Our Outline to date:
I.         CHAPTER 1 – The Church AS The Body of Christ
II.        CHAPTER 2 – The Church AS The Temple of Christ
III.       CHAPTER 3 - The Church AS God's Top Secret
IV.        CHAPTER 4 – The Church As The New Mankind
V.         CHAPTER 5 - The Church As The Bride Of Christ
            A. The Spiritual Engagement of the Bride 5:1-17
                1. The Bridal Walk in a New Love 5:1-2
                2. The Bridal Walk in a New Light 5:3-15
                3. The Bridal Walk in a New Life 5:16-17

THE COMMENTARY

With lesson 19 we dove right into Chapter 5. We entered into the idea of “The people of the secret,” “The people making up the Temple of Christ,” and “The people making up the Bride of Christ” – All the same people, all those who have believed upon the Lord Jesus Christ as their Savior.

As you can see from the outline above, the lesson was broken down into three different “Walks” that this new body of believers MUST walk. This new body of believers is made up of both Jew and Gentile – with no differences between them. We become a new people who are neither Jew nor Gentile… but a new mankind who’s only description becomes, “Those who are In Jesus Christ.” Paul tells us that as members of this new body of believers we are to take on a new life. Here in Chapter 5 he likens this new body of being a bride – but not just any bride, we are “The Bride of Christ,” to be wed to Him upon the rapture of the Saints.

It's a time when those who will spend eternity in Heaven celebrate being united with Jesus forever. The bride symbolizes the believers, and Jesus is the bridegroom. It's a heavenly banquet that takes place after the Tribulation and before Christ's millennial reign on earth.

It's a moment of excitement that even Jesus is looking forward to. Who attends? - All the believing dead from Adam until the resurrection of Christ and Those who have received Jesus as the Savior during the Tribulation, both Jew and Gentile. Many of whom will have been martyred for the testimony of Christ

Where it appears: In Revelation 19:5-21, a voice from the throne says, "The marriage of the Lamb has come, and his Bride has made herself ready" "Hallelujah! For the Lord our God the Almighty reigns." The angel says to write, "Blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb."

Other related Bible passages:
Matthew 22:1–14 and 25:1–13, where Jesus spoke about marriage suppers. John 1:29 and Revelation 5:6, where Jesus is often depicted as the sacrificial Lamb. Hosea and Isaiah, where God is portrayed as the husband of Israel

Paul then goes on to say that there are these three different “Walks” as this new Bride.
 
First, we must walk in “a New Love.”
God sent His Son, who came obediently and willingly, to be the Sacrificial Substitute to give His life, in love for those who would honor His Father by believing on Him (Jesus) as that “Savior.”

Now, as believing people we are to love each other, and love the members of the world around us… with that same love with the mission of leading the lost to faith in Jesus Christ.

Second, we must walk in “a New Light.”
In our outline our walking in a new light was broken down into five different aspects.

1 - We’ll remember the first of the five last…
2 - We are to “Let no one deceive you.” Study your bible, read it daily, always listen carefully to discern the truth.
3 - We are “not to participate in Darkness – knowing the truth… you are to discern light from darkness, stay away from, stay out of, don’t be associated with – those things that are not of His light.
4 - We are to “Be careful how you walk – again discern, discern, discern light from dark.
5 - We are to “Understand the will of the Lord” – Read – study – understand, that’s the process. Don’t forget to pray when you study, ask for discernment and wisdom.

Finally, Number 1 – in our list of “walking in a New Light… Now that we are a new people, and we are to walk in a new Love for the world around us, we must learn to walk, every day, knowing and understanding who God is and what He has to teach us. We are therefore encouraged to take those things we learn about Him and “Imitate God” in our daily walk.

Third, we must walk in “a New Life.”
Just like in a good marriage. The bringing together of the Bride and the Groom begins a completely new life. Jesus, the Lord, already knows you inside and out. You are now (symbolically) His new bride. Learn Him, understand Him, enjoy Him, fulfill His dreams for you in Him, and lastly – Imitate Him in your new life with Him.

GOD’S SPECIAL SECRET
LESSON TWENTY – 5:18-26
The Spiritual Experiences of the Bride
THE INTRODUCTION

V. CHAPTER FIVE - The Church As The Bride Of Christ
        A. The Spiritual Engagement of the Bride 5:1-17
        B. The Spiritual Experiences of the Bride 5:18-26

THE COMMENTARY

This lesson has the actions of God’s indwelling Holy Spirit as the focus. It will seem to wander away into other aspects, but in the background Paul speaks to his audience specifically about the Spirit’s indwelling power that is available to the believer. We’ll spend a couple minutes talking about Alcohol and how it’s used as a metaphor in verse 18. We’ll then move on verse 19 to learn about allowing the Holy Spirit to work through you in some very important ways – Speaking to each other, giving thanks to the Father, submitting to each other as Christ would – and how we are given the marriage relationship to demonstrate such submission – for it was His purpose to set you, His bride, apart through knowing, and acting like Jesus Christ, God’s Word.

