[Biblemat] S:> Ephesians 5:22-33: Christ and the Church

[Ethan R. Longhenry]

http://www.deusvitae.com/faith/outlines/index.html

            Ephesians 5:22-33: Christ and the Church

Base text: Ephesians 5:22-33

I. Introduction
   A. Normally, when we look at Ephesians 5:22-33, we apply it to 
      the marriage relationship
      1. This is well and good and natural
      2. Much can be gained about God's plan for marriage in this 
         passage
   B. Nevertheless, Ephesians 5:32 is telling
      1. Paul says that the mystery is profound and refers to Christ 
         and the church!
      2. While Paul probably has verse 31 specifically in mind...
      3. ...much of the passage has, in reality, established the 
         nature of the relationship between Christ and the church!
   C. Let us now reconsider Ephesians 5:22-33 in light of this 
      revelation
   D. To begin, a review of immediate context: Ephesians 5:17-21
      1. One is not to be foolish, but understand the will of the 
         Lord (v. 17)
      2. One is not to get drunk in wine, but be filled with the 
         Spirit (v. 18)
      3. The verse we see constantly about the need to sing 
         (v. 19)
      4. One is to give thanks to God for all things (v. 20)
      5. The need to submit to one another in Christ (v. 21)
   E. Ephesians 5:21 especially seems to preface the discussion to 
      follow
      1. From this verse seems to come the discussion first of 
         husbands/wives and Christ/church (vv. 22-33) then parents 
         and children (6:1-4), and servants and masters (vv. 5-9)
      2. Indicates that we, within the church, should submit to one
         another, not necessarily based on authority but on the need 
         to serve and help one another (1 Corinthians 10:24, 
         Romans 15:1-3, Philippians 2:1-4, Galatians 6:1-2, 
         1 Peter 4:10)
      3. Likewise, it shows that while we serve Christ 
         (Romans 12:11), Christ has also served the church 
         (cf. John 13:1-7, 1 Timothy 2:15)!

II. Church and Submission: Ephesians 5:23-24
   A. As the wife is to submit to her husband, so the church is to 
      submit to Christ
      1. He is the Savior and the Head, the church His Body
      2. The church is matter-of-factly stated to submit to Him!
   B. Here we have an easy identification of Christ's church!
      1. Does a church submit to Christ?  
      2. If so, it is His church; if not, it is not known to Him!
      3. There is no question within the text
   C. Consider the comparison with a wife
      1. Do we think a wife submissive if she constantly goes 
         against what her husband says?
      2. Likewise, is she submissive if she does not live up to or 
         departs from what her husband requires of her?
      3. Do we expect to see a submissive wife constantly 
         challenging everything her husband says and to have a sour 
         attitude about him?
      4. If this is true of a wife, is it any less true of a church?
      5. If a church despises Christ's authority, not living up to 
         His requirement or departing from it, challenging what He 
         establishes, is such a submissive church?
      6. If it is not submissive, is it His church?

 III. Church and Holiness: Ephesians 5:25-27
   A. As husbands are to love their wives, so Christ loved the church 
      and gave Himself for her
   B. Notice, though, the purpose here given: the sanctification of 
      the church!
      1. We are not saved, then, to help our self-esteem or other 
         self-help matters as much as toward sanctification
      2. Our holiness and purity is the purpose of Christ's work on 
         our behalf, and the basis of our salvation
      3. "Washing of water" has some reference to baptism, the Word 
         the instrument leading to conversion
   C. Presenting the Church as Holy and Spotless
      1. All of this is so that Christ can present church as holy 
         and spotless
      2. Evokes marriage: bride presented to husband as pure and 
         chaste, highly important in the ancient (and should be in 
         the modern) world
      3. Any "stain" will simply not be part of the church presented 
         to Christ!
      4. We can be assured, then, that any that are really in sin 
         will be cast out (Hebrews 10:26-31)
      5. Underlies the need for church discipline-- help people to 
         see that they need to be without stain and blemish to be 
         part of His church (cf. 1 Corinthians 5)

IV. Church and Care: Ephesians 5:28-30
   A. As husbands are to love their wives as their own bodies, so we 
      see that Christ loves the church as His own Body, for it is 
      His Body (cf. 1 Corinthians 12)
   B. Again, an easy identifier for Christ's church
      1. Is the head of the church-- the source of all understanding, 
         the one to whom the church seeks counsel and guidance, the 
         one to whom each individual memberlooks-- Christ, or some 
         other individual or group?
      2. If it looks to Christ, and follows Him according to His 
         will, then He is its Head
      3. If it looks to a person, a creed, or an organization, then 
         it is not Christ's church!
   C. Regardless, the idea that Christ cherishes the church should 
      comfort us
      1. We should not suppose that Christ's care for the church 
         ended on the cross!
      2. If the church is indeed His Body, then we can trust that 
         He cares for it and nourishes it, for no one ever hated 
         his own flesh!
      3. Christ will see to it that His church grows, spiritually 
         and numerically, and that He will keep His own!

V. The Grand Mystery: Ephesians 5:31-32
   A. In Ephesians 5:31, Paul quotes Genesis 2:24
      1. Much there to help understand the nature of marriage
      2. Fully appropriate to explain that relationship
   B. Nevertheless, in verse 32, Paul says that it is a "profound 
      mystery," referring to "Christ and the church"
      1. Paul indicates, therefore, that we can metaphorically apply 
         God's statement regarding husbands and wives to Christ and 
         the church
      2. Remember that it is a metaphor, and should not be 
         over-literalized!
   C. Christ left His Father in Heaven and came to earth, and died 
      for us that we could have life with Him (cf. John 20:17)
   D. When we become Christians, we are called upon to leave the 
      world and be willing to renounce all affiliations for Christ 
      (Romans 12:1-2, Matthew 10:34-39)
   E. Indeed, we as the church are to be "one flesh" with Christ
      1. In no way sexual!
      2. We are to be His Body, each a part of it, working at His 
         whim (cf. 1 Corinthians 12)
      3. We need to aspire to say that it is not ourselves alive, 
         but Christ in us (Galatians 2:20)
      4. Where there was once Christ and men, there should become 
         one body: Christ the Head, men His servants the body
   F. Can we say this of ourselves?

VI. Conclusion
   A. We have now considered Ephesians 5:22-33 in terms of Christ 
      and the church
   B. We have seen that the church is to be submissive to Christ
   C. The church is also to be holy and spotless before Christ
   D. Christ nourishes and cherishes His church
   E. The church is to be His body, and it should be that Christ 
      and His church should be "one flesh"
   F. Let us strive to have Christ be in us and truly be His Body!
   G. Invitation/songbook

Ethan R. Longhenry/ disciple_of_iesus at hotmail.com
Evangelist, church of Christ in Norwalk, Ohio
 (http://www.norwalkchurch.org)
Website: http://www.deusvitae.com
AIM: Deus Vitae / ICQ#: 28317056
MSN Messenger ID: deusvitae at hotmail.com
Yahoo! Messenger ID: discipuliiesus

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