< Ephesians 6 >

The apostle gave instructions concerning other family relationships, besides husbands and wives, including parents and children and, as was common in those days, masters and slaves.

Children who have been baptized are commanded to obey their parents in the Lord, a commandment which is full of promise.

Parents are required to bring up their children in the “nurture and admonition of the Lord”.

In those days many slaves (translated “servants”) believed and were baptized, and these were commanded to obey their masters “as unto Christ”. We are not slaves, but many of us are employees so we can apply this commandment to ourselves, not only working well when we are being watched as in “eyeservice”, but always working as the servants of Christ who sees all, knowing he will reward each one for faithful service. No disciples today are masters of slaves but some are employers and these are required to be Christ-like in their behaviour towards their workers.

Disciples of Christ are forbidden to take up the sword to kill other people so, though they have had many violent enemies throughout the centuries, they do not “wrestle against flesh and blood” in battle as other men do. The saints fight the good fight of faith in preaching the gospel and obeying Christ, and in this they come against “spiritual wickedness in high places”,v.12Waiting for response for Ephesians 6:12 i.e. evil in the secular and ecclesiastical rulers of the world. The disciples are therefore exhorted to put on, not the physical armour of the Roman soldier, but the spiritual armour of God.v.11Waiting for response for Ephesians 6:11 This consists of truth, righteousness, the gospel of peace, faith, salvation, the word of God, and prayer.vs.14-18Waiting for response for Ephesians 6:14-18 These virtues enable us to withstand all the onslaughts of sin v.11Waiting for response for Ephesians 6:11 in whatever form it afflicts us, whether from the impulses of our own flesh or from the actions of other people. There is a great battle to be fought against sin and in the end, while many will lie slain, a great multitude will remain standing with Christ in victory. “Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand”.v.13Waiting for response for Ephesians 6:13