Ephesians 5:6
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it's easier to fool people than to convince them that they have been fooled. (possibly Mark Twain)
Let no one deceive you
Let no one deceive you
Deceive: beguile
Beguile: To elude by craft (to alude what is disagreeable by amusement or some other form.)
Craft - The attempt to by skill affect purposes through deceit.
Child of God, let no one affect your purpose (as a child of God) through the deceit of amusement
14 And it was not Adam who was deceived, but the woman being deceived, fell into transgression.
The serpent begins its subtil/craftiness not with a light show but with a argument. Not with a arguing argument, but with words of questioning. The emphesis being on words. Empty Words, unfounded words, well crafted words seeking to change the purpose set forth in ones mind.
Look back at Ephesians 6...
with empty words
words of no repute/ no account or hold/ character or established.
The words of God are established upon the character of God and the character of God is displayed forth/made know by His Word. Every word is sound and spoken with energy which comes forth from being the very word which is spoken. The I AM speaks the what is.
What is an empty word? I offer it is any Word not founded upon or established upon The Word. The Word is what gives credence or what establishes every word. The deception of Eve would be protected by her using the word of God to give judge the words of the serpent rather than using her senses to establish the validity of the Word of God vs. the Word of the serpent.
I am not taking credence away from how someone feels. We our feelings are real, but they do not speak or establish truth. Rather the realness of our feelings is often used against us to beguile us and keep us from truth.
for because of these things
(what things)
All things not founded on God and being trusted upon as life.
All things listed out in the verses prior from unclean desires, to unclean words, to unclean actions.
Again we can paint this as things so bad that it removes ourselves from it on a merit basis or we can understand its plea upon the gospel.
There are two things being compared or contrasted here. The life and actions of the unbeliever vs believer.
This contrast sets up the argument that because the contrast is so great, how can the actions of one be found in or define life of the other?
Specifically speaking, how can the beloved of God, who loves God be deceived or beguiled to the point that they think it is ok to live an unfounded life which brings about....
...the wrath of God
Now, believers, this text is not saying that the judgment of God is coming upon you.
It is saying that it is well known that such a beguiled form of living has/does bring the wrath of God…or is the reason that the wrath of God (comes upon the sons of disobedience…we will get into that in a minute).
First: Why do such carnal ways of living, unrighteous ways of living anger God?
16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. 17 For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, “But the righteous man shall live by faith.”
18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, 19 because that which is known about God is evident within them; for God made it evident to them. 20 For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made, so that they are without excuse. 21 For even though they knew God, they did not honor Him as God or give thanks, but they became futile in their speculations, and their foolish heart was darkened.
We have been told already in that the maturity of the church body, the body which belongs to Christ is taking place through the speaking of truth in love. Now notice this, the spiritual battle against such growth takes place by the suppression of that great truth (that great truth which is the gospel). The suppression of that great truth takes place through those who suppress the truth of God in unrighteousness.
There are those who deny the truth of God and in arrogance trade truth for their own vain, futile or empty imaginations. Its not that they are deceived victims, but that they willingly deny the truth of God. In that denial, the exercise of a life that denies the things of God takes place… a life the craftiness of unrighteousness, of immorality, impurity, greed, filthiness, foolish talking, jesting, coveting. This living wrecks havoc amongst the children of God, both lost and found as it suppresses truth. It is not that this life makes someone of God or not of God, but it suppresses the truth of God. It makes the whole field a mess so to speak and plants chaos, fear and confusion in the garden.
Now, before I go further, allow me to ask of you my fellow believer…If a pattern of living knowingly angers God and surpasses the truth of God then what are we doing participating in such things?
(the wrath of God) comes upon the sons of disobedience
Again, every word is important if we are to be found and not beguiled in our thinking.
So let us look at… the sons of disobedience
sons of disobedience
Sons of - a child of, begotten of, the offspring of (a male offspring as in carrying on the name and likeness of)
of
Disobedience: Apeitheia - The condition of being unpersuadable. Obstinacy. Obstinate opposition to the divine will.
Go back to . From creation the truth of God has been made known. Now if you can please with me, step out of linear thinking and notice the us and the them.
Paul = I am not ashamed of the Gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation (certainty & safety - deliverance from the molestation of the enemy…this is related to but separate from redemption) to everyone who believes (believer, Us). Who lives by faith (the Word of God…revealed from creation)
They = The wrath of God against those who suppress truth, empty imaginations (seeking) - foolish heart darkened.
Allow me to ask another question:
Are you (believer) a child of God or a child of disobedience?
Are you born of the will of God or of obstinate opposition to the will of God?
18 In the exercise of His will He brought us forth by the word of truth, so that we would be a kind of first fruits among His creatures.
12 But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name, 13 who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.
John
A believer is by right a child of God now as has been revealed such a child is not a child of unbelief.
5 and you have forgotten the exhortation which is addressed to you as sons,
“My son, do not regard lightly the discipline of the Lord,
Nor faint when you are reproved by Him;
6 For those whom the Lord loves He disciplines,
And He scourges every son whom He receives.”
7 It is for discipline that you endure; God deals with you as with sons; for what son is there whom his father does not discipline? 8 But if you are without discipline, of which all have become partakers, then you are illegitimate children and not sons. 9 Furthermore, we had earthly fathers to discipline us, and we respected them; shall we not much rather be subject to the Father of spirits, and live? 10 For they disciplined us for a short time as seemed best to them, but He disciplines us for our good, so that we may share His holiness. 11 All discipline for the moment seems not to be joyful, but sorrowful; yet to those who have been trained by it, afterwards it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness.
