INTRODUCTION: God, in His great wisdom, has made the home-institution the very foundation and basis of human society. The condition of both the churches and society in general will be determined, largely, by man's honoring or disregarding the order God has established for the home.

        No institution on earth is better suited to the purpose of teaching and demonstrating, in experience, the wisdom of God in establishing a hierarchy of authority in the universe. If this authority is not recognized, taught and respected in the home, it is not surprising that one searches in vain to see it respected in the school, the church and the nation. Nor can there be any true regard for the Highest Authority (God) where His ordinances governing the arrangement of lower orders are ignored.

I. GOD HAS GIVEN A BLUEPRINT FOR MAINTAINING A PROPER MARRIAGE RELATIONSHIP, (vs. 22-31).

    22 Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord. 23 For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the saviour of the body. 24 Therefore as the church is subject unto Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in everything. 25 Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; 26 That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, 27 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. 28 So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies. He that loveth his wife loveth himself. 29 For no man ever yet hated his own flesh; but nourisheth and cherisheth it, even as the Lord the church: 30 For we are members of his body, of his flesh, And of his bones. 31 For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined unto his wife, and they two shall be one flesh. 32 This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the church. 33 Nevertheless let every one of you in particular so love his wife even as himself; and the wife see that she reverence her husband.

1. WIVES MUST SUBMIT THEMSELVES TO THEIR OWN HUSBANDS, "AS UNTO THE LORD", (vs. 22-24).


1. The woman must look to her husband as her "head" - as having authority over her, (Gen. 3:16; Col. 3:18; I Cor. 11:3; Titus 2:4-5; I Pet. 3:1-6).
1. As Christ is the head of the church.
2. As Christ is also the "saviour of the body".
1) Providing.
2) Defending.


2. She must be subject to her own husband just as the church is subject to Christ.
1. In every thing!
2. This is "as unto the Lord"; in adhering to the established order, she gives reverence to Christ.
3. Refusal to honor this order is to become His enemy and adversary - whatever her profession may be, to the contrary, (Lk. 6:46; Jn. 14:21, 23-24).


2. THE RESPONSIBILITY OF HUSBANDS IS FULLY AS LOFTY: IT IS SUMMARIZED IN ONE WORD - LOVE, (vs. 25-31).


1. No other grace is so universally discussed, yet so widely misunderstood.
1. More than sentiment or emotion, love must be ROOTED IN KNOWLEDGE.
1) The husband must know the strength and weakness of his wife - both morally and spiritually.
2) He must understand her domestic background, her likes and dislikes, her hopes and fears.
2. Though not always agreeing with her conclusions, love will always RESPECT her individuality; it will be considerate.
3. Love will develop into an ACTIVE CONCERN for her welfare and name; it will CARE for her.
4. Love will joyfully ASSUME the RESPONSIBILITY of supplying her needs.
1) Blessed is the man whose wife is willing to be a homemaker!
2) The man who, through greed for material gain, sends his wife out to "earn her own keep" should not be surprised when her respect and affections are alienated by another.
3) The husband, in such a case, is surely not without blame.


2. The husband must love his wife "even as Christ also loved the church".
1. He did not stand aloof from her until she forsook her own things to actively SEEK HIS YOKE!
2. Rather, He desired her, sought her and wooed her - being willing to sacrifice the loss of all else that He might WIN her.
3. Though she was not yet what he desired her to be, He paid the FULL PRICE for her transformation into what He envisioned her as becoming: HE GAVE HIMSELF!
1) He cleansed her through the "washing of water by the word", (Jn. 13:10; 15:3; Tit. 3:5).
2) He sanctified her for Himself, (comp. 2 Cor. 11:2; Psalm 45).
3) He purposes to present her to Himself as a pure, spotless, holy and glorious church - to the eternal praise of His excellent glory, abundant grace and endless mercy.


