Transformed Life

Last night at HIT Men we read Ephesians 5:15-6:9 (too much to post here but I would encourage you to read it) and talked a lot about these challenging directives we are given about how we are to live.  These verses cover so many aspects of life that there really is something for everyone.  Yet often I find that there is a lot of mis-teaching on passages like this.

Here are a few "mis-teachings" that we need to be careful not to fall into.

1. If we do these things then God will be happy with me. - We must be reminded that our "performance" will never please God.  The only way for us to please God is in a life surrendered to Jesus Christ.
2. The word "submit" used to instruct wives in regard to husbands means that women are to submit to men and that women are not supposed to question a man's decisions. - Really this "submit" word is used in other places in the Bible as well and even in this passage the meaning is "to place the other parties interests before my own, to willingly place myself under their authority".  It is used with teaching on how Christians are to relate to one another as well as how we are to relate to God.  So we are to give way to those in that authority position in our lives, but also we are to act in their interests as well.  If your Christian brother is heading towards a cliff but determined to head in that direction, part of proper submission would be to warn our brother of the impending disaster.  In the same way wives are to engage in active assistance with their husbands to ensure that they are moving in a healthy direction.  Also we must recognize that the passage calls on wives to submit to their "own" husbands and not all men.
3. I will love my wife if she submits to me or I will be less harsh with my children if they start to obey me. - The teaching in this passage is not conditional on the other person's response.  We are called to love our wives with a heart to serve them sacrificially like Jesus has done for us.  No where is our love to be given based on how our wife will respond.  Whether it is the teaching on how we are to relate to our wife, children, boss, employees, brothers and sisters in the Church, etc...  we are called to do our part regardless of where others are at.
4. Now that I understand this better I will try harder to do it. - No don't do that.  It is anti Christian to believe this.  The only solution to treating people the way this passage describes is to have Jesus Christ living in you by the presence and power of the Holy Spirit.  It is Jesus that can live in and through you to transform your life and behavior to fit the Scriptures.  You cannot decide to try harder and achieve this, and even if you did, you would then be at risk of being pride filled and works oriented out of your own strength.  Set your focus on Jesus and having Him be the Lord of your life and He will transform you and make you into who you are designed to be.  

Anyway guys, we are not to seek improved performance in these areas, but seek Christ to work in and through you.  Why do we Love our wives properly?  Because Jesus is Lord of our life and has transformed us so that we can.  You could change the question to be about parenting, work etc... the answer is the same.

Why are we wanting to help protect Children in Honduras?  Because Jesus is Lord of our life and has transformed us so that we can.

Preacherman