Ephesians    Chapter 6

Vs. 1 Children obey your parents in the Lord, because this right.

The meaning of the words “in the Lord” is not clear.

These words “in the Lord” could mean that the children should obey the parents especially in the things the parents teach them about the Lord.

These words would not mean to obey your parents only if the are believers in the Lord. Children need to learn to obey their parents—no matter if they are a believer or not.

If the parents are not believers and want the children to do things that are sins—if the child knows better—he should obey God and not his parent. God’s rules come first.

There have been shows on TV that have shown how some parents have used their children to give sex to others to make money. Or they have used their children to help steal to make money.

If a child knows better and is able to say “No, I will not do it.” That would be pleasing to God. However, knowing the nature of children it probably would not happen. Children will usually give in to the pressure of parents—even in these kind of things.

So why Paul uses “in the Lord” is not clear.

 

Vs. 2, 3 Children should honor their father and mother. This is the first of the 10 Commandments that has a promise with obeying it. That things will go good for you, and you will live long.

Exodus 20: 12 “Honor your father and your mother: so that your days may be long upon the earth….”

We do know that children die. We know that teenagers die. That does not mean that they did not obey their parents.

Children who obey their parents will please God. Children who obey their parents will learn how to obey people in authority, including obeying God. Children who obey the parents will learn to behave in a right way, and they will learn important skills. Things will go well with them because they have learned how to do right.

Wise people usually live longer than people who ignore rules and laws.

Children who do not obey their parents show a spirit of rebellion. A spirit of rebellion will bring trouble for the child.

A rebellious child will not learn to obey God. That will bring trouble for his eternal life.

A rebellious child will not be able to get along with people and will not learn in school or be able to keep a job.

A rebellious child will get in trouble with the law.

Obedience is necessary for a child to succeed in life. Obedience is necessary for a child/person to meet God’s rules for eternal life.

A rebellious disobedient child is not good for himself or anyone else.

Honor to parents is something we do all our life. Honor and obey are not the same thing. For children to “honor” parents it means obey and respect. For adults to honor parents —it does not mean “obey”–adults are to be responsible for themselves—but they should still respect their parents and give help and attention.

Obeying parents is something we do until we are 18 or 21. Obeying parents is something we do if we live in our parents’ house and eat at their table and they are paying for it—even if we are older.

When adult children are on their own, married, or not, then they have the right to make their own decisions and they are responsible for those decisions.

It is sad thing when we see wives and husbands still under the influence and control of their parents. Often mothers try to control their grown children—even married children.

This should not be. A parent should not try to control a grown child who has his own home and is living an independent life.

 

If a parents has not taught them what they need to know by the age of 18—it is too late. It is not your job to control them any more.

You can be their friend. You can advise them. If they have a job, and their own place to live and are independent—it is not your job to try and control them. They need to make their own choices and learn from their decisions. If they are married—they need to work with their mate–not their mother—to make their decisions.

Once a person is 18 or 21 they are an adult. They make their own decisions. But—they also need to be paying for those decisions.

It is not right for a grown child to be living at home at the parents’ expense and doing things that are against the way the parents think is right.

If a grown child wants to live in a way that is sinful, wasting money, lazy, disrespectful, using the parents money—–the parents need to put him out on his own. Let him pay for his own choices. Parents do not need to feel guilty.

Parents have the responsibility to raise “children”—not to keep adults. While children are growing up, the parent needs to teach them how to work, how to use money wisely, how to make good choices, etc.

When the child becomes 18 or 21—that job is done. The responsibility passes to the child. It is now the child’s job to make his own living, pay his own way, make his own choices and live with the result.

When a “child” becomes the age of an adult—it is not the parents responsibility any more.

Parents have big hearts and they want to help their children forever.

Children in their early twenties often still need help until they get a job that they can live on. It is okay to live at home. But if a child is not paying to live at home, he needs to obey the rules of the house.

It is a sad and upsetting when parents tell about adult children who continue to live at home free— but live in a way that upsets the parents.

The grown child needs to live in a way that pleases his parents because he is in their house.

Parents need to see that they are not doing their child good to let bad behavior continue. If the child lives in the home for free—then he lives by the rules of the house just like he was when he was little.

If children want to have the privileges of adults —- sex, drinking, smoking, gambling, staying out late, having babies, spending money—–they should pay for them. They should not expect their parents to pay for them. If they can not pay for their adult desires—then they are not adult enough yet to do them.

Let the children get out on their own and experience some hard things to grow up and become responsible for themselves. Let them pay the bills for their grown up desires.

Vs. 4 Fathers, do not provoke (push) your children to wrath (become deeply angry). But teach them gently in the things of the Lord.

Fathers can be very hard on their children sometimes. Mothers can be hard, too. It is okay to have rules and make the children obey the rules.

