God’s Guiding Word: Hope
Introduction
Ephesians 5:21—6:4: In today’s reading, Paul describes the relationship between wives and husbands and children and parents to emphasize the oneness of God’s people in union with Christ. He tells his readers that their reverence for Christ must lead them to submit willingly to each other.
Today’s Key Verse: Ephesians 5:21
Submit yourselves to one another because of your reverence for Christ.
Reading
21 Submit yourselves to one another because of your reverence for Christ.
22 Wives, submit yourselves to your husbands as to the Lord. 23 For a husband has authority over his wife just as Christ has authority over the church; and Christ is himself the Savior of the church, his body. 24 And so wives must submit themselves completely to their husbands just as the church submits itself to Christ.
25 Husbands, love your wives just as Christ loved the church and gave his life for it. 26 He did this to dedicate the church to God by his word, after making it clean by washing it in water, 27 in order to present the church to himself in all its beauty—pure and faultless, without spot or wrinkle or any other imperfection. 28 Men ought to love their wives just as they love their own bodies. A man who loves his wife loves himself. (29 None of us ever hate our own bodies. Instead, we feed them, and take care of them, just as Christ does the church; 30 for we are members of his body.) 31 As the scripture says, “For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and unite with his wife, and the two will become one.” 32 There is a deep secret truth revealed in this scripture, which I understand as applying to Christ and the church. 33 But it also applies to you: every husband must love his wife as himself, and every wife must respect her husband.
6 Children, it is your Christian duty to obey your parents, for this is the right thing to do. 2 “Respect your father and mother” is the first commandment that has a promise added: 3 “so that all may go well with you, and you may live a long time in the land.”
4 Parents, do not treat your children in such a way as to make them angry. Instead, raise them with Christian discipline and instruction.
Reflect
Today’s reading begins with a key principle about relationships with others (verse 21). Look back at Ephesians 5:18–20 (in yesterday’s reading), which are part of the same sentence in the original language. What themes do you see? What picture does this show of life together in the Spirit?
How do you understand the application of verse 21 in your relationships with others? What do you consider to be important in your relationships with people you know?
Pray
Almighty God, teach me to be obedient to your Word. May all I do and say in my relationships with others reflect your love and grace and give glory and honor to you. Amen.
Tomorrow’s Reading
Ephesians 6:10–24: Paul encourages believers to clothe themselves with God’s spiritual armor.