Ephesians Part 5

Ephesians 5:3-6:9

Theme: Walk in love and in the light of Christ, fostering the right relationships.
Session goal: To learn how to walk in the light which pleases God and the proper code on conduct in families and employment.
Target Group/ No of People: Young working adults (23-35 years old)/ 15 people

Outline: (Notes for Bible Study Facilitator are in Italics)

Introduction:

Paul carries on exhorting believers to proper conduct of life. They are to walk in love as Christ has demonstrated by his sacrificial love. They are to walk in light, which pleases God rather than imitating the works of the evildoers in darkness. The later section (Eph 5:15-6:9) deals with the relationships in families and employment where intimacy and constant care can sometimes be trying. However, we have the Holy Spirit to empower us to live in the manner pleasing to God.

1. In terms of contemporary experience, what do you think is the meaning of each kind of bad speech in Eph 5:4? Do you indulge in this kind of speech? Do you think this will affect your testimony to your colleagues in the workplace? If they need to be replaced by thanksgiving, they must be in the forms of ingratitude. So, how are these forms of bad speech show the lack of gratitude to God?

Bad speech not necessarily means only vulgar words or obscene jokes. It could also mean silly talk that may be empty and speculative, even dangerous to our understanding of salvation and God. It refers to futile talk that detracts from the issues of faith and edifying discussion. Instead of flippant speech that dishonors God, we should voice thanksgiving to God for who he is and what he has done. Choose thanksgiving rather than speech that destroy each other. It would also affect your testimony of God in your workplace as people did not see any transformation with the way we speak thus render our faith void and empty.

2. Paul exhorts the believers not be drunk on wine, but be filled with the Spirit (Eph 5:18). Contrast the lifestyle of someone who is drunk with wine. Why do we need to be filled with the Spirit? Are there any evidences of someone who is filled with the Spirit?

Persons controlled by alcohol no longer control their actions. Likewise, those filled with the Spirit do not have control over their actions, but rather relinquish their will to the Lord and be directed to fulfill His purposes. It is a repeated action of filling by the Spirit no matter where they are or what they are doing. One who walks according to the Spirit does not gratify the desires of the sinful nature (cf Gal 5:16-18). And when one is filled with the Spirit, there are four resultant characteristics: speaking to one another with psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs, singing and making music, thanking God and submitting to one another in the fear of Christ.

3. Submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ is the concluding virtue in the walk of holiness. Eph 5:22-33 is the expansion of the concept of mutual submission.

a. If you are a married woman, share with the group the benefits of submission to a husband who loves his wife.

b. Why do you think it is hard to submit to a husband that mistreats and takes you for granted? Should we still submit to our husbands in this case?

c. If you are a married man, why do you think it is easier to have submission from the wife if you love her just as Christ loves the church?

d. What do you think are the problems of trying to love your wife if she ignores your leadership?

e. Eph 5:22-33 is God’s pattern of relationships between life- partners. How would you think you could improve on loving your spouses so it would reflect the original pattern God has purposed from the beginning?

4. How has your life benefited from the obedience and honor you give your parents? As parents, have we been diligent in bringing up our children in the training and instruction of the Lord (Eph 6:4)? Have we been too selfish in wanting to realize our own ambitions into the lives of our children (Examples: exerting our desire for them to be highly paid professionals like doctors, lawyers, architects et cetera)

5. In view of Eph 6:5-9, how can you approach your work responsibilities in a godlier manner? Have we been cheating our employer off the office hours to do personal stuffs (even if it is doing your daily devotional!)? Have we used the company’s resources for our own personal gain? If you are an employer, have you been treating your employees with fairness? Or are you treating them as mere slaves whom you threaten with harshness?

Summary

Believers are to walk in love just as Christ’s love compels us to do so. This walk in love includes also the abstinence from the evil practices of unbelievers. The evil practitioners are in darkness. We are saved from darkness into his marvellous light and are called children of light! (Eph 5:8) Therefore, we need to walk right by walking in the light and do not participate in the works of evil one. The instructions given in the household code are God’s formula for spouses, children, parents, slaves, and masters to walk wisely. We need not do by our own strength, and we have to be filled with the Spirit in order to consistently carry out the exhortations in love and in all sincerity; to please the Lord and to show proper love to one another.