Ephesians 5:21-26

[Shield]

Shield> Hi there folks!
Shield> I am pleased to see you here tonight.
Shield> Lets open in prayer...
Shield> Our Father we thank you for this opportunity to join together...
Shield> we ask that you will give us wisdom as we study your Word
Shield> help us Lord to correctly interpret the passage we are about to study
Shield> and may each person here be lessed in the process
Shield> in Jesus name amen
Shield> Ephesians 5:21 Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ.
Shield> This verse is critically important to an understanding of this passage
Shield> think of it this way
Shield> the context that we have studied up till now is one of unity of the body of Christ
Hats> That's very important since it's saying: out of reverence for Christ
Shield> many parts....
Shield> one body
Shield> we have seen much said about relational factors and how we are to treat one another
Shield> and now we see some specific examples as they pertain to family relationships
Shield> especially Husbands and WIves
Shield> so then we have the opening verse to this section
Hats> Yes
Shield> Ephesians 5:21 Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ.
Shield> our mutual submission....
Hats> Oh, yes!
Shield> is in the context of our reverence for Christ Jesus
Shield> Ephesians 5:22 Wives, be subject to your own husbands, as to the Lord.
Hats> Amen
Shield> Now I want to treat this for a few minutes....
Shield> I am not intending to cover this entire passage tonight....
Shield> because I want to attempt a fair treatment....
Shield> as for verse 22....
Shield> this is one of the most consistently misunderstood...
Shield> misinterpreted verses in the Bible
Hats> I agree
Shield> I know this for a fact
Shield> I have seen families ripped apart by its misinterpretation
Shield> so I want to treat it very carefully
Shield> let begin by saying this...
Shield> and I want you to know I welcome your input as well
Shield> Women deserve to be treated with respect
Shield> Women are just as much children of the Most High God as men
Shield> God does not play favorites
Shield> He is not a respector of persons
Shield> yet as you may be aware...
Shield> this verse has been used to justify untold atrocities against women
Shield> expecially wives
Shield> or..
Hats> I've never thought it meant to be a servant to your husband.
Shield> its been used to justify seemingly more "innocent" keeping women in their place as decided upon by some husbands
Shield> well
Shield> in a sense it does,.....
Shield> but not in the american sense
Hats> A servant?
Hats> grin
Shield> in the sense of how Jesus would apply it
Shield> Jesus was a Servant
Bride> yes ....
Shield> keep this in mind Hats
Hats> Yes, He was, Shield
Bride> it is the voluntary placement of putting yourself under one's authority
gara> a bond servant-servant by choice
Bride> the heart of a servant
Shield> remember the context....to the degree that women are to submit to husbands...so are husbands to love wives...
Shield> and we will see that shortly
Hats> I understand that..Yes
Shield> it is a mutual submission really
Hats> Yes, I understand
Shield> a mutual self-giving
Shield> ok
Shield> lets look at it again
Bride> I find it interesting that he does not say for the wife to "love" the husband .....
Shield> :)
Bride> but that he tells the husband to "love"
Shield> Bride => I have thought about that myself
Hats> Just one thing before going to the next verse..
Shield> Ephesians 5:22 Wives, be subject to your own husbands, as to the Lord.
Bride>Laughs Out Loud
Shield> sure Hats
Bride> want my opinion on why?
Shield> yes Bride
Hats> It should be ""mutual""...and out of the purest love for the other..each other
Bride waits for Hats to go first
Hats> I said 'should'...but, sometimes it isn't, as we all know.
Hats> Mutual, I mean
Shield> uh huh
Shield> I understand
Shield> Bride you had a thought?
Bride> I equate that submission ... with respect ... which I think men really need to show they are loved - again it is a "voluntary" submission
Hats> Yes, Bride!
Bride> men thrive on respect
Bride> women need the "love"
Hats> Yes, they do...truly.
Shield> good thoughts....
Bride> I think when a man knows that his wife respects him
Bride> he "knows" the love then ....
Shield> here is something I would like to add....
Shield> Although I am not married...
Shield> and have never been married
Hats> Right..:)
Shield> I do speak from the lense of watching my parents
Hats> We want your input even so, Shield
Shield> they recently celebrated their 45th wedding anniversary
Shield> I have picked their brains on many occasions
Hats> An Example for you.
Shield> don't get me wrong here...
