THE CHRISTIAN HOME
Ephesians chapter 5:22 to 6:9
Introduction
Without doubt, the Christian ideal for the home is the continuous and genuine happiness in every circumstance of life. This ideal is possible, having been achieved and maintained by thousands of Christian couples. It was the will of God from the beginning of Creation and the New Testament employs it as a type of the spiritual relationship between Christ and His Church.
God established the first family in the Garden of Eden, in the beginning of human history; For man not to be alone, God created woman to be his "helper", thus forming the first human home (Genesis 2:18, 20, 24).
The holiness and purity of the human family soon degenerated, with Lamech came polygamy (Genesis 4:19); then came fornication, adultery and divorce. Thus, the world lost the beauty and sanctity of the home, as we see today.
The apostolic and Christian teaching restored and ennobled the home, making it symbolic of the perfect union between Christ and His holy family, the Church.
CHAPTER 5
The Duty of the Wife – verses 22 to 24
Contrary to "modern" ideas, the Christian wife should be "submissive" to her husband, as the Church must be submissive to the Lord Jesus Christ. "To honour and obey" not as a slave, but recognizing him as responsible for the welfare and witness of the home to God. A wife who loves her husband will want to honour him and help him as much as possible even if he is not a believer.
The Husband's Duty – verses 25 to 33
It is interesting to note that the exhortation to husbands is much longer than the exhortation to the wives! ...
The husband should love his wife:
a) As Christ loved the Church (v. 25) even to die for her, so that she might be sanctified and purified, to be perfect (v. 26-27);
b) As his own body, and how carefully we treat this: exercise, food and medicine, as needed! The wife deserves consideration at least equal to that we give to our body (v. 28-30);
c) More than his parents (v. 31-32). The new husband must leave his family home, to join with his wife, thus forming a new home. Scripture does not support the modern idea of the newlyweds still living with the husband's parents.
“The mystery"- the truth revealed in the New Testament, though vaguely indicated in the Old Testament, that is, the union between Christ and the Church (see Song of Solomon 2:16, 5:9-10, 6:3, 7:10).
"Love and Respect" here is the gist of the matter.
CHAPTER 6
Responsibility of Children – verses 1 to 3
Children owe to their parents what every believer owes to the Lord - the honour shown by obedience.
"In the Lord" (v. 6) as a duty commanded by God; it was the fifth commandment in the Law and it contained a pledge for the obedient: a long life on earth (Exodus 20:12, Deuteronomy 5:16).
In this regard, there is also a commandment for parents about raising their children:
a) Negative - "do not provoke your children to wrath"; by means of favouritism or through another form of injustice; by not keeping promises or by not noticing good conduct.
b) Positive - “bring them up in the training and admonition of the Lord" in Christian teaching: honesty, cleanliness, good conduct, prayer, truth, reverence toward God. The teaching of these qualities is primarily the duty of parents and not of the Sunday School.
Responsibility of Employees – verses 5 to 8
Be it in domestic service or in a firm, the Christian employee must serve “of good will as to the Lord" (v. 7). Honesty, sincerity, good will, both in the absence and in the presence of the master (or mistress); see 1 Peter 2:18-21.
The Lord will reward the job well done.
Responsibility of Employers – verse 9
These are also servants of the Lord, to Whom they are responsible for their treatment of employees. Payment made on time. No shouting and threats; the maid must have her free time. Christian employers must give employees a good impression of what a Christian is.
The behaviour described here, of both employees and employers, is not often what you see in the world today; but it is the procedure that God wants, especially of those who call themselves Christians. Let us remember the words of the Lord Jesus about His disciples: “they are not of the world, just as I am not of the world" (John 17:14).
Richard Dawson Jones (1895 - 1987)
22 Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord.
23 For the husband is head of the wife, as also Christ is head of the church; and He is the Savior of the body.
24 Therefore, just as the church is subject to Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in everything.
25 Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her,
26 that He might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the word,
27 that He might present her to Himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy and without blemish.
28 So husbands ought to love their own wives as their own bodies; he who loves his wife loves himself.
29 For no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as the Lord does the church.
30 For we are members of His body, of His flesh and of His bones.
31 "FOR THIS REASON A MAN SHALL LEAVE HIS FATHER AND MOTHER AND BE JOINED TO HIS WIFE, AND THE TWO SHALL BECOME ONE FLESH."
32 This is a great mystery, but I speak concerning Christ and the church.
33 Nevertheless let each one of you in particular so love his own wife as himself, and let the wife see that she respects her husband.
Ephesians chapter 5 verses 22 to 33
1 Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right.
2 "HONOR YOUR FATHER AND MOTHER," which is the first commandment with promise:
3 "THAT IT MAY BE WELL WITH YOU AND YOU MAY LIVE LONG ON THE EARTH."
4 And you, fathers, do not provoke your children to wrath, but bring them up in the training and admonition of the Lord.
5 Bondservants, be obedient to those who are your masters according to the flesh, with fear and trembling, in sincerity of heart, as to Christ;
6 not with eyeservice, as men-pleasers, but as bondservants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart,
7 with goodwill doing service, as to the Lord, and not to men,
8 knowing that whatever good anyone does, he will receive the same from the Lord, whether he is a slave or free.
9 And you, masters, do the same things to them, giving up threatening, knowing that your own Master also is in heaven, and there is no partiality with Him.
Ephesians chapter 6, verses 1 to 9