south ridge blog

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Romans 6:11 reads, So you also should consider yourselves to be dead to the power of sin and alive to God through Christ Jesus.

One of the biggest questions of the Christian faith is, Why did Jesus have to die?  In fact, some of the greatest minds from the beginnings of Christianity through today have wrestled with this question. And while there is no shortage of thoughts on how to answer this question, many have proposed that it’s not the correct question. The answer is not that Jesus had to die. Instead, the answer is that Jesus chose to die. 

As James Bryan Smith writes in The Good and Beautiful God₅, “The Father, Son and Spirit worked in harmony to reach out to a fallen and broken world in order to restore it. God did for us what we could never do for ourselves. The cross is a symbol of God’s love and sacrifice. Jesus assumed and healed our human condition, and in doing so he demonstrated the depths of God’s love for all of creation.”

Jesus choosing to die allows us to have and experience a New Nature. We no longer live ruled by sin. But ruled by grace.

READING & JOURNALING:

     ROMANS 6:1-11

How would you respond to a friend or family member who was wrestling with the question, “Why did Jesus have to die?”

What would you say is currently ruling your life (sin, grace, something else)? What impact is this having on your everyday decisions? 

PRAYER:

Heavenly Father, I confess that it’s challenging for me to think about why Jesus chose to die. As I dwell on it, I realize that Jesus chose to die to take on the punishment for my sins. May the severity of this love and grace continue to change me from the inside out. I pray in Jesus’ name. Amen. 

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Romans 6:4 reads, And just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glorious power of the Father, now we also may live new lives.

It’s easy to see that our world is broken. If you were to ask any individual, of any sex, of any culture, of any social status, what is broken about the world in which we live, you would receive no shortage of answers. Everybody knows that the world is broken. Fortunately, Jesus provides a path to escape from the brokenness of this world. 

The Life Application Study Bible₁ notes that for all who have trusted in Christ’s death and resurrection, God has provided a New Life, a New Nature, and New Freedom. 

For many, even the idea of a New Life sounds intriguing. For example, if you were to evaluate every area of your life — physical, emotional, spiritual, your thought life, etc. — you may very well start to think, Wow. If I could actually have a New Life, I think that could be very helpful! 

But Romans 6 basically says, “This isn’t just an idea. You can truly experience New Life.”

READING & JOURNALING:

     ROMANS 6:1-11

What are the first three things that come to mind for this question: what is broken about the world in which we live?

What thoughts come to mind when you think that your New Life began the moment you professed faith in Christ? It doesn’t begin when you die, but you’re living it right now? 

PRAYER:

Heavenly Father, today I simply want to thank You for providing me with a New Life. Help me to live today and every day knowing that the next life doesn’t begin when I die but has already begun. May I rejoice in this truth each and every day. In Jesus’ name. Amen. 

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What truths from Ephesians 5:21-6:9 impacted you most this week? 

Consider talking or meeting with somebody you trust to discuss what you’ve learned this week and how it’s helping you to grow emotionally and spiritually. 

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One of the devotionals earlier this week noted that those who translate the Scriptures from the original languages into English have a really difficult job. Some of that has to do with grammar and punctuation, but other aspects are cultural. 

Perhaps one of the more challenging topics to translate from Hebrew or Greek into English are passages that focus on hard topics such as slavery. As people living in the 21st Century in the United States, we have learned a great deal about the atrocities that occurred as a result of slavery. So when we read in Ephesians 6:5, Slaves, obey your earthly masters with deep respect and fear, we may question what it means. Some may wonder, If our God is loving, why does the Bible have verses about slaves obeying their masters?

The short answer is that the kind of slavery that existed in the Old Testament differed greatly from the kind of slavery that existed in the Greco-Roman world. And both differed greatly from the kind of slavery that is part of American History. For Paul, he encouraged both slaves and masters to treat one another with fairness and to serve one another well. 

READING & PRAYERS:

     EPHESIANS 6:5-9

What is one practical way you can live out the main principles of this passage in your life today? 

PRAYER: Heavenly Father, today I thank You that Your Word is appropriate for all people in all time periods. May I not skip over some aspects of the Scriptures falsely believing that they don’t apply to me. Instead, may I dig deeply into every aspect of Your Word and come to reflect it well through my words and actions. In Jesus’ name. Amen. 

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Raising children is one of life’s greatest joys as well as one of life’s greatest challenges. On the one hand, godly parents want their children to have good moral virtues and to grow in their love of God and others. On the other hand, godly parents want their children to learn how to think for themselves and come to understand on their own who God made them to be. This requires parents to hold tightly to their children in some ways, but also be willing to release their children to be on their own in order to discover their own beliefs, goals, and values. It’s a very difficult tension to manage. 

Because the Word of God provides wisdom to all people in all cultures, it doesn’t provide step by step instructions for how to parent. Nor does it provide step by step instructions for how to grow as a child. It does, however, provide wisdom that can be applied within each family and culture. As an example, children are commanded both obey their parents as well as honor them. While obedience may only be required until a child leaves the home, honor is an ongoing requirement that continues throughout one’s life. 

READING & PRAYERS:

     EPHESIANS 6:1-4

What are some practical ways you currently honor your parents? 

What are at least three additional ways you can honor your parents over the next few weeks? Be specific. 

PRAYER: Heavenly Father, today I simply pray that You will continue to reveal to me how I can not only be obedient toward my parents, but also continually honor them. Similarly, help me to live an honorable life. Not so that my children will honor me, but so that they will come to see Your love and grace through my life. I pray in Jesus’ name. Amen. 

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Admittedly, there are many today who find Ephesians 5:21-33 difficult to understand and live out. However, the passage itself isn’t difficult when it’s studied out well so that one can better grasp what God is communicating to us. 