Parents need to have “balance” –not too easy, not too hard. Do not have such hard rules that the children can not go with friends, or do things that young people do. Have “balance” in rules about styles and haircuts.

Do not be so hard that the child feels deep bitterness because of the how he is treated. Choose arguments over important things—let other things go. Do not control the child to the point that the child feels like he must be a little copy of you.

The King James Version uses the word “wrath” for anger. It means very deep anger.

Children often get angry over rules. Children can get angry any time a parent says “No.”

This verse is talking about an anger a child feels that is deep anger and resentment. It is bitter and hard. Children are soft hearted. They learn to hate.

The way they learn to hate is because of things happening to them over and over. A father who is too hard on his child will grow hate and bitterness and anger in the child.

It is hard to know sometimes what decision to make. It is hard to know what “balance” to take. Parents really need the Holy Spirit to help them make good decisions.

Vs. 5 Paul is talking to servants. He tells them to obey the person who is over them. Paul uses the word “masters”. Paul could be talking to those who were slaves and owned by masters, or he could be talking about paid servants who have a boss.

Either way, they are to obey and do what they are told. They are to do it in fear and trembling (respect). They are to do it with “singleness of heart” as you would serve Christ.

They are to obey their master and do the job in the same way they would do the job for Christ. They would not do a bad, lazy, messy job for Christ—so they should not do it that way for their earthly master.

They should do it with a good heart and spirit. They should not do it with anger and hate, but as they love Christ, they should do it for their master.

This is a good verse to remember when you have to do things for someone—-either a job you hate doing—or for a person you do not like.

Think as you do the job, “I am doing this for Jesus.” I’m not doing this for them—I’m doing it for Jesus.

You will be surprised how much easier the job will be.

Vs. 6 Do not do the job just to please people, but do the job as a “servant of Christ”—doing God’s will—doing it from your heart.

This verse, too, is talking to the servants—but it can be for us.

Do a job as a “servant of Christ”—do it from your heart to Christ.

You may be working for someone else—but in your mind, do it for Christ.

Vs. 7 Have good will in your heart as you work, do it as to the Lord and not unto men.

Do the work as if you were doing it for Jesus and not for the person.

Do it with a good spirit and attitude.

Vs. 8 Know that what good things you do—the Lord will reward (pay, give credit, blessing) you. It is the same for a free man as it is for a servant or slave. God will reward the free man and the servant.

Vs. 9 Paul talks to the masters. Do the same good things to the servants.

Do not talk mean and rough to them. Do not say you will punish them and beat them if they do not do this or that. Talk to them with respect and kindness. Because, Christ your Master is in heaven watching. Christ does not see one man better or higher than another.

Christ will not look down and think better of the master because he has a higher job. Christ will not think lower of the servant because on earth he has a lower job. Christ looks at our hearts. Those who love Him and obey Him are what Christ looks at.

If the servant obeys Christ, but the master does not—Christ will show favor to the servant. It does not matter that here on earth the man has a low job.

 

Vs. 10 Be strong in Lord. His power will help you be strong.

Vs. 11, 12, 13 A Christian is like a soldier. A soldier fights against an enemy with a sword. He has a shield. He has a metal cover for his body/chest and for his feet and legs. He has a helmet for his head.

A Christian is not fighting an enemy that he can see. He is fighting an enemy of the spirit—Satan. Satan would try to tempt us to do wrong, to get discouraged and give up being a Christian.

There are evil people who may be rulers over us. There are people all around us that would try to get us to join in with them in their sin.

There are evil spirits (demons) who try to get us to do sin.

If we are trying to tell people about Jesus—like a missionary—or preacher—we need to understand that there are evil spirits that control cities and nations—-when they try to preach about Jesus—the evil spirits will not like it and will try to stop them and make trouble for them.

Evil spirits will try and stop us from telling others about Jesus.

We can not fight these spirits with weapons of this earth. A real sword will not kill an evil spirit.

We fight evil spirits with God’s Spirit–the Holy Spirit. As we pray and talk to the Holy Spirit, He works for us against the evil spirits.

Some evil spirits are very strong. Much prayer is needed. Sometimes

we need to fast (go without eating) and pray very hard to fight against such spirits.

Paul says, be careful, protect yourself—so you can stand against the tricks and temptations of Satan. Satan will try to deceive you to get you to do wrong.

We need to pray and fast to fight against these spirits so we can preach and tell others about Jesus.

As time goes on, more and more evil is in the world. We need to protect ourselves spiritually. We need to cover ourselves in prayer.

We need to cover our family in prayer.

After we have covered ourselves in prayer, then we stand steady. Do not be afraid. Do not give up.

Like a soldier who is ready to fight—he stands steady and is not afraid—he is ready—he does not turn and run—he stands in place and stays there. He does not let something else get his attention.

As Christians we cover ourselves in prayer, then we stand steady. Do not give up. Do not become discouraged. Do not let something else get your attention. Do not let the enemy tell you that you are weak and you will fail. Satan will try to get you to think about yourself. Do not be afraid. Stand steady.

