Ephesians 5:1-7

Ephesians 5:1–7 KJV 1900

1 Be ye therefore followers of God, as dear children; 2 And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweetsmelling savour. 3 But fornication, and all uncleanness, or covetousness, let it not be once named among you, as becometh saints; 4 Neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor jesting, which are not convenient: but rather giving of thanks. 5 For this ye know, that no whoremonger, nor unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, hath any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God. 6 Let no man deceive you with vain words: for because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience. 7 Be not ye therefore partakers with them.

Introduction

This is not your typical Christmas message.

I guarantee you that Christmas is very important to today’s message.

Without it, there would be no hope for the topic that we are talking about.

As believers, we are to also be followers.

What does it mean to be a follower?

The word that is translated “followers” is the source from which we get the word imitate.

To be a follower of God means we are to be an imitator of God.

To drive home the image of what he’s talking about, Paul appeals to the example of children.

How many parents have ever heard one of their children cry out to another child, “stop copying me!!!”

This is exactly what God desires for His disciples.

It’s the meaning of our name “Christian” little Christs.

It’s also in the very make-up of our creation.

We were made in the image of God.

We are to be a reflection of Him here on earth.

How do we imitate God?

The key here is that we would walk in love.

The theme of walking in love is a theme that runs throughout chapter 5.

Jesus is the supreme example of love.

His example of love determines what counts as love.

Whether we are talking about love for God,

Love for others,

Love for our spouses.

In verse 2, we get a summarization of what qualifies as love in God’s economy.

We learn that Christ loved us.

Think about that for a second.

The example of love that we are to follow is not between two parties disconnected from us.

We are included in the example.

We are the recipients of God’s love.

God so loved the world...

How did He prove that love?

He gave Himself for us.

We celebrate Christmas because it was the kick-off to the greatest display of love this world has ever seen.

Jesus’ display of love for us was not only for our benefit.

We also learn that Jesus act of love pleased God the Father.

It was a sweet smelling savor to God.

Already we have learned that we are to be imitators of God.

This means walking in sacrificial love towards others.

This exercise of love is pleasing to God.

Walking in sacrificial love towards others requires us to avoid some things.

Specifically, some things that we might do with our bodies.

There are three behaviors that Paul condemns in verse 3.

The nature of these behaviors requires 2 parties.

You cannot escape it.

These behaviors are sins against the love that we are to show.

Rather than sacrificial, these sins are selfish.

When God created us, He designed us a sexual beings.

Nowhere is the nature of sin more apparent than in the manner of sexual sin.

Sin is always personal.

Sin detached from a person is meaningless.

Sexual sin requires two persons.

We end up sinning against our own bodies, but we also sin against someone else.

The first is fornication.

Much has been said of this word.

It is the greek word porneia.

It is an umbrella term to describe almost every kind of sexual perversion.

I don’t want to spend a lot of time detailing these things.

Uncleanness means impurity.

Impurity is something that is out of bounds.

Outside of the regulations set by the standard giver.

Covetousness refers to sensual greed.

Satisfying your desires regardless of what it costs or who suffers as a result.

There is no such thing as a victimless sexual sin.

Whether there is another person physically or digitally involved, you are sinning against them.

Randy Spears - Porn degrades human beings and reduces the act of sex to a selfish exchange of physical pleasure. These harmful effects damage the lives of all involved, both performers and consumers.

50% of pastors, 68% of evangelical men, 90% of teens, 25% of married women,

God has set the boundaries for sexual expression.

He intends for their to be sexual freedom within the bounds of marriage.

A husband and a wife are commanded to engage in sexual experiences with each other.

When it comes to fornication, uncleanness, and covetousness, Paul sayst that should not be named among us.

There should not be one active case of sexual sin within our church.

That’s not possible.

It is possible.

It is why Jesus came.

He set the example of sacrificial love for us.

He commands us to imitate His example of true love.

Some of you are thinking that you are off the hook because you are not currently involved in these behaviors.

Avoid some things we say with our mouths.

We need to put off filthiness.

This is not the same as your mom telling you your clothes or your room are filthy.

The greek word ends with the word logeia.

This specifically refers to indecent speaking.

Talking about things that should not be spoken about.

Story of man who tried to tell a story after ladies left a room.

There are two ways you can do this.

You could engage in foolish talking.

Another term for this is drunk talking.

This is the person who can’t control their tongue.

They just spill the filthiness that is in their heart out for all to hear.

This person says shocking things that surprise the people listening.

They can’t believe they would say the things they say so boldly.

You could also engage in jesting.

Jesting is more veiled, but no less filthy.

This is the use of double meanings.

This is the use insinuation.

This person goes all the way up to the line of indecency.

They make you think they are going to say something inappropriate, but then wink to let you know that’s what they really mean.

One author said this.

Foolish talking is the sinful speech of the stupid man.

Jesting is the sinful speech of the clever man.

One makes us repulsed; the other makes us laugh.

Neither are convenient/ beneficial for the Christian.

We are to use our voices to bring glory to God, not to make jokes about sin.

Thanksgiving is representative of putting off speech that offends God for speech that honors God.

These things are antithetical to what Jesus accomplished through his life on earth.

Paul gives a list of people that will not have a part in the kingdom of God.

These terms all refer back to the list of fornication, uncleanness, and covetousness.

It adds this idea of idolatry, essentially because so many unbelievers have made sex their God.

For the child of God, we are no longer identified by our sins, we are defined by the righteousness of Christ.

He came to this earth to save us from these sins.

Why would we then willingly go back and participate in them.

We have to change the way we view/think about our sin.

Do not be deceived into accepting these things as normal.

Ephesus was a city of great evil.

It was important to remind believers not to follow the examples of their fellow citizens.

Saints of God have to be reminded of these things because we have the same corrupt nature.

Despite all of our boasted civilization, the human heart remains unchanged.

We are still in the business of justifying our sin.

Making it more palatable.

Getting enough people to agree with our sin so that we don’t feel guilty about it.

Look around at the efforts to normalize the sins we’ve been talking about today.

Paul warns the Ephesians against believing the vain words of their society.

Sin will always be sinful.

It doesn’t matter how many people are doing.

It doesn’t matter the celebrities that endorse it.

It doesn’t matter how many doctors say that it’s healthy.

If God has declared it to be sinful, it will always be sinful.

Sin has consequences.

God will judge sin.

This is a guarantee.

The good news of Christmas is that Jesus came to field that judgment for you.

He was born as a baby so that He could stand in our place.

He received the wrath of God for all the perversion in the world, so that you wouldn’t have to.

You look at an image of baby Jesus and think about the fact that that child was born to die for you.

If you have never asked Jesus to forgive you of your sins, He will save you today, if you will ask Him.

Do not partake of this unloving, sinful behavior.

The perversion of love is adultery and abuse.

True love is seen in giving and self-sacrifice.

We are called to imitate God in self-sacrifice and walking in love.

Are you walking in true love today?

Is there greed and uncleanness in your behavior?

Is there foolish talking and jesting in your speech?

There is no place for these things in our church.

Please repent of your sin today!