The Goal of Faith part 5 — Chilhowee Baptist Church

Fathers, a Royal Priesthood

To begin, I would like to present two verses, and then we will look more closely at Ephesians 5 & 6. The first verse is for reviewing where we have come from. In Genesis 1, we saw that God creates humanity, male and female, and they are created in order to bear His Image. The Lord’s attributes of creativity, administration, love, mercy, justice, and all that describes the character of God are given to man and woman to exhibit in the newly created world. Then, they are given a blessing in verse 28.

Genesis 1:28
And God blessed them. And God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it, and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over every living thing that moves on the earth.

The blessing for humanity is they are to have dominion or rule the creatures of the earth. Perhaps you have not thought of it this way, but humanity’s ability to tame any animal is only by God’s grace and blessing. Of course, there are still many animals who remain wild—just one of many results from the Fall—but for even those it is in our administrative capacity as rulers of this world to keep in check.

This blessing is what allows humanity to bring order into a world that would otherwise be filled with chaos. Homesteads, farms, cities, and civilization in general can only exist in a world in which humans are able to bring wild animals under control. It is a marvelous blessing that has produced astounding civilizations.

Consider the great Wonders of the World.

Now, these amazing projects come from the major civilizations that also have something in common. These are pagan reactions from pagan cultures who wanted to magnify themselves and/or their gods, over the One True Creator. For the Christian, we are given the task to magnify our Creator and Savior, and our identity to fulfill such a task can be found (among other verses) in 1 Peter 2:9-10.

1 Peter 2:9-10
But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. Once you were not a people, but now you are God’s people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.

If you are in Christ, your identity is a chosen race. Christianity acknowledges only two races—those in Christ and those not in Christ. All nations and peoples are in need of grace, and all may come to the cross. And when you go to the cross and receive salvation, we also discover that God has saved us on purpose, for His purpose.

If you are in Christ, you are a part of a holy nation and a people for God’s possession. Christians comprise a people who span all earthly nations, but consist of one nation—the Kingdom of Heaven. We are a nation ruled by the most benevolent of kings, the King of Kings. Under the Lordship of Christ, we are given the task of serving Him and His Kingdom in “proclaiming the excellencies of him who called [us] out of darkness into his marvelous light.”

If you are in Christ, your identity is a royal priesthood. I put this one last on purpose, because it is this particular aspect of our identity that I want to examine today—particularly in how it pertains to fathers.

Fathers are royal priests who are called by God to lead their families under the lordship of Christ.

(In May, we discussed how mothers help fulfill this task, so feel free to review that sermon if you find the following too pater-centric.)

The concept of a “royal priesthood” consists of both leadership (royal) and intercession (priesthood). It is the dual duty of a royal priest to administer a kingdom and lead it into holiness through intercessory prayer, among other tasks. Fathers are called by God to lead their families (yes, ‘lord of the manor’ so to speak), but also in that leading, they are called to lead them into holiness, interceding on the family’s behalf toward Holy God.

Now, ‘being a great dad’ is a topic that would require its own series (of which many already exist), and so today, I want to provide some biblical principles that point men toward their given task. Now, ladies, do not go to sleep, because as we discussed in May, you provide an invaluable service in helping your man. Just as men are helped in doing their job by understanding your job, you are helped in doing your job when you understand his job. For these principles, turn with me to Ephesians 5.

Ephesians 5:1-2
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.

The first principle is simply this:

Good fathers imitate the Good Father.

Many fathers do not have the luxury of a great fatherly example in this world. As the traditional family model becomes less of the norm and more of a novelty, young men are finding it more difficult to know what it means to be a good father. It is hard to emulate what you have never seen. But, the Good News is we have a Good Father who loves us, cares for us, and provides the supreme example of what it means to be a great dad. Whether your earthly father was great, gone, or something in between, you have a Heavenly Father who longs for you to know Him. And the more you know Him, the more you will know what it means to be a good father.

So, walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us. Through Christ we learn that true love is a sacrificial love. Though Christ had every right to demand from us, He gave Himself up for us. To know Christ is to know the Father, so look to Christ.

The next several verses consider what it means to walk in love and not in the immorality of this world, so feel free to read those later, but since we are looking at fathers, skip down to verse 15.

Ephesians 5:15-21
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 of the Lord is. And do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit, addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with your heart, giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ.

Now, this verse pertains to everyone, of course, but if fathers are to lead well, they must lead with wisdom.

