THE HEAVENLY MAN AT WAR—THE SOLDIER OBEYS ORDERS
In Chapter 3:4 we raised the question of how Christ exercises His Headship of the body. We pointed out that one way is by nourishing His body through gifts. The mouth is located in the head a simple enough figure and so the head is the source of nourishment for the body. Appropriately enough this presentation of Christ as Head of the growth of His body is at the end of the doctrinal part 4:15 and how the full light of Ephesian doctrine feeds and strengthens us.
In the practical part Christ is presented as Head of authority 5:23. The figure is again apt for the activities of the human body are responses to the direction of the head of the body. So the subject here is our natural response to the authority of Christ's Headship. This is because we are the members of His body, and so subject to the direction of our Head.
The Meaning of "Submission" and "Obedience" in the Ephesian Letter
Until now the exhortations have been general and related to our conduct now they relate to the subject of submission and obedience to authority in specified earthly relationships. We cannot help being impressed by the number of times "the Lord" and "the Christ" titles of authority occur. This is fitting for the subject here is the Headship of the body in authority.
We are responsible to the Lord to fulfill these relationships to His satisfaction, for "each of us shall give an account concerning himself to God" Rom. 14:1212So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God. (Romans 14:12). These relationships involve "doing the will of God from the soul" 6:6. Now there are times when we do not know what God's will is. But here there is no such problem. The relationships God asks us to fulfill are outlined clearly and simply. There are seven.*1 The first three concern submission and love; the last four obedience and light (spiritual education 6:4). Of the word used for submission in the original, Vine says it is primarily a military term, meaning to rank under.
Quite simply we are being trained for war as good soldiers of Jesus Christ. This is not the world's kind of war for the weapons of our warfare are not carnal. It is spiritual war with Satan. We are looked at as united to Christ, being members of His body. He is the directing Head of His members who are soldiers. He feeds His members with gifts spiritual food to strengthen His soldiers for battle. Then as the Head of authority He directs the battle. He calls us to submission and obedience. A soldier must obey orders before he can go into battle.
Indeed submission and obedience are the first demands on a new recruit. How can he ever be a soldier if he has not learned to submit to the authority of his superior officers and obey their orders. To be good soldiers of Jesus Christ we must submit and obey also. We are heavenly men at war. To submit to and obey the practical part of Ephesians is to make war against Satan who is opposed to it.
In our fifth chapter the training ground is earth in the sixth chapter the battlefield is heaven. The sixth chapter is open war, and we are told to put on the whole armor of God so we may stand in the day of battle. But only a trained soldier puts on armor and draws the sword. He must first have learned to submit to his officers and obey their orders. This is the fifth chapter the barracks square the training maneuvers.