Walking in Distinct Holiness
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Introduction
Introduction
As imitators of God, the children of God are to live in holiness and righteousness. The Father, who is set apart, begets or births children who are set apart.
PRAY
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.”
Holiness of Heart and Speech
Holiness of Heart and Speech
But sexual immorality and all impurity or covetousness must not even be named among you -Paul calls the believers in Ephesus to be distinct from the culture in which they live. First, Christians are called to holiness is in how they understand sex and how they act sexually. The believer and the church must renounce immorality or fornication and uncleaness as it relates to sexual activity and relationships.
BF&M 2000 - XVIII. The Family - God has ordained the family as the foundational institution of human society. It is composed of persons related to one another by marriage, blood, or adoption. Marriage is the uniting of one man and one woman in covenant commitment for a lifetime. It is God’s unique gift to reveal the union between Christ and His church and to provide for the man and the woman in marriage the framework for intimate companionship, the channel of sexual expression according to biblical standards, and the means for procreation of the human race.
Sexual immorality includes any deviation from God’s design for sexual intimacy which is marriage.
Adultery — sexual relations involving someone who is married to another person (Exodus 20:14; Matthew 5:27–28).
Fornication — sexual relations between unmarried people (1 Corinthians 6:18; 1 Thessalonians 4:3–5).
Prostitution and the use of prostitutes, which is paying for sexual favors (1 Corinthians 6:15–16).
Incest — sexual relations with close relatives (Leviticus 18; 1 Corinthians 5:1).
Same-sex sexual acts (Romans 1:26–27; 1 Corinthians 6:9–10), sexual activity with those of the same sex and gender.
Sexual exploitation or coercion, which violates God's concern for justice, dignity, and love of others.
Lustful intent, which Jesus treats as a matter of the heart, not merely outward actions (Matthew 5:28).
Second, Christians are called to holiness in how they view money and possessions. We are to renounce covetousness or greed which is the inordinate desire to have. Covetousness is desire the have more and more and more. This desire to have more and more is at all costs. More instead of God, more instead of my familial relationships and duties, more instead of my calling to the people of God, and more instead of my responsible to participate in the advancement of God’s kingdom. Greed places acquisition of stuff into the highest place of importance. Stuff and the things of this world become functional gods. The become idol and objects of worship and devotion.
Lloyd-Jones writes, “This means, of course avarice, love of money; love of money as money; love of money partly for itself and partly because of what it can do for us, the things we can buy with money, the things we can procure with money, the things we can do if we have got money—in fact the love of all that money can do and achieve—that is what Paul is condemning under the word covetousness. We are to have nothing to do with it, we are to leave it alone; it belongs, he says, to the old life, but has nothing to do with the Christian life. Covetousness!”
These things are not to be name among the people of God. What exactly does Paul mean? Does he mean that Christians should not ever speak of immorality and covetousness? I do not think he means that because if he did, he would be violating his own rule in writing about them in this letter that would be read aloud to the congregation. He means these should not be spoken of in a way that celebrates them, make light of how evil they are or promotes them among the people of God.
As is proper among saints - The is a manner of living that is expected among the saints, holy ones. It is fitting that believers would act in a certain manner.
Let there be no filthiness nor foolish talk nor crude joking - Paul explicitly and exhaustively prohibits certain ways of speaking. This prohibition fits with what he wrote previously:
Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear. And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.
In this phrase he first condemns filthiness which is speech that is indecent, nasty, or obscene. This is speech that is vulgar, ugly, polluted or vile. Second, he forbids foolish talk which is silly talk. The sense is that there is a form of speech that is empty, frivolous, senseless, and thoughtless. Third, he prohibits joking that is crude or coarse. This is joking the is risque’ and edgy.
Which are out of place - These forms of speech are not proper. They do not fit.
But instead let there be thanksgiving - On the contrary, one way of thinking and speaking is always warranted. It is being thankful and to give thanks. There is a language of Christianity. It is gratitude and appreciation for all that God is and has done for the saints in Christ. From our mouths should flow streams of thanksgiving, not pollution.
give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.
