Lesson 10 Review: Husbands and Wives: Together at the Cross

 

Introduction

Memory Text: “Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her, that He might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the word, 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” (Ephesians 5:25-27, NKJV).

As Christians, it is necessary to submit to one another, this builds up unity. The risen Christ addresses our relationships and transforms our flawed social structures into a unified one, God’s plan for His people and the world.

What relationship is the most important and defining one for believers?

The relationship with Christ is the most important and defining one for believers.

What does Paul mean when he says wives should submit to their husbands “as to the Lord”?

Wives are to honor Christ over their husbands. From Paul’s statement, wives are asked to submit to their husbands “as is fitting to the Lord” (Colossians 3:18, NKJV). This doesn’t presume a dysfunctional home, it doesn’t allow for domestic violence.

Christ is the divine Bridegroom who?

1.       Loves the church as bride (Eph. 5:25).

2.       Gives Himself as the bride price (Eph. 5:25)

3.       Bathes His bride (Eph. 5:26)

4.       Speaks the word of promise (Eph. 5:26)

5.       Prepares and adorns the bride (Eph. 5:27)

What other element of the wedding does Paul use to portray what Christ does as Bridegroom?

Christ is the One who presents the bride to Himself.

How is Christ betrothed to the Church?

He offered Himself up for the church.

How does He further prepare for the wedding ceremony?

He further sanctifies and cleanses the bride.

What does the last element of the wedding look to?

The wedding ceremony, the last element looks to the grand wedding celebration at His return, when Christ, the Bridegroom will come to claim the Church as bride and present her to himself (Eph. 5:27).

What does Paul allude to when He talks about presenting the church to Himself?

Paul alludes to the grand parade and to the moment of presentation where the groom and the crowd process towards the home of the bride and then both couples and the crowd move back to the new home, settle for a weeklong feast, culminating in the wedding ceremony when the bride would be presented to the groom.

What is the ultimate example of love as detailed by Paul that should be followed by husbands?

Christ’s love for the church, a love that involved Christ giving Himself for up for His bride, the Church, and involves Him attending to her every need.

What other rationale does Paul add to support the love of Christian husbands?

Paul offers a truism: “No one ever hated his own flesh”, they “nourish and cherish” them (Eph. 5:29, NKJV), so Paul invites the Christian husbands to identify with their wives, to be one with their wives and that hurting them is as much as hurting themselves. Arguing also that Christ is practicing self-care in cherishing believers who are “His body” (Eph. 5:29, 30, ESV).

What is marriage intended to be?

Marriage is intended to be a “one flesh” relationship, with sexual unity mirrored in emotional and spiritual unity, and emotional and spiritual unity bringing meaning to the sexual relationship. Marriage relationship as argued by Paul is not one of subjugation but of union.

What is the marriage mystery Paul talks about in Ephesians 5:32?

Christian marriage is understood in the light of Christ's marriage with the church (Eph. 5:32) and Christ’s relationship with the church is understood in the light of Christian marriage (Eph. 5:32). Christian marriage is elevated by comparing it to the relationship between Christ and the church. In addition, by thinking of the church’s relationship to Christ through the lens of a caring, Christian marriage, believers gain better clarity of their relationship with Christ.

In Conclusion,

The understanding of the relationship of Christ with the church elevates the relationship between the Christian husband and wife and in the light of a loving, caring Christian home, we can have clarity on what Christ’s relationship with the church is. I pray that God helps us to look at His example to understand what it means to truly love in Jesus’ name.

Lesson 9 Review: Living Wisely

 

Introduction

Memory Text: “Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is” (Ephesians 5”15-17, ESV).

As Believers, we are not expected to walk as unwise, as those who do not know an ultimate day of appraisal is coming when the true value of things will become apparent (Eph. 5:5, 6). Like the bidder who walked away with a very good bargain for the extremely rare, Islamic ewer because He knew the true value of the jug, we are to understand that the value of the cares of this life cannot be measured to what we hope to get for eternity. So, we are to do “all that is good and right and true” (Eph. 5:9, ESV) to get the greater reward.

What does Paul urge the believers on?

Paul urges the believers in Ephesus to walk in love modeled after Christ’s own love for us expressed in His atoning sacrifice.

What four things does Paul affirm about Christ’s sacrifice?

