Made For More: Week 4 (Ephesians 5:1-17)
Ephesians 5:1-17
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Made For Discipline
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Ephesians 5:1-17 〰️ Made For Discipline 〰️
During our time in this series together together, we’ve seen ways in which we can faithfully engage with, let go of, and redeem different aspects of technology, all through a biblical lens. This time hasn’t meant to sell us on an Amish lifestyle or a complete abandonment of technology, but give a chance for us to recalibrate and examine ways in which the world is discipling us, rather than God and His Word. We hope our time together here has been refreshing, a little convicting, and most of all faith-building. Again, with such a technology-driven world, it can be easy to feel lost and unsure how to engage. Our hope is that we now have a new tool in our toolbox to read Scripture and get our bearings with a new perspective on how to be formed by our Lord, rather than this world.
Quick Context:
The book of Ephesians is a letter written by Paul the Apostle (who we talked about last week) to the church(es) in the city of Ephesus. Paul wrote this letter while he was in prison. Little is known about the recipients of the letter, as some early manuscripts don’t include “at Ephesus” in 1:1. What we do know for certain is that Paul wrote this letter, and it was delivered by Tychicus.¹ The book of Ephesians contains a very important message for both its original recipients and for believers today: we were all once dead in our sins, but we are brought to life in Christ. Some general themes we see in Ephesians are unity, the depth of our sin, and warnings against false teachings. Paul wrote this letter to both Jews and Gentiles in their shared, common faith, encouraging them to see one another as a family created in Christ. He also rightly highlights the true seriousness of our brokenness (5:5) and gives a warning of false teachers who seek to lead us astray (5:6).
Made For Discipline
Ephesians 5 continues Paul’s thoughts and words in chapter 4, where he encourages holiness as a response to God’s grace and for the sake of one another. “Therefore, putting away lying, speak the truth, each one to his neighbor, because we are members of one another.” (4:25). Paul’s words in chapter 5 give us both a charge of how we should live, and a caution for what we should avoid. In 2 Timothy, Paul tells Timothy to “...flee from youthful desires, and pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace, in company with those who call upon the Lord from a pure heart.” (2:22) This is the distinction many often miss: we’re instructed by our Lord not to tiptoe as close to evil as we can without “actually sinning,” but rather, run in the opposite direction. We even see Paul encourage Timothy to do so alongside others (”...in company with those who call upon the Lord from a pure heart.”) So Ephesians 5:1 begins with Paul instructing the reader to “...be imitators of God...and walk in love...” He then offers this warning against sin in v2-5, and a caution against false teachers in v6-12.
For some of us, a passage like this can feel like a list of dos and don’ts, and for many, this is the hardest pill to swallow when it comes to the Gospel of Jesus. The common question is this: “Why would a loving God deny my what makes me happy or what I want?” If we’re being completely candid, the biggest tripping point in this for many in our context (Raleigh, NC, in 2026) is sexuality. For the sake of time (because we could write a whole guide just on this), if you or your people need or want more clarity, we have extensive passages referenced on sexuality in our statement of faith here. King’s Table staff and pastors are happy to walk alongside you or your people if any questions arise, and if there’s any way we can provide clarity in these weighty cultural topics as well!
God’s Word is so cool because we can approach the same passage every week for a lifetime and still learn new things from it. With that in mind, our focus this week is on how, as followers of Christ (those redeemed by grace through faith [Eph 2:8-9]), we’re called to live disciplined lives. Paul provides the contrast in this passage (v8) between those who are renewed in Christ and those who “participate in the fruitless works of darkness” (v11).
Entering into discussion together, we’ll go over what it means to be disciplined in our current context (culture as a whole), as well as how we, as followers of Christ, are called to be disciplined. An important distinction we must make is to know that not everything in the world is inherently evil. There are many neutral or positive “disciplines” out there in the world, provided they’re lived out in moderation and with a humble heart. Discipline with our health, time, sleep, or even technology habits are some that immediately come to mind for many of us. Many of these are good when approached correctly, but as we’ve said over and over, salvation in Christ is not what saves us. Our “ability” or inability to remain disciplined with screen time or exercise is not what saves us. Rather, it’s Christ’s sacrifice on the cross that saves us, and out of love for Him, we joyfully respond in obedience. So, for many of us as followers of the Most High, we should look at our daily habits and ask: “What’s forming me?” A podcast I love listening to is called Becoming Something, because they believe that every day, every habit, and every decision is forming us, and we’re always “becoming something.” We don’t wake up one day a decade from now as a different person; rather, we’re slowly formed by God or the world.
Discussion Questions
Could someone read Ephesians 5:1-17 for us?
What stood out to you from the passage?
Does this passage remind you of another part of Scripture?
Do you have any questions?
What distinction does Paul clearly make in v8? How does this reinforce what he is teaching in v6-7, and what does that mean for us as we exist and live in a fallen world?
What does it mean to be “disciplined” in 2026? How might we see this commonly expressed?
How are we, as followers of Jesus, called to live disciplined lives?
What is the best defense against deception with “empty arguments”? (v6) (Hint: Knowing God’s Word)
Why is v8 so important to us in our response to what the world tempts us with?
1. David S. Dockery, CSB Study Bible: Notes (Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers, 2017), 1868.