Contributor: Isekhua Evborokhai

INTRODUCTION

In the last study, we considered the instructions Paul gave to households with emphasis on wives and husbands. He used the analogy of the mystery of the connection between Christ and the church. We learnt that the wife’s submission to the husband should model the union between Jesus and the Church. We also learnt that the standard of Christ love for the Church is God’s standard for husbands towards their wives. In today’s study we will continue with Paul’s instructions as it relates to children and the home, our secular jobs and ultimately the battle ground.

Verses 1-4: CHILDREN AND PARENTS – THE FOUNDATIONAL RELATIONSHIP

Verse 1: “Children obey your parents in the Lord: for this is right. (Because God has placed them in authority over you).” Emphasis mine 

Obey--stronger than the expression as to wives, "submitting," or "being subject". Obedience is unreasoning and implicit; submission is the willing subjection of an inferior in point of order to one who has a right to command.

In the Lord--Both parents and children being Christians "in the Lord," expresses the element in which the obedience is to take place, and the motive to obedience.

This is right--Even by natural law we should render obedience to them from whom we have derived life.

Verses 2 & 3

Honour your father and mother. This is the first of God’s Ten Commandments that ends with a promise.  And this is the promise: that if you honour your father and mother, yours will be a long life, full of blessing.

Honour your father and mother: To honour someone is to have high respect; great esteem for them. With this command we see the authority of revealed law (By Revelation) added to that of natural law (The Law od God).

Commandment with a promise. The "promise" is not made the main motive to obedience, but an incidental one. The main motive is, because it is God's will Deuteronomy 5:16 says: "Honour your father and your mother, as the LORD your God has commanded you, so that you may live long and that it may go well with you in the land the LORD your God is giving you.” Emphasis mine

Long Life in the land of Promise

By quoting Exodus 20:12, Paul adapts the old testament to Gospel times, thereby taking away the local and limited reference peculiar to the Jews in Canaan. The godly are equally blessed in every land, as the Jews were in the land, which God gave them.

Verse 4

And, ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath (Don’t keep on scolding and nagging your children, making them angry and resentful): but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. (With the loving discipline the Lord himself approves, with suggestions and godly advice) Emphasis mine

Fathers (including mothers); the fathers are specified as being the fountains of domestic authority. Fathers are more prone to passion in relation to how their children turn out in the future than mothers, whose fault is rather over-indulgence. 
provoke not--irritate not, by vexatious commands, unreasonable blame, and uncertain temper, "lest they be discouraged." See Colossians 3:21
nurture--Greek, "discipline," namely, training by chastening in act where needed (Job 5:17 , Hebrews 12:7 ). 
admonition--training by words; whether of encouragement, or reproof, according as is required
of the Lord--such as the Lord approves, and by His Spirit dictates.

Verses 5-9:  BONDSERVANTS AND MASTERS (WORKPLACE RELATIONSHIPS)

“Bondservants, be obedient to those who are your masters according to the flesh, with fear and trembling, in sincerity of heart, as to Christ; not with eyeservice, as men-pleasers, but as bondservants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart, 7 with goodwill doing service, as to the Lord, and not to men, 8 knowing that whatever good anyone does, he will receive the same from the Lord, whether he is a slave or free. 9 And you, masters, do the same things to them, giving up threatening, knowing that your own Master also is in heaven, and there is no partiality with Him.”

Bondservants--literally, "slaves." 
Masters according to the flesh--in contrast to your true and heavenly Master
Fear and Trembling--not slavish terror, but an anxious eagerness to do your duty, and a fear of displeasing, as great as is produced in the ordinary slave by "threatening"

singleness (sincerity) - without double-mindedness, or "eye service", which seeks to please outwardly, without the sincere desire to make the master's interest at all times the first consideration. Seeking to please their masters only so long as these have their eyes on them. The story of Gehazi in 2 Kings 5:1-18 tells us he was a very different man in his master's presence from what he was in his absence

The same things: Show the same regard to God's will, and to your servants' well-being, in your relation to them, as they ought to have in their relation to you. Love regulates the duties both of servants and masters, as one and the same light. Christianity makes all men brothers:

Threatening--Greek, "the threatening" which masters commonly use. "Masters" in the Greek, is not so strong a term as "despots": it implies authority, but not absolute domination. 
your Master also - "their Master and yours." This more forcibly brings out the equality of slaves and masters in the sight of God. Every authority here is under a higher one above." As you treat your servants, so will God treat you. 

Verses 10-13: READINESS FOR BATTLE

“Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. 11 Put on the whole armour of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. 12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. 13 Therefore take up the whole armour of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.”

Be strong--Greek, "be strengthened." 
In the power of his might--Christ's might is the Father's might.  Ephesians 1:19 says: “and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is the same as the mighty strength.

The whole armour of God: the armour of light (Romans 13:12); on the right hand and left (2 Corinthians 6:7). The panoply offensive and defensive. An image readily suggested by the Roman armoury, Paul being now in Rome. In Romans 13:14 Paul admonished us to "Put on the Lord Jesus Christ"; it is in putting on Him, and the new man in Him, we put on "the whole armour of God."

No opening at the head, the feet, the heart, the belly, the eye, the ear, or the tongue, is to be given to Satan. Believers have once for all overcome him; but on the ground of this fundamental victory gained over him, they are ever again to fight against and overcome him, even as they who once die with Christ have continually to mortify their members upon earth.
For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood: The wrestling in which we are engaged is not against flesh and blood. "Wrestling" implies that it is a hand-to-hand and foot-to-foot struggle for the mastery: to wrestle successfully with Satan, we must wrestle with GOD in irresistible prayer like Jacob (Genesis 32:24-29, Hosea 12:4).

CONCLUSION:

It is not coincidental that Paul first addressed having the right relationships at home and at work (covering every aspect of our lives) before introducing us to the spiritual battles we are engaged in. we cannot be victorious in battle with the enemy when our households are not in order. We need to be able to say like Jesus that the enemy has found nothing of his in us. That is when we can effectively engage in the battle. It is also very important that have our armour always on, to be ready against the evil day which may come at any moment, the war being perpetual. For a soldier of Christ, there are no off days!