Lloyd-Jones comments, “The Christian is not to be a dull and a morbid and an uninteresting person, not for a moment! He is never to be guilty of jesting and smartness and cleverness, but that does not mean that he has got to be dull or pompous or uninteresting. Not at all! The Christian is a person who is to be giving thanks! He is to express joy and happiness in his life, for he is one who has got a profound sense of gratitude to God and to the Lord Jesus Christ within him, and is a man who wants to be giving thanks! So we must get rid of all notions of dulness. That is where a false Puritanism has so frequently done harm. There are people who have interpreted this kind of injunction in an entirely negative manner; their lives are negative; they avoid doing wrong things, it is true, but they are useless, they are of no value to anybody; they repel people from the Christian faith. The true Christian life is never a dull life. Giving thanks! says Paul. Joy is to be evident in the life of the Christian. It should show itself in his conversation, in his speech, and in all his deportment.”
Holiness in Avoiding Judgment
Holiness in Avoiding Judgment
For you may be sure of this - The following realities are those which can be considered to be certain. It is not doubtful or questionable, it is truth. You can count on it. This is guaranteed.
That everyone who is sexually immoral or impure, or is covetousness ( that is, an idolator), has no inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God - Those who are governed by fornication and sexual deviation and the one owned by the idea of owning things will ultimately be lost. Their reward and inheritance will be only what they enjoyed and possessed in this life. They will have no place for them in the future kingdom of the Messiah and the Father.
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, nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God.
Let no one deceive you with empty words - Do not be tricked by words which have no substance, words that are empty. These are words without truth. We should take note that there is a need for Paul to warn the church not to be deceived. What is implication? The saints can be tricked if they are not careful and aware. What are we to guard against?
For because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience - These sinful actions have stirred up God’s anger. God’s wrath is his firm, ongoing opposition to evil that will be summed up in the eternal, conscious torment of those among humanity who rebel against him and his Messiah. It is interesting that Paul speaks of the wrath of God coming in the present tense. It comes. Most of us understand the future coming of the wrath of God when a a person dies apart from Christ and that which will be handed out at the final judgment, but their is also are present reality to the wrath of God. God’s wrath is revealed in a conscience that is guilty and never settled. It is revealed in the damaged done the body as a result of sinful actions. God’s wrath is revealed in the misery and mental anguish produced by a lifestyle of rebellion against God. The way of sin is hard.
For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth.
Therefore God gave them up in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, to the dishonoring of their bodies among themselves, because they exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever! Amen.
Holiness in Commonality
Holiness in Commonality
Therefore do not become partners with them - Do join together with the sons of disobedience in their pursuit of godlessness. Do not support them. Do not help them. Do not condone their actions. Do not approve of their ways.
Do not be deceived: “Bad company ruins good morals.” Wake up from your drunken stupor, as is right, and do not go on sinning. For some have no knowledge of God. I say this to your shame.
Remember, birds of a feather flock together. Your closest friends and companions reveal who you are.
Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them.
Practical Application
Practical Application
Don’t continue another day as a son of disobedience. Jonathan Edwards writes, The bow of God's wrath is bent, and the arrow made ready on the string, and justice bends the arrow at your heart, and strains the bow, and it is nothing but the mere pleasure of God, and that of an angry God, without any promise or obligation at all, that keeps the arrow one moment from being made drunk with your blood… And now you have an extraordinary opportunity, a day wherein Christ has flung the door of mercy wide open, and stands in the door calling ... to poor sinners; a day wherein many are flocking to him and pressing into the Kingdom of God ... To see so many others feasting, while you are pining (longing) and perishing! To see so many rejoicing and singing for joy of heart, while you have cause to mourn for sorrow of heart and howl for vexation (deep frustration) of spirit!
Brothers and sisters, we must be directionally and progressively moving from worldliness. It will first show up in your speech, language and conversation.
But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires.
Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry.
You therefore, beloved, knowing this beforehand, take care that you are not carried away with the error of lawless people and lose your own stability. But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be the glory both now and to the day of eternity. Amen.
Who are your partners, friends, closest acquaintances?
"He is your friend who pushes you nearer to God." — Abraham Kuyper
"Let those be thy choicest companions who have made Christ their chief companion." — Thomas Brooks
"Let us seek friends that will stir up our prayers, our Bible reading, our use of time, and our salvation." — J. C. Ryle
