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The Gospel Observer
"Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations...teaching them
to observe all that I commanded you, and lo, I am with you always,
even to the end of the age" (Matt. 28:19,20).
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October 7, 2012
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Contents:
1) Ephesians 5:20-22 (Tom Edwards)
2) News & Notes
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-1-
Ephesians 5:20-22
by Tom Edwards
In Ephesians 5:20, Paul gives the following instruction: "always
giving thanks for all things in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to
God, even the Father."
We had previously considered the singing of psalms, hymns, and
spiritual songs in Ephesians 5:19; and many of them are designed for
the purpose of reminding us of the greatness of God and to think
about what He has done for us, which, in our hearts, can evoke much
thanksgiving and praise unto the Lord. As J.W. Shepherd
writes, "Speaking his praise, remembering and giving thanks for his
mercies, softens and opens our hearts to a fuller appreciation of
his blessings, fills them with fuller sense of gratitude to God, and
fits us more and more to dwell with and enjoy him in the fullness of
his blessings forever. We ought to continually praise the
Lord, for his praise is comely to the upright."
Our thanks and praise can be given to the Father through Jesus
because He is the only link between God and mankind: "For there is
one God, and one mediator also between God and men, the man Christ
Jesus" (1 Tim. 2:5).
Let us also realize that Jesus truly did earn that right to be our
mediator by the obedient life He lived while on earth -- and even in
spite of temptations. For because of His faithfulness to
His Father -- and that to the point of a torturous death at Calvary
-- we can come boldly to the throne of God's grace. Compare
this to what the Hebrew writer declares: "Therefore, since we have a
great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son
of God, let us hold fast our confession. For we do not have a
high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who
has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin.
Therefore let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace,
so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need"
(Heb. 4:14-16).
That we give thanks through Jesus can also be seen in Colossians
3:17: "Whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the
Lord Jesus, giving thanks through Him to God the Father."
To do all "in the name of the Lord Jesus" means that we do all
according to His authority. And since the thanks that we offer
to God is offered through Jesus, who alone gives us that access,
then how can people outside of Christ truly give thanks to the
Lord? They might be sincere and truly want to, but without
Jesus they do not have that access to the Father.
Remember, Jesus states in John 15:5, where He shows of the need for
individuals to abide in Him in order to be fruitful, that "apart
from Me you can do nothing." So without Jesus, one cannot
truly have a spiritual life.
Ephesians 5:20 also shows that we are to give thanks "for all
things." Paul says a similar thing in 1 Thessalonians 5:18:
"in everything give thanks; for this is God's will for you in Christ
Jesus."
Does this mean that we are to be thankful for everything that
happens? Can we be thankful for robberies, murders, and other
sins? Paul points out that love "does not rejoice in
unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth" (1 Cor. 13:6).
Would it not be that what we rejoice in is also what we are thankful
for and vice versa? Rejoice not only means "to feel joy or
gladness," but also to "take delight" (in or at). And, as
Christians, when we take delight in a gentle breeze or a beautiful
day, we know to whom we can give thanks for it. So though we
do not rejoice in the sinful things that happen day in and day out,
yet we can still rejoice and be thankful in spite of those
things. In addition, we can also rejoice and be thankful
knowing that God can use even very bad circumstances for our good,
if we are truly His: "And we know that God causes all things to work
together for good to those who love God, to those who are called
according to His purpose" (Rom. 8:28). Surely, this is one of
the reasons why Paul was able to always maintain the right kind of
disposition in any situation. Notice, for example, what he
declares in Philippians 4:11-13: "Not that I speak from want, for I
have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I am. I
know how to get along with humble means, and I also know how to live
in prosperity; in any and every circumstance I have learned the
secret of being filled and going hungry, both of having abundance
and suffering need. I can do all things through Him who
strengthens me." And Paul could do this because God's grace
was more important to him than physical circumstances, as he shows
with regard to his "thorn in the flesh": "And He has said to me, 'My
grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness.'
Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my weaknesses,
that the power of Christ may dwell in me. Therefore I am well
content with weaknesses, with insults, with distresses, with
persecutions, with difficulties, for Christ's sake; for when I am
weak, then I am strong" (2 Cor. 12:9,10).
Notice how Paul shows three times that we are to be thankful in
Colossians 3:15-17: "And let the peace of Christ rule in your
hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body; and be
thankful. Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you, with
all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms and
hymns and spiritual songs, singing with thankfulness in your hearts
to God. And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the
name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through Him to God the
Father." So being thankful is actually commanded of us, and
that which should be an easy instruction to follow for those who
truly love the Lord and appreciate all that He has done.
