Walk in Purity (Eph 5:3-7)

Walk in Purity: Ephesians 5:3-7 Pray & Intro: A new way to walk – 4:1 (followed by unity of the family of God in it’s diversity working together toward maturity), 17-20; walking in love 5:1-2 - From sacrificial love to perversions of lust (the contrast is purity vs perversion – what is acceptable to the world in terms of immorality and greed is to be completely shunned and contradicted by the daily living of believers who have been made new in Christ) – for we are no longer of the darkness but are light in the Lord Read passage to Explain & Apply: God’s children are to walk in purity. [outline] I. The problem of impurity—its pervasiveness and its punishment. – the seriousness of the situation and the severity of it’s outcome A. The problem is not the usefulness of money nor the pleasure of physical intimacy. The problem is perversion. (the corruption of God’s design, an acceptance of the sexual perversion and distortion of money’s value) B. Impurity gone wild – the pervasiveness of immorality and greed in our lives 1. Lured by lies (6a) – Coming not only from outside of us, but also from within us: James 1:14-15 (But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death.) and Gal. 5:19-21 (Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.)  The problem is not the beauty of women or the incessant innuendo in the movies and tv or the availability of pornography on the internet (although that is a terrible tragedy) – the problem is the corruption in our hearts 2. [and because we are susceptible to lies we are easily baited by liars] 3. Baited by liars (7) – Prov. 1:10-19, Prov. 5:1-6 and 15-23 (instead, enjoy God’s pleasures within the boundaries he has designed for them) C. What happens when we behave as idolaters and allow sex and money to reign in our hearts in the place that only God deserves? – We let worldly “wisdom” manipulate our worship and twist our behavior right down the path of those marching brazenly for destruction. – for the disinherited sons of disobedience (vv. 5-6) 1. No inheritance in the kingdom – rejecting God’s promised salvation by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone is to forfeit the freely offered birthright of sons 2. The wrath of God – those marked by greedy lust (the insatiable desire to have more, even the coveting of someone else’s body for selfish gratification) show themselves to be not sons of God but sons of disobedience, by worshipping their fleshly desires over the God of all glory (falling prey to the lies, they have traded supreme treasure for temporary trinkets)  Missing out on enjoying God now is not their only problem. God’s wrath against sin remains forever. So to remain in sin is to remain under God’s wrath… eternally, if we do not turn in repentance and faith. D. But no filthiness is too great for forgiveness. Even the extreme uncleanness of our sin cannot contaminate the favor of God. By his grace, he offers forgiveness for the repentant believing heart. 1. Back to Ps 51 from our scripture reading – God offers favor and forgiveness; your responsibility is repentance and faith. (Even that we can’t do without him, so plead for true repentance and genuine faith. [faith that withstands the test of temptation to sin or trials of suffering, 1 Pet 1:7 & James 1:2-3])  God gives you a new position in Christ and empowers you to walk in it. Your responsibility is submitting to his will for you. 2. There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. (Rom. 8:1) – Don’t live in guilt. Live in submission. II. The position and practice of God’s people to walk in purity. A. Sex and money must never become an end to themselves. They are tools of worship—a means to and end, and that end is God. (Eph. 1:9-10) B. Lust is a toxic drink, greed a gangrenous appendage.  Imitating God (in admiration of His purity) is the antidote and cure. – This is true worship—be like Dad. – Eph. 5:1-2 and Col. 3:10 (and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator.) C. What measures must we take to be pure like God? (Proactive measures for purity) Remove impurity from your presence. Expose immorality and greed in the light. Put every kind of impurity to death. 1. Remove them from your presence: They must not even be named (3), they are out of place (4), [and because] they are rooted in separation from God (5), they are the cause of His wrath (6). 2. We must not even allow ourselves to be lured into laughing at sin or taking it lightly (4a). The stairway of crude joking spirals down to the pit of utter impurity. - I need to hear from God’s word how obscene, foolish, filthy talk is degrading and dangerous.  Instead, thanks to God should be what’s coming out of my mouth (4c). Col. 3:17 (And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.), and Eph. 4:29 3. So don’t let them deceive you and don’t become partners with them (6&7). – Instead, expose the deeds of darkness (v. 11) by walking as children of light. 4. Put to death the wayward, earthbound appendage – Col. 3:5-6 (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.) III. [Full circle] The power of the gospel for pure living. – How do we walk in love (v. 2), as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us? A. If the problem is corruption in our hearts, then the answer is the transformation of our hearts. B. Back to the beginning, ch. 1:4-7 – Chosen and forgiven, to be His and to be Holy…  1 Thess. 4:7-8 (For God has not called us for impurity, but in holiness. Therefore whoever disregards this, disregards not man but God, who gives his Holy Spirit to you.) C. I can’t. God can. (The gospel is the person and work of Jesus. What I couldn’t do, he has done and will do.) – 1:19 and 3:20-21 D. There is a day in time when your positional relationship to God is sealed by the Holy Spirit through repentance and faith. Your continued practicing, growing relationship with God today is still about repentance and faith. E. Will you come to the Lord’s Table with me today in purity, in repentance and faith? [display 1 Cor. 11:23-26) Outline & Further Application for Small Group: [Sermon on Eph. 5:3-7, 4/3/2016, Branson Bible Church] READ Ephesians 5:1-8 together, review the outline, and discuss the questions. God’s children are to walk in purity. I. The problem of impurity—its pervasiveness and its punishment. A. The problem is not the usefulness of money nor the pleasure of physical intimacy. The problem is perversion. 1. Lured by lies (6a) – Coming not only from outside of us, but also from within us: James 1:14-15 and Gal. 5:19 (works of the flesh) 2. Baited by liars (7) – Prov. 1:10-19 and Prov. 5:1-6, 15-23 B. What happens when we behave as idolaters and allow sex and money to reign in our hearts in the place that only God deserves? – We let worldly “wisdom” manipulate our worship and twist our behavior right down the path of those marching brazenly for destruction. – for the disinherited sons of disobedience (vv. 5-6) C. But even the extreme filthiness/uncleanness of our sin cannot contaminate the favor of God. By his grace, he offers forgiveness for the repentant heart. – Ps. 51 & Rom. 8:1 II. The position and practice of God’s people to walk in purity. A. Sex and money must never become an end to themselves—they are tools of worship. They are a means to and end, and that end is God. (Eph. 1:9-10) B. Lust is a toxic drink, greed a gangrenous appendage.  Imitating God is the antidote and cure. – Eph. 5:1-2 and Col. 3:10 C. What measures must we take to be pure like God? Remove impurity from your presence. (vv.3-6) Expose greed and lust in the light. (v.11) Put every impurity to death. (Col. 3:5-6) III. The power of the gospel for pure living. – Walk in love (v. 2), as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us. A. Back to the beginning, Eph. 1:4-7 – Chosen and forgiven, to be His and to be Holy B. I can’t. God can. (The gospel is the person and work of Jesus. What I couldn’t do, he has done and will do.) – 1:19 and 3:20-21 Take It Home: • What are you reminded of in these verses that causes you to desire the purity that is in God? • How do you identify impurity? • What measures do you need to take to address issues of sinful impurity in your life? • How does the gospel of Jesus both convict of sin and empower you to walk in purity?