The next sections of the mystery deal with the family, marriage and the church as a unite in unity with the LORD God. In this each individual is in unity of spirit with Spirit where all are in the All in all. Many of the hidden links are also found within other passages as we have seen elsewhere. I will pick up the flow beginning in Ephesians 4:17 through 6:4, which states this;
Ephesians 4:17-24, 25-5:2, 3-14, 15-21, 22-24, 25-6:3, 4 "Now this I say and testify in the LORD, that you must no longer walk as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their minds. For they are darkened in their understanding, alienated from the life of GOD because of the ignorance that is in them, due to their hardness of heart. They have become callous and have given themselves up to sensuality, greedy to practice every kind of impurity. But that is not the way you learned Christ!—assuming that you have heard about Him and were taught [in] by Him, as the truth is in Jesus, to put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires, and to be (being) renewed in the spirit of your minds, and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of GOD in true righteousness and holiness.
Therefore, having put away falsehood (by Zechariah in 8:16), let each one of you speak the truth with his neighbor, for we are members one of another. Be angry and do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger, and give no opportunity to the devil. Let the thief no longer steal, but rather let him labor, doing honest work with his own hands, so that he may have something to share with anyone in need. Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear. And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of GOD, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as GOD in Christ forgave you. Therefore be imitators of GOD, as beloved children. And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave Himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to GOD.
For sexual immorality and all impurity or covetousness must not even be named among you, as is proper among saints. Let there be no filthiness nor foolish talk nor crude joking, which are out of place, but instead let there be thanksgiving. For you may be sure of this, that everyone who is sexually immoral or impure, or who is covetous (that is, an idolater), has no inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and GOD.
Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of GOD (is released from within all lost souls and is said to) come upon the sons of disobedience. Therefore do not become partners with them; for at one time you were darkness, but now you are light [in] of the LORD. Walk as children of light (for the fruit of light is found in all that is good and right and true), and discern what is pleasing to the LORD. By taking no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them. For it is shameful even to speak of the things that they do in secret. For when anything is exposed by the light, it becomes visible, for anything that becomes visible is light. Therefore it says (in Isaiah 26:19, 15:17, 52:1, 60:1), "Awake, O sleeper, and arise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you." Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time, because the days are evil.
Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will (plan and purpose) of the LORD is. And do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery, but be (being) filled with the Spirit, addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the LORD (Romans 12:1-3) with your heart, giving thanks always and for everything to GOD the Father in (His name of Christ) the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ.
Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the LORD. For the husband is the head of the wife even as Christ is the head of the church, His body, and is Himself its Savior. Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit in everything to their husbands.
Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave Himself up for her, that HE might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, so that HE might present the church to Himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish. In the same way husbands should love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. For no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as Christ does the church, because we are members of His body. "Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh (Genesis 2:24)." This mystery is profound, and I am saying that it refers to Christ and the church. However, let each one of you love his wife as himself, and let the wife see that she respects her husband. Children, obey your parents in the LORD, for this is right. "Honor your father and mother" (this is the first commandment with a promise, found in Exodus 20:12; Deuteronomy 5:16), "that it may go well with you and that you may live long in the land."
Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the LORD.
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