Shield> they have had many many struggles
Hats> All married couples do.
gara> amen
Shield> honestly if it werent for my mom's steadfastness I do not think my family would have made it
Shield> but i digress
Shield> my point is this
Shield> they love each other
Shield> my Father loves my mother
Hats> One person usually is the one to make the most sacrifices in a marriage...therefore pulling each other closer.
Shield> my mother exemplifies loving submission that embraces the love my father demonstrates
Shield> Ephesians 5:23 For the husband is the head of the wife, as Christ also is the head of the church, He Himself being the Savior of the body.
Hats> Awww, Shield..
Shield> here we see the introduction of a metaphor
Shield> this passage from Ephesians 5:21-33 speaks of husbands and wives to be sure...
Hats> These passages are referring to Christ and the Church in relationship to the Husband and Wife, correct?
Shield> but it also uses the marriage relationship to demonstrate Christ's relationship to the church
Shield> yes
Hats> Yes
Tok> mine didn't
Shield> lets look at these passages in context again
Shield> Ephesians 5:21 Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ.
Shield> Ephesians 5:22 Wives, be subject to your own husbands, as to the Lord.
Shield> Ephesians 5:23 For the husband is the head of the wife, as Christ also is the head of the church, He Himself being the Savior of the body.
Hats> Yes, I see what you mean now, Shield.
Shield> the term head is not meant in the way too oft perpetrated by some males
Hopeful1> lol
Hats> Ahem
Shield> it signifies authority
Shield> BUT
Shield> it is not intended to signify ungodly domination
Hats> Amen
Hopeful1> amen!
Shield> I have talked to many women both online and expecially offline over the years
Shield> most would agree that they would gladly give themselves to a husband who is godly
Shield> and who loves them truly and with respect
Hats> Oh yes...indeed
Shield> because his love is based on christian character...
Shield> rather than a need to manipulate and control in order to satisfy his lust for power or whatever
Hats> But, we are about to get to what all the husbands themselves should do accordingly, also.
Shield> yes Hats
Shield> lets do that now
Hats> This is powerful
Shield> Ephesians 5:24 But as the church is subject to Christ, so also the wives ought to be to their husbands in everything.
Shield> again this is a submission that is based on the love of the Lord....
Shield> I want to add something here
Shield> It is not my intention to bash men in this session
Shield> the fact is I am a man
Shield> there are many very godly men in the world today
Shield> who do love their wives
Shield> and who are learning to be like Christ
Hats> Ep. 5:24 says so much. It really explains it. I understand a bit better now.
Shield> I am emphasizing the point because of the many excesses that have taken place
Shield> and the faulty teaching that has been communicated even by pastors in churches
Shield> my point is that we need to look at the text in its context
Shield> mutual love
Shield> mutual submission
Shield> out of reverence for Jesus Christ our Lord
Shield> Ephesians 5:25 Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself up for her,
Hats> That's why we are to study God's Word thoroughly ourselves.
Shield> lets finish with this thought....
Shield> these three verses together...then we will revisit them next week
Shield> Ephesians 5:24 But as the church is subject to Christ, so also the wives ought to be to their husbands in everything.
Shield> Ephesians 5:25 Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself up for her,
Shield> Ephesians 5:26 so that He might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word,
Shield> the church is subject to Christ
Shield> Christ loves the church
Hats> Amen
Shield> he loved the church so much he died
Hats> Correct!
Shield> he gave up his life
Shield> husbands who give themselves to their wives....
Hats> This is what is expected of a husband to do for his wife.
Shield> will have wives who will gladly give themselves to them
pebbles17> AMEN
Shield> marriage is God's idea folks
Hats> Amen
pebbles17> Amen
Hopeful1> Amen
Shield> and marriage is a beautiful union
Hats> Yes, it surely is!
Shield> I admire the relationship between my mother and father who have been married 45 years
Hats> I do as well, Shield..we were very fortunate.
Shield> not because their lives have been laced with white picket fences and story book romance
Shield> but because they have learned to take to heart this passage of Scripture
Hats> I never questioned my dad's love for my mother or vise versa.
Shield> and in so doing provided me and my siblings a wonderful heritage
Shield> amen Hats
Shield> lets pray
Shield> Lord....
Shield> marriage is your idea
Shield> and we are so grateful
Shield> thank you for giving your people such a wonderful gift
Shield> and thank you Jesus for demonstrating to us sacrificial love
Shield> truly Lord...
Shield> we submit ourselves to you tonight
Shield> with love and joy
Shield> in Jesus name amen
Shield> thanks for coming everyone:)