SUBMISSIVE? WHO ME?

 ARE WE WALKING AS GOD'S SUBMISSIVE CHILDREN? 

(EPHESIANS  5

5:15 What does it mean (to me) to be walking with the Lord? It seems almost everyone when encountered and asked directly if they are the Lord’s child, all reply the same: “of course, yes - I am a Christian.”  But are you really “walking” with the Lord? Have you come to Him in humble prayer - asked Him to forgive the rebellion and sinfulness of your heart? Have you made your ‘peace’ with God? Have you genuinely trusted Him for the eternal salvation that is alone available through faith in the saving and keeping work of His dear Son, Jesus Christ? Has this led to you looking to Him for His daily blessings for your soul - the spiritual renewing of your mind? Adam & Eve once walked with the Lord - in the Garden of Eden. Enoch also walked with God! So, do you “walk” ... with the Lord? 

Every Christian is invited to enjoy this wonderful privilege of"walking with the Lord" - of enjoying fellowship with their Lord. Walking with the Lord is an opportunity for friendship and honest communication. All of this calls for our being consciously, actively, even pro-actively, committed to a life of love toward God, in Christ.  Our “walk” with our Saviour - our Lord Jesus Christ is so vitall but so few pursue this “walk” - as they could and most likely should. 

Eternal and Everlasting Life begins at the moment we call upon God for the salvation of our souls. This new life in Christ begins from the moment of our personal prayer for salvation and His blessings are ever available for those who walk in the light - the Truth!   Such a life lived in our day to day - today - lives is meant to be lived in the awareness and exciting prospect of life overshadowed by His love - it is a joyous peaceful life and is a life blessed - it is a “walk” or a daily living-with God. Such lives, lived so, could never be the same as the life lived by the average man in the world.

Look carefully then ... how you walk! Live purposefully and worthily and accurately. 

 Dr. Kenneth Wuest explains in his commentary on the book of Ephesians that the thought of this “Walk is ‘peripateo’ (Grk) and is to order one’s behaviour, to conduct one’s self. ... It is like a motorist accurately following on the correct side of the centre-line that divides the traffic.”

Such a “walk” is not just an abstract notion or passive idea to give something “a try” but it is a life lived within the revealed will of God - a life lived according to the teaching of the Holy Scriptures ... thus we see it is a life lived with purpose - with a specific purpose to Glorify God - to share the Gospel (the Good News of Salvation available to all who will believe - a salvation accomplished by the (propitiating) sacrifice of Christ for our sins on the Cross of Calvary and a salvation guaranteed by the resurrection of Christ from the dead. This salvation leads to our justification, our adoption and reconciliation to God and then is a salvation that leads to a blessed life (or “walk” with God) while we await His coming! Such lives blessed and joyous, in Christ, is maintained through the Heavenly Mediation of Christ as our Advocate.

This purposeful “walk” is a life that is different than the one you were living. Change is a necessity! The blessedness of the Father’s forgiveness, Christ’s love and the Holy Spirit’s comfort can never leave us the same as we were! Change is inevitable! The question is will we readily cooperate with these changes? Will we walk with purpose in our step or will we “just meander along” and shuffle our feet or step out smartly and pick-up the pace of life walking happily along-side our Savior?   

Will we “walk” [5:15c] ... “worthily” - will we walk as Paul stated in Ephesians 4:1 “In a manner worthy of or “equally in weight to” or equal to our “new standing” -i.e., equal to our new blessedness - our new vocation or our new calling! We are expected to be honest, modest or unpretentious about this new blessedness in Christ having an accurate estimate of ourselves - not thinking or pretending to have accomplished any of our blessedness in ourselves - in our own ability or through our “good” works! 

