THE GOSPEL OF
CHRIST
SPREADING THE SOUL-SAVING MESSAGE OF JESUs
(Chapters 5-6)
Introduction by narrator accompanied by a cappella singing:
THE GOSPEL OF CHRIST. Spreading the soul-saving message of Jesus. And now, Timothy Sparks and Ben Bailey.
Ben Bailey:
“Be imitators of
God, as dear children” (Eph. 5:1). I’m Ben Bailey.
Timothy Sparks:
And I’m Timothy Sparks. Welcome to our study of the Book
of Ephesians. This message is brought to you by loving, caring members of the
Ben Bailey:
The idea of imitation is like that of a father and a child. Those who are parents no doubt understand this quite clearly. As children grow up, you begin to see them imitate you in many ways. They may even put on some shirt you’ve worn, or try to imitate the things you do. Paul is telling Christians that we need to be imitators of God “as dear children.” Just as a child may look up to, admire, and long to be like his father, so we, as God’s children, need look up to, admire, and long to be like our heavenly Father. Isn’t this really what the Bible commands us to do? “But as he who is Holy has called you, be ye also Holy in all your conduct” (1 Pet. 1:15). Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 11:1, “Imitate me as much as I imitate Christ.” From 1 Peter 2:21, we learn that we are to walk in Christ’s footsteps. Thus, the idea of being “imitators of God” teaches that we must follow the examples that God and Christ have set for us.
Timothy Sparks:
We learn from 3 John about two people who served as good examples.
We learn about Gaius and Demetrius. But we also learn about a bad apple—Diotrephes.
John wrote, “Beloved, do not imitate what is evil, but what is good. He who
does good is of God, but he who does evil has not seen God” (3 Jn. 11). John
therefore makes it clear that we are to be imitators of that which is good, not
that which is evil. Thus, we should “be imitators of God, as dear children.” Paul
also says, “Walk in love, even as Christ loved you” (Eph. 5:2). To walk in love
is to live in love. Paul focuses on love in several of his epistles. He stresses
this most strongly in 1 Corinthians 13, where he tells the Christians at
Ben Bailey:
In Ephesians 5:3-7, Paul mentions some traits that are not befitting of Christians. He mentions, for example, such things as fornication, filthiness, ludeness, adultery, and coarse jesting (telling dirty jokes, we might say today). All of these ungodly types of things are “empty words,” as Paul says in Ephesians 5:6-7, “Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience. Therefore do not be partakers with them.” The Christian is to walk in the light (1 Jn. 1:7), not in the path of darkness. No matter what how alluring it may be, we have to possess the self control to resist the types of things Paul discusses in verses 3-7. We should avoid sexual temptations. We should not tell dirty jokes. When it comes to such thinks as ludeness, licentiousness,, dancing, drinking and things of that nature, Paul tells the Christian, “Don’t walk into that. Walk away from it.” So there are things we walk to, and then there are things we walk away from. The example of Joseph, in the Book of Genesis, provides us with a prime example of a young man who knew how to walk away from sin.
Timothy Sparks:
When Potiphar’s wife cast her “longing eyes” at Joseph, Joseph
had a serious problem on his hands. She was attracted to Joseph, who apparently
was a good-looking young man. She persistently tried to get him to have sexual
relations with her. She grabbed his coat, and he literally came out of it and
fled from the house. Notice the statement that Joseph made, “How can I do this
great wickedness and sin against God?” (Gen. 39:9). How can we do such a great wickedness and sin
against God? We today need to have that kind of attitude. Joseph did exactly
what Paul would later command when he said “Flee fornication” (1 Cor. 6:18). In
Ephesians 5:11, Paul gives the same kind of advice when he says, “Have no
fellowship with unfruitful works of darkness, but rather expose them.” We must
not become entangled in the unfruitful works of darkness. Instead, we should expose
what the darkness is all about.
