Inheriting the Wrath of God
Notes
Transcript
But sexual immorality and all impurity or covetousness must not even be named among you, as is proper among saints. Let there be no filthiness nor foolish talk nor crude joking, which are out of place, but instead let there be thanksgiving. For you may be sure of this, that everyone who is sexually immoral or impure, or who is covetous (that is, an idolater), has no inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God. Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience. Therefore do not become partners with them; for at one time you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light (for the fruit of light is found in all that is good and right and true), and try to discern what is pleasing to the Lord. Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them. For it is shameful even to speak of the things that they do in secret. But when anything is exposed by the light, it becomes visible, for anything that becomes visible is light. Therefore it says, “Awake, O sleeper, and arise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.” Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is. And do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit, addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with your heart, giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ.
I am going to move quickly through the first few verses, not because more could not be said, but I would like to get through verse 10 next week - “try to discern what is pleasing to the Lord” and so I will focus this morning on verses 5-8.
If we are familiar with this passage it is almost assuredly that we should not make crude jokes. In fact, even those who are not Christians are well aware that we, who believe, have an aversion to crude jokes.
In delivering fuel to a customer just a week ago, I was told that this particular man takes a certain joy in trying to get some of the men I work with to blush with his joking. And, sure enough, he came out and had a small treasure-box full of crude jokes. He was so dedicated to the task that he never did bother to ask me much to find out whether I approved of such talk.
But this passage of Scripture is about far more than crude joking - though it is that. There is an argument being made by the Apostle here that there are ways of talking that are all of the same fabric - though they appear from the outset to be quite different. And under the words, lies the true argument - that a matter of eternal consequence is always present in every situation. And any attempt to lessen the reality of the fear of God is filthy, foolish, and crude. It is empty talk, all of it, because all of it aims to rob God of the proper fear that we owe Him.
Notice the apostles combination of sins - sexual sins are put side by side with coveting - and that seems at first blush an odd one. And that is exactly his point.
He is taking aim at the idea that there are certain sins, because of their seeming commonality and triviality, which we treat lightly. We are glad to make a big stink out of crude joking not realizing that we do just as much harm by trivializing other sins - like coveting.
The apostle not only cautions against the gross acts of sin, but against what some may be apt to make light of, and think to be excusable.
And coveting, lest we forget, is one of the summary sins God gives us. It is, perhaps, the undergirding sin of all the relational commandments. James argues that it is a root cause of murder and strife and it can be easily seen how it lies below sins like adultery. And yet, we are usually fairly flippant in our discussion about covetousness.
The outside of the cup, as Jesus points out, is far easier to keep clean. And crude joking is clearly an “outside of the cup” sin. It is easy to make much of the language being used but it is much harder to come at coveting because it is largely a hidden sin. And, when it does come out in speech, is often masked.
The direct comparison the apostle makes with foolish talk is to, instead, be thankful. We must, as Christians, not just avoid foolish talk but replace it with something. Remember, he has just explained the necessity of putting off the old man and putting on the new man. It is not enough to simply avoid the crude jokes and foolish talk - lots of moral pagans do this. Jordan Peterson, who daily gains followers because of his clear words and refusal to be foolish in his speech, is not a Christian and we know it because there is no thanksgiving to God in his speech. He is without the Christian virtue and we must not be like him. We must be always, and ever, thankful.
From here we move on to what is really happening, under the talk of coveting or lewdness, and see that these sins that we joke about and make light of are of eternal significance. They are not to be jested about.
For you may be sure of this, that everyone who is sexually immoral or impure, or who is covetous (that is, an idolater), has no inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God.
For “this is something that you know and knowing it” - it’s not just that we “may be certain of” but we are, certainly, knowledgeable of. He is pointing out the obvious reason that such lewd talk is out of place and has no place among believers - because we know that they will not inherit the kingdom of Christ in God. They are, as it were, little orphans - pretending themselves to be wise and making ridiculous jokes with nowhere to lay their heads at night. It is, at the base level, a pitiable place for men to be. And yet they will deny it with even more joking about the eternal reality of their homelessness.
In our day, the sexually immoral talk is rampant and unending - saying over and over and over that it doesn’t matter. You can love whoever you want, however you want, whenever you want and there are no bad consequences. But we know differently. We know that these sorts of sin bar a man from heaven. We know that even talking about them is filthy. We change the channel. We don’t finish the new article. We turn the radio off. We, as it were, stop buying Bud Light.
There is very little ick factor left when it comes ot sexual sins - but in the Christian conscience we still have some of it. We must cultivate that ick factor. These sorts of things are improper to even be named among the saints.