We are to “walk”  [5:15d] ...“accurately,” (or in other words), that is:  “not as the unwise and witless, but as wise (sensible, intelligent people).” This means that our “walk” with the Lord cannot be an after-thought, or something that is prioritised and planned to follow-on or after other matters. We are to love the Lord with our whole hearts - He is to be FIRST! First in our priorities, first in our plans - our schedules, first in our commitments, our use of our time too: - our use of our schedule for prayer, Bible study, our caring for others with needs. Then, we are to hold Christ first in our talents too: - our abilities, our creativity and our interests ;and then, of course, we are to give God the first place in our treasures too: - our family, our friends and our finances. 

5:16 Do we need to discipline our lives - as regards to our use of time? The danger is apathy, uncontrolled business, the “tyranny of the urgent,” - the seemingly overpowering demands of daily living! God will’s to be first, not second. Our wives or husbands are not to be first! Our children, their needs, their education, their sports or hobbies - none of these are to be first - not before God! We are to love Him, worship, make time to commune with Him - to pray to Him, to listen to the Truth of His Word, the Holy Scriptures. 

This matter is all quite a genuine and a most serious matter! The world distracts us, our friends and family demand our attention and pre-occupy our time, our lives are not our own, our schedules are in disarray and we use every excuse we can think of - but the Scriptures are clear: God has spoken and is speaking! We are being warned ... 

5:17 What is the will of the Lord?  So many people confuse the issue of “the will of God!” In most cases people are wanting “guidance” or some specific “direction” or even help in making a day to day decision. From the perspective of the individual this seems so very natural and even responsible. Why wouldn’t a Christian look to the Lord for the day to day choices and decisions? It seems so obvious that certain words or quotations of Jesus Teachings in the Gospels invite us to seek detailed guidance or direction for our life decisions and choices. For many, prayer is understood as primarily a call upon God for (i.) decision making, (ii.) His Sovereign care and blessings and (iii.) solutions to our daily life and work related problems.

Hebrews 13:5 “Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee. ⁶ So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me.” 

(1.) The will of God is that we live lives that nobly enjoy and represent our spiritual status and state as the adopted children of the King of Glory! Christianity today has clearly lost its composure and its graciousness or nobility and all of this at the expense of its collective character and spiritual security. Where we lose our “contentedness” we convey our unwillingness or failure to look to the Lord as our helper. We want the Lord to “resolve our problems ... for us,” rather than accept His gracious strength, objectiveness, insightfulness, truthfulness and the spirit of wisdom that can give us a responsible and enlightened nobility rather than a worldly and self-centred attitude toward life. Living one’s life to Christ’s glory and in thankfulness for God’s grace replaces the fears and covetousness of a prayer life focused on “our needs” rather than God’s will overseen by Him Who ... “never leaves ... nor forsakes.” 

Hebrews 13:7 “ Remember them which have the rule (or the guidance) over you, who have spoken unto you the Word of God: whose faith follow, considering the end of their conversation (lifestyles).  ⁸ Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever. ⁹ Be not carried about with divers and strange doctrines. For it is a good thing that the heart be established with grace; not with meats, which have not profited them that have been occupied therein.   . . .

(2. ) The will of God is founded in God’s eternal concern and care for us. We may pray for victory over every trial and temptation and ask for supernatural guidance or direction for our lives, families and businesses but the truth of the matter is that God wills or wants us to follow the faith and lifestyles of those He gives us to care for us. We have to recognise this gift - this blessing and avoid looking to every glossy Christian Magazine, every slick voiced preacher-teacher and every super-logical book on Christian living ... rather than having our “heart be established in grace!” 

But many would cry out, “How can we trust one man - one person - even one who is a ‘pastor’? My reply, is found in the sound advice of the Apostle Paul in 1 Corinthians 11:1 “Be ye followers of me, even as I also am of Christ.” This verse follows-on to chapter ten - especially verses 10:23-33 and calls us to follow our God-given leaders as long as or “as-far-as” and so-long as that they continue to follow Christ. (Philippians 4:9; 1 Timothy 5:19-20; 2 Timothy 3:10-12.)

   Hebrews 13:15 "By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name.  ¹⁶ But to do good and to communicate (give) forget not: for with such sacrifices God is well pleased. ¹⁷ Obey them that have the rule over you, and submit yourselves: for they watch for your souls, as they that must give account, that they may do it with joy, and not with grief: for that is unprofitable for you.  ¹⁸ Pray for us: for we trust we have a good conscience, in all things willing to live honestly.”

(3. ) The will of God is that e live lives of continual praise to God! Giving thanks, doing good, giving to others - all these please God...they are His will. Then too their is “obedience” - strange idea, that! Without the Christian learning and practicing obedience toward the authorised care-giver - shepherd - watchman - guide - and spiritual ‘governor’ or overseer of God’s flock - the local church .... there is little “profit” available to you! Your wife will struggle to see the love of Christ in you - and she will struggle to submit to you, your children will struggle to see the wisdom of God in you and they will struggle to submit to you, and your friends, co-workers and neighbours will struggle to see the love of Christ in you and will “keep their distance,” as well!

The fact of the matter is that today’s popular Christianity has for some time and is continuing to encouraging a most self-centred and even selfish preoccupation or focus on “prayer.”  The so-called: “TV Evangelists,” “Radio Pastors,” “Internet Ministry Teachers” definitely work at impressing you with their “insider abilities” and then openly encourage this superficial form of Christianity.  In addition, the self-proclaimed “Authors and Speakers” who are filling the shelves of our “Christian Bookstores” publish “How to” ... Christian Life Books, DVDs, and CDs ... that focus on living victorious lives that overcome every possible life crisis. Prayer is viewed as the key to victory, success, self-confidence, health, mental health and even (of course) wealth!

Much of today's collectively Christianity voice is effectively “burying” the role of the local church pastor and his teaching and caring ministry. Many, of course, complain that “their churches” or “their pastors” fail to take their responsibilities serious enough. These Christians need to either voice their concerns and bring about change in their churches and leadership or they need to realise their churches are ‘dead’ and they need to go out and find a church that cares in a Biblical manner and has a pastor that teaches faithfully the Truth of God’s Word, without apology.

All of this para-church Christianity is confusing the issue of the local church’s responsibility, and the individual’s need to submit to their leaders and other believers within the church. This preoccupation with surfing Christian websites, watching every possible “Ministry - DVD” is diluting the clear message and confusing the Christian regarding who to “listen to!”   The fact is, that to teach on this subject - or at least from this perspective or in this manner will mean that some (or in certain situations, that many) will just reject this honest view of Christianity and will just “up and leave” the church of any pastor who dares to proclaim the truth about the ‘state of Christianity’ and so many ‘Christians’ ... today!  (2 Timothy 3:1-9 and 4:1-5.)

EPHESIANS 5:18-21

 

5:18 What is God’s will for me in regards to His Spirit? To understand the will of God, as in our relationship to His Divine Spirit, one must understand God Himself, at least to the degree that He has revealed himself.

The Triunity of God is so very amazing! The Third Person of the Godhead, the Holy Spirit, is revealed to us as the eternal personage within the Godhead who accomplishes the specific act of regeneration in the believer. The Holy Spirit operates by and through the Word of God, which He authored and by which He works or accomplishes the will of God, to convict and draw the world to God, to change the believer into the image of Christ, to comfort, to guide and to encourage the child of God. 

IWe know what is right and we are to take the responsibility for our choices -- knowing for whom we have done them and knowing by what standard of Truth we have accomplished what we have done!

Ephesians 5:18 

And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit;  

“Under the influence!” The illustration of drunkenness is lost on so many. Paul is simply explaining that just as one who is drunken is no longer under self-control; so too, is the one (the genuine believer) who is under the controlling influence of the Spirit of God no longer listening to himself or herself, but rather is found busy listening to God! To be “filled with the Spirit” then, is to be controlled by or under the control of the Spirit of God. 

