Nepaug Bible Church - http://www.nepaugchurch.org - Pastor's Adult Sunday School Notes - http://www.nepaugchurch.org/bb/bb19991219.htm

FUNCTIONING BY GOD'S POWER FOR BASIC DAILY LIVING NEEDS
Part II: Functioning Effectively In Family Life By God's Equipping Power
(Ephesians 5:18-6:4)
  1. Introduction
    1. We all know many family structures are dysfunctional. Child and spousal abuse are rampant in our land.
    2. Though one can argue that our society and backgrounds of current generations are responsible for this, and almost resign himself to accept the dysfunctional home as the norm, Scripture would say otherwise.
    3. Ephesians 5:18-6:4 reveals God's power that is available for effective normal family life today as follows:
  2. Functioning Effectively In Family Life By God's Equipping Power, Ephesians 5:18-6:4.
    1. God has the following plan for a family's avoiding dysfunctional relationships and their problems:
      1. Each member of the household is to believe in Christ as Savior to be indwelt by the behavior and thought-controlling Holy Spirit, Ephesians 5:18 with John 3:16 and Romans 8:9b:
        1. Each member of the household should be filled, or controlled by the behavior and thought-controlling Person of God the Holy Spirit, Ephesian 5:18.
        2. Since one must believe in Christ to have the Holy Spirit (Romans 8:9b with John 3:16), the first step toward living above dysfunction in a family is for each member of that family to be saved!
      2. Second, each member must be controlled by the Holy Spirit, Ephesians 5:18. This involves confession of sins that block the Spirit's control (cf. Gal. 5:16-17; 1 John 1:9) and a life of faith, leaning on the Spirit's promptings to obey God's Word, Gal. 5:16; 1 John 2:3-6.
      3. Third, God supplies the following directives for each member of the household so adjusted to God:
        1. Control by the Holy Spirit produces an attitude of compliance with law and order, Eph. 5:21.
        2. Accordingly, wives so controlled by the Spirit of God need to comply with God's order of submitting to their own husbands in all things that are upright in submission to God, Ephesians 5:22-24, 33b.
        3. Likewise, husbands so controlled by the Spirit of God need to love their wives and sacrificially give of themselves for their nourishment and protection, Ephesians 5:25-33a.
        4. Similarly, children need to realize that God's order implies submission to Mom and Dad, and, filled with the Spirit, they need to obey and honor their parents as unto the Lord, Eph. 6:1-3.
        5. Likewise, parents ("fathers" are the governmental head of the home, and their jurisdiction flows also to the mothers, Bib. Know. Com., N.T., p. 642) controlled by the Holy Spirit are to be balanced in their leadership, neither lording it over the children, but yet guiding and disciplining in grace so that the children can grow and be motivated to grow in th eir relationship with the Lord, Eph. 6:4.
    2. However, IF a family member exists in a dysfunctional family where other parties fail to believe in Christ or to live by the Holy Spirit's power, God still provides openings for effective individual life as follows:
      1. Anyone in an imperfect family can still enjoy rich blessings in living by means of the Spirit's power:
        1. Paul teaches a spouse married to an unbelieving partner can still externally influence the spouse and children positively because of that believers involvement with the Lord, 1 Corinthians 7:14.
        2. Timothy became a pastor under the influence of his saved mother and grandmother, and it is likely his father was unsaved as a pagan Gentile, cf. 2 Timothy 1:5; Acts 16:1-3; Ibid., p. 750.
      2. However, some dysfunctional situations are so dangerous that even God advocates one's geographical withdrawal from them, even in home situations, cf. 2 Timothy 3:1-5. One should follow Scripture and get plenty of godly advice before making a move in such a situation, cf. 2 Tim. 3:14-17; Prov. 11:14.
      3. Regardless what one faces even in a dysfunctional family, if he lives by the Spirit's power and obeys God, he will enjoy God's blessing, cf. Galatians 5:16, 22-24 with 2 Timothy 4:16-18 in its context. [Paul claimed while being abandoned by friends and left to be unjustly assigned to death row, God would keep him from doing evil works until he was safely in heaven; then he broke out in a doxology of pr aise, fulfilled in Christ, Alford's Greek Testament, (1856) v. III, p. 381.]
Lesson: (1) The key to a family operating happily is for every member in it to believe in Christ and depend on the Holy Spirit's power to obey God's Word. (2) However, even if SOME in the family DISOBEY God, individuals IN even a DYSFUNCTIONAL uni t can and will enjoy God's PERSONAL blessing, for the Holy Spirit IN him is greater than the devil who is in the world, 1 John 4:4.