5 Transformed Relationships

The human capacity for relationship is part of being made in the image of God, but it was marred by the fall. As a consequence, a person's ability to have life-giving relationships with God, with oneself, with other, and with creation was damaged. But part of Christ's work of redemption involves restoring this part of us. We can, with the Holy Spirit's help, have healthy, dynamic, life-giving relationships.

This sermon reminds us that in the church we are to related to each other as family (1 Timothy 5:1-2). From Ephesians 5:15-6:9 we learn that being filled with the Holy Spirit is indispensable for having transformed relationships. The holy Spirit empowers us to be able to "submit to one another out of reverence for Christ" (Ephesians 5:21). Then there are three relationship examples of mutual submission: husbands-wives, parents-children, and employees-employers. All three relationship have significant implications. Be warned, if we neglect life in the Spirit, mutual submission becomes an impossibility.