Ephesians

Lesson 16

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Ch 5:21-33

21 And further, submit to one another out of reverence for Christ. 22 For wives, this means submit to your husbands as to the Lord. 23 For a husband is the head of his wife as Christ is the head of the church. He is the Savior of his body, the church. 24 As the church submits to Christ, so you wives should submit to your husbands in everything. 25 For husbands, this means love your wives, just as Christ loved the church. He gave up his life for her 26 to make her holy and clean, washed by the cleansing of God’s word. 27 He did this to present her to himself as a glorious church without a spot or wrinkle or any other blemish. Instead, she will be holy and without fault. 28 In the same way, husbands ought to love their wives as they love their own bodies. For a man who loves his wife actually shows love for himself. 29 No one hates his own body but feeds and cares for it, just as Christ cares for the church. 30 And we are members of his body. 31 As the Scriptures say, “A man leaves his father and mother and is joined to his wife, and the two are united into one.” 32 This is a great mystery, but it is an illustration of the way Christ and the church are one. 33 So again I say, each man must love his wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband.

Men:

1. How do you define and what is your attitude toward loving your wives as Christ loves the church? Give examples of sacrificing, protecting, providing (not just financially), acknowledging, supporting and loving her as you do yourselves.

2. What role models have you looked to to emulate these behaviors?

3. What specific attitudes and behaviors can you add/improve?

Women:
1. How do you define, and what is your attitude toward submitting to your husbands? Is it easy for you? What are some situations/methods by which you can respect your husbands?

2. What role models have you looked to to emulate these behaviors?

3. What specific attitudes and behaviors can you add/improve?