Eph 5:1-16 NASB  Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children;  (2)  and walk in love, just as Christ also loved you and gave Himself up for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God as a fragrant aroma.  (3)  But immorality or any impurity or greed must not even be named among you, as is proper among saints;  (4)  and there must be no filthiness and silly talk, or coarse jesting, which are not fitting, but rather giving of thanks.  (5)  For this you know with certainty, that no immoral or impure person or covetous man, who is an idolater, has an inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God.  (6)  Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience.  (7)  Therefore do not be partakers with them;  (8)  for you were formerly darkness, but now you are Light in the Lord; walk as children of Light  (9)  (for the fruit of the Light consists in all goodness and righteousness and truth),  (10)  trying to learn what is pleasing to the Lord.  (11)  Do not participate in the unfruitful deeds of darkness, but instead even expose them;  (12)  for it is disgraceful even to speak of the things which are done by them in secret.  (13)  But all things become visible when they are exposed by the light, for everything that becomes visible is light.  (14)  For this reason it says, “Awake, sleeper, And arise from the dead, And Christ will shine on you.”  (15)  Therefore be careful how you walk, not as unwise men but as wise,  (16)  making the most of your time, because the days are evil.

• How do beloved children imitate their parents?
• How did Christ love us – in what ways did he show that love?
• Verse 5 – (immoral – pórnos=prostituting oneself for gain), (covetous – pleonéktē=a person who is covetous of what others have, a defrauder for gain), (who is an idolater = placing gain and money above God).
• Verse 6 – how can people deceive us with empty words?  What is God\’s view of those people?
• What has changed that helps us not to partake of those things (Verse 8-9)?
• Verse 10 – what do you see in this verse that is encouraging?
• (Verses 11-14) Have you had former habits or preferences exposed to the light and something changed?  Was it your will that changed that preference?
• What are we to do in this life from verses 1-16?

Eph 5:17-20 GW  So don’t be foolish, but understand what the Lord wants.  (18)  Don’t get drunk on wine, which leads to wild living. Instead, be filled with the Spirit  (19)  by reciting psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs for your own good. Sing and make music to the Lord with your hearts.  (20)  Always thank God the Father for everything in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.

• What impresses you about Paul’s advice to the Ephesians?
• How does Paul suggest to be filled with the Spirit?
• What happens if we don’t do these things?

Eph 5:21-24 GW  Place yourselves under each other’s authority out of respect for Christ.  (22)  Wives, place yourselves under your husbands’ authority as you have placed yourselves under the Lord’s authority.  (23)  The husband is the head of his wife as Christ is the head of the church. It is his body, and he is its Savior.  (24)  As the church is under Christ’s authority, so wives are under their husbands’ authority in everything.

• How do we place ourselves under each other’s authority?
• What are wives to do?
• Why do you think God established this relationship? (Gen 3:16, 1 Peter 3:1-2)
• What has happened to this relationship in our society?  Have we become more enlightened with the passing generations?

Eph 5:25-33 GW Husbands, love your wives as Christ loved the church and gave his life for it.  (26)  He did this to make the church holy by cleansing it, washing it using water along with spoken words.  (27)  Then he could present it to himself as a glorious church, without any kind of stain or wrinkle-holy and without faults.  (28)  So husbands must love their wives as they love their own bodies. A man who loves his wife loves himself.  (29)  No one ever hated his own body. Instead, he feeds and takes care of it, as Christ takes care of the church.  (30)  We are parts of his body.  (31)  That’s why a man will leave his father and mother and be united with his wife, and the two will be one.  (32)  This is a great mystery. (I’m talking about Christ’s relationship to the church.)  (33)  But every husband must love his wife as he loves himself, and wives should respect their husbands.

• What is the husband’s role in the marriage?
• Who is the husband’s role model for a marriage?
• Describe Jesus love for the Church and how that should be applied to a man’s love for his wife?
• What is the difference in the marriage relationship for husbands and wives and how does that reflect our relationship with Jesus?
• How does this apply to you?