1.       It is motivated by both the love of God the Father (Eph. 5:1) and of Christ Himself (Eph. 5:2);

2.       It is substitutionary, with Christ dying in our place. Christ is no passive victim but gave Himself up for us;

3.       Under the imagery of the Old Testament sanctuary service, Christ’s death is also a sacrifice, which is made to God; and

4.       The sacrifice is accepted by God since it is “a fragrant offering” (Eph. 5:2, ESV; compare Exod. 29:18, Lev. 2:9, Phil. 4:18).

What does Paul highlight that has the propensity of reversing the Christianity of young converts in Ephesus?

Sexual behavior that will negate their Christian witness, drunkenness, ribald speech, risqué entertainment, and immoral acts. Urban centers too, provided anonymity and permissiveness that fostered immoral sexual practices.

What is Paul’s exhortation to the Ephesians who are exposed to these temptations that can lead them to derail from the faith?

Paul’s desire for the Ephesians is for them to avoid the immoral behavior practiced by the Gentiles while wishing for believers to be circumspect in their behavior and so to earn good standing among outsiders. Despite the immoral environment, there were many who lived virtuous lives and served as advocates for strict morality.

What other factor does Paul exhort believers to avoid?

“empty words”; believers may be deceived by explicit language into thinking that sexual sin is not taboo.

What is the risk of being deceived by “empty words”?

‘To be so deceived, warns Paul, risks God’s end-time judgment, “the wrath of God” that “comes upon the sons of disobedience” (Eph. 5:6, ESV).’

What does the phrase “the wrath of God” mean?

The phrase “the wrath of God” is the just response of a long-suffering and righteous God against stubborn commitment to evil, not a crazed, volcanic reaction to some minor infraction. Mentions of divine wrath often occur in the context of inspired, biblical warnings about the coming of the judgment of God (e.g., Rev. 6:12-17, Rev. 16:1-16, Rev. 19:11-16).

How should we see God’s coming judgment?

We should see God’s coming judgment as an act of grace since humans are “by nature children of wrath” (Eph. 2:3, ESV), subject to those judgments.

Why does Paul exhort believers not to become “partners” or “partakers” with sinners?

The believers' desire is to do what pleases God and being “partners” or “partakers” with sinners does not help us achieve that desire. The believer is to “Walk as children of light” (Eph. 5:8) seeking to reflect the self-sacrifice of Christ (“walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave Himself up for us” Eph. 5:2, ESV) “and try to discern what is pleasing to the Lord” (Eph. 5:10, ESV).

What are the two exhortations that Paul repeatedly offers that can help us understand Ephesians 5:11-14?

(1)    Live a God-honoring lifestyle as “children of light” (Eph. 5:8; see also Eph. 5:1, 2, 3, 9-10, 11, 13, 14); and

(2)    Don’t live a sexually immoral, God-opposing lifestyle, exhibiting the “unfruitful works of darkness” (Eph. 5:11; see also Eph. 5:3-8, 12).

What are the expectations from believers?

Believers are to live before unbelievers as “light in the Lord” and “children of light” (Eph. 5:8).

Why should believers live as the “light in the Lord” and “children of light” (Eph. 5:8)?

The whole point of doing so is to be seen, to make clear that “the fruit of light is found in all that is good and right and true” (Eph. 5:9, ESV).

What strategy does Paul advocate to show forth God’s goodness?

Believers are to expose the unfruitful works of darkness by exhibiting the righteous alternative for all to see.

What are some of the benefits that the Spirit brings when We exhibit the fruits?

By exhibiting “the fruit of the Spirit” (Eph. 5:9), we may win worldlings to faith in Christ. The Spirit is like light and reveals hidden things: “But when anything is exposed by the light, it becomes visible, for anything that becomes visible is light” (Eph. 5:13, 14, ESV). When decadent living is exposed by light, worldlings may see their behavior for what it is, futureless and wrath-bound (Eph. 5:5, 6), and experience a darkness-to-light transformation.

What exactly is Paul saying in Ephesians 5:14?

Paul uses language associated with the resurrection of the dead at the end of time (compare Eph. 2:1, 5) to issue a clarion call to awaken from spiritual slumber and experience the transforming presence of Christ. This is a call for Christian believers to awaken to their role as missionaries, refractors of the light of Christ in a darkened world (compare Phil. 2:14-16, Matt. 5:16).

What does the Old Testament metaphor of “walking” mean?

Walking is used to refer to how one lives (Eph. 2:2, 10; Eph. 4:1, 17; Eph. 5:2, 8).

What does it mean when Paul says in Ephesians 5:15 to “look carefully then how you walk”?