Ben Bailey:
The way that we expose darkness is by filling our own minds with the light. In Ephesians 5:17, Paul says, “Therefore do not be ignorant, but understand what the will of the Lord is.” We cannot know which way to walk, or how to expose darkness, unless we understand what God’s will is. What’s the best antidote to sin? It’s knowledge of God’s will. We must know what God wants us to do, and then we must have the desire to do it. In Psalm 119:9-11, we read, “How can a young man cleanse his heart? By taking heed according to Gods will. Your word I have hidden in my heart, that I might not sin against you.” The best way to stay out of sin is to know what God’s will is. How do I know what’s right? How do I know what God wants me to do? Anytime we have such questions, we need to look to the Bible for answers. And we must not go down a path filled with doubts. Paul taught in Romans 14:23, “Whatever is not of faith is sin.” Paul doesn’t mince words. If it’s not “of faith”—if we can’t find support for it in the Bible, or maybe we don’t know where it’s right or not—then it’s sinful to do it. As Christians, we must arm ourselves with a knowledge of God and His will.
Timothy Sparks:
As we think about the walking that we do, it needs to the case that “our walking has to do the talking.” As we follow Christ and try to be imitators of God, we’re going to be influencing other people—either for good, or for evil. Jesus tells us,
“You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt loses its flavor, how
shall it be seasoned? It is then good for nothing but to be thrown out and
trampled underfoot by men. You are the light of the world. A city that is set
on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket,
but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the
house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works
and glorify your Father in heaven” (Mt. 5:13-16).
Paul makes it clear in Ephesians 5:15 that we are to walk very carefully. Satan is hunting us. He’s on the prowl. He’s after us, and so we have to be careful.
Ben Bailey:
One of the darkest, dirtiest paths a person could ever tread is the road to the liquor store. Paul gets right to the point. In Ephesians 5:18, he writes, “Do not be drunken with wine, in which is dissipation, but be filled with the Spirit.” There are many people who walk the road of alcoholism every day. Oddly, some people claim that moderation and social drinking are all right. We wouldn’t say something like that about other harmful things in life. It’s not “all right” to take “just one” injection of heroin. We would never say that! It’s not “all right” to smoke “just one” joint of marijuana. “Moderation” doesn’t provide us with a legitimate reason to do such things. Paul says, “Do not be drunken with wine, wherein is dissipation.” Why? Paul knew what the writer of Proverbs was trying to get across when he wrote, “Wine is a mocker, strong drink is a brawler, and whoever is led astray by it is not wise” (Prov. 20:1). Think about the things that people do when they are drunk. How many unwanted pregnancies have occurred during times like those? How many families have lost loved ones because someone got behind the wheel of an automobile while drunk? How many people have made friendships, and then broke them through drunkenness? We must realize that by walking in the light, we can avoid all the evils that the devil uses to tempt us. Think about it. What good thing could come from being drunk? Can you name just one? What good thing could come from that? Peter commands us, “Be sober, be vigilant, for your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion” (1 Pet. 5:8). When you’re not as sober as you ought to be, you give the devil a foothold. We need to be careful that we don’t do that.
Timothy Sparks:
In Ephesians 5:16, Paul tells us to “redeem the time, because the days are evil.” He is saying, “Make the most of every opportunity you have. Make the most of your time. Don’t waste it. Instead, be filled with the Spirit.” Paul then tells us how we can do this.
Ben Bailey:
One way that we can “redeem the time” is to “sing to one another in psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord” (Eph. 5:19). How can I avoid some of the evils of the day? How can I fill my spirit with the Word of God and have a spiritually enriched life? Singing is one way to do that. Additionally, singing is an important act of worship—one that we must take very seriously. Ephesians 5:19 and Colossian 3:16 both teach clearly that as we sing to each other in the worship assembly, it is a reciprocal act; there is absolutely no mention of mechanical instruments. We sing to one another. We make melody in our hearts. We teach and uplift one another. We make a joyful noise to the Lord by singing, and by making melody in our heart. There is no mention of any instruments in this context. Some people may say, “Well it says that, but is it really that big a deal? Does God really care if we bring in an instrument to ‘spice things up’ a little?” Does God “really care”? Does it really matter “that much”? What does God say about something that some people might consider “a small thing”?