3. The husband must love his wife AS HIS OWN BODY.
1. No man ever hated his own body; he nourishes and cherishes it, even as Christ cares for the church.
2. In loving his wife, a man is really loving himself; in God's sight they are "one flesh".
1) This is why a married man must not be tied to his father and mother.
2) Though duty-bound to love and respect them always, his chief domestic responsibility is NOW to his wife.
3) There now exists a new relationship in which they are members of one another.


4. The Christian man who abuses his wife, by neglect of those sacred responsibilities, brings reproach on the name of Christ and invites Divine wrath upon his own head!


3. SO SACRED AND HALLOWED IS THE UNION BETWEEN A MAN AND HIS WIFE that God uses it to illustrate the blessedness of THAT FELLOWSHIP EXISTING BETWEEN CHRIST AND HIS CHURCH.


1. Here is seen what tremendous importance God places on adherence to His order in the marriage relationship.
1. Corruption of the marriage institution dishonors Christ; it misrepresents Him by marring the symbol.
2. But a Christian home, in proper order, HONORS Him - while experiencing the most blessed fellowship possible in the natural realm.


2. The full mystery of Christ's relationship to His church will never be comprehended until experienced in the age to come; then only to such as are now submitting themselves under HIS ORDER!


3. How vitally important, then, that we recognize and respect that order in the marriage relationship - submitting to its requirements.

II. THERE IS A DIVINE ORDER GOVERNING THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN CHILDREN AND PARENTS, (6:1-4).

    CHILDREN, obey your parents in the Lord: for this is right. 2 Honor thy father and mother; which is the first commandment with promise; 3 That it may be well with thee, and thou mayest live long on the earth. 4 And, ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.

1. CHILDREN ARE TO OBEY THEIR PARENTS "IN THE LORD", (vs. 1).


1. This IS RIGHT - even if considered only from a natural standpoint.


2. This is well-pleasing to the Lord, (Col. 3:20).


3. Disobedience to parents is an evident mark of a decadent society, (Rom. 1:30; 2 Tim. 3:2).


2. CHILDREN SHOULD HONOR THEIR CHRISTIAN PARENTS.


1. The antiquity of this concept does not diminish its value or importance.


2. In the law of Moses it held a unique position as "the first commandment with promise", (Ex. 20:12; Deut. 6:16).


3. Honoring God's order was highly rewarding to Israel, (Deut. 4:40; 5:29, 32-33).


3. TO BE DESERVING OF THIS RESPECT, PARENTS HAVE A CORRESPONDING OBLIGATION TO THEIR CHILDREN, (vs. 3-4).


1. There must be no provocation to wrath by unreasonable demands, constant harassment, or failure to recognize their best efforts, (comp. Rom. 10:19; Deut. 32:21).


2. Parents have a responsibility both to instruct and discipline their children in the ways of the Lord.
1. "Bring up" is the same as "nourishment" in 5:29.
2. The "nurture", of verse 4, involves "training by discipline", (Lev. 26:19; Prov. 3:11; 19:18; 22:6).
3. "Admonition" indicates "word-of-mouth" teaching, (Deut. 11:18-19; Psa. 78:1-8; Prov. 2:1-5; Gen. 18:17-19; I Cor. 10:11).


3. Since they are given us as "an heritage of the Lord", we must, face the task with a sense of weighty responsibility to Him, as to them.


4. We must set an example of honor by honoring the Lord with our lives.

III. GOD EVEN COMMANDS A CERTAIN ORDER BETWEEN A MAN AND HIS HOUSEHOLD SERVANTS, (vs. 5-9; comp. Col. 3:22-25; Tim. 6:1-2; Tit. 2:9-10; I Pet. 2:18-25).

    5 Servants, be obedient to them that are your masters according to the flesh, with fear and trembling, in singleness of your heart, as unto Christ; 6 Not with eyeservice, as men-pleasers; but as the servants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart; 7 With good will doing service, as to the Lord, and not to men: 8 Knowing that whatsoever good thing any man doeth, the same shall he receive of the Lord, whether he be bond or free. 9 And, ye masters, do the same things unto them, forbearing threatening: knowing that your Master also is in heaven; neither is there respect of persons with him.

