Bible Study - Identity (3) - Life at Home - Ephesians 5:22-28; 6:1-3 - May 7, 2017

Bible Study – Identity (3) – Life at Home – May 7, 2017

This is lesson three (3) in our series entitled “Identity: My Life of Faith.”

Our focus scripture is Ephesians 5:22-28; 6:1-3.

CHRIST is the foundation of a strong home.

I have lived for almost 80 years and over these years witnessed many changes in our society. When I was young the married men loved it when the pastor preached on the submission of wives to husbands. However, the wives were not happy to hear such a sermon.

I grew up in a male dominated society. The man was the head of the household. In my day, when the pastor preached on the subject that women are to submit to their husbands, I do not recall hearing, “Husbands love your wife as you love JESUS.” It was generally a one way command. 

As time went on and women became more out spoken, the sermons reflected the truth of GOD’S Word. Let’s read Genesis 1:26-28:

26 Then God said, "Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness. They will rule the fish of the sea, the birds of the sky, the livestock, all the earth, and the creatures that crawl on the earth."

27 So God created man in His own image; He created him in the image of God; He created them male and female.

28 God blessed them, and God said to them, "Be fruitful, multiply, fill the earth, and subdue it. Rule the fish of the sea, the birds of the sky, and every creature that crawls on the earth."

GOD made man and then HE made woman as we read in Genesis 2.

Genesis 2:15-25: (GOD makes woman)

 15 The Lord God took the man and placed him in the Garden of Eden to work it and watch over it.

GOD gave the responsibility to work and watch over the Garden of Eden to man, Adam.

16 And the Lord God commanded the man, "You are free to eat from any tree of the garden,

17 but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for on the day you eat from it, you will certainly die."

18 Then the Lord God said, "It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper who is like him."

19 So the Lord God formed out of the ground each wild animal and each bird of the sky, and brought each to the man to see what he would call it. And whatever the man called a living creature, that was its name.

20 The man gave names to all the livestock, to the birds of the sky, and to every wild animal; but for the man no helper was found who was like him.

21 So the Lord God caused a deep sleep to come over the man, and he slept. God took one of his ribs and closed the flesh at that place.

22 Then the Lord God made the rib He had taken from the man into a woman and brought her to the man.

GOD took a body part from the man and made woman. Here it is critical. 

Notice, GOD took the body part referred to as the rib from the man. The body part was not taken from the man’s head which could be interpreted as the woman ruling over the man. The body part was not taken from the man’s foot which could be interpreted as the man stepping on the woman or making her a door mat. The body part was taken from the man’s side to indicate the unity and equality of serving together.

GOD’S intent was for man and woman to cohabitate and produce off-spring and be a part of the creative process. GOD appointed the man as the responsible party in the garden. Adam did not measure up to his responsibility. 

He was standing next to Eve when she took a bite of the forbidden fruit and he did not open his mouth except to take a bite of the forbidden fruit. In an instant their eyes were opened and they realized that they had sinned. They hid themselves from GOD. That is what sin does. Sin breaks our relationship with GOD. Sin is a barrier. Sin is a barrier that could only be restored through the shed blood of JESUS. The sacrifice of animals was only a place holder until sin was paid for, in full, by the shed blood of the perfect sacrifice, JESUS, GOD’S only Son.

23 And the man said: This one, at last, is bone of my bone, and flesh of my flesh; this one will be called woman, for she was taken from man.

In the original Hebrew, in essence, when Adam first saw Eve he exclaimed “WOW! This is what I have been waiting for!” That is the response GOD desires for us to have when we see our life’s mate.

24 This is why a man leaves his father and mother and bonds with his wife, and they become one flesh.

25 Both the man and his wife were naked, yet felt no shame.

GOD made man first and made him responsible for HIS handiwork. Then HE made woman to work along his side in partnership, harmony, unity and marriage. Marriage repurposes individuality to one in Holy unity. The two become one and reflect this unity through living and reproduction.

Let’s read Ephesians 5:22-24:

Wives and Husbands

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. He is the Savior of the body.

24 Now as the church submits to Christ, so wives should [submit] to their husbands in everything.

GOD is the GOD of order. What HE created on day one was necessary to support what HE created on day two and so on.