The metaphor, “walking” is used to encourage intentional discipleship. It is more like to “Watch your step” when walking on a rough or darkened path.

What definition can we draw from what it means to live as wise people from Ephesians 5:15 and Ephesians 5:17?

To be wise it to reach beyond ourselves, to “understand what the will of the Lord is” (Eph. 5:17, ESV).

What is Paul’s counsel concerning the “time” until Christ’s second coming?

The time until Christ’s second coming is a difficult time, one that Paul portrays as a hazardous but rewarding marketplace. It is a challenging time because “the days are evil” (Eph. 5:16; compare Eph. 6:13, Gal. 1:4) and because “the course of this world” is dominated by “the prince of the power of the air” (Eph. 2:2, ESV). Believers are to be attentive in their use of the time that remains as are bargain hunters during a brief sale that offers steep discounts, believers are to be intentional about discipleship.

What is Paul’s exhortation to the Ephesians concerning piety?

Paul urges believers to turn away from the mind-numbing use of wine and instead experience together the presence and power of the Spirit. The evil things that come in the wake of drunkenness such as crude, sexually explicit speech, mindlessness, immorality, and idolatry (Eph. 5:3-14) are to be exchanged for thoughtful, Spirit-inspired worship of God.

Who is the specific object of the musical praise or worship?

Though in worship or singing, church members are in a sense “speaking to one another” (Eph. 5:19, NKJV), the specific object of the musical praise is the Lord, which, as indicated in Ephesians 5:20, identifies “the Lord Jesus Christ” (compare Col. 3:16).

What does the phrase “spiritual songs,” in Ephesians 5:19 highlight?

In the phrase “spiritual songs,” the adjective “spiritual” (Greek, pneumatikos) highlights the role of the Holy Spirit in worship since the term describes songs that are inspired by or filled with the Holy Spirit. Thus, Paul’s sketch of early Christian worship portrays all three members of the Godhead as active participants.

In Conclusion,

Living wisely entails understanding “what the will of the Lord is” (Eph. 5:17, ESV). We are to make good use of the time until the second coming of Jesus knowing that there is a greater reward than whatever we may get from this life. I pray that God strengthens us to walk circumspectly not as fools but as wise in Jesus’ name.

Lesson 8 Review: Christ-Shaped Lives and Spirit-Inspired Speech

 

Memory Text: “You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness” (Ephesians 4:22-24, NIV).

We can picture the transformation that Paul argues about through the story of Jose Antonio, with gray, straggly hair and beard that made him look older than 57 who got stylish hair and clothes that made him look transformed but unlike a mere outward transformation, Paul argues that believers experience a complete transformation. It includes being “renewed in the spirit of your minds” (Eph. 4:23, ESV), bringing into the life “true righteousness and holiness” (Eph. 4:24, ESV). This is the ultimate makeover.

What is the theme of Ephesians 4:1-16 and Ephesians 4:17-24?

‘Unity and the lifestyle that supports it’.

What are the privileges that Gentiles have despite their lifestyle?

Gentiles are redeemed by God through Christ and offered full partnership in the people of God (Eph. 2:11-22, Eph. 3:1-13).

What is Paul more concerned about concerning the Gentiles?

Paul is concerned about a pattern of behavior that they exhibit, a downward trajectory of living in the grip of sin.

What is the source of the downward spiral of sin and depravity?

The source of their darkened understanding is the calloused spirituality: “in the futility of their mind, having their understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God” (Eph. 4:17,18, NKJV). They don’t know how to live, and separated from His saving grace, they continue in a downward spiral of sin.

Why is it important that Paul says to the Ephesians “That is not the way you learned Christ”?

The Ephesians “heard Him” [Christ], and were taught “in Him” or “by Him”.

What does coming to faith center on for Paul?

For Paul, coming to faith centers on a personal connection with Christ, one so vivid and real that it may be described as “learning Christ”.

What are the processes in cloth imagery involved in adopting a Christ-centered life?

1. To “put off” or turn away from the old way of life (Eph. 4:22)
2. To experience inner renewal (Eph. 4:23) and
3. To “put on” the new, Godlike pattern of life (Eph. 4:24).

Why does Paul choose to use clothing as a metaphor to refer to a change in lifestyle?

Paul's metaphor of clothing reflects the use of clothing in the Old Testament as a symbol for both sinfulness and salvation. A person’s identity and status was signaled by his/her clothing. Having more than one set of clothes in the first century was unusual. Paul tries to pass the message that a change in life is as noticeable as exchanging one set of clothing with another would have been in the first century.

