Ephesians Teaching Series

This beautifully constructed letter can best be understood by paying attention to its amazing structure.

16. Eph 5:1-6 Two Big Threats to Love, and How to Overcome Them

  • Seven parts of Ephesians open with the expression: ‘Walk...’ We look at the fifth, ‘Walk in love’ which is immediately followed by the two biggest threats to a loving community. Thankfully there is a way they can be overcome.

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Two Big Threats to Love, and How to Overcome Them

— Ephesians 5:1-6 (Part 16 of series) — Andrew Fountain: Sept 24, 2023

Video cover image by Ian Parker Upsplash

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Ephesians

  • Ephesians falls into two halves
    • Part one (chs 1-3) explains the truth, tells us what reality is about
    • Part two (chs 4-6) tells us how we should live by this truth
  • Summarizing part 1 is a prayer for us to know
    1. the power of the Spirit in our inner person
    2. the love of Christ which is “beyond knowledge”
    3. the destiny of being the very dwelling place of God
  • Part 2 begins with:

God has given the gifts:

  • For the building up of the body
    • Until we grow up into unity,
      to the measure of the fullness of Christ
      • No longer children
        • Speaking truth in love
      • Grown up
    • We reach unity,
      by every part using it’s measure
  • The body built up in love

Two Big Threats to Love, and How to Overcome Them

  1. The Seven Walks in Ephesians
  2. The Steps of Walking in Love
  3. Receiving the Love of Jesus

1. The Seven Walks in Ephesians

The Seven Walks in Ephesians

Eph 2:2
  1. Καὶ ὑμᾶς ὄντας νεκροὺς τοῖς παραπτώμασιν καὶ ταῖς ἁμαρτίαις ὑμῶν, And you were dead in your trespasses and sins
  2. ἐν αἷς ποτε περιεπατήσατε in which you once walked
Eph 2:10
  1. αὐτοῦ γάρ ἐσμεν ποίημα, κτισθέντες ἐν Χριστῷ Ἰησοῦ ἐπὶ ἔργοις ἀγαθοῖς For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works
οἷς προητοίμασεν ὁ θεὸς ἵνα ἐν αὐτοῖς περιπατήσωμεν. which God prepared ahead of time that we should walk in them.
Eph 4:1
  1. Παρακαλῶ οὖν ὑμᾶς ἐγὼ ὁ δέσμιος ἐν κυρίῳ I therefore appeal to you, as the prisoner of the Lord
ἀξίως περιπατῆσαι τῆς κλήσεως ἧς ἐκλήθητε, to walk worthy of the calling you’ve been called into
Eph 4:17
  1. Τοῦτο οὖν λέγω This therefore I say
καὶ μαρτύρομαι ἐν κυρίῳ, And I insist in the Lord
μηκέτι ὑμᾶς περιπατεῖν καθὼς καὶ τὰ ἔθνη περιπατεῖ that you must no longer walk as the Gentiles walk
Eph 5:2
  1. γίνεσθε οὖν μιμηταὶ τοῦ θεοῦ, ὡς τέκνα ἀγαπητά, Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children.
  2. καὶ περιπατεῖτε ἐν ἀγάπῃ, καθὼς καὶ ὁ Χριστὸς ἠγάπησεν ἡμᾶς And walk in love, just as Christ loved us
καὶ παρέδωκεν ἑαυτὸν ὑπὲρ ἡμῶν προσφορὰν καὶ θυσίαν τῷ θεῷ εἰς ὀσμὴν εὐωδίας. and gave himself up for us, an offering and sacrifice to God for a fragrant aroma.
Eph 5:8
  1. μὴ οὖν γίνεσθε συμμέτοχοι αὐτῶν· Therefore do not become fellow sharers with them;
  2. ἦτε γάρ ποτε σκότος, νῦν δὲ φῶς ἐν κυρίῳ· for at one time you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord.
ὡς τέκνα φωτὸς περιπατεῖτε Walk as children of light
Eph 5:15
  1. Βλέπετε οὖν ἀκριβῶς πῶς περιπατεῖτε, Watch carefully then how you walk,
μὴ ὡς ἄσοφοι ἀλλ’ ὡς σοφοί, not as unwise but as wise,

Translation and structure by Andrew Fountain

  • The metaphor of walking in a way is very common in the Bible.
    • Throughout the Old Testament, to walk in God’s ways means exactly the same as pleasing God and obeying his laws.

