Ephesians Chapter Six
Ephesians Chapter Six
This chapter finds Paul still encouraging honor and respect amongst different categories of relationships. He mentions the obedience that children should give parents, and the nurture and training that parents should provide for their children. Paul gradually unfolds a lifestyle that is full of blessing and promise because of this loving and respectful behavior – not just as some kind of mechanical cause and effect methodology, but a genuine flow of blessing from one to another in the earth which brings blessing from heaven.
The heart and reasoning behind this is the fact that our behavior of love and honor and respect includes Jesus in a divine triangulation. He illustrates this by exhorting employees to honor and respect their employers, working as though they were working for The Lord Jesus, and working as The Lord Jesus might do. He concludes this line of argument with the encouraging words of verse 8; “Be conscious of the fact that your attitude of performing whatever good thing you see to and diligently look after will bring about the same kind of care and benefit from The Lord, whether you are employed by a boss or work for yourself or you are a volunteer.”
The rest of the chapter is a set of guidelines concerning spiritual warfare, with challenges for us to be on our guard against the devious tactics of Satan and the differing ranks of dark angels and demonic powers. He sees this kind of diligence as being a necessary measure not only for our personal security against the powers of darkness, but also as an effective use of teamwork in supporting our brothers and sisters in the family of God.
EPHESIANS CHAPTER 6 - CONTEMPORARY ALIGNED VERSION (SPIRITCODE)
1. Children should be obedient to their parents. It is the right thing to do.
2. Give honor and respect to your father and mother. That is the first commandment that had a promise of blessing attached to it.
3. The promise is that things will go well with you and you will live a long life.
4. Fathers, I urge you not to frustrate your children with remarks and demands that make them feel rejected and resentful, but train them to do what is right and encourage them the way The Lord would.
5. Pay attention to what your employers want you to do with a healthy respect and fear of doing the wrong thing by them. Approach your work with the same kind of integrity and sincerity as if you were working for Christ.
6. Don't only work well when you are being supervised, but as though you were working for Jesus and sincerely doing the will of God in your work.
7. Have an attitude of care and kindness, again, like you were doing it for Jesus and not just to man.
8. Be conscious of the fact that your attitude of performing whatever good thing you see to and diligently look after will bring about the same kind of care and benefit from The Lord, whether you are employed by a boss or work for yourself or you are a volunteer.
9. And if you are an employer act the same way to your employees, being conscious of the fact that your boss is in heaven and he is fair and just and doesn't play favorites.
10. Finally my friends, let The Lord empower you with his might and strength.
11. Put on the defensive armor that God has given you so that you can stand against the evil tactics of the devil.
12. Because our battle is not against people but against evil territorial spirits, and personal oppressive powers of darkness, and against the top levels of angelic darkness over our planet who inflict spiritual wickedness upon us from their dark domain in the heavens.
13. That is why I urge you to take all the spiritual defensive armor and weaponry that is available to you so that you will be able to resist and hold out during the times of evil attacks. Then, having done your best, with God’s best that he makes available, you will remain standing firm.
14. So stand firm in this way, with a belt that is buckled with truth, and over your hearts the bulletproof vest of a heart to heart bond with Jesus.
15. And have shoes on that allow you to walk the talk of the wonderful message of a shared life with Jesus.
16. But by and large hold up the shield of faith and full trust in God. That will stop any flaming missile that the devil hurls at you.
17. Wear the crash-hat of safety that protects your mind from darkness and deception, and cut through the lying darkness with your spiritual sword, which is the Word of God.
18. Stay in prayer all the time and keep asking for the help of The Holy Spirit, staying alert and hanging in there for the long term, as a team, supporting your fellow believers.
19. Praying for me as well, so that God will give me the words to speak, and the courage to say what has to be said so that the mysterious truth of this wonderful shared life with Jesus will be understood by all.
20. Even though I am a representative of this message, which has landed me in jail, I want to have the opportunity to speak as freely as if I were called to speak at a conference table.
21. But so that you will be well informed of how I am and what is happening to me, my dear brother and faithful servant of God, Tychicus, will come to you and tell you all about it.
22. I am sending him to keep you up to date with what is happening and also that he will bring comfort and encouragement to you.
23. Wish all of God’s family there peace and love and faith, from the Father and from The Lord Jesus Christ.
24. May God’s goodness come upon all of you that genuinely love our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.