The issue of the divine dispensing is that we can be in subjection to one another in the fear of Christ (v. 21) for the proper Christian life. Verse 21 says, “Being subject to one another in the fear of Christ.” This is a continuation of the preceding verses, which speak of being filled in spirit, speaking to one another in psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs, singing and psalming with our heart to the Lord, and giving thanks at all times for all things in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to God and our Father. It is only when we are drunk with God that we are willing to subject ourselves to others. When we are sober, we are clear where others are wrong. We should not be sober in such a way, but we should be drunk with God in our spirit. We should be filled in our spirit with the Triune God. Instead of being filled with wrath, anger, or indignation, we should be filled with all that God is, filled even to the fullness of God. When our spirit is filled with the Triune God who has been dispensed into us, we shall be drunken, not in our body, but in our spirit, not in our outward man, but in our inward man. This kind of drunkenness makes us soft, meek, flexible, and sympathetic. As a result, we are willing to subject ourselves to others.
As long as we have such a subjection among us in the church life, there will not be any problems. The wives will subject themselves to their husbands, even as the church is subject to Christ (vv. 22-24). The husbands will love their wives as Christ loves the church (vv. 25-33). The children will obey their parents in the Lord and honor them (6:1-3). The fathers will not provoke the children but will nurture them in the discipline and admonition of the Lord (6:4). The slaves will obey their masters (6:5-8), and the masters will not threaten the slaves (6:9). How can such a subjection be produced? This subjection is possible only when we are drunk with God. We can be drunk with God only by opening ourselves to the divine dispensing. Let the living water come in to flood you, saturate you, permeate you, and even carry you away. This will cause you to be drunk with the Lord, and it will make you submissive in every situation and to everyone.
Although chapter five is quite long, the extract of this chapter is short and simple. In this extract we have children of light walking in love and filled with the Triune God. Therefore, these children of light are speaking, singing, psalming, thanking, and living a life of subjection to one another.
Eventually, these believers will become the Bride of Christ. In chapter four we have the new man for the accomplishment of God’s purpose. The new man needs grace and truth. But in chapter five we have a loving Bride for the satisfaction of the Husband. The Bride needs love and light. Hence, grace and truth are for the new man to accomplish God’s eternal purpose, but love and light are for the Bride to satisfy Christ as the Husband.
If we have this view of Ephesians 5, we shall see where the church should be and what the church should be like. The church should be a group of children of light walking in love. Eventually, such a people will become the Bride for the satisfaction of Christ the Husband. All this is through the divine dispensing of the Divine Trinity into our being.