Damariscotta Baptist Church

 

 

Ephesians 5:1-7

We are reading through the book of Ephesians. A letter Paul wrote to the Gentile churches around Ephesus just as they were beginning to form and become communities of believers. 

Can you picture what life was like for these new Christians? They had heard the Good News, believed it and were now meeting with others who also believed it and trying to figure out how to live. The person of Jesus Christ was the center of the whole movement. He wasn’t around, He had ascended into heaven. The Roman Empire was in control. The Apostles or leaders of the church had dispersed. Some had already been martyred. Paul, the man who had led them to Christ was now imprisoned in Rome. 

Think about how religions already existed. They had a totally different approach to worship and to living than what Jesus taught, even in the Jewish faith. Living as a Chrstian was new and had to seem a bit confusing, but intriguing. The idea of belonging to a group of people where everyone was equal, and love was the center of all activities, thoughts and premises, had to call for a radical transformation of their minds. Paul recognized this. It had happened to him. The transformation of his mind after his encounter with Jesus was nothing short of miraculous. Who better than to write a letter and explain how the New Kingdom community should be done? 

Paul had spent time in the previous chapter describing how they were to relate to each other. Now in chapter 5 Paul puts forth a simple concept, “be imitators of God.” 

We are to make God our example and model. 

Notice in the Christian faith, Paul doesn’t tell them to:

• “Think about God.”
• “Admire God”
• “Adore God” 

Which in and of themselves are things we should do, but Paul tells believers to place their focus on God. Paul puts forth a practical action, it’s not just about our inner faith and belief, it’s about doing the very things that God does. 

Paul is expounding on what he had already written in chapter 4:13, where he calls us to, 

“attain(ing) to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.” And also in chapter 4, verse 32, 

“Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.”

We are to look at God’s behavior towards us and use what we see as a measure for our behavior towards one another. Mind you, this is much more than just God being our example. Jesus wasn’t a puppet that came down to show us how to be a perfect human. 

We were not saved by the example of Jesus, 

but once we become saved, 

His example becomes meaningful to us. 

“Therefore, as dearly loved children,” Paul calls them “children” who are natural imitators, they are to act like their Father, and imitate Him. Jesus sent His disciples into the world to do just that, Imitate Him. 

This is our directive still today. By doing so we present God to those around us. The best way to imitate Christ is to, “walk in love.” 

Christ loved us, gave Himself up for us, and we are called to display the same kind of self-giving love to those around us, especially other Christians. Paul uses the analogy of “an offering and a sacrifice.” This is definitely language the believers in the first century would recognize. The burning of incense, to create a sweet-smelling aroma, was practiced everywhere. Paul equates our actions of giving ourselves in love for others as offering a pleasing sacrifice. 

Being an imitator of Christ doesn’t mean we need to do everything that Jesus did. Not many of us will be asked by God to be crucified or martyred. 

However, God does ask us to lay down our life, 

little by little, 

in small ways with the same purpose, 

to show our, or maybe it’s God’s love for others. 

Check in time. 

Did you notice I said, your love or God’s love? 

There are going to be times we are going to have to love someone when we don’t feel like it. That’s where we imitate Christ and love them anyway. The idea of laying down your life, little by little, in small ways is something I can handle. I like the idea of loving others in little chunks. I don’t know about you, but I have particular ways of thinking and doing, and for all extensive purposes, on the whole, I go with the premise that my thoughts and ways are “right.” Or the things I want to do, when I want to do them, I would prefer to do on my schedule. But as a wife, mother, pastor, teacher I can guarantee you, that doesn’t always happen. It’s the little things that can drive you crazy if you let them. 

But when we preface all that we do with Paul’s exhortation, “show love to others,” it means using those little moments, that little bit of time or energy to give to another that demonstrates love. 

Next Paul provides a contrast to walking in love. Paul goes into describing conduct not fitting for the Christian. He’s  not sharing anything these new Christians haven’t seen or perhaps previously participated in. Paul puts together a group of ideas of sexual sin and impropriety and states right off the bat, these are NOT fitting for saints and have no place in their lives,

 alone, or 

their lives as a community. 