But then we see that coveting is right there. And two pieces of information seem out of place - one, that coveting is called lewd and out of place in the same manner as sexual sin. The second, that a coveting man is called an idolater. The apostle makes the same point to the Colossian church:
Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. On account of these the wrath of God is coming.
And, we will see, makes the same point that not only are these men without a kingdom - but they are men under coming judgment from God.
But let’s pause for a moment and consider first, why coveting is placed among these sins to begin with.
I said earlier that the sin of coveting is often a root sin. It lies beneath so many other sins - a desire for what does not rightfully belong to you. Let’s hear the command for ourselves:
“You shall not covet your neighbor’s house; you shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, or his male servant, or his female servant, or his ox, or his donkey, or anything that is your neighbor’s.”
A lack of contentment with our estate - with both our material goods and our station in life - is one of the most consistent sins mentioned in Scripture. We do not have time for a full exposition, but consider these:
Two things I ask of you; deny them not to me before I die: Remove far from me falsehood and lying; give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with the food that is needful for me, lest I be full and deny you and say, “Who is the Lord?” or lest I be poor and steal and profane the name of my God.
But godliness with contentment is great gain, for we brought nothing into the world, and we cannot take anything out of the world. But if we have food and clothing, with these we will be content. But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation, into a snare, into many senseless and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evils. It is through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pangs.
One from the old and one from the new, but we could easily spend many sermons on the persistent sin of coveting among God’s people. Always wanting what they do not have. And our first inclination is to scoff that we are not among those who covet. But, dear church, if this is one of 10 summary sins, if it is consistently rebuked in Scripture, if it is here given to the Ephesians who:
And a number of those who had practiced magic arts brought their books together and burned them in the sight of all. And they counted the value of them and found it came to fifty thousand pieces of silver.
And, who through great faithfulness of rejecting their goddess, drove the businessman of Ephesian into despair.
Acts 19:24-27 “For a man named Demetrius, a silversmith, who made silver shrines of Artemis, brought no little business to the craftsmen. These he gathered together, with the workmen in similar trades, and said, “Men, you know that from this business we have our wealth. And you see and hear that not only in Ephesus but in almost all of Asia this Paul has persuaded and turned away a great many people, saying that gods made with hands are not gods. And there is danger not only that this trade of ours may come into disrepute but also that the temple of the great goddess Artemis may be counted as nothing, and that she may even be deposed from her magnificence, she whom all Asia and the world worship.””
If that church, in that city, who had clearly shown their detachment from the wealth of the world needed a warning that coveting is in the same vein as sexual immorality. And, further, the rebuke that it was blatant idolatry to covet - then you and I certainly need to hear it and repent.
And in idolatry it is, perhaps, easiest to see that we are coveters in need of grace and faith and hope. The incessant blathering of every single radio, tv, and book that wealth is stored up for those who work hard and work in these particular ways (whatever they have decided are the particular ways) then the easy life will come because wealth will abound. And in none of their books and shows do they for a moment pause for a breath to acknowledge the authority and work of God to make a man wealthy.
And the man who does not acknowledge that wealth is a gift of God and not simply the product of hard work and ingenuity, and acknowledge it regularly and sincerely, is not a man who is in control of his coveting heart.
Here, for instance, is a test: in your giving - how often is it free and generous and how often is it hesitating and questioning? Missionaries come and do you think “we are blessed and should freely give” or do you immediately think “they don’t need that much to survive.”? Why the lack of generosity? A form of coveting called greed is, quite possibly, at the root. The desire for more and more - or to keep what you think, by rights, is yours, is a failure to see yourself in the right light - as a steward of God’s good gifts and not the owner. As Job says:
Job 31:24-28 ““If I have made gold my trust or called fine gold my confidence, if I have rejoiced because my wealth was abundant or because my hand had found much, if I have looked at the sun when it shone, or the moon moving in splendor, and my heart has been secretly enticed, and my mouth has kissed my hand, this also would be an iniquity to be punished by the judges, for I would have been false to God above.”
Another test - do you easily show honor to those who you believe to have great wealth? Do you equate wealth and wisdom? Are you eager to listen to certain people over others? Do you believe having wealthy people ensures the success of a church? James is very clear: James 2:1-10
My brothers, show no partiality as you hold the faith in our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory. For if a man wearing a gold ring and fine clothing comes into your assembly, and a poor man in shabby clothing also comes in, and if you pay attention to the one who wears the fine clothing and say, “You sit here in a good place,” while you say to the poor man, “You stand over there,” or, “Sit down at my feet,” have you not then made distinctions among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts? Listen, my beloved brothers, has not God chosen those who are poor in the world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom, which he has promised to those who love him? But you have dishonored the poor man. Are not the rich the ones who oppress you, and the ones who drag you into court? Are they not the ones who blaspheme the honorable name by which you were called? If you really fulfill the royal law according to the Scripture, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself,” you are doing well. But if you show partiality, you are committing sin and are convicted by the law as transgressors. For whoever keeps the whole law but fails in one point has become guilty of all of it.
