Paul moves on to the second area of submission by addressing believing children and then also advises fathers.

Paul gives husbands an analogy to love their wives as their own bodies, just as Christ also loves the church.

Paul reminds those in authority to care for those under them, and in marriage, the husband is to exhibit a lifestyle of sacrificial love toward his wife. Then, Paul again uses the topic of marriage to speak of the Lord’s love for His church.

As his first example of Christians submitting to one another as an outworking of being filled with the Spirit, Paul addresses wives. Paul draws parallels between wives placing themselves under their husband’s authority and the church submitting to Christ.

Paul describes believers who are filled by the Holy Spirit as demonstrating sanctified speech and submission to the authorities God has established.

Paul exhorts believers to exercise care in how they live their lives, being wise and understanding God’s will.

Paul clarifies how believers are to relate to unbelievers: we are not to participate in the deeds of darkness. Then, Paul builds on the light metaphor to show how believers can be used by God in conversion.

Paul calls believers to separate themselves from sin and to live as children of light (holy people) in the Lord.