Walking With God in a Sexualized World

Corrie ten Boom once told the story about how hard it was growing up as the daughter of a watchmaker. Once, she told of a time when they were in serious financial need and a wealthy man walked into their store. She said that he came in to buy an expensive watch that would have met all of their needs. But as her father was handling the cash, the customer told him that he was there to buy this watch because he had already been to Mr. ten Boom’s young competitor who said that his current watch couldn’t be fixed. Upon hearing this, Mr. ten Boom asked to see the watch, opened it, and repaired it right there. Corrie said that she was horrified to see her father do that because he just lost out on a huge sale by not selling the man the watch instead of fixing his old one for free. As she got on to her father, he looked at her and said, “Corrie, what do you think that young man would have said when he heard that one of his good customers had gone to Mr. ten Boom? Do you think that the name of the Lord would be honored? As for the money, trust the Lord, Corrie. He owns the cattle on a thousand hills and He will take care of us.”

Well, we live in a world where we are given opportunity after opportunity to take advantage of others for our own selfish gain, aren’t we? And that isn’t merely the case in business, but in our hyper-sexualized culture where women are willing to sell images of their bodies on apps for money or post inappropriate photos online for likes by men who have no care for them at all. The men are using her to satisfy their lust and these women are using the lust of these men to satisfy their own self satisfaction. People using other people for their own purposes.

As we look in Ephesians 5, we find ourselves in Ancient Ephesus. A massive city dedicated to the pagan goddess of sex named Artemis or Diana. It was in this culture that sexual perversion was rampant with massive sexual gatherings and prostitution covering the city. This kind of immorality is what these Christians were saved out of and if you’re wondering if it’s possible to live as a Christian in this hyper-sexualized world, we need to look no further than the believers in Ephesus. It is in Eph. 5:1-21 that we are going to find three main thoughts given by Paul to help us as we navigate the world we live in. First, he reminds us to walk in the love of God. Second, he calls us to do this by remembering that we are children of light and lastly, he calls us to walk wisely in the identity we have been given. So, to make it short, Paul wants us to walk in love, in light and in wisdom.

Ephesians 5:1–21 ESV

1 Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children. 2 And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God. 3 But sexual immorality and all impurity or covetousness must not even be named among you, as is proper among saints. 4 Let there be no filthiness nor foolish talk nor crude joking, which are out of place, but instead let there be thanksgiving. 5 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. 6 Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience. 7 Therefore do not become partners with them; 8 for at one time you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light 9 (for the fruit of light is found in all that is good and right and true), 10 and try to discern what is pleasing to the Lord. 11 Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them. 12 For it is shameful even to speak of the things that they do in secret. 13 But when anything is exposed by the light, it becomes visible, 14 for anything that becomes visible is light. Therefore it says, “Awake, O sleeper, and arise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.” 15 Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, 16 making the best use of the time, because the days are evil. 17 Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is. 18 And do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit, 19 addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with your heart, 20 giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, 21 submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ.

First, Walk in Love (1-7)

As we look at this passage, Paul begins by reminding us to be imitators of God because, as we saw in Ephesians 4, we have been forgiven by God because of what Christ did for us. So, now that we are His beloved children, we are to walk in the overwhelming love of God and this example is seen in the work of Christ on our behalf.

What we find here is a call to remember the loving and sacrificial death of Jesus for each of us and how it was a sweet smelling aroma to God. This language of “offerings, sacrifices and aromas” is a reference to the Old Testament sacrificial system which is supposed to remind us, as Hebrews teaches, that Jesus was the once for all sacrifice that forever satisfied the wrath of God on our behalf. So, to bring it around for us, we are to live for God in gratitude as we consider that Jesus has accomplished for us what we could never do ourselves.

So, we are to walk in the love of God showed to us in the unbelievable gift of Christ dying for us. So, in a world that talks about being loving, being tolerant, being caring and if you’re trying to understand what that means and looks like, this is it. This idea of perverted or false love isn’t something that Paul was unfamiliar with because in verse three the next thing we see is all about how the world perverts one of God’s most generous gifts which is human sexuality. In verses 3-5, Paul tells us that we shouldn’t be taking part in, or even speaking about the perverted sexual practices of our societies. So, we are to guard our bodies and our tongues. He says that we shouldn’t speak with filthy language, foolish talking, or coarse jesting. What he’s saying is that we should be telling stupid, perverted jokes to our friends. Why? Because in the end of verse 4 he said, “rather give thanks.” That is to say, this isn’t something to pervert and joke around with, but godly sexuality between a husband and wife is something that we are to worship and praise God for. So, living like the world in this regard, Paul tells us, isn’t fitting for us as we try to imitate God.