4 You have not yet resisted to the point of shedding blood in your striving against sin; 5 and you have forgotten the exhortation which is addressed to you as sons,
“My son, do not regard lightly the discipline of the Lord,
Nor faint when you are reproved by Him;
6 For those whom the Lord loves He disciplines,
And He scourges every son whom He receives.”
7 It is for discipline that you endure; God deals with you as with sons; for what son is there whom his father does not discipline? 8 But if you are without discipline, of which all have become partakers, then you are illegitimate children and not sons. 9 Furthermore, we had earthly fathers to discipline us, and we respected them; shall we not much rather be subject to the Father of spirits, and live? 10 For they disciplined us for a short time as seemed best to them, but He disciplines us for our good, so that we may share His holiness. 11 All discipline for the moment seems not to be joyful, but sorrowful; yet to those who have been trained by it, afterwards it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness.
This revelation is the gospel of grace! You cannot be both a believer and a unbeliever or a child of God and not a child of God.
You may live for a time acting as something that you are not and even doubt your own identity, but be not deceived, God knows who his are at all times and the grace of His discipline brings His own to the completion of the purpose of the will of God and the work that He begins in them, and you will in the by and by rejoice for His will in all seasons. (Philippians 1:6)
You c
Now believer you read that the wrath of God comes upon the sons or children of disobedience or unpersuadable obstinance or unbelief. Thats not you.
9 For God has not destined us for wrath, but for obtaining salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ,
Your current occupation, your current manner of living…get this…ought to be most effected by the certain knowledge of your final destination and the characteristics or truth thereof and not the other way around.
You’ve been told that your deeds determine your destination, but the bold proclamation to the child of God is having been given such a certain hope of your destination of abiding eternally in the love of God, how can your deeds produce anything other than repentant gratitude?
We spend our entire life working (deeding) for a uncertain destination offered to us by a world of baseless well crafted fables of what is good and needed. In our beguilement we suppress the truth of our certain destination in our own life and in the lives of those around us. When the Holy Spirit has Paul say that He is unashamed of the Gospel, it is not limited to Christ work on the cross. Indeed it is centered there, but it reaches all the way back to the very first words spoken in creation and spreads out throughout every facet and area that life is found. Again I say, unashamed living is built off of the very word of God and nothing else, for any and all else suppresses in our lives that very truth of which we desire to live for unashamedly.
When you are beguiled by the world and the Lord himself grips you through his Word. The believer is not destitute in hopelessness, but humbled in gratitude at such amazing grace and divine patience that again and again sees the child of God through.
When the child of God serves God, it is not out of oppressive law or guilt but the fruit of love, the evidence of a living faith.
When a believer is worn down from the daily molesting and pressure of the world and it’s gravitous pull. They are not picked up by their own strength and might, but by the power, the Spirit, the hope and promises of the Word of God.
This is living forth from the love made known in the grace of Jesus Christ. It is the Spirit of God which gives testimony of this to the child of God and the spirit of the antichrist which denies this in those who are not of God. () You are free to live in grace. You are free to live forth from love unashamed and to proclaim the wonders of the teachings of Christ grace to all…unashamedbly speaking with a tongue flowing with gratitude rather than bitterness and being moved by a heart of charity rather than covetousness.
When you child confessed Christ as Lord and in repentance agreed with God and saw your redemption in Him and knew your salvation to be in Him alone, that agreement with God is the strongest and in deed the most certain, never to be let go assurance that you are born of God, born of His Will and no longer to be known as a child of obstinates. You have been persuaded and such pursuasion is only found in the child of God! Such persuasion is only found in the child who has obtained salvation and is not destined for wrath.
The question that I will leave us begging this morning is, how could such a child who knows their possession of salvation live as though they are lacking and seek to fufill that lacking through the very things which they know do not bring fufillment but bring destruction?
What buisness does the one who knows truth, agrees with truth have living a life that suppresses truth?
So what?
So what?
What if that is me? What if I am in a season of suppressive living verse unashamed living…what do I do?
Renew your mind. Remember who you are and be encouraged/exhorted to live, to flesh out truth, to exercise a faith thats alive. Allow your purpose in life to be founded upon and thus found in the Word of God. Remember .
Be Thankful. Be thankful for what you have been given and stop striving for other things. Remember godliness + contentment is great gain.
Be Charitable. Love. Take time to be aware of who God has placed in your life. Rather than being dictated by your own busy schedule, stop and pray, be renewed and refreshed in his word and then as you go, go ready to live in the light, to live as one with a great certainty in a world of uncertainty.
What about those around me who have had patterns of life suppress the truth, how do I help them to find again the joy of God’s grace and love?
Pray - Not by power nor by might, but by the Spirit. Pray for them and pray with them.
Listen - Don’t just listen to whats being said, but be sensitive to the Spirits leading.
Show hospitality
Speak Truth - Speak Thankfulness - Share the Love of God from the Word of God by being personally invested in it. Be baptized and be a baptizer. Be immersed in the teachings of Christ and as such you will immerse others unashamedly.
9 For God has not destined us for wrath, but for obtaining salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ,