What guides our actions? Are we God’s children and Christ’s bride?
Do as God does. After all, you are his dear children. Let love be your guide. Christ loved us and offered his life for us as a sacrifice that pleases God. (Ephesians 5:1-2 CEV)
What behaviors ought not to be found?
But sexual immorality and all impurity or covetousness must not even be named among you, as is proper among saints. Let there be no filthiness nor foolish talk nor crude joking, which are out of place, but instead let there be thanksgiving. (Ephesians 5:3-4 ESV)
Why?
For this ye know, that no whoremonger, nor unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, hath any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God. (Ephesians 5:5 KJV)
What should we watch out for?
Let no one deceive you with empty arguments, for God’s wrath is coming on the disobedient because of these things. (Ephesians 5:6 HCSB)
What should we do with such people?
So you shouldn’t have anything to do with them. (Ephesians 5:7 CEB)
Why?
for you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord; walk as children of light (Ephesians 5:8 NASB)
What does the light in us produce?
(for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness and truth) (Ephesians 5:9 NIV)
Should we learn what pleases the Lord? What about evil and darkness?
Carefully determine what pleases the Lord. Take no part in the worthless deeds of evil and darkness; instead, expose them. (Ephesians 5:10-11 NLT)
How bad are evil deeds?
For it is shameful even to speak of those things which are done by them in secret. (Ephesians 5:12 NKJV)
What does the light do?
But everything exposed to the light is revealed by the light. (Ephesians 5:13 CEB)
Should we wake up?
For this reason it says, “Awake, sleeper, And arise from the dead, And Christ will shine on you.” (Ephesians 5:14 NASB)
Should we be careful in a dark world?
Therefore watch carefully how you walk, not as unwise, but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil. (Ephesians 5:15-16 WEB)
What should we understand?
Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is. (Ephesians 5:17 ESV)
What is better than being inebriated?
Don't destroy yourself by getting drunk, but let the Spirit fill your life. (Ephesians 5:18 CEV)
What are two good habits with our mouths?
speak to each other with psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs; sing and make music to the Lord in your hearts (Ephesians 5:19 CEB)
What is an important prayer habit?
giving thanks always for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ (Ephesians 5:20 HCSB)
How should we relate to each other in a local church and at home?
Submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God. (Ephesians 5:21 KJV)
How can wives generally improve their marriages?
Wives, subject yourselves to your own husbands, as to the Lord. (Ephesians 5:22 NASB)
Does that mean to be a doormat or a team player? How does this relate to the church?
For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, his body, of which he is the Savior. (Ephesians 5:23 NIV)
How does a good marriage work?
Therefore, just as the church is subject to Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in everything. (Ephesians 5:24 NKJV)
What is a husband’s responsibility?
For husbands, this means love your wives, just as Christ loved the church. He gave up his life for her (Ephesians 5:25 NLT)
Why? Is a husband’s number one responsibility to his wife possibly her spiritual health?
to make her holy, cleansing her with the washing of water by the word. (Ephesians 5:26 HCSB)
What is Christ doing in the church?
That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish. (Ephesians 5:27 KJV)
What standard of love should a husband exhibit?
So husbands also ought to love their own wives as their own bodies. He who loves his own wife loves himself; for no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as Christ also does the church, because we are parts of His body. (Ephesians 5:28-30 NASB)
If God is three in one, how are husband and wife?
“For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh.” (Ephesians 5:31 NIV cp. Genesis 2:24)
What does such a marriage picture? Is the church Christ’s bride?
This is a great mystery, but I speak concerning Christ and the church. (Ephesians 5:32 NKJV)
How does Paul summarize our marital responsibilities?
So again I say, each man must love his wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband. (Ephesians 5:33 NLT)
The church is God’s children and Christ’s bride. God inspired a few simple guidelines that would go a long way to bless local churches and marriages. Do you trust that God inspired these recommendations for our good? You decide!