 

Vs. 14 Like a soldier covers himself with metal coverings—-so Christians should cover themselves.

Soldiers cover the front of their body below their waist with metal—so Christians should cover themselves with truth.

Christians need to know the truth so they know what to believe and obey. To know what is evil, wrong, sin—you need to know the truth.

When we know what is in the Word of God—we will know when something is wrong. We will know wrong teaching.

Soldiers wear a metal covering over their chest called a breastplate.

For Christians, this is like covering ourselves with righteousness. Christ gives us righteousness when we come to Him. He takes our sin, and gives us His righteousness (holy).

 

Vs. 15 Soldiers wear coverings over the legs and feet. For Christians this is like being ready to carry to gospel of peace. As we walk around everyday, we have times when we can tell people about Jesus. We can tell them how Jesus helps us. We can tell them they can have forgiveness.

 

Vs. 16 A soldier has a shield to protect against arrows. The Christian needs to protect himself against the “arrows” of Satan. The Christian needs a shield of faith.

Faith is so important!

Satan throws arrows of doubt, discouragement, blame, finding fault, reminds of our sins, mistakes, failures.

Satan tries to get us to worry, imagine failure. He tries to get us to hold on to memories of times when people hurt us and did wrong against us.

Satan tries to get us to move ahead of God’s time. He tries to get us to “help” God —to work things out ourselves.

We need to keep the shield of faith to keep these things from being in our thoughts. Bad thoughts can take us down.

We can not have faith and fear at the same time. We must choose to have one or the other. It is a choice of what we will let our minds think.

We can not have faith and worry at the same time. We can not have faith and those other thoughts that are against faith. It is a choice of what we will allow ourselves to think.

We can be determined—strong decision–to have faith and refuse any other thought that goes against faith.

God honors faith. God answers faith. God does not answer worry, or fear, or feeling bad about ourselves.

God does not honor moving ahead of Him and doing things ourselves.

God honors faith.

The things we have faith for— needs to be something God allows. It must not go against the Bible.

It needs to be God’s will for us. Something He thinks is good for us.

He is a loving Father. He wants good things for us. But we may not get everything and all the things we want. He knows what is best.

 

Vs. 17 Soldiers have a helmet to cover their heads. Christians need to cover their heads with salvation. Our minds are covered with right things.

Ask for the “mind of Christ”—we are given the Holy Spirit to guide us and show us what pleases Christ. We can know how Christ would do in any kind of thing—ask the Holy Spirit to show you what Jesus would do.

Soldiers have a sword to fight and kill the enemy. We have the sword of the spirit which is the Word of God–the Bible. The Word of God will stand forever as truth. What God says will happen.

Jesus was tempted after He was baptized in water. Jesus walked around in the wilderness (woods) for many days. While he was there, Satan tried to get Jesus to sin. Jesus did not argue with Satan. Jesus told Satan what the scriptures (Bible) said. The New Testament had not been written yet. Jesus had only the Old Testament. Jesus told Satan verses from the Old Testament. Satan had nothing to say. God’s word is truth and right.

Satan will come to us with words to get us discouraged. We need to know what the Bible says about God’s love for us.

Satan will tell us again and again about our mistakes, sins, failures.

We need to know the Bible and that it tells us that our sins have been forgiven and are taken away from us. As far as the east is from the west in the universe—that is how far our sins are from us. Who can measure the skies? How far is that? Psalms 103:12

God will not bring up our sins to us. They are forgiven. Hebrews 8:12 “…and their iniquities (sins) I will remember no more”

 

There are many verses in the Bible that tells us how much God loves us—that He forgives us—that He plans for our future and has good things for us—that what we did in the past is under His grace. Knowing the words in the Bible can help you fight against the things Satan will say against you.

The Bible says that Satan accuses the “brethren”—-Satan talks against the believer. Satan blames and finds fault with the believer. He does this because He can get us off from faith and trusting. He can get attention on our weakness and mistakes.

Then we are not trusting any more. We feel bad about ourselves. We are discouraged. Satan gets what he wants. Revelation 12:10

Vs. 18, 19 Pray always. Pray and ask with much desire (humble asking, begging for mercy). Keep asking. Ask for answers for other Christians.

Ask for answers for me (Paul). So that I, (Paul) will know how to speak to the people about the gospel of Christ.

Vs. 20 I am a prisoner. I need to have the strength and courage to speak for Jesus the way God wants me to.

Vs. 21 A loved brother and preacher in the faith, Tychicus, will tell you things about me here in prison and how I am doing.

Vs. 22 I have sent him to you so you know how things are going about me and so you can have peace of mind about me.

Vs. 23 May you have peace and love from God, the Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Vs. 24 May God’s grace be on all who love the Lord Jesus Christ.

Sincerely, Amen.