1. SERVANTS MUST RENDER OBEDIENT AND FAITHFUL SERVICE TO THEIR MASTERS ACCORDING TO THE FLESH. This service is rendered:


1. "With fear and trembling" - NOT a frightened crying before an earthly master, but with the fear of God in the heart, (I Cor. 2:3; 2 Cor. 7:15; Phil. 2:12).
1. This must not be a dread of unpleasantness.
2. Rather, it involves a diligent concern that the Lord's holy name not be brought into disrepute.


2. "In singleness of heart, as unto Christ" - performing each lowly task honestly and faithfully "for Christ's sake".


3. Not as men-pleasers, but as the servants of Christ - heartily doing God's will.
1. Not of compulsion - because forced to it.
2. Not merely to please the master (or foreman).
3. But always conscious that God has so ordered his life.
4. This carries some powerful implications for the Christian employee in an age of "organized labor"; it certainly does not justify the spirit or excesses of many modern collective bargaining units!


4. Knowing that everything done in accordance with God's will shall be rewarded, (Matt. 25:21; Rev. 11:18; 22:12).


2. THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE MASTER IS EVEN GREATER - according to his superior privilege, power and advantage, (vs. 9; Lk. 12:48b).


1. He must, with kindness and respect, seek the highest welfare of his servants (or employees).
1. Acting on the same Christian principle that he expects to govern their service.
2. This is a principle which Christian employers today must recognize as God's order.


2. He must not exert a despotic influence through threatenings of injury or deprivation, (comp. I Pet. 2:23).


3. He must constantly remember that he, with his servants, has a common Master in heaven - with whom "there is no respect of persons", (2 Cor. 5:10-11; Jas. 2:1; Matt. 25:40, 45).
1. God is not influenced by social station or position.
2. He will condemn harshness in a master as severely as unfaithfulness in a servant!
3. Such a relationship of loyalty between employer and employee today would assure industrial prosperity and peace as certainly as it assured domestic tranquility in the earlier relationship.

        CONCLUSION: The Ephesian letter of Paul is both simple and profound. In no other portion of Scripture is there to be found such fulness of doctrinal wealth and beauty. Yet, the apostle issues an appeal for the plainest practical duties based on the most sublime of all motives - LOVE.

        First, he has called the church to UNITY - to the maintenance of the Spirit's unity "in the bond of peace". This involved the relationship of the saints to each other as fellow-body-members "in Christ".

        Next, he urged upon them a WALK OF PURITY - an exhortation that: related to their lives as members of society. Church members also have a responsibility in this realm.

        Now he has dealt with life in the Christian home, where the all-encompassing word of practical duty is LOVE. And its importance must never be underestimated.

        But, before one can render acceptable submission in either of these relationships, it is imperative that he submit himself, as a guilty sinner, to Jesus Christ as his Savior and Lord! Here must be the STARTING POINT for all who would know the blessedness of a life of unhindered joy and peace - in believing.

QUESTIONS FOR REVIEW

1. Is the order of home life really of great importance?
2. Has God given any instruction as to the conduct of a Christian home?
3. Does a woman owe any responsibility to her husband? What?
4. How does Paul attempt to illustrate this submission?
5. Do men owe any particular responsibilities to their wives? What?
6. What basic principles does love really involve?
7. How much is a man to love his wife?
8. How does Paul use the marriage relationship of man and woman to illustrate a higher, spiritual relationship?
9. How are children supposed to act toward their parents?
10. What corresponding obligations do parents owe to their children?
11. What sort of arrangement has God ordained between a man and his household servants?
12. Is there any application we can make of this principle to life in the twentieth century?
13. What about the order of YOUR home life? Is YOUR role there such as pleases God? and contributes to family unity?