Instructions on Holy Living - Part 1 (5:3-14)

Introduction:

Continuing in our study of Paul’s epistle to the Ephesians, we were exhorted last week to imitate God, which we learned means to walk, or engage in a life style that is marked and defined by love. We further learned that this is not just any love, but it is the self-sacrificing love displayed by Christ as he willingly give up his life for us on the cross, paying our debt and satisfying the righteous demands of God the Father.

This morning, in part one of Instructions on Holy Living from Ephesians 5:3-14, we will be remind of all that this new life of walking in love, does not include. In fact, we will see that a life contrary to one of walking in love is a life of someone who is not a part of God’s kingdom. With that in mind, let’s read together Ephesians 5:3-14.

Text: Ephesians 5:3-14

Ephesians 5:3–14 ESV

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.”

Main Idea: Because God is light, we as his children must walk in that light, exposing the darkness around us.

I. Unholy Living (3-5)

But (de [conjunction]) - This conjunction links us to verse 2 by providing a contrast to being a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God...

A. Inappropriate Actions (3)

(3) But sexual immorality and all impurity or covetousness must not even be named among you, as is proper among saints.

sexual immorality (pornea [noun] - sexual acts that are morally objectionable outside of marriage) and all impurity (akatharsia [noun] - moral impurity and filthiness of all kinds, including internal fantasies) - both external acts of sexual immorality and internal thoughts of immorality are included here.

or covetousness (pleonexia [noun]) - greediness both in action and thought.

[must] not even (mede [adverb negative]) [be named] (onomazo [pre, pas, imp] - mark or identification) among you, - as imitators of God, we are not, can not be named or marked out by such actions or thoughts.

as is proper (prepo [pre, act, ind] - to be marked out by rightness and what is appropriate) among saints (hagios [adjective] holy ones). - instead we are to be marked by appropriate holy living. These are not some legalistic demands that give you a list of dos and don’ts but this is our normal way of life.

B. Inappropriate Speaking (4)

(4) Let there be no filthiness nor crude joking, which are out of place, but instead let there be thanksgiving. (We touched on this two weeks ago from chapter 4)

Let there be no filthiness (aischrotes [adjective] - behaving in an obscene manner, including gesters) nor foolish talk (morologia [noun] - stupid or rash conversation like unto a drunk man) nor crude joking (eutrapelia [noun] caustic, vulgar, or indecent speech used to evoke laughter), - these evil means of communications are that...

which (hos [relative pronoun] point back to these things) [are] out of (ou [adverb] - not so) [place] (aneko [imp, act, ind] - marked by suitability, rightness, and appropriateness), - again, such communications are always inappropriate to those who imitate God. So what is appropriate?

but instead (mallon [adverb] - rather, in its place) let there be thanksgiving (eucharistia [noun] - expression of gratitude). - replace all evil forms of speech with the proper, fitting speech of gratefulness.

C. Unavailable Inheritance (5)

(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.

For (gar [conjunction of explanation]) you may be sure of (oida [per, act, imp] - to know absolutely) this, - this explanation is based on what we know without a doubt about God’s work from the past that continues to the present, and that is,...

everyone who is sexually immoral or impure, or who is covetous (that is, an idolater), - everyone who is marked by these evils and has not been transformed by God’s Spirit...

has (echo [pre, act, ind]) no (ou [adverb] - not) inheritance (kleronomia [noun] - possession) in the kingdom of Christ and God (shows the oneness of God the Father and God the Son). - they can know right now…they are not waiting to find out some day, that they absolutely will not be a part of God’s heaven.

Those marked by such actions and speaking are not those who are in the kingdom of God.

II. Holy Living (6-10)

A. Understands God’s Character (6-9)

(6) Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience.

Let no one deceive you with empty (kenos [adjective] - vain, foolish) words, - don’t let people’s persuasive words or excuses distract you from the truth…like...

“Isn’t God a God of love?”

“I’m no worse than anyone else.”

“God wants us to be happy right?”

“You are judging me and the scripture says we are not to judge one another.”

for because of these things - the empty words and the things mentioned in verse 5

the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience. - it is the very character of God to judge sin.

Romans 1:18 ESV

18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth.