Secondly, in verses 5-7 he reminds us to look at the world and remember that the judgment of God is upon them and will one day consume them. It is upon them now as they are outside of His kingdom and it will come upon them one day when they are judged for their sin. But let's back up for a second, what if one of you in here are guilty of this sin and you feel horrible, you genuinely try to follow Christ but you fell to temptation and you’re convicted of your sin and you’ve repented but you hear texts like this and you’re worried whether or not you can even be saved. Well, in 1 Corinthians Paul is speaking to one church that is really consumed with sin and listen to what he tells them in 1 Corinthians 6:9-11

1 Corinthians 6:9–11 ESV

9 Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, 10 nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. 11 And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.

Did you catch that? They are living in sin! But Paul doesn’t say, “I really question your salvation guys, you might not make it after all.” No! What Paul points them to is the reality of what Christ has done for them and that is the place wherein we find power to live godly Christian lives. It’s not in simply saying, “Darn, I messed up, I really need to work harder. It’s saying, ‘Wow, I am one weak sinner and I have sinned against my Lord.’ and then looking to the forgiveness and strength that is found in Jesus to live a godly life. So why shouldn’t we partake of these sins, like verse 7 says? Because of verse 8 which is our second point.

Second, We are Children of Light (8-11)

We aren’t to live like this world because we are no longer children of this world, Paul reminds us that we were once like them. We once lived in darkness, we once were dead in sin, we once were hopelessly lost, but now we are alive in Christ, now we live in the light of what God has done for us and the fruit of that light is goodness, righteousness and truth. The world lies about what love is and teaches us to use others for our own selfish pleasure, but we who are redeemed know what true love is now. So first, don’t live like the sinful world because you have been saved from your sin. But that’s not it.

Do you remember that little song that you sang as kids? This little light of mine, I’m gonna let it shine? Well, Jesus didn’t save you to go hide in your room, but to be a light in this world as we see in verses 11-14. Paul tells us that we are lights that are to expose the darkness in the lives of men and as our words and lives show the light of Christ, the shame of sin is shown in their lives and then verse 14 happens. They are awakened from their deadness and they too will walk in the light of Christ. So, Christ saved us to be trophies of grace, to be witnesses to this world and our friends around us that they might be saved too and because of that, we come to our last point.

Third, We Should Walk in Wisdom (15-21)

If we have been saved, by the love of God, from darkness and are being used of God to share the light of the gospel both in word and deed, then we should make sure we live wisely as Christians. This is what Paul argues in verse 15-16 as he then goes on to give us three things:

Walk Wisely Because the Days are Evil.

The NLT translates verse 15-18 like this, “So be careful how you live. Don’t live like fools, but like those who are wise. Make the most of every opportunity in these evil days. Don’t act thoughtlessly, but understand what the Lord wants you to do. Don’t be drunk with wine, because that will ruin your life. Instead, be filled with the Holy Spirit,”

What Paul is wanting us to do here is to live intentionally, to realize that the world is drinking up sin and is full of evil, but we are to make the most of every moment for God’s glory and the good of others. But what does that look like to live wisely? Well, verse 17 tells us to understand the will of the Lord, which is our next subpoint.

Walk in God’s Wisdom, Not the World’s

Paul writes in 1 Thessalonians 4:3

1 Thessalonians 4:3–5 ESV

3 For this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you abstain from sexual immorality; 4 that each one of you know how to control his own body in holiness and honor, 5 not in the passion of lust like the Gentiles who do not know God;

Though that isn’t the totality of God’s will, that is a part of it that goes well with the context of this passage. God’s will for the Ephesians, the Thessalonians and for each of us is that we live in self control in the midst of a world that chases after every temptation the world has to offer. But we can only do that if we…

Walk in His Power.

In verse 18 we are told to be filled with the Spirit. That phrase, “filled with” can also mean, “to drink in deeply.” So Paul is drawing a contrast here. The people of Ephesus may have been drunk with wine to have some sort of experience, but the joy of the believer is found in being full of the Spirit wherein we find joyful fellowship with believers, joyful melody in our heart, joyful praises unto God, and glad submission to one another.

Application:

So, what do we learn from this passage? First, we must never take our eyes off of the love of God proven for us at Calvary.

Second, the world may tell us that sexual sin is okay, and even enjoyable, but we must trust that the same God who proved His love for us at calvary, is just as caring when He commands us to abstain from sexual sin. Don’t buy the lie that the world is selling you.

Third, if you’ve fallen into sexual sin, you are not hopeless. Look to Christ.

Fourth, God has saved you for the purpose of showing others the light of Christ.

Fifth, God saved you for fellowship with people who genuinely love Christ to walk beside you in this world of sin.