“The Just Shall Live By Faith”
New King James Version Written by: David Hicks
Romans 1:17 “ For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, "The just shall live by faith."
Galatians 3:11 “But that no one is justified by the law in the sight of God is evident, for "the just shall live by faith."
Hebrews 10:38 “Now the just shall live by faith; But if anyone draws back, My soul has no pleasure in him."
“Articles of Faith”
The Church of Christ
(A Study in Ephesians)
Lesson 22 - Submission:
You are at an intersection planning to turn right, however, the oncoming traffic has the green arrow to turn left, and therefore, you must yield! In order for traffic to flow smoothly and without incident, certain rules are required and must be obeyed.
There are likewise similar rules concerning this same order without incident within the church; it is the concept of submission (to yield).
Ephesians 5:21 “submitting to one another in the fear of God.”
We have just completed the ‘walk ins' portion of Paul's exhortation concerning the good works that God has prepared for us to walk in ( Chap. 2:10 ). However, Paul has one more thought to lend before he moves on to his final thought concerning the whole armor of God. In this final thought we learn how all things work through a designed and controlled order . The key to this order is the willingness of the child of God to submit!
Before we begin with the initial portion of the text, it is important to understand the point of the context. Is Paul talking about marriage or the church? The answer lies within the text, note:
Ephesians 5:32-33 “This is a great mystery, but I speak concerning Christ and the church . 33 Nevertheless let each one of you in particular so love his own wife as himself, and let the wife see that she respects her husband.”
Paul's primary point is submission within the body of Christ; however, it is also a lesson in submission in all aspects of the Christians life (from the most intimate relationship we know physically, in marriage, to the relationship between parents and children, and even master to servant).
Text:
Ephesians 5:22-31 “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; and He is the Savior of the body. 24 Therefore, just as the church is subject to Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in everything. 25 Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her, 26 that He might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the word, 27 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. 28 So husbands ought to love their own wives as their own bodies; he who loves his wife loves himself. 29 For no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as the Lord does the church. 30 For we are members of His body, of His flesh and of His bones. 31 "For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh."
Brevity is going to force me to discuss the text a little differently than usual. I am going to attempt to deal with the text by point.
Wives: The instruction is simple and clear, “ submit to your own husband, as to the Lord ”. Two things must catch your attention in this statement! First , they are to submit to their own husband, not theirs and others as well. We as Christians have been married to Christ (as His church, His bride); we can only have one Husband in this service.
We cannot be married to Christ and give ourselves to another name, or source of authority. Likewise, wives must submit to their own husband in name and source of authority.
Second , is that if we as Christians understand the need to submit to the Lord in order that our relationship may be blessed, how is it a wife can fail to see the parity in this command of Christ? What we see in the world today is that men refuse to submit to the will of Christ in the church (organization, worship, authority, and work – other husbands and not Christ), thus apostatizing the intimate joining of the two, and wives likewise deny the wisdom of the Lord in the same way, in their intimate relationship with their husbands.
Husbands: Hold on guys! Before we get excited, the real burden in this issue is ours. The fact is that you have the greater burden in this relationship; to be worthy of her reverence!
Christ gave Himself for her (the church), and sanctified her in this marriage relationship. She (the church) has been set apart by baptism into His body. In addition, this allows her to be holy and without blemish. Who would deny that Christ is a husband that is due our reverence, and submission?
Philippians 2:9 “Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name,”
Ephesians 1:22-23 “And He put all things under His feet, and gave Him to be head over all things to the church, 23 which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all.”
Hebrews 4:15 “For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin.”
Because Christ is deserving of our reverence, we can submit to His will, supporting Him as our Lord, and obey His commands following His example.
Hebrews 5:8-9 “though He was a Son, yet He learned obedience by the things which He suffered. 9 And having been perfected, He became the author of eternal salvation to all who obey Him,”
Colossians 3:17 “And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.”
Likewise men, we must first submit to the Lord and His will; we must then provide a Godly goal in our marriage relationship and a Godly home, and then learn the golden rule of husbandry, to love our wives as ourselves, using Christ as the pattern. What man does not respect himself? Cares for himself? Listen to himself? Etc…
There are those today who bring into question the system of authority that God has placed in the church and the home. Make no mistake ! God has always expected that man achieve the goals in this life He has established for him, through a system of authority.
1 Corinthians 11:3 “But I want you to know that the head of every man is Christ, the head of woman is man, and the head of Christ is God.”
Hebrews 13:17 “Obey those who rule over you, and be submissive, for they watch out for your souls, as those who must give account. Let them do so with joy and not with grief, for that would be unprofitable for you.”
1 Peter 5:1-4 “The elders who are among you I exhort, I who am a fellow elder and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and also a partaker of the glory that will be revealed: 2 Shepherd the flock of God which is among you, serving as overseers, not by compulsion but willingly, not for dishonest gain but eagerly; 3 nor as being lords over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock; 4 and when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that does not fade away.”
1 Thessalonians 5:12-13 “And we urge you, brethren, to recognize those who labor among you, and are over you in the Lord and admonish you, 13 and to esteem them very highly in love for their work's sake. Be at peace among yourselves.”
It is just as necessary for a Christian to please God and do His will in the home, in the conduct of his business, in his relation to the government, in his social contact with his fellowman, and especially with his or her own spouse as it is in the church.
Thus the system of authority established by God for both the home and the church are to be yielded to.
The church : Every saint must yield to the will of Christ through the word. The elders are to shepherd the flock (congregation) and we are to yield to them. The younger are to submit to the older, the older are to present themselves as examples, and finally we are to submit to one another and be clothed with humility ( Titus 2:1-10; I Peter 5:5-6 ).
The Home : Both husband and wife must yield to the will of Christ through the word. The wife is to yield to her own husband. The husband must place his home on a Godly path and work diligently to deserve the reverence of his wife, and love her as himself.
Finally, if we are truly to submit to one another in the fear of God; we will never advise, admonish, or encourage another of the body of Christ in anything that is not found within the framework of the word of God.
Next: “ Parents , Children , Servants , and Masters ”