Good fathers lead with wisdom.

We discussed wisdom a couple of weeks ago in light of God’s Image, and so feel free to review that as well, but today, verses 16-21 give us a snapshot of what it means to walk wisely.

First, the wise person makes best use of the time. Some translations will have “redeem the time.” The Greek is an idiom borrowed from the business world. If someone finds a great deal, they jump on it while the timing is right. The days are evil, and so, in light of Christ, we must take advantage to share Christ’s love while we can. The opportunity to share Christ ends at death or when Christ returns. We to share Christ with the same zeal as a shopper at a Black Friday sale.

Second, the wise person discerns the will of God. They avoid foolishness in order to learn what God desires.

Third, they avoid drunkenness which leads to sin and is filled with the Spirit. I’m not sure why controversy over this verse exists (outside of people just like sinning). Even lost people understand drunkenness leads to bad decisions. Be filled with the Holy Spirit rather than alcohol, and you will better understand wisdom.

Fourth, the wise person addresses others with the joy and music of the Lord and in thanksgiving. The wise person grows in joy of the Lord, because they understand the joy that comes in remembering what God has done for us. The cantankerous spirit of the old self dies and the joyful spirit of the new creation brings out psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs. We remember to be thankful in all circumstances, because we have Jesus. And when we have Jesus, we have all we need.

Last, the wise person remembers to submit to one another out of reverence for Christ. We submit to one another, because we remember that Christ is King. Christ has established his rule, and within that rule, we play our part. God has gifted each of us to fulfill that role, and so, as we redeem the days, we submit to the one who is leading the task at hand. It is a mutual submission, because we all are submitted to Christ who leads us.

Now, with the groundwork laid, we can address fathers specifically. Only once we understand the call Christ has placed on us generally (what we have just discussed) can we fulfill what God calls us to specifically. Let’s begin.

Ephesians 5:22-33
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.” 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.

Five times Paul addresses the marriage relationship as a picture of Christ’s relationship to the Church. This is one reason we refer to the Church as the Bride of Christ. We, the Church, submit to Christ, because He is Lord. Wives are called to submit to their husbands because they are the head of the house. It is a willing submission when the husband fulfills his task of loving his wife as Christ loves the Church.

Fathers are to lead their household with the same love that Christ leads the Church.

Look closer at verses 26-28, because you probably got distracted by 22-25.

Christ loved the Church and gave himself up for her, in order to: sanctify her, present her with splendor, and that she may be holy. Christ does not beat the Church into submission. He loves her with a transforming love. He makes the Church what God designed to be in the first place—a holy creation set apart from the wider world to display His glory and image. Notice in the very next sentence Paul says husbands are to love their wives in the same way.

Fathers are to lead their wives toward holiness, clothing their families with the splendor of godliness.

Husbands who love their wives love themselves, Paul says. When a husband seeks holiness, he will seek holiness for his wife, as well. In a Christian marriage, the goal is always holiness, not power.

Let’s read a bit more before we close today.

Ephesians 6:1-4
Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. “Honor your father and mother” (this is the first commandment with a promise), “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.

Notice again, the burden of these verses is more on the father than the child. The Household Code has far more to do with the leadership of the father than the submission of the wife, children, and servants. Children should obey, because it’s in the Top 10 and comes with a promise of blessing, but fathers should be worth obeying. They do not provoke anger in their kids, but love their children as God loves us. They discipline their kids as God disciplines us. It repeats our previous point, but it is worth repeating:

Fathers are to lead their children toward holiness, clothing their families with the splendor of godliness.

The remainder of the Household Code deals with the relationship between servant and employer, but you probably can guess what God calls us to. If not, read verses 5-9 later.

To close, let’s read 6:10-11.

Ephesians 6:10-11
Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil.

These last verses remind us, and fathers, please don’t miss this: we do not have the strength to fulfill the task God has given us. Sin has corrupted our strength. We must be strong in the Lord. We lean on His strength and His wisdom, not on our own understanding. We put on the armor of God knowing each day we ride into battle.

We have an adversary, but it is not our wives nor our children—though sometimes our kids may try to be.

Fathers lead while clothed in the armor of God to defend themselves and their families from the schemes of the devil.

I pray that each father understands the battle they face each day is a spiritual battle. The problems they see in their families may have a physical appearance, but the reality is spiritual. Today, surrender to the King who has already conquered the devil. We can stand against his schemes when we stand with Christ.