Now, this control has at at times been most direct! God has, down through history, chosen to work and reveal Himself directly to many - some believers and even some unbelievers! In fact, the student of the Word of God knows that God has chosen to communicate or speak in the most direct or open ways - especially when He wanted to confirm that His acts - especially in the case of those perceived changes in His manner of operating with different people or societies. God was and is careful regarding those actions (in fact) that are His. 

His ACTS must be discern-able from the actions of others - even deceivers - such as Satan and those who serve Satan’s bidding or commands. In these cases God’s acts are accompanied with the presence of prophets, wonders, miracles and the like! God can, when He so wills, be most direct!

On the other hand, God is most generally not so very direct! God’s Word teaches us that God works sovereignly in “providential” acts, or in other words in acts and actions that are not always obvious or self-evident, at least, ... not on the surface level!  

The fact that God planned to save - that He planned to bless “the saved” and planned to care for those “saved” teaches us of God’s mercy, of His Grace - all accomplished  through Christ Jesus, the Lord and by His overshadowing presence but also in believers this is accomplished through the “comforting work” of the Spirit. The comfort of the Spirit is necessary since Jesus returned to His Father and His Throne but should not be understood as something limited to empathy or sympathy but also something that speaks of enablement, competency and completeness.

If you choose, (voluntarily, but obediently), to submit yourself to the will of God and the working of God in and through your life - you are surely needing to submit to the control or to allowing the revealed will of God to be “your own will” - a work of renewal of the heart and mind. 

It is clear that when Paul wrote the Colossian Christians regarding some of the same issues of Christian living, he chose to use another (synonymous) phrase: “Let the Word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom” - this is not simply some mistaken “juxtapositioning” of two phrases but is a part of the revelation - the inspired Word of God teaching us that to be filled or controlled by the Spirit of God is equivalent to or (in fact) vitally linked-to our submission to the Word of God, the Holy Bible. The Holy Scriptures were inspired - written by the Divine direction of God, by His Spirit! If we are to do the will of God as revealed by the Spirit of God, then - we are to submit to the authority and sufficient role and revelation of God’s Word in directing our moral decisions, ethical actions and attitudes and our spiritual work and walk with God! 

5:19 What is the purpose of spiritual fellowship? Whatever else it may be and whatever else it may include, the purpose of spiritual fellowship is the blessedness and the building-up or edification of God’s people - a result that is evident through the deeper or more meaningful relationship between the believer and God.

Ephesians 5:19 

Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord;

No doubt, we all enjoy friendship, fellowship and gathering together to enjoy one another! For the Christian, though, the church is far more than this! It is important that we do not reduce the church to a “family like experience” that is modeled on the family life of the world! 

Speaking to yourselves in psalms:  When we speak or sing or worship together - when we attend (in any of these ways - and / or in many other ways) ... to one-another we are to speak (to - or sing or recite Scripture, or admonish, teach, care for) in such a way that the testimonies of David, Asaph and the other Psalmists become the true source of our conversation. 

We are to be found speaking (singing, admonishing, caring for) about the “things of the Lord.” It may be about Him: His unity, His infinity, His perfection, His omnipresence, His omnipotence, His omniscience, His  Holiness, His Truth, His Justice and Righteousness, His Love. These were the Psalms - Israel’s own recorded national songs, personal poems and collective prayers telling of eternal life, eternity, God’s nature, His character and His salvation!

Speaking to yourselves in ... hymns. Though few commentators or church historians are willing to give full assurance that they can accurately define or identify the “hymns” of the New Testament church, we can using the context of Scriptures recognise that these hymns were the truths of the New Covenant standing on the lessons of the Old Testament Scriptures available to the congregations through the Scripture - Old and New Testament. These hymns were the truths - the doctrinal teachings of Paul, Peter, James and John ... they were the songs of the “soul set free!” They were the congregations expressions, poems or songs of redemption, regeneration, justification, adoption! 

The Hymns spoke of the Triunity of God, the salvation in Christ, the new birth by the Word of God and through the agency of the indwelling Spirit of God. They spoke of the church, the body of Christ, the bride of Christ and the servants of Christ! The Hymns spoke of the truths of grace, sanctification, evangelisation, and coming glory! These were the hymns of souls redeemed, saints raptured, victory won and Christ’s own immanent return to earth to rule and reign for 1000 years of peace! These were words of faith, hope and love!