Paul then says in Ephesians 5:21, "and be subject to one another in
the fear of Christ." Submission is a major characteristic of
the Christian. It is that which is needful in various
relationships of life. For instance, in this same chapter,
Paul shows that wives are to be submissive to their husbands (v.
22); and in chapter 6:1-3, children are to be submissive toward
their parents; and then in verses 5-8 of that same chapter, slaves
are to be submissive toward their masters. In addition, the
Hebrew writer shows that Christians are to submit to the elders
(overseers) who "keep watch over your souls" (Heb. 13:17), and Paul
instructs that "Every person is to be in subjection to the governing
authorities..." (Rom. 13:1).
In thinking of these various submissions, Albert Barnes observes
"...that Christianity does not break up the relations of life, and
produce disorder, lawlessness, and insubordination; but that it will
confirm every proper authority, and make every just yoke lighter.
Infidelity is always disorganizing; Christianity, never."
Another point we can make about these various submissive roles is
that, in all of them, our primary submission is to be to God
Himself; for we are to be subject to one another "in the fear of
Christ." Therefore, it is our faith in God and our love for the Lord
that should be our chief motivation for why we strive to be
submissive in these different areas.
And this verse also indicates that our relation to each other, since
it is in the fear of Christ, would allow for only those things that
are according to God's word. Therefore, we can submit.
As E.M. Zerr writes: "If a brother fears or reverences God, he will
not give another disciple any admonition that is not in harmony with
God's will. Therefore, if any member of the body of Christ, whether
official or private, gives another some admonition that is according
to the will of God, it is the duty of that person so admonished to
heed the advice."
So there are various relationships in which we need to submit, but
here in Ephesians 5:21 Paul specifies the Christians' subjection to
fellow Christians.
In 1 Peter 5:5, this submission is to be "with humility toward one
another, for God is opposed to the proud, but give grace to the
humble." And Paul instructs that, with that humility, we are
to "regard one another as more important" than ourselves (Phil.
2:3).
In Ephesians 5:22, Paul next exhorts the wife in her marital
relationship, by saying, "Wives, be subject to your own husbands, as
to the Lord." It is a very special relationship that the wife has to
her husband and vice versa. And her submitting to him as
her head goes all the way back to the first wife, Eve, as Genesis
3:16 shows: "To the woman He said, 'I will greatly multiply Your
pain in childbirth, In pain you will bring forth children; Yet your
desire will be for your husband, And he will rule over you.'"
Notice how this submission in Ephesians 5:22 is to be: "as to the
Lord." This might remind you of Sarah's relationship to her
husband Abraham, as we read of in 1 Peter 3:5,6: "For in this way in
former times the holy women also, who hoped in God, used to adorn
themselves, being submissive to their own husbands. Thus Sarah
obeyed Abraham, calling him lord, and you have become her children
if you do what is right without being frightened by any fear."
Also in 1 Peter 3, let us remind ourselves of one of the reasons
Peter gives for why the wife should be in subjection to her husband:
"In the same way, you wives, be submissive to your own husbands so
that even if any of them are disobedient to the word, they may be
won without a word by the behavior of their wives, as they observe
your chaste and respectful behavior" (vv. 1,2).
Godly behavior is certainly the key. Notice the emphasis in 1
Peter 3:3,4: "And let not your adornment be merely
external--braiding the hair, and wearing gold jewelry, or putting on
dresses; but let it be the hidden person of the heart, with the
imperishable quality of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is precious
in the sight of God." Will not that "gentle and quiet spirit"
truly help the wife in her submissive role?
As noted above, one of the ways in which Sarah respected her husband
Abraham was by calling him "lord." And though we don't find
that the wife today is to call her husband that, she is still to
recognize the authority he has over her and honor and appreciate
him, accordingly. Consider, for instance, the latter half of
Ephesians 5:33: "...and the wife must see to it that she respects
her husband." Note that the verse does not go on to say,
"...but not until he is perfect in all ways."
This submission "as to the Lord" also indicates that her submission
to her husband, which is based on God's word, would not be in
anything contrary to God's word. We can likened this to Paul's
command for "every soul" to be in subjection to the civil
authorities and what Peter states in Acts 5:29 when he and the other
apostles were commanded by the authorities to no longer teach in the
name of Jesus. Peter replied to them by saying, "We must obey
God rather than men." As Barnes writes, the husband "...has no
right to require her to commit an act of dishonesty, to connive at
wrongdoing, to visit a place of amusement which her conscience tells
her is wrong, nor has he a right to interfere with the proper
discharge of her religious duties."
