Ephesians Explained | Grace SwaggerSample

Day 8 | Ephesians 6:1-9 | Unity, Equality, & Authority

Welcome back, my friends. Ephesians 6 today, with more on relationships. Now that we are children of the one true King, how do we get along? The challenge here is how to balance equality with authority. Can everyone be equal if one is in charge? Can you have a team captain who isn’t a glory hound?

Now remember, God’s purpose is unity. Jesus died to make us one. Grace means no one earns it so we’re equal. Yet to each one a different grace is given: a gifting, calling, or authority. But it’s still grace, so leader and follower stand equal at the cross. 

The key verse for relationships is back in 5:21:

“Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ” (Ephesians 5:21). 

Both sides of every relationship submit. Give in. Sacrifice. Put others first. Jesus submitted, so do we. Submission is the crossroads of humility, respect, and love. Not subjugation. Noble and humble submission. 

Now this isn’t a handbook on relationships, but it provides an essential guideline: in every relationship, fulfill your role and put them first. Use your authority for their sake.

First up today, children and parents. At verse 1:

“Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right” (Ephesians 6:1).

Children here refers to those under their parents’ roof. Kids, listen to Mom and Dad. Honor and obey. Notice the phrase, in the Lord. Your walk with God affects everything, especially your home life. 

Jesus obeyed His parents, so follow His example. Think about that. The universe was created through Him and for Him, yet He submitted to human parents who were not perfect. 

And verse 2 quotes the Ten Commandments:

“Honor your father and mother...” (Ephesians 6:2).

Obedience is about the action taken, honor is about the attitude. It’s the respect you show while you obey. For adults, you no longer obey parents, but you still honor. And the commandment comes with a promise:

“...so that it may go well with you and that you may enjoy long life on the earth” (Ephesians 6:3).

Life goes better when kids obey and honor. As kids, we didn’t get that. As parents, can you imagine what home would be like if kids did what you asked them to? Unity. Harmony. Peace. God’s plan is good. 

Now this is not a one way street. Good parents also submit and sacrifice. So verse 4:

“Fathers, do not exasperate your children...” (Ephesians 6:4).

Don’t drive them crazy with inconsistent rules or unspoken expectations. You’re in charge, don’t abuse it. You parent for their sake. Sacrifice. Instead of frustrating them...

“...bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord” (Ephesians 6:4).

Bring them up means raise to maturity. The goal is a mature adult. Move towards it. Nothing exasperates more than treating a youth like a child. The teen years are the beginning of adulthood, not the end of childhood. Raise your kids to be mature. Trust them with responsibilities that matter. 

“...bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord” (Ephesians 6:4).

Training means practice - preparation with real opportunity to live, to get in the game. And instruction is words: wisdom, encouragement, teaching, correcting. Use the Bible (and maybe your favorite Bible app).

Then in verse 5, we move to the workplace: slaves and masters. Now to be clear, this is not an endorsement of slavery. The word here can mean slave or just servant. And when Paul wrote, that was half the population. It wasn’t right, but it was reality. Jesus doesn’t always change the injustice of our situation, but He does teach us how to live right in a world gone wrong. For us, apply this at work. Verse 5:

“Slaves, obey your earthly masters with respect and fear, and with sincerity of heart, just as you would obey Christ” (Ephesians 6:5).

Respect your boss and mean it sincerely. Why? Because Jesus is your real boss. 

“Obey them not only to win their favor when their eye is on you, but as slaves of Christ, doing the will of God from your heart” (Ephesians 6:6).

I like that. Do God’s will from the heart. If you play an instrument or a sport, you know the difference between playing by the manual and playing from the heart. Apply that to work. Put God’s will on your heart and let that drive you. Verse 7:

“Serve wholeheartedly, as if you were serving the Lord, not people, because you know that the Lord will reward each one for whatever good they do, whether they are slave or free” (Ephesians 6:7-8). 

Think about it. Your job, your school, your work - it can feel like it doesn’t matter. But the way you live it matters because character matters. And because your Father is watching and He will reward you for how you work at any job. 

And that goes for masters too. Check out verse 9:

“And masters, treat your slaves in the same way” (Ephesians 6:9). 

Bosses, respect your employees with the same respect. Work for their sake. You may be in charge, but you still submit your needs to put them first. Back in verse 9:

“Do not threaten them, since you know that he who is both their Master and yours is in heaven, and there is no favoritism with him” (Ephesians 6:9).

Notice Paul recognizes different places of authority, but insists that we all stand equal before God. So bosses - show the same respect.

As for you, read Ephesians 6 and consider your call to submit. It’s all part of walking worthy of the grace and calling that God gave us. Walk in unity, walk in humility, walk in love. Put others first and put on that grace swagger.

Join us next time as we continue the journey one chapter at a time. And remember, faith comes by hearing, and hearing through the Word.