Ephesians 6:1 Children and Parents. I. St. Paul assumes that the life of children may be a life in Christ. Children are to obey their parents in the Lord, and parents are to nurture their children in the chastening and admonition of the Lord. Every child, apart from its own choice and before it is... [ Continue Reading ]
Ephesians 6 I. The Apostle compares the struggles of a Christian against the enemies of his soul to the warfare of a soldier against the enemies of his country. What are the spiritual truths, the Christian graces, typified by these outward weapons? (1) The Christian's girdle is _truth._To be sincer... [ Continue Reading ]
Ephesians 6:4 I. The Lord brings up His disciples from the beginning of life. II. The Lord nourishes and cherishes His disciples; He is not a mere Teacher: He is a Trainer. He helps us to learn, and when our courage sinks He revives it. III. The Lord exhorts, warns, and restrains. There is nurtur... [ Continue Reading ]
Ephesians 6:7 Labour no Hindrance to Spiritual Progress. I. Servants may be described as servants of Christ. If the Church is regarded, according to the Scriptural imagery, as a kingdom or household, of which Christ is the Head, we may argue that all the members of which it is composed are the serv... [ Continue Reading ]
Ephesians 6:10 Weakness. I. To the Christian human nature is not a poor, but an infinitely grand, thing; something from which not a little, but everything, may be expected; something which was made in the image of God, was assumed and glorified by God's own Son, has been the tabernacle of untold h... [ Continue Reading ]
Ephesians 6:12 The Unseen Powers. I. That which lies on the very surface of St. Paul's language is this commanding truth: that spiritual forces are much greater than material forces. It takes time and trouble for many of us to be really certain of this truth, because from time to time in the world... [ Continue Reading ]
Ephesians 6:13 The reason expressed in this word "wherefore" is contained in the passage before the text. "We wrestle not against flesh and blood," says St. Paul, "but against spiritual wickedness in high places" high, subtle, evil spiritual beings, ever ready and, but for God's great mercy and pow... [ Continue Reading ]
Ephesians 6:13 I. Note the prohibition involved in the precept. It forbids (1) indolent or even weary sleep; (2) cowardly or even politic flight; (3) a treacherous or even a desponding surrender; (4) the declaration of a truce or even an application for it; (5) the giving up of a militant position... [ Continue Reading ]
Ephesians 6:14 Christian Truthfulness. I. It is obvious that the word "truth" as here used does not mean truth in the object, _i.e.,_the truth of the Gospel, the verities of redemption, but truth in the subject, _i.e.,_that which we so commonly call truthfulness, a quality within the man himself. A... [ Continue Reading ]
Ephesians 6:20 I. The ministers of Christ are more or less ambassadors in bonds; that is to say, they have not merely to contend with difficulties, but the difficulties they contend with are not fair ones. They do not get an equal hearing. But whatever difficulties from without beset the ambassador... [ Continue Reading ]