THE STUDY
The Spiritual Experiences of the Bride
The Filling by God the Holy Spirit 5:18

V. CHAPTER FIVE - The Church As The Bride Of Christ
        A. The Spiritual Engagement of the Bride 5:1-17
        B. The Spiritual Experiences of the Bride 5:18-26
                1. The Filling by God the Holy Spirit 5:18

5:18 [Mac]
18 And [you]
        stop getting drunk [filled] with wine,
            in which is an unsaved kind of living,
        rather allow yourselves to be filled
            constantly by the Spirit.

5:18 [NASB]

18 And do not get drunk with wine,

for that is dissipation, but be filled with the Spirit,
 

THE COMMENTARY
 

I thought I would give you a full Bible coverage on this verse as it is so often misunderstood – as the verse is not really about alcohol – It is used here as a metaphor for a people who had almost nothing else to drink – because of water contamination, and the verse is about the dangers of being filled with anything other than the Holy Spirit as the controlling factor in the believer’s life.

We need to see that the emphasis of the context is anything that causes an “unsaved kind of living.” Instead, using a MacCorkle paraphrase, “Let the Spirit fill and refill you with Spiritual virtues.” We need to be careful to see the differences between a product and its uses. In just the Old Testament alone there are more than 18 positive personal uses of alcohol – and no negative aspects other than drunkenness. The bible does not make statements about “Temperance.” I’m not saying that you can’t have your own personal negative stand on alcohol, drugs, etc., but don’t try to justify them using the Bible. The Bible is the place to use as a reference upon anything that “controls” a life in a negative fashion as a result of its use. Like I said a moment ago, learn the difference between the a product and its uses.

The emphasis in verse :18 should always focus upon on the Bible’s statements that members of the Body of Christ should not be living a life of “dissipation.” The Cambridge Dictionary defines dissipation as the scientific fact that “hot things become cold over time.” Entropy it is called. The believer is not to be living in such a way that their “Fire” for the Lord becomes “Cold.” We should not be living our lives as the world around us lives them. We are to remove from our lives anything that hinders the continuous filling of the Holy Spirit and His power in our lives. We are to remove from our lives anything that keeps us from living a life like Jesus’.

Do you “expect” that the Holy Spirit will keep on filling you with what you need to meet your everyday experiences? You should! You should make it your habit to expect His filling. MacCorkle says, “How wonderful that this is a fountain that can never dry up.” Your fullness of Christ, through the filling of the Holy Spirit, is vital to the Christian Life.

“And may God, who is the ground of hope, fill you with all joy and peace as you lead the life of faith until, by the power of the Holy Spirit, you overflow with hope.”
Romans 15:13 RSV

THE STUDY
The Spiritual Experiences of the Bride
The Flow from God the Holy Spirit’s Filling 5:19-20

V. CHAPTER FIVE - The Church As The Bride Of Christ
        A. The Spiritual Engagement of the Bride 5:1-17
        B. The Spiritual Experiences of the Bride 5:18-26
                1. The Filling by God the Holy Spirit 5:18
                2. The Flow from God the Holy Spirit’s Filling 5:19-20

5:19-20 [Mac]
19 [You]
        Let these be the characteristics of your filling:
            first, speaking to one another in psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs;
            second, singing and making melody in your hearts to the Lord; 20
            third, giving thanks always,
                for everything,
                to our God and Father
                in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ;

5:19-20 [NASB]
19 speaking to one another
        in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs,
            singing and making melody
                with your heart to the Lord; 20
            always giving thanks
                for all things
                in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ
                to God, even the Father;

THE COMMENTARY

Now Paul moves from the Holy Spirit’s filling to the results of that filling – that you are under obligation to constantly expect and use.

“[You] let… do not hinder.” Paul’s choice of words here indicates that God, the Holy Spirit, makes available to you for the creation of a new characteristic of your life to be (1) living constantly in a state of joy – as a child of God with a salvation brought by God’s Son (your new brother), (2) a hope of eternal life, and (3) a constant positive filling of His Holy Spirit.

He speaks of not hindering the positive aspects of your filling. See first that these characteristics in you are for the benefit of other believers around you.