(7) Therefore do not become partners with them;

Therefore - so because God is going to judge sin...

do not become partners with them; - do not fellowship with those who are under God’s wrath. Remember Lot:

2 Peter 2:4–10 ESV

4 For if God did not spare angels when they sinned, but cast them into hell and committed them to chains of gloomy darkness to be kept until the judgment; 5 if he did not spare the ancient world, but preserved Noah, a herald of righteousness, with seven others, when he brought a flood upon the world of the ungodly; 6 if by turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah to ashes he condemned them to extinction, making them an example of what is going to happen to the ungodly; 7 and if he rescued righteous Lot, greatly distressed by the sensual conduct of the wicked 8 (for as that righteous man lived among them day after day, he was tormenting his righteous soul over their lawless deeds that he saw and heard); 9 then the Lord knows how to rescue the godly from trials, and to keep the unrighteous under punishment until the day of judgment, 10 and especially those who indulge in the lust of defiling passion and despise authority. Bold and willful, they do not tremble as they blaspheme the glorious ones,

Remember where you came from...

(8) for at one time you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light

for - remember this...

at one time you were darkness, - this is where we came from...

but now you are light in the Lord. - this is where we now are…therefore...

Walk (peripateite [pre, act imp] - behave in a specified manner) as children of light - the command to continually be bearers of light…what does that look like...

(9) (for the fruit of light is found in all that is good and right and true),

he fruit of light - the fruit or evidence of light bearing...

is found in all that is good and right and true - all the characterizes God!

Matthew 5:14–16 ESV

14 “You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. 16 In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.

What else does Holy Living do?

B. Understands God’s WIll (10)

(10) and try to discern what is pleasing to the Lord.

and - conjunction connecting how we are to walk to...

try to discern (dokimazo [pre, act, par]) - in your walk in the light, which calls us to do that which is good, right, and true, we will be able to understand and test out...

what is pleasing (euarestos [adjective] - acceptable) to the Lord. - engaging ourselves in doing God’s known will, will give way to what God’s will is for the unknowns of our lives.

Certainly the good, right and true are found in one source of God’s special revelation…his word.

Romans 12:1–2 ESV

1 I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. 2 Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.

1 Thessalonians 2:13 ESV

13 And we also thank God constantly for this, that when you received the word of God, which you heard from us, you accepted it not as the word of men but as what it really is, the word of God, which is at work in you believers.

So we know that walking in the light by walking in love are how we imitate God, but what effect will this have on the people around me?

III. Holy Living Exposes Unholy Living (11-14)

A. Expose Darkness with Light (11-13)

(11) Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them.

Take no part in (synkoinoneo [pre, act, imp]) - do not be connected to or associated with

the unfruitful works of darkness - the barren works of darkness. Remember, fruit does not grow in darkness.

but instead expose (elenco [pre, act, imp]) them. - shine the light on them.

Our presence in this dark world should not be one of participation, but one of exposure. This means that we also are exposed and vulnerable.

(12) For it is shameful even to speak of the things that they do in secret.

For - explain what happens in darkness

it is shameful even to speak of the things that they do in secret - without exposure, shameful acts continue with the most despicable acts of which sinful mankind is capable.

(13) But when anything is exposed by the light, it becomes visible,

But - in contrast

when anything is exposed by the light it becomes visible, - light uncovers evil and displays it for what it is. Thus, walking in the light will naturally expose the darkness around us and will bring about a reaction from those accustomed to the darkness.

Since this is also an exposure of ourselves, we are called to...

B. Expose Darkness with Alertness (14)

(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.”

for - here’s further details...

anything that becomes visible is light. - the reflection or refraction of light bouncing off an object sends information to the retina (a light-sensitive layer of tissue at the back of the eye), special cells called photoreceptors turn the light into electrical signals. These electrical signals travel from the retina through the optic nerve to the brain. Then the brain turns the signals into the images you see. So therefore, anything in the natural world can only be made visible by light.

The same is with the spiritual world, as light, we cause the world around us to see Christ in all we do and say.

However, we must be illuminated and on task for the light to shine...

Therefore it says, “Awake, O sleeper, and arise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.” - Paul calls us to alertness and readiness, using several scriptures pieced together:

Isaiah 60:1 ESV

1 Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you.

Malachi 4:2 ESV

2 But for you who fear my name, the sun of righteousness shall rise with healing in its wings. You shall go out leaping like calves from the stall.

Romans 13:11 ESV

11 Besides this you know the time, that the hour has come for you to wake from sleep. For salvation is nearer to us now than when we first believed.

In order to be a light bearer, we must not slumber or sleep on the job. It is critical to shine our lights in this dark world until we go home to be with the Lord.

So What?

Have we been so immersed in the culture of this world that we no longer see sin as being really sinful and an abomination to our father God?

Do we understand that as children of God, we are called to a life of holiness, knowing that God will judge sin and therefore, we are not to be identified with that which God judges?

Are we willing to live in such a way that we expose both ourselves and those around us to the light of our holy living?