Last week Eph 4:17

  • How do I live this new life?
  • Not only does Paul explain the power,
  • but he also lays out some very clear examples of this power in action in our daily activities.
  • All of them were about love
  • Each unit has three parts (in almost all the cases)
  1. Negative command
    1. Positive command
      1. Motivation of love
  • Note that they are virtually all about our relationships
    • The motivation is love! which flows from our new identity!
  • I want to go back and pay a little more attention to Anger

Eph 4:26-27 Anger

  1. Be angry and do not sin;
    do not let the sun go down on your anger.
  2. Do not give an opportunity to the devil.
  • Does it tell us not to be angry?
  • No, but not to sit in our anger

Processing Anger

  • Not “spiritual bypassing”
    • “no, of course I am not angry, I have given it to God”
    • But actually it is just pushed down
  • Anger is an energy to fix the problem
  • Sit down and make a firm plan about what you are going to do
  • Should include forgiveness (genuinely wanting the person to be blessed)
  • If it is another person, then this may involve talking to them, or planning to.
  • Thoughts on how to deal with anger
  • How does it give an opportunity to the devil?
    • He hates Unity—it is his biggest threat

2. The Steps of Walking in Love

  • Now we come to the next Walk passage
    • No mention of the 7th commandment (You shall not commit adultery) up till now
    • How does Jesus expand on this commandment?

You can chose

  • If you have the new life in Christ, you can live like this!
  • Your DNA is to show the love of Jesus

Ephesians 5:1-6

  1. γίνεσθε οὖν μιμηταὶ τοῦ θεοῦ, ὡς τέκνα ἀγαπητά, Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children.
  2. καὶ περιπατεῖτε ἐν ἀγάπῃ, καθὼς καὶ ὁ Χριστὸς ἠγάπησεν ἡμᾶς And walk in love, just as Christ loved us
καὶ παρέδωκεν ἑαυτὸν ὑπὲρ ἡμῶν προσφορὰν καὶ θυσίαν τῷ θεῷ εἰς ὀσμὴν εὐωδίας. and gave himself up for us, an offering and sacrifice to God for a fragrant aroma.
  1. πορνεία δὲ καὶ ἀκαθαρσία πᾶσα ἢ πλεονεξία But sexual immorality and all impurity or covetousness
μηδὲ ὀνομαζέσθω ἐν ὑμῖν, καθὼς πρέπει ἁγίοις, must not even be named among you, as is fitting for saints.
  1. καὶ αἰσχρότης καὶ μωρολογία ἢ εὐτραπελία, ἃ οὐκ ἀνῆκεν, Let there be no filthiness nor foolish talk nor giving of sarcastic ridicule, which are out of place,
ἀλλὰ μᾶλλον εὐχαριστία. but instead let there be giving of thanks.
  1. τοῦτο γὰρ ἴστε γινώσκοντες ὅτι For you may be sure of this, that
πᾶς πόρνος ἢ ἀκάθαρτος ἢ πλεονέκτης, ὅ ἐστιν εἰδωλολάτρης, everyone who is sexually immoral or impure, or who is covetous (therefore an idolater),
οὐκ ἔχει κληρονομίαν ἐν τῇ βασιλείᾳ τοῦ Χριστοῦ καὶ θεοῦ. has no inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God.
  1. Μηδεὶς ὑμᾶς ἀπατάτω κενοῖς λόγοις, Let no one deceive you with empty words,
διὰ ταῦτα γὰρ ἔρχεται ἡ ὀργὴ τοῦ θεοῦ ἐπὶ τοὺς υἱοὺς τῆς ἀπειθείας. for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience.

Translation and structure by Andrew Fountain

  • It seems very strong.
    • Is this salvation by works ???

Galatians 5:19–21

  1. Now the works of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity, depravity,
  2. idolatry, sorcery, hostilities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish rivalries, dissensions, factions,
  3. envying, murder, drunkenness, carousing, and similar things. I am warning you, as I had warned you before: Those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God!

Colossians 3:5–6

  1. So put to death whatever in your nature belongs to the earth: sexual immorality, impurity, shameful passion, evil desire, and greed which is idolatry.
  2. Because of these things the wrath of God is coming on the sons of disobedience.
  • This is very helpful because it shows how these sins are within all of us, and have to be dealt with.