Or, another way, is that by coveting something, sin is now allowable to achieve it. Or, trickery. It is why we excuse our favorite politician when he is caught in scandal. It applies to the left and the right. It is the same excuse given for both Presidents Clinton and Trump. Calvin says this “the covetous man always seeks his own ends, and whether it be by hook or by crook, by murder or treason, by perjury or poisoning, or by whatever other means, it is all one to him so long as he gets what he wants.”
In my ministry I have tried to show that the main character who needs to hear the Word and to repent is not “out there” somewhere. Someone else must be coveting. Someone else must be crude joking. But to take God’s Word serious enough to say “it was written and therefore, it is for me and my good. Where and when and how and why and what are my sins in this area?” That is the point. I may have missed the mark on my particulars - you may feel no pang of conscience at my words - but you should feel it at God’s words if you take them rightly. Do not read and move on. Stop, sit, and ask God for a soft conscience and the fear of Him to help you see your need of God’s great grace.
The apostle makes it clear, to trivialize these sins - to make them jokes or to turn them into non-serious issues, is to use “empty words” that are deceptive. If there is anyone who ever attempts to rob anyone of the fear of God over sin - that person is a deceiver. The point of preaching, reading, and hearing the Word of God is not to make the point “eh, it’s probably not you. You have nothing to worry about. God’s Spirit is not grieved over your actions.” If that is the end of what someone says to you, then that person is using empty words and is deceiving you. The wrath of God is coming for the sons of disobedience for the very sins that they claim are not a big deal. Hear John Calvin on this:
In all ages, indeed, Satan raises up sorcerers of this description, who endeavour by unholy scoffs to escape the Divine judgment, and who actually exercise a kind of fascination over consciences not sufficiently established in the fear of God. “This is a trivial fault. Fornication is viewed by God as a light matter. Under the law of grace God is not so cruel. He has not formed us so as to be our own executioners. The frailty of nature excuses us.” These and similar expressions are often used by the scoffers. Paul, on the contrary, exclaims that we must guard against that sophistry by which consciences are ensnared to their ruin.
This is a great stumbling block - to hear the Word and to argue away the fear of God. If we are guilty of it individually when we read, we must be doubly careful that we do not quickly wipe away the pang of conscience on another. “You will not surely die” was the erasure of the soft conscience of Eve. It was an empty phrase that led to her death. And, through Adam, has led to the deaths of countless billions. And Eve, what was the sin she submitted to? Was it not coveting? Was it not idolatry? “and you will be like God”...”So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate”
And so I ask you, are you better than our mother Eve? Have you so dwelt with God that you are free from these temptations which overtook her in the garden? Are you so satisfied in God that coveting has no bearing on your life? I warrant that you do not believe that to be true. So, take your time with God. Let His Word do its work of softening your conscience and making you aware of your sin.
Do not fear knowledge of sin. Do not fear knowing yourself more truly. Do not be afraid of seeing the darkness that still resides within. God has given us the victory - He has conquered death and hell and sin in Christ. There is no sin, however heinous and however sunken into the soul, that cannot be overturned and put to death. I think we often fear honesty about our sins because we think God’s grace is insufficient for the task. But do not believe that lie! If the wrath of God is coming for the sons of disobedience for these sins - then how much more is the kingdom of God reserved for those who trust in Him for the saving grace of Christ?
If we have faith in Christ, if we have truly learned Him as we should then His work will wipe away our fear over truly seeing our sins. Make no mistake - there is something more sure than your sin - “Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a sacrifice and offering to God as a fragrant aroma.”
Your sins are real. Do not believe the empty talkers who try to rid you of feeling bad. 2 Corinthians 7:9-10 “As it is, I rejoice, not because you were grieved, but because you were grieved into repenting. For you felt a godly grief, so that you suffered no loss through us. For godly grief produces a repentance that leads to salvation without regret, whereas worldly grief produces death.”
And more than that, you have been given the power of God by His Spirit to conquer sin. You do not have to fear knowing your sin and you do not have to fear that in knowing it, it will have power over you. Christ has conquered and has given you the victory. “For the grace of God has appeared that offers salvation to all people. It teaches us to say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age, while we wait for the blessed hope—the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own, eager to do what is good.”
Believe God when He calls attention to your sins. Believe God when he convicts you of those sins. Believe God when he forgives you of those sins. Believe God when he gives you victory over those sins. And disbelieve anyone who says anything differently.