1. 1 Ephesians - Christ and the Church Lesson 12

2. 2 Ephesians - Christ and the Church Chapter Six... Verses 1-9 - The Church - God’s Submissive Servants (2) Parents and Children... The parent/child relationship is first addressed. Paul speaks directly to “children” about their obligation to submit themselves to their parents. While “in the Lord” might be especially meaningful to older children, the same expression is also important when directed toward parents of younger children.

3. 3 Ephesians - Christ and the Church Chapter Six... Verses 1-9 - The Church - God’s Submissive Servants (2) Parents and Children... It is right for parents to be in charge and for children to be in submission. This delegation of control to parents was not a new arrangement. God’s appointments have always afforded both privileges and responsibilities to their recipients.

4. 4 Ephesians - Christ and the Church Chapter Six... Verses 1-9 - The Church - God’s Submissive Servants (2) Parents and Children... Wives much more willingly submit to their husbands if they feel loved by them.

5. 5 Ephesians - Christ and the Church Chapter Six... Verses 1-9 - The Church - God’s Submissive Servants (2) Parents and Children... Fathers have two serious obligations to their children that will promote a harmonious relationship between children and their parents and will greatly enhance the prospect for a harmonious relationship between children and God:

6. 6 Ephesians - Christ and the Church Chapter Six... Verses 1-9 - The Church - God’s Submissive Servants (2) Parents and Children... Fathers must not “provoke” their children. Parents must must “bring up” their children in the “training” and “admonition” of the Lord. Of course, training “in the Lord” must be made appropriate to the age and understanding of a child.

7. 7 Ephesians - Christ and the Church Chapter Six... Verses 1-9 - The Church - God’s Submissive Servants (2) Masters and Servants... “Servants” as addressed here were slaves, not just hired servants. Slavery as an institution of first-century society posed a unique problem for slaves and masters.

8. 8 Ephesians - Christ and the Church Chapter Six... Verses 1-9 - The Church - God’s Submissive Servants (2) Masters and Servants... There is nothing in New Testament teaching that encouraged the cancellation of any personal relationships between slaves and masters, nor is there any indication that one of the goals of gospel preaching was to abolish slavery as an institution.

9. 9 Ephesians - Christ and the Church Chapter Six... Verses 1-9 - The Church - God’s Submissive Servants (2) Masters and Servants... Embedded in the gospel of Christ are principles of love and kindness that would, in time, diminish one man’s desire to control the life of another man. New “rules” were now in place to regulate how Christian masters and Christian slaves treated one another.

10. 10 Ephesians - Christ and the Church Chapter Six... Verses 1-9 - The Church - God’s Submissive Servants (2) Masters and Servants... Slaves must be obedient [submissive] to their masters: a. Not as men-pleasers b. Not giving eye-service c. With “fear and trembling,”

11. 11 Ephesians - Christ and the Church Chapter Six... Verses 1-9 - The Church - God’s Submissive Servants (2) Masters and Servants... Slaves must be obedient [submissive] to their masters: d. With a heartfelt desire to do God’s will as they submit to man’s will; e. With a wholesome attitude toward the service they perform for both God and man.

12. 12 Ephesians - Christ and the Church Chapter Six... Verses 1-9 - The Church - God’s Submissive Servants (2) Masters and Servants... Paul’s focus in this passage is on good attitudes and good service on the part of owners, slaves, or freemen who were all one in Christ. Lest slave owners and employers of freemen should fail to make changes in their own behavior, Paul particularizes what God expects of them...

13. 13 Ephesians - Christ and the Church Chapter Six... Verses 1-9 - The Church - God’s Submissive Servants (2) Masters and Servants... This section of Ephesians [5:21-6:9] provides us with a wide-reaching treatment of the principle of mutual submission that is to be practiced in the church.