Paul’s list is quite comprehensive:

• Sexual immorality: the Greek word used here is porneia where we get our word pornography.
• Impurity: This is a broad word for “dirty” moral behavior, especially in the sexual sense.
• Greed: Focusing on self wants & self desires above all else. 

Paul takes on a moral appeal. He doesn’t tell them to avoid these behaviors so they can be saints. He reminds them that they are already saints, and should be living in a manner that is fitting for a saint. 

You are a child of the King. Imitate Him. 

We may wonder why Paul comes up with this sexual sin list. Paul began by telling His readers to walk in love. 

The culture of Paul’s day, and especially in the city of Ephesus,  demonstrated love in very different ways than God does. It was given over to sexual immorality. All of the activities Paul has listed as not being fitting for saints, were completely approved by the culture around them. 

Sound familiar? 

The sexual revolution of the 1960’s surely hasn’t done the American culture any favors. 

In addition to this sin list Paul continues with, “obscenity, foolish talk or coarse joking.”  In this context Paul is giving the idea of one who can turn every conversation into a joking comment on sexual matters. 

Can you actually see Jesus telling a dirty joke? 

Instead Paul states there should be thanksgiving. 

Where did thanksgiving come from? 

Comparatively, Christians should give thanks for sex, in the context in which it was created. Sex is not only enjoyable, but glorifies God who provided it, in the context in which it was created. God’s purpose in providing sex isn’t just for procreation. It wasn’t designed primarily for the gratification of the individual either, but for the bonding together of husband and wife in a one-flesh relationship. Paul’s exhortation to stay away from certain expressions of sexuality isn’t because God wants to deprive some aspect of enjoyment. It’s because these acts Paul has written about are personally harmful and work against God’s primary purpose. 

Paul continues by sharing the consequences of participating in conduct that is not fitting of Christians, verse 5,

For of this you can be sure: No immoral, impure or greedy person—such a person is an idolater—has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God.

Paul isn’t referring to eternal heaven, he’s focused on what was going on right then and there. The people mentioned, the immoral, impure and greedy person, have no inheritance in God’s kingdom, because God’s kingdom is supposed to be alive in them. A transformation occurs when we decide to follow Jesus.  The Holy Spirit resides in us.  Paul is reminding them that if the Holy Spirit is residing in them, His presence should make it so they can not rest in the habitual practice of such things. 

Notice, Paul calls the  immoral, impure or greedy person, an idolater. Idolatry occurs in much more subtle and powerful ways than simply bowing down before a statue.

How could this happen? 

How does someone who claims to follow Jesus, 

walks with other believers, 

participates in the Christian community 

behave like this? 

Verse 6, tells us how, 

 “Let no one deceive you with empty words,”

Our lives are full of “empty words.” Words that are repeated over and over again, until you begin to believe they are true. 

The results of believing the empty words? 

“God’s wrath.” 

Don’t be confused. God’s wrath is not like human anger or an irrational temper. 

“The Bible describes God’s wrath as being in harmony with all of His divine attributes and as revealing the nature of God Himself and His divine love.” 

(That was an generative AI response.) 

God’s wrath is His response to His great love for His creation when we have gone awry. He so desperately wants us to be His people, to believe it for ourselves and to treat each other as He would do. Paul seeks the same and urges his readers by stating, verse 7,

“Therefore do not be partners with them.”

I realize I am speaking in front of a small demographic of individuals. Personally my mind doesn’t even go towards the sexual side of things. But I am aware that outside these walls, pornography has taken over our society. 

I’m not sure how it compares to the 1st Century, but our world, as a whole, doesn’t see sexual activity outside of marriage as a “bad” thing. Unfortunately it isn’t just an adult issue. Last year one of my sixth grade students got off the bus and asked to speak to me. A fifth grade student, girl, had been showing pornographic pictures from her phone to him on the bus.