The point

  1. This is not about falling into sin, but choosing to stay in it
  2. He does not say “avoid these things and you will be saved”
    • Instead it is “These things are signs of the old, not the new”
    • It is ultimately about Who you are not what you do
    • But what you do does reveal who you are!
  3. So the command is to let who you are now override who you were
  • Story of the little plants

Why sexual sins?
& exploiting one another?

  • Worst sins?
  • no, pride and unbelief
  • Because they are poison to the new life of love
  • They damage deep love and trust

3. Receiving the Love of Jesus

  • The answer: Focus on the love of Jesus in your new identity
  • Read vs.4-7:

Ephesians 2:1-10

  1. Καὶ ὑμᾶς ὄντας νεκροὺς τοῖς παραπτώμασιν καὶ ταῖς ἁμαρτίαις ὑμῶν, And you were dead in your trespasses and sins
  2. ἐν αἷς ποτε περιεπατήσατε in which you once walked
κατὰ τὸν αἰῶνα τοῦ κόσμου τούτου, A according to the system of this world
κατὰ τὸν ἄρχοντα τῆς ἐξουσίας τοῦ ἀέρος, B according to the ruler of the power of the air
τοῦ πνεύματος τοῦ νῦν ἐνεργοῦντος ἐν τοῖς υἱοῖς τῆς ἀπειθείας· the spirit now working in the sons of disobedience
  1. ἐν οἷς καὶ ἡμεῖς πάντες ἀνεστράφημέν ποτε ἐν ταῖς ἐπιθυμίαις τῆς σαρκὸς ἡμῶν, in which we also all once lived in the passions of our flesh
κατὰ ποιοῦντες τὰ θελήματα τῆς σαρκὸς καὶ τῶν διανοιῶν, C according to the choices of the flesh and our reasoning
καὶ ἤμεθα τέκνα φύσει ὀργῆς ὡς καὶ οἱ λοιποί· and we were by nature children under wrath like everyone else
  1. ὁ δὲ θεὸς πλούσιος ὢν ἐν ἐλέει, διὰ τὴν πολλὴν ἀγάπην αὐτοῦ ἣν ἠγάπησεν ἡμᾶς, But God, who is rich in mercy, because of his great love with which he has loved us
  1. καὶ ὄντας ἡμᾶς νεκροὺς τοῖς παραπτώμασιν even though we were dead in trespasses
συνεζωοποίησεν τῷ Χριστῷ C made us alive together with Christ
χάριτί ἐστε σεσῳσμένοι by grace you have been saved
  1. καὶ συνήγειρεν B and raised us up together
καὶ συνεκάθισεν A and seated us together
ἐν τοῖς ἐπουρανίοις ἐν Χριστῷ Ἰησοῦ, in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus
  1. ἵνα ἐνδείξηται ἐν τοῖς αἰῶσιν τοῖς ἐπερχομένοις τὸ ὑπερβάλλον πλοῦτος τῆς χάριτος so that in the coming ages he might display the immeasurable riches of his grace
αὐτοῦ ἐν χρηστότητι ἐφʼ ἡμᾶς ἐν Χριστῷ Ἰησοῦ. through his kindness to us in Christ Jesus.
  1. τῇ γὰρ χάριτί ἐστε σεσῳσμένοι διὰ πίστεως· καὶ τοῦτο For by grace you have been saved, through faith and this is
οὐκ ἐξ ὑμῶν, θεοῦ τὸ δῶρον· not from yourselves; it is God’s gift
  1. οὐκ ἐξ ἔργων, ἵνα μή τις καυχήσηται. not from works, so that no one can boast.
  2. αὐτοῦ γάρ ἐσμεν ποίημα, κτισθέντες ἐν Χριστῷ Ἰησοῦ ἐπὶ ἔργοις ἀγαθοῖς For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works
οἷς προητοίμασεν ὁ θεὸς ἵνα ἐν αὐτοῖς περιπατήσωμεν. which God prepared ahead of time that we should walk in them.

