Focus on the Father
Part 9
Now, chapter 5 verse 21 is what I would call the key to this section
concerning Christian family structure. This section carries over into chapter 6
verse 9. It is verse 21 that speaks forth the Fathers Heart. [Eph. 5 21 says,
submit to one another out of reverence for Christ].
My personal belief is that this section beginning in verse 22 is one of
many scriptures that get used out of its context. The easy target is the word
“submit”. When our fleshly bodies and our mental psyche see that word,
immediately we think we are the one who must be submitted to, and rarely do we
have the right attitude about submission.
The subject in this section is the submission in the husband and wife
relationship. Possibly the phrase “sacrificial service within marriage,” as
paralleled by Christ relationship to the Church would be a more apt description
of verses 22 thru 33.
Just a passing thought here. We who are married are still trying to
understand the balance in the marriage relationship. Whether a marriage is of
one year or sixty years, there are still times of tension to be dealt with.
The apostle helps us by quoting Genesis 2:24, letting us know “this is
a great mystery.” Is the mystery in “a man shall leave father and mother and be
joined to is wife, and become one flesh?” From our human view the statement,
“becoming one flesh” is a great mystery. And yet greater is the mystery that
the Apostle uses to parallel this relationship. More than the mystery of
creation, more than the mystery of the redemption of mankind and all that it
includes, even greater than these is the relationship between Christ and His
Church.
Look at verse 21 again. Submit [yourselves, inference here is mine] to
one another. If you wake up all out of sorts, submit yourself to the loving
mercies of Christ, if your emotions are callused and you feel ill will towards
others, submit those emotions to the One who can, and will, renew your mind. If
you struggle with the idea of accepting a Loving Heavenly Father, submit
yourself to Christ. You may be a believer and struggle every day with this
Christian life. Do not let the enemy of your soul beat you up about these
struggles, submit your self to the care of
a Heavenly Father, if for no other reason do it out of reverence for
Christ.
This section relates human relationships in family settings. Failures
will come and consequences will be borne by us. But the love of our Heavenly
Father will never leave us or forsake us. As we in the Church submit, and
“become one with” or “cleave to” Christ, the One who perfected submission, let
is learn the lesson of submission from the One who submitted perfectly to His
Father’s will.
Jim Mussetter