Timothy Sparks:
We learn even from Old Testament principles that “there is
a way which seems right to a man, but that its end is the way of death” (Prov.
14:12). Consider the case of Uzzah. The Ark of the Covenant was being pulled on
an oxcart. The oxen stumbled, and Uzzah reached up to stabilize the
Ben Bailey:
One of the major arguments used today to justify the use
of instruments of music in worship to God goes something like this, “I know the
New Testament teaches that there shouldn’t be any mechanical instruments of
music, but they used instruments in the Old Testament, so why can’t we use instruments
today?” Let’s think about that line of argumentation for just a moment. Does
the Old Testament authorize us to do certain things today in regard to our worship of God? If it does, then I need to
go to
Timothy Sparks:
As Paul continues his teaching in Ephesians 5, he makes
the statement that we are to “submit to one another in the fear of God” (vs.
21). He then leads into a discussion about the husband-wife relationship. Just
as the church is in submission and subjection to Christ, so Paul says that the
wife should be in submission and subjection to her husband. Husbands, however,
are to “love their wives, even as Christ loved the church, and gave Himself for
her” (vs. 25). God has appointed proper roles for the husband, and proper roles
for the wife. There is a sense in which husbands and wives submit to each other.
The husband submits to the wife. The wife submits to the husband. But in
spiritual matters, the husband is the head of the woman. This does not mean
that the woman is inferior to man. Nor does it mean that the man is superior to
the woman. It simply means that God has given divinely assigned responsibilities,
and we are to abide in the role to which we’ve been appointed. From Paul’s
instructions in Ephesians 5, we learn a very valuable illustration about the
church and Christ, compared with the husband and wife.
Ben Bailey:
Just as a wife carries the name of her husband, so the
church ought to carry the name of the Savior Who died for her. He loved her. He
gave Himself for her. He “sanctified the church by the washing of water and the
word” (Eph. 5:26). And so, just as a husband’s wife carries his name, so the
church ought to carry the name of her husband, Jesus Christ. Acts
Timothy Sparks:
Yes, we are in a battle. Fortunately, God has provided armor for us. He doesn’t want us to have any weak spots. Paul says,
“Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places” (Eph. 6:10-12).
Paul is telling us that we must fully prepare, and that we must “leave no unguarded place of the soul.” We must use the shield of faith (vs. 16) to quench the fiery darts of the evil one. Paul is saying, “You take the shield, and you keep holding on to it. Don’t let go, and you will be able to repel the devil’s fiery arrows.” Paul then offers a statement that can help every faithful child of God in times of trial and temptation, and in times of battle against Satan and error. Paul says, “Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand” (Eph. 6:13). This is an important message for soldiers in the army of Christ.
Ben Bailey:
We must never give in or give up. That’s a message Paul teaches over and over again. We are able to stand because we wear an invincible armor. If we put on the armor of God, and if we hold on to that, there is no possible way the enemy can conquer us. Paul explains in Ephesians 6:14 that we must first put on the belt of truth. You can imagine what could happen if you weren’t wearing a belt, and your britches were too big. That’s the idea. Truth is what holds the Christian and his armor together, and is what helps him to stand. You may have everything else, but if you do not have the truth, your armor not going to stay together, and the enemy is going to have a chance to take advantage of you. He tells us to do such things as “put on the breastplate of righteousness” (vs. 14). If you wear righteousness as a breastplate, it will protect your most important organs (in a spiritual sense). If you’re living a righteous life, and if you die, or if something happens to you, is that necessarily a bad thing? Here’s the point. If you’re living a righteous life, you will go to Heaven. That is why we put on the helmet of salvation. That helmet is a very important part, because it protects the most vital organ, the brain. What keeps us steady and stable as Christians? When the devil is throwing all these “fiery darts” at us, and when numerous problems are constantly facing us, what is it that keeps our most vital functions as a Christian stable? It has to be the hope of salvation. If I’m not wearing the helmet of salvation, I might begin to doubt about my salvation. We can know that we are saved (1 Jn. 5:13). If you don’t know that you’ve been saved according to God’s will, then you need to be thinking about doing what the Bible says to do to be saved.