Translation and structure by Andrew Fountain

  • Read vs.16-19:

Ephesians 3:14-21

  1. Τούτου χάριν κάμπτω τὰ γόνατά μου πρὸς τὸν πατέρα, For this reason I bow my knees before the Father,
  2. wἐξ οὗ πᾶσα πατριὰ ἐν οὐρανοῖς καὶ ἐπὶ γῆς ὀνομάζεται, from whom every group in heaven and on earth is named,
  3. ἵνα δῷ ὑμῖν κατὰ τὸ πλοῦτος τῆς δόξης αὐτοῦ that he may grant you, according to the riches of his glory,
δυνάμει κραταιωθῆναι διὰ τοῦ πνεύματος αὐτοῦ, with power to be strengthened, through his Spirit,
εἰς τὸν ἔσω ἄνθρωπον in your inner being,
  1. κατοικῆσαι τὸν Χριστὸν διὰ τῆς πίστεως ἐν ταῖς καρδίαις ὑμῶν for Christ to dwell, through faith, in your hearts
ἐν ἀγάπῃ· ἐρριζωμένοι καὶ τεθεμελιωμένοι,in love, being rooted and grounded
  1. ἵνα ἐξισχύσητε καταλαβέσθαι σὺν πᾶσιν τοῖς ἁγίοις that you may have strength to comprehend with all the saints
τί τὸ πλάτος καὶ μῆκος καὶ ὕψος καὶ βάθος, what is the breadth and length and height and depth,
  1. γνῶναί τε τὴν ὑπερβάλλουσαν τῆς γνώσεως ἀγάπην τοῦ Χριστοῦ, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge,
ἵνα πληρωθῆτε εἰς πᾶν τὸ πλήρωμα τοῦ θεοῦ. that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.
  1. Τῷ δὲ δυναμένῳ Now to him who has the power
ὑπὲρ πάντα ποιῆσαι ὑπερεκπερισσοῦ ὧν αἰτούμεθα ἢ νοοῦμεν to do all things far more abundantly than we ask or think,
κατὰ τὴν δύναμιν τὴν ἐνεργουμένην ἐν ἡμῖν, according to the power that works mightily within us,
  1. αὐτῷ ἡ δόξα ἐν τῇ ἐκκλησίᾳ καὶ ἐν Χριστῷ Ἰησοῦ to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus
εἰς πάσας τὰς γενεὰς τοῦ αἰῶνος τῶν αἰώνων· ἀμήν. throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen.

Translation and structure by Andrew Fountain

  • Read vs.16-19: together

Ephesians 5:1-6

  1. γίνεσθε οὖν μιμηταὶ τοῦ θεοῦ, ὡς τέκνα ἀγαπητά, Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children.
  2. καὶ περιπατεῖτε ἐν ἀγάπῃ, καθὼς καὶ ὁ Χριστὸς ἠγάπησεν ἡμᾶς And walk in love, just as Christ loved us
καὶ παρέδωκεν ἑαυτὸν ὑπὲρ ἡμῶν προσφορὰν καὶ θυσίαν τῷ θεῷ εἰς ὀσμὴν εὐωδίας. and gave himself up for us, an offering and sacrifice to God for a fragrant aroma.
  1. πορνεία δὲ καὶ ἀκαθαρσία πᾶσα ἢ πλεονεξία But sexual immorality and all impurity or covetousness
μηδὲ ὀνομαζέσθω ἐν ὑμῖν, καθὼς πρέπει ἁγίοις, must not even be named among you, as is fitting for saints.
  1. καὶ αἰσχρότης καὶ μωρολογία ἢ εὐτραπελία, ἃ οὐκ ἀνῆκεν, Let there be no filthiness nor foolish talk nor giving of sarcastic ridicule, which are out of place,
ἀλλὰ μᾶλλον εὐχαριστία. but instead let there be giving of thanks.
  1. τοῦτο γὰρ ἴστε γινώσκοντες ὅτι For you may be sure of this, that
πᾶς πόρνος ἢ ἀκάθαρτος ἢ πλεονέκτης, ὅ ἐστιν εἰδωλολάτρης, everyone who is sexually immoral or impure, or who is covetous (therefore an idolater),
οὐκ ἔχει κληρονομίαν ἐν τῇ βασιλείᾳ τοῦ Χριστοῦ καὶ θεοῦ. has no inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God.
  1. Μηδεὶς ὑμᾶς ἀπατάτω κενοῖς λόγοις, Let no one deceive you with empty words,
διὰ ταῦτα γὰρ ἔρχεται ἡ ὀργὴ τοῦ θεοῦ ἐπὶ τοὺς υἱοὺς τῆς ἀπειθείας. for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience.

Translation and structure by Andrew Fountain

  • Yes, you pull out the weeds, but concentrate on feeding the plant with the love of God

Updated on 2023-10-01 by Andrew Fountain

Last updated on 24 Sep 2023
Published on 24 Sep 2023