God’s Saving Word: Faith
Introduction
Ephesians 5:21-33: In today’s reading, Paul describes the relationship between wives and husbands to emphasize the oneness of God’s people in union with Christ. In addressing wives and husbands, he reflects the levels of authority in households and marital hierarchy that were prevalent in Paul’s day.
Scripture Reading
Wives and Husbands
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.
Today’s Key Verse: Ephesians 5:21
Submit yourselves to one another because of your reverence for Christ.
Reflect
Today’s reading begins with a key principle with regard to relationships with others (verse 21).
How do you understand the application of this verse 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. In my relationships with others, may all I do and say reflect your love and grace and give glory and honor to you. Amen.
Tomorrow’s Reading
Ephesians 6:1-24: The apostle Paul continues his discussion of household relationships and encourages believers to clothe themselves with the spiritual armor of God.