Continuing onto Ephesians 5: 15-20:
"See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise,
16 Redeeming the time, because the days are evil.
17 Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is.
18 And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit;
19 Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord;
20 Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ;"
Paul stresses the urgency of evil being all among us and as a result, realizing that we must not waste time doing God's work. He also draws a comparison between being filled with alcoholic beverage vs. being filled with the Holy Spirit. While being drunk (a common practice of worshiping idols in that day) would give a temporary high, being filled with the spirit gives lasting joy. What are some evidences of being filled with the spirit?
1. Praise of God as the center of your worship through psalmos (psalms), hymnos (hymns), and ode (spiritual songs)- all different variety of forms of music in the early church. It is interesting to point out that psalmos was known as a more Jewish form of music while hymnos were used extensively in the Gentile culture (Taken from Zondervan Illustrated Background Bible Commentary). The worship was to be that of the heart and is most focused on the object of our worship (Our Lord) rather than the form of worship.
2. Giving thanks always because we know that ALL THINGS work together for our good and God's glory.
The Life Application Study Bible sums it up nicely this way: " Paul did not intend to suggest that believers only discuss religious matters, but that whatever we do or say should be permeated with an attitude of joy, thankfulness to God, and encouragement of others" Amen!
Now onto the matter of that word "submit." Why are we so scared of this word? As a woman, I know I have heard more than one lady make jokes about submission to their husband or refusing to for that matter. What is the real meaning and context of this word? There are 2 contexts in these verses that is stated.
Ephesians 5: 21-22: 1 Submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God.
22 Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord.
Ok- so we're not just supposed to submit to our husbands, we are also to submit to our Christian brethren. New thought for me for sure so I wanted to explore this further.
On the matter of submitting to one another, Mounce's Expository Dictionary uncovered an interesting point: " ... Paul admonished all Christians to submit to each other first, thus transmitting the idea of mutuality. When this manner of submission takes place, then our primary responsibilities to each other as Christian brothers and sisters are highlighted before secondary ones are entertained." Going on from there, mutuality according to Merriam-Webster carries with it the idea of a reciprocal relationship meaning each side is to submit equally. Keep going with this connection with me. What does submit mean then? Life Application states, " Submission . . . does not mean becoming a door mat... [but] to subordinate our rights to others." Ok- so still sounds like a one-way street for women huh? What about the idea that "both husband and wife are called to submit. Forthe wife, this means willingly following her husband's leadership in Christ. For the husband it means putting aside his own interests in order to care for his wife." (Life application study Bible) Whoa! What just happened there? The idea of submitting to one another as brothers and sisters in Christ paints for us the correct attitude when looking at the idea of submission in marriage. Revelation moment!
Even Christ submitted to the Lord in His sacrificial death. Now I see why we are to submit to each other equally and to God first- It is Christ-like. So ladies, let's remember this, and look at the fact that, while we are asked to submit, the husband has greater responsibility:willingly sacrifice everything for us, make our well-being of primary importance, and care for us as he cares for his own body. How can we not submit to a husband that is equally submitting to his wife in the way God intended? Don't you see that submission is not just us being door mats, but is fulfilling the role God has called us to? When both the husband and wife submit to God and each other as they should, we are picturing the beautiful relationship between Christ and the church.
The last statement in this passage sums up our marriage. We are to become one flesh meaning " caring for your spouse as you care for yourself, learning to anticipate the other person's needs, and helping the other persson become all he or she can be." (Life Application Study Bible) Is is just me or does this discussion put marriage in a whole new light?
As a last note, let's remember that submission to each other includes those that God has put in our lives- pastors, teachers, family members, etc.
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