GOD’S intended order is for man to be the head of the household but with specific instructions. First, the man is to be in right relationship with GOD and under the authority of GOD. Man is not a tyrant but as one submissive to the authority of JESUS. When the man, in the marriage relationship, is under the authority of CHRIST, then the wife can submit to her husband because he will love her with a CHRIST-like love, agape. He will seek the best for her. By the same token, the wife must be in the right relationship with JESUS for there to be peace, unity and harmony in the marriage relationship.

That is why GOD’S Word is very clear that man and woman entering a marriage relationship must not be unequally yoked. The yoke tied two oxen together to work together. In marriage, both are to pull together; a house divided cannot stand. Being yoked with JESUS provides a common bond. I am not saying it will be easy but you will get through the issues of life together in unity.

Two threads twisted together with the third thread being CHRIST are stronger than one thread when the going gets tough.

We are living in times when there is an effort to redefine marriage and society is embracing this redefinition to be “politically correct.” Silence means consent. Are those in these unbiblical relationships to be abandoned? No! They are to be loved, ministered to and prayed for.

Christians must keep in mind that Satan offers alternate lifestyles to compromise a person’s relationship with JESUS. Adultery, homosexuality, various addictions are designed to compromise a person’s relationship with JESUS.

I and a fellow elder had an occasion to counsel a church staff member, in another city, years ago. He came out as a homosexual. We discussed the scriptures and he agreed that homosexuality was a sin. I asked him, what did that mean to him? He replied, it means that “I have to abstain and be celibate.” 

The same is true for any urge that is a sin – adultery, stealing, murder, lying, pedophilia, pornography, homosexuality, drugs, alcohol, bestiality, occult, horoscopes, fortune tellers, medians and the list goes on and on.

What fruit of the tree did GOD warn Adam not to eat? It was the fruit from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. They ate the fruit from that tree, sinned and were removed from the Garden of Eden. They lost eternal life as did all of their offspring, of which we are their offspring.

Now, we live in a world where we have the knowledge of good and evil. Not only that but, as GOD promised, we live under the sentence of eternal death. But Glory to GOD, HE sent HIS only Son, JESUS, to deliver all who will place their faith in JESUS from the consequence of sin, eternal death, to receive eternal life.

Mankind is accountable to GOD. Just as GOD warned man of the consequence of eating the fruit from the forbidden tree, HE reveals HIS expectations for our lifestyle regarding marriage as we read on ---

Let’s read Ephesians 5:25-28:

25 Husbands, love your wives, just as also Christ loved the church and gave Himself for her,

Husbands love your wife with agape love because that is the love JESUS has for us. Keep in mind “agape” love is love that demands nothing in return. But the wife also has a role. Marriage is a two-way street.

The purpose of husbands loving their wives is to ----

26 to make her holy, cleansing her in the washing of water by the word.

The phrase “washing of water by the word” to me is a beautiful statement. 

When we study GOD’S Word, the Holy Spirit washes it with living water that is provided by our relationship through faith in JESUS to reveal the truth of GOD’S Word as it applies to us, HIS children. It is to make us Holy. Thus the marriage relationship is designed to make the couple united in marriage Holy as they work together to accomplish GOD’S plan and purpose for their lives.

Studying GOD’S Word is designed to make us Holy as it washes over our lives to expose, remove the dirt of sin and restore the original relationship GOD desired to have with us when HE made Adam and Eve.

27 He did this to present the church to Himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but holy and blameless.

The church is the Spiritual body of CHRIST that we discussed in last week’s lesson. The washing of the Word prepares all who place their faith in JESUS to function within the Spiritual body of believers using the gifts of the Spirit. Marriage is a vital part of the Spiritual body and within the home we are to function as unto GOD using our Spiritual gifts to minister to each other, family members and others.

28 In the same way, husbands should love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself.

The purpose of marriage is to reproduce and multiply. A marriage based upon Spiritual unity provides the best foundation upon which a home can be established. Godly obedience is vital. But it is vital that man, as the head of the household, be under the authority of GOD and love his wife and children as JESUS loved and gave HIS life for the Spiritual body. Our next scripture relates to children.

Let’s read Ephesians 6:1-3:

Children and Parents

1 Children, obey your parents in the Lord, because this is right.

Children are to be obedient to their parents. GOD is the GOD of order. Peace and harmony in the home requires order under the authority of GOD through faith in JESUS. It is vital that the parents be under the authority of GOD through faith in JESUS. Wisdom comes from GOD and parents need all the wisdom possible in raising children.

