Ephesians 5:21-24

Day 51

“And be subject to one another in the fear of Christ. Wives, be subject to your own husbands, as to the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife, as Christ also is the head of the church, He Himself being the Savior of the body. But as the church is subject to Christ, so also the wives ought to be to their husbands in everything.” Ephesians 5:21-24

Be Subject to One Another 
The Spirit enables us to live submissive lives. As followers and imitators of Christ, we must be humble before God and others. A life of submission puts the needs and wants of others ahead of our own. As Paul said in Philippians 2, “Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves.”

That attitude of putting others before our own interests must be demonstrated in all relationships but especially in the home.  Husbands and wives must seek the needs of the other first.  This submissive approach models the very life of Christ Himself.  He subjected Himself to the Father’s will, all the way to the point of death itself.  The death He embraced was the most humiliating death imaginable, death on a cross.  Throughout the trials and crucifixion, He simply entrusted Himself to the Father.  Simon Peter, reflecting on all of that, said that Jesus left us “an example that we should follow in His steps.” (I Peter 2:21) Jesus even took time on the night of His arrest to wash the feet of the disciples.  He told them, “For I gave you an example that you also should do as I did to you.” (John 13:15) We cannot act like a servant to someone at church, but act like a rude boss to someone in our own home while claiming to be imitators of Jesus.  If He served and humbled Himself in the most significant moment in history, we must demonstrate our humble imitation of Him in all circumstances, especially in our own home.

All About Jesus
Notice throughout this passage that Paul continually pointed the church back to Jesus, “in the fear of Christ…as to the Lord…as Christ is also the head of the church, He Himself as Savior of the body…the church is subject to Christ.” The purpose of marriage, parenting, work, church, friendship, free time, hobbies, and all other things, must ultimately be about Jesus Christ.  The Father’s purpose is the “summing up of all things in Christ.”  Therefore as followers of Christ and as children of God, His purpose must be our purpose.  We demonstrate this purpose with our Christ-imitating family life.

Suggested Prayer: Lord give me a submissive and humble attitude.  Grant me the power and humility to put others above myself.  I long to imitate the Lord Jesus in His humility. May Christ be seen in my attitude today. Amen.

Ephesians