Timothy Sparks:
From Ephesians 6:17, we also learn that we are to take in hand “the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God.” We are not engaged in an earthly, temporal battle. We don’t take up arms to go into physical warfare (2 Cor. 10:3-5). The weapons of our warfare are not physical. Here we learn that our sword is God’s Word. We learn that the first-century Christians were able to overcome the devil through the blood of Jesus Christ, and the Word of God—so much so that they were even willing to die for the cause of Christ. In that battle, they were using the sword of the Spirit, God’s Word, as their weapon against Satan. But isn’t that exactly what our Lord did in Matthew 4 and Luke 4? Jesus was able to defeat Satan by saying, “It is written…,” “It is written…,” “It is written….” We, too, must use the Scriptures just as wisely today in our battle against Satan. They are what will keep us strong, and what will keep us in the truth. We also need to take note that, in verse 18 of this chapter, Paul reminds us that prayer is a very powerful part of the armor of God. Ephesians 6 provides us with a beautiful picture of what God has supplied for us, so that we can withstand the Devil and not be overcome by him.
Ben Bailey:
There is absolutely no reason for the child of God to be lost and go to Hell. If he does, it’s not because God wanted him to. God has done everything He can to help us get to Heaven. He has given us every possible tool. In our study in the Book of Ephesians, we’ve seen that God can be glorified in the church. It is in the church that reconciliation occurs. The church was in the eternal purpose of God. It is singular. It is the bride of Christ. And it is the army of the Lord. We hope that in this study, you’ve been encouraged about the New Testament church.
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Narrator accompanied by a cappella singing:
THE GOSPEL OF CHRIST is brought to you by loving, caring members of the church of Christ. The McLish Avenue church of Christ in Ardmore, Oklahoma, oversees this evangelistic effort. For a free CD or DVD of today’s broadcast, please write to:
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1. What is the main point of Ephesians 5?
2. Explain the meaning of Paul’s statement in Ephesians 5:1, “Be imitators of God, as dear children.”
3. What did Diotrophes do (3 John) that made him such a bad example for us today?
4. What is the connection between Matthew 6:14-15 and Ephesians 4:32?
5. Explain the connection between Matthew 5:33-37 and Ephesians 5:3-7.
6. What does it mean for a Christian to “walk in the light” (1 Jn. 1:7)?
7. What are the “unfruitful works of darkness” to which Paul referred in Ephesians 5:11?
8. Explain the connection between 2 Timothy 2:15 and Ephesians 5:17.
9. What did Paul mean when he said, “Whatever is not of faith is sin” (Rom. 14:23).
10. Explain the connection between Romans 14:23 and James 4:17.
11. What did Paul mean when he said, “walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise” (Eph. 5:15)?
12. What is the connection between Ephesians 5:18 and Proverbs 20:1?
13. Why did Paul urge Christians to “redeem the time” (Eph. 5:17)?
14. Do passages like Colossians 3:16 and Ephesians 5:19 provide authorization for the use of instruments of music in worship to God today?
15. What is the only “instrument” mentioned in Ephesians 5:19 that is to be used for praising God?
16. What is the connection between Numbers 4:15 and the death of Uzzah?
17. How, according to Hebrews 1:1-2, does God speak to us today?
18. If something was authorized under the Old Covenant, is it necessarily authorized in the New Covenant? Support your answer with Scripture.
19. What is “the Law of Enmity” to which Paul referred in Colossians 2:14?
20. What happened to the Law of Enmity? Support your answer with Scripture.
21. List the pieces of the Christian’s armor.
22. What is the theme of the Book of Ephesians?
THE GOSPEL OF CHRIST,