The key verse in Ephesians is found in chapter 1, verse 22. The overarching theme to Paul’s letter to Ephesus is subjection. The fruit of subjection is blamelessness, which Paul references in chapter 1, verse 4, and chapter 5, verse 27. Blamelessness is a theme which will be continued and expounded upon in the book of Philippians.
At Ephesians 1:1, we read that Paul is writing to Ephesus. In Revelation 2:1-7, we have additional information about the church at Ephesus. The church has lost its first love and is called to repent. They did reject false teaching, which is to their credit. Losing their first love, that is, their love for Christ, is key to understanding Paul’s letter. To be in subjection to Christ, it necessarily follows that the church loves Christ; thus, it would appear that they are not practicing subjection to Christ.
Subjection principally means belonging to another. Acts 4:32 It is different from but related to submission, which is obedience and yielding. While we do obey and yield to Christ, subjection is more closely related to and rooted in stewardship. In stewardship, we recognize that we are under the ownership of another, therefore, we seek the best of another and to maximize the profit of another. Acts 20:28, Revelation 5:9 Stewardship is a key topic throughout Scripture. Submission to the Holy Spirit is the pathway to holiness. Thus, we recognize that all things are in subjection to Christ, so we submit to His authority by allowing the Holy Spirit to transform us unto holiness.
We also see in Ephesians 1:22 that Christ is the head of the church. He is the authority to which the church must look for guidance, and it is Christ whom the church is called to imitate in conduct. Again, we recognize that the church belongs to Christ, so we are called to both steward the church for Christ and yield to His authority in obedience.
For any activity we wish to undertake in the church, such as evangelism and church growth, we must look to Christ as the head of the church for how such activity should be undertaken.
Ephesians focuses on a practical living out of our belief in Christ and transformation by the Holy Spirit. To what can we compare our subjection to Christ and conformity to the Holy Spirit? Consider that we are vessels or channels. Does a contaminated vessel provide nourishment to others? A contaminated vessel brings the potential for disease and infection. The impurities reduce the effectiveness of the Holy Spirit’s work in our hearts. Then, we pour out something less than Christ into the community.
A channel which contains obstacles, rocks, debris, and overgrowth will see a reduction in the flow of the liquid it carries. So too, sin in our lives and disobedience of Christ’s commands restrict the flow of the Holy Spirit from our lives into the community. Christ is seeking for us to be a vessel or channel which carries the Holy Spirit into our communities.
When we consider ourselves as vessels or channels, how are we doing? To what degree do our lives restrict the flow of the Holy Spirit or contaminate Christ’s message?
Another image which we will explore later in Ephesians is that of a flower or perhaps a flowering bush. Do we radiate Christ, or is our flowering bush choked out by weeds, that is, sin? Do we emit a fragrant aroma to attract others to Christ, or do we push others away?
When others can see the righteousness of Christ in our lives, we will attract unbelievers through the radiance of the Holy Spirit reflecting through our lives. To what degree do people around us see the beauty of Christ, or have weeds and thistles begun to overtake and obscure?
When we understand that we are in subjection to Christ, we will so order our lives around obedience to Him and surrender to the Holy Spirit that we will want to radiate Christ. This, then, highlights where we so often fall short. Our natural bent is to rebel against any subjection. We also are slow to conform to Christ because it means abandoning self-will.
To grow in Christ and increase our belief in Christ, we must routinely allow Him to examine our hearts. In addition, any growth we wish to see in our churches must meet with Christ’s approval.
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