How does Paul exhort that we “speak truth”?

‘Paul’s exhortation to “speak truth” is not an invitation to confront other church members with a tactless recitation of facts. Paul alludes to Zechariah 8:16, which exhorts speaking the truth as a way of fostering peace.’

How does Paul instruct that we stop evil?

Paul imagines any negative expression not just stopped, but replaced by a statement that exhibits three criteria:

1.       “is good for building up,”

2.       “fits the occasion,” and

3.       “gives “grace to those who hear” (Eph. 4:29, ESV)

What grieves the Holy Spirit?

What grieves the Holy Spirit is our misuse of God’s gift of speech to tear down others (Eph. 4:25-27, 29, 31, 32).

When does the Holy Spirit seal believers?

The Holy Spirit begins to seal believers from the day they accepted Christ (Eph. 1:13, 14) until “the day of redemption” (Eph. 4:30).

Why does the Spirit grieve rather than leave when we disregard speech?

The Spirit intends to remain present with believers, marking them as owned and protected by God, until Christ’s return.

How does Paul underline the full divinity and the personhood of the Spirit?

Paul identifies the full divinity of the Spirit as “the Holy Spirit of God” and highlights the personhood of the Spirit by portraying the Holy Spirit as grieving. (Romans 8:16, 26, 27; 1 Cor. 2:10, 13; 1 Cor. 12:11; Gal. 5:17, 18).

What are some of the characteristics of the Holy Spirit?

The Holy Spirit is both One with and distinct from God the Father and God the Son. The Spirit has His own will and chooses accordingly. He can be grieved and blasphemed against. But He is not just like you and me.

What kind of attitude or behavior is Paul asking us to embrace in Ephesians 4:17-32?

The attitudes that drive angry speech and the rhetorical strategies that employ it are to be removed from the Christian’s arsenal. Our conversations and actions among the family of Christ should not grow out of anger but are to be motivated by kindness, tenderheartedness, and forgiveness based on the highest standard of all, the forgiveness that God has extended to us through Christ.

What does Paul present as a model for forgiving one another in Thursday’s lesson?

Paul presents “vertical forgiveness” (offered by God to us) as the model for “horizontal forgiveness” (that which we offer to each other; compare Col. 3:13; Matt. 6:12, 14, 15).

In Conclusion,

God is willing to transform us to a new person, but we must put away the old self. I pray that we reflect God’s love to others in Jesus’ name. 

Lesson 7 Review: The Unified Body of Christ

 

Introduction

Memory Text: “And He gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ” (Ephesians 4:11, 12, ESV).

The church as the body of Christ is composed of various parts with differing abilities, all of which must work together for the body to be healthy. Christ is now the Head of the body, supplying the body with “gifted” people who help unify the body, with each part, each church member contributing its abilities to the whole. Paul’s picture of a healthy, unified body helps us understand God’s goal for us to be parts of a fruitful church united in Christ.

How does Paul begin the second half of Ephesians (Ephesians 4-6)?

Paul begins the second half of Ephesians with a stirring call to unity, but in two major parts.

What are the two major parts by which Paul calls the church to unity?

‘First, in Ephesians 4:1-6 he asks believers to nurture “the unity of the Spirit” by exhibiting unity-building virtues (Eph. 4:1-3), a call he supports with a poetic list of seven “ones” (Eph. 4:4-6). Second, in Ephesians 4:7-16, Paul identifies the victorious, exalted Jesus as the source of grace in people who lead in sharing the gospel (Eph. 4:7-10) and describes how they, together with church members, contribute to the health, growth and unity of the body of Christ (Eph. 4:11-16).’

What does it mean to “Walk in a manner of worthy of the calling to which you have been called”?

Paul uses the verb walk in the figurative sense of to behave, or to live (see Eph. 2:2, 10; Eph. 4:17; Eph. 5:2, 8, 15). When Paul refers to their calling, he refers to the call to the Christian faith (Eph. 1:18; Eph. 2:4-6, 13). Therefore, it means to practice virtues that lead to unity (Eph. 4:1-3), such as humility, gentleness, and patience.

What is humility?

Humility may be understood not as a negative virtue of self-deprecation (See Col. 2:18, 23) but as a positive one of appreciating and serving others.

What is Gentleness?

Gentleness may be explained as “the quality of not being overly impressed by a sense of one’s self-importance” and also means “Courtesy, considerateness, meekness.” (See Study Guide for reference).

