Chapter 6
| Ephesians: Chapters -1- -2- -3- -4- -5- -6- |
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| 6:1 Children, listen to and obey your parents inside the Lord; this indeed is right. 2 “Honor your father and mother” is the first commandment with a promise, 3 “that it might be well with you and that you will live long upon the earth” (Deuteronomy 5:16). 4 And fathers, do not provoke or exasperate your children, but bring them to maturity, and nourish them inside of the Lord’s training, instruction, and counsel. 5 Slaves, listen to and obey your earthly masters with fear and trembling, in the sincerity of your hearts as unto Christ, 6 not with eye service as men-pleasers, but as servants of Christ, doing the desire of God out from your heart. 7 Render service with good will as to the Lord and not to men, 8 knowing that each one, of whatever good he might have done, will receive back from the Lord all that was lost, whether slave or free. 9 And masters, do towards them the same things you would have done to yourself. Give up threatening, being aware that both your master and theirs is inside the heavens and partiality is not found there with Him. • 10 For the remaining time, be empowered and filled with strength inside of the Lord and inside of His mighty strength. • 11 Put on and enclothe yourself with the full armor of God in order to be able to stand against the methods and schemes of the devil [the one who accuses]. • 12 Because we are not wrestling or contesting against blood and flesh, but against the rulers and sources, against the authorities and influences, against the cosmic powers of this darkness, against the spiritual evil in the heavenly realms. • 13 Because of this, take up the complete armor of God that you might be able to withstand and to set against in the evil day, and in having done all things, to stand. • 14 Stand therefore, having girded your loins in truth, and having put on the breastplate of just innocence and justice, • 15 and having shod your feet in the firm-footing and readiness of the gospel of peace. • 16 Take up the shield of faith in all, by which you will be able to quench all the flaming arrows of the evil one. • 17 And take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the speaking of God, • 18 through prayer and supplication, pray in every season inside of Spirit and into this very thing, watching in all perseverance and supplication for all who are devoted. 19 And also pray for me, that to me might be given words in the opening of my mouth to make known the mystery of the gospel in all public boldness, 20 for which I am an ambassador in chains, that I might be bold in the gospel, as it is necessary for me to speak. 21 But that you also might know the things concerning me, what I am doing, all will be made known to you by Tychicus, beloved brother and faithful servant in the Lord, 22 whom I have sent to you for this purpose, that you might know the things concerning us and that he might encourage your hearts. 23 Peace to the brothers and sisters, and love with faith from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. 24 Grace be with all those loving our Lord, Jesus Christ, inside of the inability to decay. |
| Gospel Comments | Notes |
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| Ruling Verse 10: Putting on (enduo) the armor of God is an essential part of putting the Lord Jesus Christ upon ourselves in all that He is, through faith. The Lord Jesus says, “Not by your might or strength, but by My Spirit.” Putting on Jesus’ strength includes accepting our human weakness, that we have no real strength ourselves, but only His. Ruling Verse 4: Union with Christ elicits great accusation coming from a theology that was against us. We are victorious over the accuser of our brethren only as we stand in our own victory against all personal accusation against ourselves. Definition: Heavenly realms are as filled with evil as earthly realms. A key word Paul uses is “influences.” Heavenly evil has the power to twist word into the wrong directions in human hearing. This is how they control that system of interaction among all humans and demons called “the world.” Ruling Verse 4: Our task is to cast down the accuser of our brethren, that is, those false spirits who twist the words of the gospel in the minds of our brethren. We can do that only as we stand in the certainty of the Gospel for ourselves. Ruling Verse 7: We stand upon firm, the certainty of our Salvation. We are part of Christ, part of Victory, because we are CERTAIN in ourselves that we ARE. We live inside of Jesus; we ARE justly innocent; we walk every next step with God; we believe God in all; our minds and our every thought is the Salvation of God. Ruling Verse 4: This certainty, then, is to the removal of every false spirit from the human experience, first from the Church and then from the world, and even to the defeat of death. Speak Christ: Speaking Christ made personal as us is power, the power of the Spirit accomplishing all that God desires. Ruling Verse 9: Paul has not left the “sharing from every part.” Neither is he presenting a “partial” victory. He is going from God filling His House to our being one flesh with Jesus to total and absolute Victory – for the sake of all who are devoted. Our prayer is the stewardship we possess, our watch and care over all who belong to Jesus. |