Brought To Life; Brought Together

We are continuing our series in Ephesians, Brought to Life; Brought Together. As I have said, Ephesians can be divided into two sections, chapters one through three describe what God has done in us through Christ while chapters four through six call us to live out what God has done in us. Last week, we were looking at 5:3-6 in message entitled, Walk in Purity, from 5:3-6. This week we finish this passage with today’s message, Motivation for Fighting Sin, looking at three warnings Paul gives to motivate us to fight for sexual purity which we will see is motivation to fight all sin. My big idea is three motives to flee from sin and flee to Christ. What I want to do today is quickly review last week message before we move to the motivation for purity.

Walk in Purity

Last week, my big idea was following Christ is following him in a life of sexual purity. We looked at three categories of sexual sin, our deeds, what we do; our desires, our sexual cravings; and our discussions, filthy and flippant talk about sex. Sexual sin has no place in the lives of Christians. Whether it is looking at alluring ads; pornography; or any sexual relationships outside of husband and wife. God created marital sex to be enjoyed in the safety and security of life long marriage between husband and wife. Thanksgiving is contrasted with sexual sin because sexual sin is driven by covetousness, a dissatisfaction with life without sex and desiring others sexually who do not belong to you. While gratitude is a contentment and satisfaction with God and the life he has given you. We all have so much to be thankful for. Be thankful.

Three Motives for Fighting Sin

Paul gives us three motives to fight for sexual purity, which applies to all sin. The bible uses both positive and negative motivation to flees from sin and flee to Christ for obedience (1 Pet 5:5). But the obedience God is looking for is obedience from the heart (Rom 6:17; Matthew 15:7-8). Any obedience apart from faith is sinful. The motivation for obedience is critical because obedience is not optional.

The first motive for fighting sexual sin is that a life characterized by unrepentant sexual sin is inappropriate for saints (3); second is that a life characterized by unrepentant sexual sin excludes one from heaven (5); and third is that a life characterized by unrepentant sexual sin removes any hope for a joyful eternity (6). First, sexual sin is inappropriate for saints. Paul says sexual sin must not even be named among you because it is not proper among the saints (3), it is out of place (4). Not named means that sexual sins should not even need to be mentioned. It is inappropriate because God chose us before the foundation of the world to be holy and blameless (1:4). It is inappropriate because we are created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness (4:24). In other words, a life characterized by unrepentant sexual sin is incompatible with following Jesus. He is appealing to us to put off the old self, the sinful life that characterized our life before Christ, and put on the new self, which God creates after his likeness as we renew our minds in God’s word (4:22-24). This is what Jesus describes in John 15, If you abide in me I will abide in you and you will bear much fruit (15:4, 7-8).

The second motive for fighting sexual sin is that a life characterized by unrepentant sexual sin excludes one from heaven. Listen to what he says, 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 (5). The phrase you may be sure of this underscores that everyone whose life is characterized by unrepentant sexual sin has no hope for eternity with God (1Cor 6:9-11; Gal 5:19-21). So, on one hand, he promises that our inheritance is guaranteed (1:13) yet now he qualifies this guarantee. How do you reconcile these two truths? It goes back to what I said at the outset of my message, obedience is not optional. It is not optional because the bible describes genuine saving faith as leading to a life characterized by obedience. He is saying that the faith that saves you is the same faith that also sanctifies you. The faith that brought you to trust Christ for salvation is the same faith that leads you to fight to put off the old self and put on the new self. Christians/disciples fight against sin in their lives and fight for holiness in the power of the Spirit. The warnings like this throughout the New Testament are given to motivate Christians to take sin and unbelief and obedience seriously. Be encouraged by the struggle in your heart. That struggle is evidence that the sin hating and sin opposing Sprit within you is waring against your sin loving old self that still resides in you (Rom 8:10; 23).