Speaking to yourselves in ... spiritual songs, Just as the Psalms pointed to God and His faithfulness; and just as the Hymns praised God for His works: His creation, His salvation and His people, both Israel and the New Testament Church; so too, the words of the “spiritual songs” were born from hearts that were”born again,” words that came from the newness of everlasting life formed by the Scriptures surging through the hearts of people “made alive,” people newly regenerated by the Spirit! 

These spiritual songs were the testimonies of those who were now indwelt by the Spirit of God. These were the testimonies and words of thanksgiving coming from lives now redeemed by the righteous blood of their Savior and Lord, Jesus Christ. These were the songs of those growing into the image of Christ, men and women growing in the grace and knowledge of Christ jesus, their own personal Savior and Lord! 

These were songs of testimony, songs encouraging one another, challenging one another to service, holy living and faithfulness! These were the songs of joy, of peace, of patient waiting for their soon returning Saviour! 

Speaking to yourselves (by) singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord. These songs were meant to build-up the body of Christ, the Bride, the local churches - their fellow believers! But these songs were also songs of the inner man - the believer ... the Psalms, Hymns and Spiritual songs were also meant for the believer to use to encourage himself or herself in their daily walk with the Lord and others!

These songs have a special tune - a special melody, if not even their own “harmony” - these are to be songs born in the New Testament (New Covenant Promises) Truth of the Holy Scriptures! These are to be songs of our inner man - our songs of faith in God and faithfulness to God. These songs speak of our love to God, our love for one another and our concern for the lost all around us! These are songs of Hope - hope in His soon coming to rapture (catch away) His Saints - the living and the dead - in Christ! These are songs of a great assembling - a great wedding - of great worship to God! These are songs of Millennial Hope, of New Heavens and a New Earth, of Heaven - in the presence of God - before His Throne, forever!~

5:20-21 What is the value of thankfulness? Of course, most everyone would ascent to the fact that “thankfulness” is a most useful virtue. To fail to be thankful is obviously a serious failing, or worse - even a sin! When we fail to be thankful we can neither enjoy God, nor allow Him to enjoy us! When we fail to be thankful we indicate that we are selfish and are not prepared to bring joy into the lives of others! Regrettably, those who are not thankful are indicating that they are not prepared to allow others to bring joy into our own lives, as well!

Ephesians 5:20

 “Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ;  ²¹ Submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God.” 

Many more are willing to attempt lives of “thankfulness” than are prepared to live lives of submission, or so it seems. The awe-filled life, the truly thankful life has more than respect, though respect is important, the life filled with the awe and wonder of God’s greatness knows the “fear of God” - knows and acts out of an awareness of just how great God must be! 

If we fail to submit ourselves one to another - in our Christian experience, whether it be among Christians within the ministry life of our church, or it be among believing family members within our family circle we are failing God! If we fail to submit to those that God has placed or positioned over or above us: governors, pastors, husbands, parents or masters (or bosses in our modern democratic and Western working experience) .... we are failing to be thankful, and we are failing to be worshipful to our God! The Lord wants us to be submissive and He calls for that submission within the church and in relationship to all who are around us in our congregational life! (Colossians 3:9-17)

Are we, (as dangerous as this sounds), failing to appreciate the “things” God has done for us in the very “name” of our Lord Jesus Christ! Are we falling short or failing to appreciate our own salvation, our Hope in Christ, itself!  If so, then, our attitude toward one another ... surely and immediately needs review!

It is important to remember that we have been betrothed (“spoken for”) as the ‘Bride of Christ’ and our preparation is not singular or only personal but is relational! We are more than a team - we are adopted into the family of God and we as brothers and sisters (“saints” - set apart ones) are being prepared for a spiritual and eternal union with Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior.

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