important for the Church to pray for our pastors and other leaders, as it is for them to pray for us. Those within the body that hold leadership roles are in the direct firing line of Satan and his dominions and need a solid and continual prayer covering.
In verse 19 Paul is specifically asking the Church to pray that he will be given the right words, by the Holy Spirit, so that he will fearlessly proclaim the gospel of salvation in Christ Jesus. This is something that we should all be praying for each other on a daily basis as we are all called to proclaim the gospel to the world and to make disciples.
Mark 16:15 (NIV)
He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation.
In verse 20 Paul goes on to say that for the gospel he is an “ambassador in chains”. Now, what he means by this is that he is the representative of Jesus to the world and in particular to the gentiles and as His representative he is spiritually bound as if by chains to proclaim the gospel wherever he goes. Remember his opening statement in Ephesians 3 where he says he is a prisoner of Christ!
Acts 9:15-16 (NKJV)
15 But the Lord said to him, “Go, for he is a chosen vessel of Mine to bear My name before Gentiles, kings, and the children of Israel. 16 For I will show him how many things he must suffer for My name’s sake.”
Remember, dear readers, that we who are born again Christians are all disciples of Jesus and what was given to Paul to teach, was given to him by the Holy Spirit and his teachings still apply to us today and beyond until Christ’s return. Paul encourages us to imitate him as he imitates Christ.
1 Corinthians 11:1 (NKJV)
Imitate me, just as I also imitate Christ.
All believers are commissioned to preach the gospel everywhere – at home, at work, at play and wherever we go!
Final Greetings
21 Tychicus, the dear brother and faithful servant in the Lord, will tell you everything, so that you also may know how I am and what I am doing. 22 I am sending him to you for this very purpose, that you may know how we are, and that he may encourage you.
23 Peace to the brothers and sisters, and love with faith from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. 24 Grace to all who love our Lord Jesus Christ with an undying love.
And finally in verses 21-24 Paul ends with a final greeting to the Ephesian Church with a message of love, peace, faith and grace to all who love Jesus. This is the message that we should all leave with our brothers and sisters in Christ when we are apart and also when we are together.
Prayer:
Dear Father in Heaven
I pray in the name of Jesus that you would fill me with your Holy Spirit and help me to walk in love, to walk in your light and to become an imitator of Jesus in every way. I pray too that you would bless my marriage and help me to become the husband/wife, Mother/Father, Employer/Employee, Manager/Subordinate that your Word instructs me to be. I pray too Lord that you would remind me to be clothed in the full Armour of God. I recognise that I can only do this with your help Lord Jesus! Amen.
To Jesus belongs all glory honour and praise!
Jesus the Name above all names!
Remember: Reading this article is no substitute for reading and studying the Bible for yourself. My word is flawed the Bible is not!
No comments:
Post a Comment