19 speaking to one another
        in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs,
        singing and making melody
            with your heart to the Lord;

Perhaps waking in the morning with this in your heart…

Praise the Lord! Praise God in His sanctuary; Praise Him in His mighty expanse. Praise Him for His mighty deeds; Praise Him according to His excellent greatness. Praise Him with trumpet sound; Praise Him with harp and lyre. Praise Him with timbrel and dancing; Praise Him with stringed instruments and pipe. Praise Him with loud cymbals; Praise Him with resounding cymbals. Let everything that has breath praise the Lord. Praise the Lord!
Psalm 150

You will notice that the manner in which you shall be speaking to another person is with a “song in your heart,” and that song is for The Lord. “Oh, hello brother/sister, it is so nice to see you this morning,” while in your heart is the Psalm above… to the Lord. You demonstrate your love of your lord through your words to those around you.

Then there is the hard part of this verse – regardless of the current circumstances… “giving thanks always, for everything.”

Love, joy, happiness, sickness, death, taxes, success, failure – giving thanks always for everything. It will change your life… and that’s the point. Learn to Praise God for what He has done for you. Salvation from the penalty and the pain of sin, the constant indwelling and filling of His Spirt, the Brotherhood of the Son of God - Jesus, an eternity of living in His presence and serving Him forever. NOW – sing in your heart for the benefit of all those believers who surround you that, perhaps, they will learn to sing and be thankful for everything in their lives too, in Christ.

And a final note from the verse: don’t forget to pray to the Father, in the name of the Son. It’s the way Jesus taught His disciples on the night before His crucifixion – in John 14-16.

THE STUDY
The Spiritual Experiences of the Bride
The Functioning Principle 5:21

V. CHAPTER FIVE - The Church As The Bride Of Christ
        A. The Spiritual Engagement of the Bride 5:1-17
        B. The Spiritual Experiences of the Bride 5:18-26
                1. The Filling by God the Holy Spirit 5:18
                2. The Flow from God the Holy Spirit’s Filling 5:19-20
                        a. The Functioning Principle 5:21

5:21 [MAC]
21 fourth,
    practicing submitting yourselves
        to one another
        with respect for Christ.


5:21 [NASB]   
21 and
    be subject to one another
        in the fear of Christ.

THE COMMENTARY

Here’s another verse that tells us that the Ephesians church was full of all the problems we have in our churches today – even the good, Bible based ones. They didn’t know, or perhaps they forgot, that everyone who is in Christ – is completely forgiven by God. We all stand on equal ground, but as individuals we’re not elevated into some special position by being in Christ. Therefore, we are to SERVE, BE SUBJECT, SUBMIT OURSELVES to each other… not that our respect is based on each other, but that our level of respect for one another is based in our respect for (our fear of) The Christ. Why is that so important? – because, that is who Jesus Christ is. That’s how he treats us all. That is His nature, and the Holy Spirit’s nature, and The Father’s nature. That is the nature of our Trinitarian God. Loving, kind, graceful – even in all His power, grandeur and righteousness justice.

In a moment we will be exploring the husband-wife relationship and how necessary it is to understand the importance of living like our Lord with and toward each other in our marriage & family relationships. MacCorkle says it quite nicely, “This is the basic major secret in the Christian marriage, namely: reciprocal submission.” “Each party is reminded of duties, not of rights.”

And right here we begin the transition to specific relationships within the believer’s family. Submission will dominate Paul’s text from here to Chapter 6 and verse 9.

 
THE STUDY
The Spiritual Experiences of the Bride
The Principle Functioning in Wives and Husbands 5:22-26

V. CHAPTER FIVE - The Church As The Bride Of Christ
        A. The Spiritual Engagement of the Bride 5:1-17
        B. The Spiritual Experiences of the Bride 5:18-26
                1. The Filling by God the Holy Spirit 5:18
                2. The Flow from God the Holy Spirit’s Filling 5:19-20
                        a. The Functioning Principle 5:21
                        b. The Principle Functioning in Wives and Husbands 5:22-26

5:22-26 [MAC]
22 For example,
    the wives are to
        keep submitting themselves
            to their own husbands as to the Lord, 23
            because the husband is the head of the wife
            as Christ also is the Head of the Church,
                since He Himself is the Savior of the Body.

24 Nevertheless as the Church submits herself to Christ,
    this is how the wives are to be submissive
        to their husbands in everything. 25

    You husbands keep on loving your wives in a godly manner,
        just as Christ
            loved the Church and
            delivered Himself up for her benefit. 26
            His purpose is to set her apart,
                having cleansed her
                    by the bath of water, consisting of the Word.

5:22-26 [NASB]
22 Wives,
    be subject to your own husbands,
        as to the Lord. 23
            For the husband is the head of the wife,
            as Christ also is the head of the church,
            He Himself being the Savior of the body. 24
            But as the church is subject to Christ,
                so also the wives ought to be to their husbands in everything.

