Chapter Summary

Walk of the believer as God's child. The believer's warfare as filled with the Spirit.

Discussion Questions for Ephesians, Chapter 5

1. In verse 1, Paul encourages us to be imitators of God. What does it mean to imitate God, and how can we practically do this in our daily lives? How can we imitiate Christ in verse 2?
2. How do sexual immorality, impurity, and greed specifically hinder our relationships with God and others? How can we avoid these?
3. What does verse 8 mean when it says, "For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord" (CSB)? How does this transformation impact our identity and behavior? What does it look like to walk as a child of light?
4. Verse 9 uses the word "fruit" (ὁ καρπός) in the singular sense. This means that Paul is not referring to a collection of fruits, but one singular fruit. How does this affect the way we should understand the fruit of the light? How do these compare to Galatians 5:22-23? Why might these be different?
5. Verse 11 instructs us to expose the deeds of darkness. How can a person expose sin in their own life? What do you need to expose today?
6. Does verse 18 forbid drinking alcohol? Why or why not? How do both being drunk and being filled with the Spirit affect the way you behave?
7. What does it mean to submit to one another "in the fear of Christ" (verse 21, CSB)? Why is submission such a vital part of our walk with Christ?
8. Verses 22-24 have caused a lot of discomfort in the modern age. Is this still a valid command? Why? Are the commands given to husbands (verses 25-33) still valid? Can we say that one part of this passage is invalid while the other is still valid?
9. In verses 22-33, wives get three verses while husbands get nine verses of instructions. Why does Paul place so much emphasis on the man's role in marriage?
10. Verses 22-33 sum up one example of how to submit to one another as mentioned in verse 21. It does not mention anything about one person ruling over the other. Why is this important to remember? How should a husband and wife navigate the narrow line between submission and ruling over the other person?

Key Words/Phrase

Worship, vv. 19, 20. Walk, v. 2.

Characters

God, Christ, Paul.

Strong Verse(s)

9, 18, 19, 20, 25, 30.