In the parallel account in Colossians 3:18, Paul writes, "Wives, be
subject to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord." The word
"fitting" comes from a Greek word, which Strong shows to mean
"proper" and is translated that way in Philemon 1:8 of the
NASB. It is the same word we saw Paul use earlier in Ephesians
5:4 where he states, "and there must be no filthiness and silly
talk, or coarse jesting, which are not fitting...."
And another purpose for this submission is because it is one of the
qualities that should characterize the wife "...so that the word of
God will not be dishonored" (Titus 2:4,5). Some other versions
render "dishonored" as "blasphemed" (ASV), "reviled" (ESV),
"slandered" (HCSB), "discredited" (ISV), "exposed to reproach"
(WNT), "evil spoken of" (YLT), and "malign" (NIV). The BBE
translates that part of the verse as "...so that no evil may be said
of the word of God."
If the husband is truly loving his wife as Christ loved the church,
then this will make it very easy for the wife to submit. But,
unfortunately, this is not always the case; and, as a result, it is
not always easy for wives to submit to their husbands. For
some husbands are not concerned about spiritual matters and do not
treat their wives very well. But, as David Lipscomb writes,
"When all other motives fail to lead the wife to obey the husband,
when he is hard and harsh, fails to appreciate her kindness and
love, and she is discouraged and disheartened, she is then to
remember to submit and bear, because God commands it. She can
find solace and comfort and strength to bear, because she is doing
it as service to the Lord, knowing that he will reward it as service
done to him." And how much more a woman's light will shine for
the Lord and her love for Him when she is in such a difficult
situation yet remains faithful unto God.
We can also note that this phrase "as to the Lord" is also similarly
said with regard to the servant's service to his master: "Slaves, be
obedient to those who are your masters according to the flesh, with
fear and trembling, in the sincerity of your heart, as to Christ"
(Eph. 6:5). But now consider how that phrase "as to Christ" is
rendered in the parallel of Colossians 3:22: "Slaves, in all things
obey those who are your masters on earth, not with external service,
as those who merely please men, but with sincerity of heart, fearing
the Lord." So doing it "as to Christ" is doing it with a great
reverence and obedience to Christ; and this is also true with how
the wife's submission is to be to her husband.
So as we have seen in Ephesians 5:20-22, let us always be thankful
unto God; submit to one another in the fear of the Lord; and for the
wives to be in subjection to their own husbands, as to the
Lord. For, surely, to be in subjection or submission will
always be easier when it is carried out in reverence to God,
recognizing it as His command, and doing so with thankfulness unto
Him -- and even in spite of all the negative circumstances of
life. For will not our service to God enable us to rise above
those situations that would tend to bring us down? After
rhetorically asking, "Who shall separate us from the love of
Christ?," Paul shows that not even tribulation, distress,
persecution, famine, nakedness, peril, or the sword (death) can do
so. For "...in all these things we are more than conquerors,
through Him that loved us" (Rom. 8:35-37). Yes, putting Christ
first is the way to victory -- and may that always be so in our
lives!
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-2-
News & Notes
Let those of us who are Christians continue to remember in prayer
the following:
Pam MacDonald who recently had another test done for her back
trouble; Linda Lefort (Harris Lefort's sister-in-law) who
has cancer and is on hospice care; Bill Barfield (Virginia
Fontenot's brother) who was admitted to ICU last March and has been
in a step-down unit ever since; Jean Calloway who is
healing from a foot problem, which her diabetes had made more
serious; Shirley Young, for her continual trouble with
fibromyalgia; Cheryl Crews, for her various health problems;
and Lisa Taylor, who often has physical pain and lately has
been experiencing much of it.
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The Steps That Lead to Eternal Salvation
1) Hear the gospel,
for that is how faith comes (Rom. 10:17; John 20:30,31).
2) Believe in the
deity of Christ (John 8:24; John 3:18).
3) Repent of sins
(Luke 13:5; Acts 17:30).
4) Confess faith in
Christ (Rom. 10:9,10; Acts 8:36-38).
5) Be baptized in water
for the remission of sins (Mark 16:16; Acts 2:38; 22:16; Rom. 6:3,4;
Gal. 3:26,27; 1 Pet. 3:21).
6) Continue in the faith;
for, if not, salvation can be lost (Heb. 10:36-39; Rev. 2:10; 2 Pet.
2:20-22).
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Park Forest
CHURCH OF CHRIST
9923 Sunny Cline Dr., Baton Rouge, LA 70817
Sunday services: 9:00 AM (Bible class); 10 AM & 6 PM (worship)
Tuesday: 7 PM (Bible class)
evangelist/editor: Tom Edwards (225) 667-4520
Tom@ThomasTEdwards.com
http://ThomasTEdwards.com/go (Gospel Observer website)
http://ThomasTEdwards.com/audioser.html (audio sermons)