It is vital that the home be a sanctuary where order, training, love and disciple are practiced. GOD made us with the freedom to choose and children are no different. They have the freedom to choose. In their formative years, we, as parents, are to raise our children and lead them to a saving knowledge of JESUS and teach them the truth of GOD’S Word. This is putting our relationship with JESUS into practice.

Paul continued his message to children ----

2 Honor your father and mother -which is the first commandment with a promise-

3 that it may go well with you and that you may have a long life in the land.

This refers to the Ten Commandments and specifically to Exodus 20:12:

12 Honor your father and your mother so that you may have a long life in the land that the Lord your God is giving you.

The institution of marriage is ordained by GOD. It represents the reuniting of man into one flesh as GOD first made man. The two shall become one flesh in unity with GOD. What person does not love, honor and respect their body. GOD charged man and woman to be fruitful and multiply. Even if they do not produce children they have bonded with each other in unity.  

A message to the offspring from GOD is “You would not have life if it were not for your mother and father. You owe your life to them but just as important, you owe your life and existence to GOD, therefore honor and respect them and GOD.”

It is all about covenant. GOD made a covenant with mankind to fulfill HIS plan and purpose for those to be born upon earth as recorded in Ephesians 1:4-14:

4 for He chose us in Him, before the foundation of the world, to be holy and blameless in His sight. In love

GOD’S foreknowledge does not take away our right to choose, it allows GOD to know how we will choose. Therefore, HE knows how we will choose. HE protects those who will choose to follow HIM and JESUS.

Satan desires for all of mankind to reject GOD. If GOD stopped the natural process of birth based upon HIS foreknowledge, then GOD would condemn mankind before the natural order of reproduction had an opportunity to run its course.

5 He predestined us to be adopted through Jesus Christ for Himself, according to His favor and will,

All humans are chosen by GOD but not all will choose HIM. Freewill prevails.

6 to the praise of His glorious grace that He favored us with in the Beloved.

7 In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace

8 that He lavished on us with all wisdom and understanding.

9 He made known to us the mystery of His will, according to His good pleasure that He planned in Him

10 for the administration) of the days of fulfillment-to bring everything together in the Messiah, both things in heaven and things on earth in Him.

11 In Him we were also made His inheritance, predestined according to the purpose of the One who works out everything in agreement with the decision of His will,

12 so that we who had already put our hope in the Messiah might bring praise to His glory.

13 In Him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation-in Him when you believed-were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit.

14 He is the down payment of our inheritance, for the redemption of the possession, to the praise of His glory.

Let’s read Ephesians 6:4:

4 And fathers, don't stir up anger in your children, but bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord.

Although not included in our original focus scripture, it is vital for all parents to know.

Wisdom comes from GOD and the ideal home is to be established with GOD as its head. Thus, the father and mother are under the authority of GOD through faith in JESUS. In turn, they are to manage their home as unto GOD. This means they are to nurture their children and teach them by example about GOD and JESUS. It does not mean they are not to discipline their child or children. Training comes from the parent to the child; in love, order and consistent unity.

Parents are not to provoke but to lead. Why is that difficult this day and time? Most are often too busy and relinquish training to one parent or to others. Being a parent is a tough job. It is a lifelong job.

We must pray for our families and especially for all parents. Evil surrounds us and Satan salivates over the opportunities that he has to capture our young people. But do not be discouraged for JESUS is Victorious. As we read in Proverbs 22:6:

6 Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he (or she) is old he or she will not depart from it. (ESV)

We have lived to see this promise fulfilled.

The home is under attack but keep in mind 1 John 4b:

“the One (JESUS) Who is in you is greater than the one (Satan) who is in the world.” Be a parent under the authority of GOD through faith in JESUS.

Pray for all parents, grandparents, daycare, schools, churches, coaches and the list goes on as they raise the child or children entrusted to them, in the nurture and admonition of the LORD JESUS CHRIST.

But as a parent or parents, you must first know the truth, which is CHRIST in you. Let your child or children see CHRIST being manifested in you as you live the Christian life. Lead by example. Be consistent, loving and caring. Let your no, be no and your yes, be yes. Blessings!!!