25 Husbands,
    love your wives,
        just as Christ also
            loved the church and
            gave Himself up for her, 26 so that
        He might sanctify her,
            having cleansed her
                by the washing of water with the word,
 

THE COMMENTARY

We’ll break up this part into separate smaller statements.

Verse 22 sets the stage. The Mac translation includes the words, “For example.” Paul rightly sees these verses as examples of the ways submission should play-out in our lives. Because he is writing about the body of Christ as being like a family with Christ as the husband and the members of the church body, as His bride.

Wives (the Church in the metaphor) are to keep submitting themselves to their own husbands, as in the Lord (as the Church should keep submitting themselves to Jesus Christ). The call is for wives to practice submission to their husband as a mirror image of their submission - as members of the body of Christ submit to Him.

Please notice that this submission is to the wife’s own husband after the same manner that she, as a member of the body of Christ must practice submission to it’s own “husband,” as the bride of Jesus Christ. It is also a reference to Genesis 3:16:

“Thy desire shall be to thy husband and he shall rule over thee.”
 

This, understood now through the New Testament, was a picture presented to foreshadow the Bride of Christ’s (the Church) submission to God the Son.

How shall she submit to her own husband? The same way, living in the power of the Spirit of God, she submits to her savior, the living, loving, graceful “husband” of the Body of Christ.

Verse 23, Pt-1 – BECAUSE: Christ is the head of the Church (the bride wife) and therefore the husband of the wife is the head of the mirrored image of Christ and His Church.

Now, we’re not talking about abusive relationships and other disastrous relationships. We’re talking about “The way things should be,” in a Christ centered family relationship. The wife’s relationship to her husband should be as the Bride’s relationship to Christ.

Verse 23, Pt-2 – The Husband: is the head of the wife – God’s proclaimed order:

“But I would have you know, that the head of every man is Christ; and the head of the woman is the man, and the head of Christ is God.”

This should give each one of us a proper perspective as to how God wants things in His household. Each person’s submission is based upon the loving response of their head. That’s a very important note! For God’s intensions are not for the person in power above you “shall not be centered in self conceit, anger, or unrighteousness.” God is at the top position, and in this family relationship, He is loving, kind, and gracious – as the one you are responsible to.

Verse 23, P-3 – Christ is Head of the Church, and Savior of the Body. Paul clarifies that while the man is the head of the woman… he is not the savior of the woman. Christ is the Savior of the entire Body of Christ, the Church Universal.

Verse 24 – Paul gives us his wrap-up on the wives. Submit yourself to Christ AS the church (is supposed to) submit to Christ – in everything, the wife is to submit to her husband in that same fashion. The husband must also fulfill the role and life God has called upon him. The system works well when everyone involved acts according to God’s calling and plan. Christ and the submissive Church is the role model for Christian marriage, in everything, for both the wife and the husband.

Verse 25 and 26 – These two verses are both part of one thought. Think of verse 25 as an action that has a result, and verse 26 as the result from that action. And then it also speaks to all husbands.

Part-1, “[You] Husbands, love your wives.” That is a pretty clear statement and seemingly a pretty easy one to accomplish. It is such a simple statement, but… it doesn’t speak of any termination of that love – for any reason. It is a single emphatic statement. It stands as a command without ifs, ands, or buts. But why?

Part-2, Then the husbands are told how: “Just as Christ also loved the church.” That’s a really tall order. His, and His Father’s objective in His mission to come to earth, live, teach, gather believers.

Part – 3, Then it was for Jesus to be persecuted, be beaten and sentenced to be executed. Then hung on a cross till dead. To gather a human people unto Himself because of His and His Father’s love for this gathering of people.

Part – 4 So That… He (God) might sanctify her – His Bride. Blessed with every spiritual blessing. Chosen that we would be Holy and Blameless before Him. Predestined to adoption as sons to Himself according to the kind intentions of His will. Freely accepted through His grace. Redeemed through His blood, forgiven our trespasses (past, present, future). His inheritance given to us, and predestined to be the praise of His glory. Sealed in Him with the indwelling Holy Spirit of God – proving that we are God’s own possession (Ephesians 1:3-18 Summary).

That’s why a husband should love His wife, for that is what Jesus has done for His. That is the whole image of what Christ has done – therefore we who are believing husbands are to act like, be like, love like Jesus our Lord and King – for that is His desire upon us.

In that process He sanctified her, made her Holy. In the process of our lives we husbands are to make our wives holy, by taking the Word of God and pouring it like water over our wives to work the process of cleansing. For that is what Jesus has done and is still doing in all of us.