What is Patience?

Patience is being able to bear up with provocation or trials.

What is the central theme of Humility, Gentleness, Patience?

These qualities gather around the theme of turning away from self-importance and, instead focusing on the value of others.

What is Paul communicating through the seven “ones” in Ephesians 4:4-6?

There is one body (referring to the church as the body of Christ, Eph. 4:12, 16; Eph. 1:23; Eph. 5:23, 29, 30) and “one Spirit” (Eph. 4:4). The third one is the “one hope of your calling” (Eph. 4:4; compare Eph. 4:1). Next, “one Lord” (a reference to Christ), “one faith” (meaning the content of what Christians believe, Eph. 4:13; Col. 1:23; Col. 2:7; Gal. 1:23; 1 Tim. 4:1, 6), and “one baptism” (compare Eph. 5:26) before concluding with an extended description of God as “one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all, and in all” (Eph. 4:6, ESV).

What is Paul communicating through this poetic description of God the Father?

By virtue of His being “Father of all,” God is the Creator. The rest refers to how God relates to “all things,” to everything that He made. It proclaims the transcendence (“who is over all”), active rule (“who is…through all”) and immanence (“who is … in all”) of God.

What are the two ideas about the unity of the church (Eph. 4:1-6)?

First, unity is a spiritual fact, rooted in these seven “ones,” a reality to be celebrated (Eph. 4:4-6). Second, this unity requires our zeal to nurture and grow it (Eph. 4:3).

In what should we rejoice concerning the unity of the Church?

Whatever our failings in trying to actualize unity, we should rejoice in the work of God-in-Christ in unifying the church, rejoicing in the theological reality of the “unity of the Spirit” (Eph. 4:3). This will empower us to return to the hard work of advancing this unity but with fresh conviction that in doing so we are accomplishing God’s own work.

What is the order of ascent and descent according to Psalm 68:18?

Christ ascension to heaven (Eph. 1:21-23) occurs first, followed by the descent in which the risen, exalted Jesus gives gifts and fills all things (Paul’s way of depicting the Pentecostal outpouring of the Holy Spirit (see Acts 2)). This view is confirmed by Ephesians 4:11, 12 which identify the gifts provided by the exalted Jesus as gifts of the Spirit.

What are the four groups of “gifted” people Paul identifies?

1. apostles;
2. prophets;
3. evangelists;
4. shepherds (ESV) and teachers (the structure of the Greek Phrase suggests these are a single group)

What is the purpose of these gifts given by Christ?

Christ gives these gifts to accomplish important work: “to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ” (Eph. 4:12, ESV) and “until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ” (Eph. 4:13, ESV).

Does the Bible validate the functioning of the gift of Prophecy in the church only during the time of the apostles or does the gift continue until the return of Christ?

By implication from Ephesians 4:13, “till we come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ;”. Therefore, the Bible validates the functioning of the gift of prophecy until the return of Christ.

Why is it important that we be careful with how we identify “shepherds” (or “pastors”), “teachers,” and “evangelists,”?

Since we think of these positions within our context and time, in Paul’s day these would all have been lay leaders who were serving the house churches of Ephesus (compare 1 Pet. 2:9, Acts 2:46, Acts 12:12). Therefore, as shepherds, teachers or evangelists, we should take it as a duty to serve and not to be served.

What three sets of images does Paul use to describe the dangers of wayward theology?

1.       The immaturity of childhood, “so that we may no longer be children” (ESV);

2.       Danger on the high seas, “tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine” (ESV); and

3.       Being swindled by clever people who, like gamblers practice sleight of hand. Paul uses the Greek word kubeia (“dice playing”) to mean “cunning” (ESV) or “trickery” (NKJV).

What does Paul believe to be an important mark of error?

Divisive teaching is evil, it depletes and divides, hence hindering the church from advancing toward true Christian maturity and playing effective roles in the body of Christ (Eph. 4:12, 13; compare Eph. 4:15, 16).

How do we preserve the unity of the church?

By fostering it actively. One way we foster unity is by being active “parts” of the body of Christ (Eph. 4:7-16) and contributing to the health and growth of the body. We should also benefit from the work of the apostles, evangelists, and pastor-teachers (Eph. 4:11).

In Conclusion,

Despite our diversities, God’s desire for His church is to be united in Him. I pray that God helps us to see the work of God-in-Christ in unifying the church, so we can have fresh conviction that we are doing God’s work when we unify the church, Christ’s body, in Jesus’ name.