Armor Up

Paul continues with his list of behaviors for those who would “imitate God” and “walk worthy of their call,” which he began in chapter 5, verses 1 and 2. They were “to walk in the light” (5:3-17). They were to “be filled with the Holy Spirit” (5:18-21). They were to love and honor like Jesus loves and honors (5:22-6-9).

Paul used three conditions of life to describe and illustrate love and honor. 

• Marriage (5:22-33)

• Parent/child relationships (6:1-4)

• Master/slave relationships (6:5-9)

To love like Jesus loved was to fulfill the call to love sacrificially as Jesus did. The Jesus-style of love was the true light shining in darkness, the true fullness of the Holy Spirit, the true love and honor for another. 

Sons and Daughters Honor (1-4) 

Paul moved to the parent/child relationship, calling for honor in children (Exodus 20:12) and sensitivity and moderation within parents.

Children were to be marked by a listening ear and “obey”—the kind of listening leading to action. They were to do so living in Christ, or full allegiance to His Kingdom, placing their ultimate allegiance in Christ (1).

Paul next quoted the fifth commandment and mentioned that it was the first commandment with a promise. Actually, the first commandment with a promise was the fourth commandment. Those who kept the fourth commandment were promised blessing (Exodus 20:8-11). By saying the fifth commandment was first with a promise, Paul was saying that for a child this command was primary, the first in the order of learning. The fourth Sabbath command would only be enjoyed if the fifth command was honored first or as primary for a child's life. The term “child” here refers to an offspring of any age (2).

The promise for the Israelites who obeyed the commands was the power to keep their land, their inheritances, and their ability to prosper because of their power to sustain control over the land God had given them (3).

Paul ended with an admonition for parents, specifically fathers. They were not to arouse resentment in the hearts of their children by treating them like slaves, controlling them, or making demands on them to serve them and comply with their wishes. They were never to be unreasonable or petty, nor show any favoritism.

Instead, they were to bring up their children under and in the Lord. They were to develop self-discipline in them; not for the cultivation of right and wrong morals of religion, however, but for the morals of sacrificial love, honor, and respect. They were not to dictate to their children but to instruct them by asking and answering questions. Reproof or rebuke was not a way of forcing a parent’s will upon their child, but a way of warning them of impending dangers on the path they should be renouncing (4).

Slaves and Masters Honor (5-9)

Paul then moved to the master/slave relationship. Interesting to note: even though Paul would have morally loathed slavery at every level, Paul did not seek to overthrow it as an institution. Neither in Paul’s preaching nor in his letters did he demand the outright abolition of slavery. His principle within the new society of the church was simple: slaves were to serve their Christian masters as they were to serve the Lord. They were to respect their masters by listening, “obeying” them with the intent to do what they were being asked. They were to listen with reverence and “fear” as though not listening could lead to something that could shake up their lives. 

Slaves were to be honest with their masters, “sincere” just like they would be with Christ, not pretending to do what their masters asked only when their masters were looking or living like those seeking to please others. They were to view themselves as free men and women bound to Christ, doing God’s will, living from their hearts, doing all for Christ, knowing even in slavery they were sowing seeds into the Kingdom they would one day reap back from the Lord. Being enslaved could not stop anyone from sowing eternal Kingdom seed (5-8).

Here then is where Paul dealt with the heart of slavery. Christian masters were no longer to treat their slaves as slaves but as a part of their own household, a part of their family. They were to live with slaves as though both were equal slaves before their Master in Heaven. 

Masters were to cease using any form of threat to control their slaves. In essence, Paul was making slavery among Christians a voluntary institution and calling on both the master and the slave to live as a family, both belonging to Christ. 

The master was to treat slaves so well that they would never want to leave, and the slave was to treat their master with deep and faithful loyalty (9).

In essence, every Christian slave owner was not called upon to document their slaves as free, but they were to stop treating them as slaves and honor them as a part of their family. 

One in three people was a slave around Rome, and one in four or five were slaves throughout the empire. It is not that slavery was merely a wicked institution; it was an institution never considered wrong but thought necessary for the forming of civilization. Paul’s thoughts on slavery were revolutionary. He did not address the issue politically but spiritually. No Christian master was any longer to act as the ultimate master of a slave. His slaves had equal standing in Christ with their masters.  

Don’t Be Unprepared; Armor Up (10-18) 

Because the Ephesians came to Christ amidst a culture steeped in magic, astrology, witchcraft, goddess-worship, and a host of other mystical cults, they had, in their former life, viewed spiritual power as a force to be harnessed. The dark world of powers was a force creating all sorts of fear and intimidation. They struggled to believe their newfound power in Christ was strong enough against these forces, so many felt themselves at a disadvantage, especially as they watched Paul imprisoned and facing death. The Ephesian Christians were struggling in confidence at every level, sensing that the entire empire, postured to persecute the Body of Christ, seemed equal to the task. The power they had witnessed in the Resurrection of Christ seemed to be fading under the present persecution they were witnessing in Paul’s imprisonment.

Paul, at the end of his life and facing execution, had more to say about our struggle with the supernatural realm here than in any of his other letters. Paul affirmed that those in armor possessed the mighty power for ultimate victory over the genuine forces of darkness.

Paul was clear: true power is not a force to be harnessed, but it is an outcome of an intimate relationship with Christ, where the very Person of Christ is put on as armor (10-11). Paul viewed the struggle with malevolent power not to be a struggle with flesh-and-blood people but against:

• the evil unseen rulers who exercised authority in the invisible world

• the mighty powers present in the dark world

• the evil spirits in heavenly places (12)

Paul viewed this unseen, domineering, powerfully dark, and evil world existing in heavenly places as defeatable while the Church wore the Person of Jesus Christ. Paul promised fighting against spiritual dark forces, standing in Jesus' armor, would secure victory as those followers did the unimaginable and stood their ground in Christ. The emphasis on fighting was on the standing, not on the taking of territory. Satanic powers fell and powers of hell were unable to prevail against a Church standing in Christ’s victory (13). Paul then listed out what putting on Christ was essentially like: the putting on of truth, righteousness, the gospel, faith, salvation, the word of God, and intercessory prayer.

• Truth: the bearing of witness to what God had and was doing possessed a sharp defense against all passion and lust.

• Righteousness: the consistent, loving, and just notions of the heart possessed a strong defense for maintaining warm affections.

• The gospel: the declaring of Good News in all circumstances possessed a powerful ability to keep the footing of peace in all situations.

• Faith: the complete allegiance of the heart possessed a powerful shield against temptation.

• Salvation: the dedication to Christ, having done all the saving, possessed powerful protection against foolish thinking and temptation.

• The word of God: the claiming of God’s promises possessed a sharp power to penetrate all opposition. 

• Prayer: waiting on Christ and calling on His name possessed a power connection with His grace (14-18). 

When the believer stood with perseverance in Christ, fully clothed, then there was no ruler, authority, cosmic power, or spiritual force in the heavenly places that could withstand them. The Ephesians didn't need to be uneasy about giving up their powers for Christ’s. The power of dark rulers was clearly no match for the power of Christ. 

Pray (19-24)

Paul then made a request for prayer and his presentation of the gospel (19). Paul concluded his book by letting the Ephesians know that, even in prison, blessings and the power of God were serving him well. Paul announced that he would send Tychicus to confirm that what he was saying about himself was true (20-22).

Paul then signed off, encouraging the Ephesians to love with faith by loving Jesus with an incorruptible love (23-24).