This is Spoken Gospel.

We are dedicated to seeing 
Jesus in all of scripture.

In each episode, we see what’s 
happening in a Biblical text

and how it sheds light
on Jesus and his gospel.

Let’s jump in.

According to Paul, a life worthy of the 
Gospel that unites both Jews and Gentiles  

is a life marked by
love, light, and wisdom.

These are three nonnegotiable
identifiers of God’s new family and people.

The love this new, united
community demonstrates

is not sexual, perverse, or greedy—
and it’s grateful instead of vulgar.

Obscenity, greed, sensuality all prove
citizenship of a kingdom not of God.

God has rescued his people from that kingdom of 
darkness, and to return to it would be disastrous.

Instead, God’s people are to reject 
darkness and live as children of the light.

Light is good, just, true, and actively 
exposes the bad, unjust, and false.

This exposure isn’t to shame those living in darkness
(after all, they used to be just like them), 
but it’s to transform them.

Light by its very nature dispels 
darkness, and by the light of Jesus  

in the lives of believers, darkness 
can be pushed back forever.

Finally, living in love and light in a world
of sex, greed, and darkness requires wisdom.

But this wisdom isn’t first 
sobriety and self-denial;  

wisdom is first being filled with God’s 
Spirit and understanding what God desires.

Ultimately, love, light, and wisdom will lead us to humbly
submit to one another in the power of the Holy Spirit.

Submission to the needs of one another 
is what Jesus did for us on the cross.

By Jesus’ love, we are made holy.

By Jesus' light, our sin is cast out.

And by Jesus’ wisdom, mysteries are revealed.

Jesus’ humble submission to the 
needs of his people is what saved us.

So, Paul tells us that our most fundamental relationships
with parents, spouses, and employers should
reflect Jesus’ own humility and wise submission.

Paul commands wives to submit, but also husbands
to submit their very lives out of love for their bride.

Children should obey and honor their parents, and
parents should not exasperate or anger their children.

Slaves should obey their masters
as if they are obeying Jesus,

and masters must remember that they
are also slaves because God is their Master.

All our relationships must be marked by the 
type of humility and love Jesus showed us.

[music]

Significantly, in Paul’s time, it would have been
unheard of to address a child, wife, or slave

before first acknowledging
the parent, husband, or master.

But in each relationship, Paul flips the script honoring
first the humble and weak and, only then, the powerful.

Paul demonstrates in his letter’s structure 
the humility he expects his people to live out.

But Paul also knows that we 
will be tempted by our old ways.

It will be easy for us to fall back into unwise
living, unloving relationships, and prideful anger.

Paul knows that we will be tempted
by envy, sexual impurity, and lewdness.

Paul knows humble submission is hard, 
especially when it leads to suffering.

And on our own, it’s almost certain that we
will turn back to our older and easier ways.

But this is why Paul only gives us commands in
the context of what Jesus has done.

We can walk in love because Christ
loved us and gave himself up for us first.

We can live as children of the light because while we
were once in darkness, now we are light in the Lord.

Paul knows what he commands 
is only possible when we see  

Jesus doing for us what we 
struggle to do for others.

Often, when we read commands like these, 
we feel guilty for not living up to them.

So, we promise that tomorrow
we will try harder and be better.

But tomorrow comes—and the moral 
progress we hoped for is short-lived.

We beat ourselves up again 
and try harder the next day.

But Paul has no interest in motivating you with guilt
and shame. Paul instead motivates us with the grace,  

forgiveness, and sacrifice Jesus has given
to us while we were still sinners.

None of us are as wise, loving, or humble as we should
be, but thank God that we have a Savior who is for us!

So, if you’re in a difficult marriage, job, 
or family, or if you find yourself pulled into  

your old ways of life, cast your eyes on 
Jesus and his love, wisdom, and humility!

He has not only saved you, but he will also perfect you
into the loving and humble person he has called you to be.

I pray that the Holy Spirit will open your eyes to see the
God who calls you to live a life of light, love, and wisdom.

And may you see Jesus as the one who wisely, lovingly, and
in wisdom saved you so that you can walk in obedience to God.