In Ephesians chapter six, verses one through four, Paul directly commands children to obey their parents. Not only are Paul’s instructions valuable for us in parent/child relationships, but they serve as a discipleship model for us as believers. Authority is ordained by God; when we obey authority, we are obeying God. There is a tension that surrounds this issue of authority, because it can expose sin patterns in our lives.

Paul’s teachings in Ephesians 5:21-33 are often presented as a recipe for a good marriage, however, several parts of this passage can be easily misunderstood and/or misapplied. When this happens, many couples can find themselves disappointed and disillusioned with each other. A proper understanding of authority allows us to apply these verses to our relationships and live out married life the way God intended.

Grace Church en Español se reúne los domingos a las 11am en el centro de estudiantes de la sede de Pelham Rd. Aquí encuentran las grabaciones de la enseñanza semanal. Para más información visite a gracechurchenespanol.org o envíe un correo a [email protected].

Children inherently look to their fathers as an example of how to live life. Similarly, as Christians we must look to our heavenly Father and imitate the example He provides through Jesus. God loves us so abundantly that He sent His only Son to live out life and sacrifice Himself for our sins. We are called to display this same sacrificing love to those around us. As believers, we must learn to not be deceived by the false glory of the world and recognize that Christ is the only true source of satisfaction and truth for us. All of our worldly idols will eventually disappoint us. It is an everyday task to recognize the seriousness of sin and know that God will hold us accountable for the sin we choose not to turn away from.

As Christians, we are part of one body: the Church. We are all gifted in unique ways and have something to contribute. As we learn and grow together there is going to be conflict because of our sinful nature. In verses 25-31 of Chapter 4, Paul outlines several obstacles we will face as believers interacting with one another, but He also challenges us with a call to repentance. Repentance means we do not simply stop doing one thing, but that we stop doing something in order to start doing another.

In Christ a new humanity is formed. Those who live in the new humanity do not live disoriented, futile lives but instead have hope in Christ. God has the power to bring us from darkness into the light; however, we must make a willful decision to choose the light and to avoid living separate from God. A transformation of the heart takes place when our lives are given to Christ; living outside of Christ can cause hearts to harden and become calloused. It is our responsibility as Christians to choose to find our hope and happiness in God or we will seek pleasure in empty places.

Grace Church en Español se reúne los domingos a las 11am en el centro de estudiantes de la sede de Pelham Rd. Aquí encuentran las grabaciones de la enseñanza semanal. Para más información visite a gracechurchenespanol.org o envíe un correo a [email protected].