In this passage,God is saying that husbands need to take on the same role that Jesus had for the Church. Jesus served His people relentlessly. He washed the feet of His disciples, a role that at the time was only done by servants. He did not serve his people as an authoritarian, but instead, when the time came, Jesus willingly gave His life for the church. Taking on this role, husbands are to serve with this level of sacrificial love. 

Similarly, God is also communicating that wives need to take on the the role of Jesus. In the same way that Jesus submitted to God the Father, wives submit to their husbands. Not out of duty or obligation, but instead reflecting the delight, respect, love, and sacrifice that the husband models. 

In short, this passage communicates that both the husband and the wife take on the role of Christ within the marriage, loving one another in the same way Christ loves them. 

READING & PRAYERS:

     EPHESIANS 5:21-33 (also read the commentary notes in your study bible of choice)

For those who are married: What are some benefits for you to know and understand the full meaning of this passage? Think of as many as you can. (Write out any questions you may have from this passage, and commit to finding the answers.)

For those who are unmarried: What are some benefits for you to know and understand the full meaning of this passage? Think of as many as you can.  

PRAYER: Heavenly Father, it is encouraging for me to read this passage and to recognize that You are not indicating one person in a marriage is superior, nor are you indicating one person is inferior. You are simply showing that both parties take on the role of Christ within the marriage. Continue to help me see marriage in light of these beautiful truths. In Jesus’ name. Amen. 

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Translating the Scriptures from the original languages in which they were written (Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek) is a very challenging task. Those who have studied these languages recognize dozens of differences between how things were communicated in one culture compared to how those same things can be communicated today. Similarly, punctuation was different. None of the text contained quotation marks, bolded words, or other common rules we use today. There were no paragraphs or indentations. There were no chapters or verses included by the author. Instead, letters such as the Apostle Paul’s letter to the Ephesians would have been one lengthy paragraph. 

Because of these challenges, some translations of the Scriptures have small differences in which a new paragraph begins. Ephesians 5:21 (or 5:22) through 5:33 is one such example. Many modern-day translators believe that this passage, which focuses on some virtues within Christian marriage, begins with verse 5:21, And further, submit to one another out of reverence for Christ.

READING & PRAYERS:

     EPHESIANS 5:21-33

Take the time to write it out — Practically speaking, what does it look like to Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ? 

PRAYER: Heavenly Father, I recognize that You — as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit — are difficult for me to fully understand. Each aspect of the trinity works together beautifully and without any animosity or disrespect toward one another. May my marriage and/or the marriages of others I know and love be a reflection of the oneness found in You. In Jesus’ name. Amen. 

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What truths from Ephesians 5:1-21 impacted you most this week? 

Consider talking or meeting with somebody you trust to discuss what you’ve learned this week and how it’s helping you to grow emotionally and spiritually. 

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There’s a big difference between being intelligent and being wise. Those with a strong intellect can often find creative solutions to major problems. But they may do so at the expense of financial or relational wisdom with others. 

In Ephesians 5:1-21, the Apostle Paul contrasts some differences between living in wisdom and living in foolishness. A person who lives in wisdom makes the most of every opportunity (5:16), is filled with the Holy Spirit (5:18) and gives thanks for everything to God the Father (5:20). But one who lives foolishly engages in drunkenness (5:18), sexual immorality, impurity, greed, foolish talk (5:3-4) and/or other foolish patterns. 

Some may read through passages such as these and form of list of good behaviors and bad behaviors. But Paul isn’t simply highlighting behaviors. He’s focusing on what it looks like to be in Christ, living a self-sacrificial life. A life full of love, light, and wisdom. A life lived in this way is a life full of singing, making music, giving thanks, and submitting to one another (5:19-21). A live lived in this way is a life well-lived. 

READING & PRAYERS:

     EPHESIANS 5:15-21

What do you need to do today so that when your head hits the pillow tonight you will feel like today was a day well-lived? 

PRAYER: Heavenly Father, the Psalms and Proverbs are a wonderful reminder that sometimes Your people experience severe life challenges, anxiety, sadness, and depression. Yet despite these circumstances they remained faithful to You, a sure sign of wisdom. Continue to provide me with the wisdom to know what’s right and the courage to do what’s right, even when it’s hard. In Jesus’ name. Amen. 

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In Book 4 of the Harry Potter series, a new professor – Alastor (Mad-Eye) Moody – begins teaching the students at Hogwarts. Having worked throughout his life as an Auror, Professor Moody seems very wise due to his experience in capturing those who use dark magic. Throughout the book, he regularly emphasizes that the students need to live in a state of, “Constant vigilance!” The students are reminded that the enemy can strike at the most unexpected of times. As such, “Constant vigilance,” is the only proper solution.  

As followers of Christ, we shouldn’t be surprised to discover the themes of light vs. dark woven throughout the Scriptures. The Apostle Paul writes in Ephesians 5:8-9, For once you were full of darkness, but now you have light from the Lord. So live as people of light! The Life Application Study Bible notes, “Our pasts may have dark times of cynicism, despair, shame, or self-doubt. Satan desires to lead us back into that darkness. We must reject him by intentionally living out what pleases the Lord. In this way, Christ’s light will keep shining brighter in us.”

To summarize, “Constant vigilance!” is good advice to live by.

READING & PRAYERS:

     EPHESIANS 5:8-14, 1 THESSALONIANS 5:5-8

How would you explain to somebody else what it means to live as a person of light? 

PRAYER: Heavenly Father, today I am reminded that not only is the culture around me full of self-centered voices, but I myself have made decisions that include cynicism, despair, shame, and self-doubt. Help me to remember that my sins have all been forgiven so I can now live in freedom of shame, and instead can live in light. In Jesus’ name. Amen. 

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