Jesus First: A Study on EphesiansSample

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In Ephesians 5:15-33, we are ultimately challenged to walk in wisdom and love by our submission to one another. Paul is challenging us to walk in this way because our time on earth is fleeting. Therefore, we must make the most of every opportunity to glorify God. Before Paul explains what submission looks like within our relationships, he reminds us that our submission is to be done unto one another with the fear of Christ. Christ is to be our motivation in all things.

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Paul reveals to us that our relationships should signify mutual submission. One of the examples he used is that husbands are to sacrifice and love their wives in the same way that Christ has loved the church, and wives are called to support, respect, and, yes, even submit to the leadership of their husbands. Truly, when we operate in God’s wisdom and love, we will experience God’s transformative work even in the most difficult relationships.

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Often, when we hear the word “submit,” it feels like we are denying ourselves true freedom. However, Christ shows us that his submission to death on the cross is what bought us our freedom. Therefore, our submission is one of the most significant ways we can operate in the freedom God has given us. How does this passage impact how you walk in love and wisdom in your relationships today?