I was studying wisdom this week, reviewing some of the resources I had recently received. One defined wisdom as, “The ability to look at things that look very similar, but the nature of them is quite different.” This is the focus of our message today.
Eph 5:1 Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children.
Eph 5:2 And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.
Eph 5:3 But sexual immorality and all impurity or covetousness must not even be named among you, as is proper among saints.
Eph 5:4 Let there be no filthiness nor foolish talk nor crude joking, which are out of place, but instead let there be thanksgiving.
Eph 5:5 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.
Eph 5:1 Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children.
We are given a clear model for life. Jesus came to mankind to show us the Father.
Joh 14:5 Thomas said to him, "Lord, we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?"
Joh 14:6 Jesus said to him, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.
Joh 14:7 If you had known me, you would have known my Father also. From now on you do know him and have seen him."
Joh 14:8 Philip said to him, "Lord, show us the Father, and it is enough for us."
Joh 14:9 Jesus said to him, "Have I been with you so long, and you still do not know me, Philip? Whoever has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, 'Show us the Father'?
Joh 14:10 Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me? The words that I say to you I do not speak on my own authority, but the Father who dwells in me does his works.
Joh 14:11 Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father is in me, or else believe on account of the works themselves.
Eph 5:2 And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.
A. Walk in love.
We are to walk in love because Christ loved us. Look at the characteristics of love. Love gives. Love is approved of God. Love approves our actions in God’s eyes. That is what a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God means. He accepts love as approved and accepts our action us when we love like He loves. Jesus was a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.
99% of the movies, music, and other entertainment venues which deal with love is not peddling love at all. They deal with lust, passions, sensuality…. To the unbeliever, these will appear totally the same.
To the immature Christian, these will easily be confused, but to the wise, there is a stark difference between love and lust.
Romans 5 has been the best picture of love that I know. 1 Corinthians 13 is the greatest picture of what love produces, but does not address how love is produced. Look at it with me….
Rom 5:6 For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly.
Rom 5:7 For one will scarcely die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die—
Rom 5:8 but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
Lust is based upon passion, emotions, feelings…etc… But look at love in wise contrast. “While we were still sinners…”
God’s love for us was never based on anything lovable in us. It had nothing to do with our attractiveness to God. It was not emotional, but in contrast, was against emotion. God loved us when we were repulsive.
Isa 64:6 “We have all become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous deeds are like a polluted garment. We all fade like a leaf, and our iniquities, like the wind, take us away.”
What we offered God was not only worthless, but gave Him more reason to reject us. We did not offer Jesus a Zero, but actually would cost Him.
A. You see, true love is based entirely on a decision. And this reason for that decision defies logic. It goes against passion.
Worldly love is something you fall into and, unfortunately, fall out of. Passionate loves responds to hurt and betrayal by pulling away. It is selfish in nature. We love primarily because of what we get out of it.
Godly love is not contingent on what we get out of it or what it may cost.
Look at Jesus battle in the Garden of Gethsemane.
Luk 22:41 And he withdrew from them about a stone's throw, and knelt down and prayed,
Luk 22:42 saying, "Father, if you are willing, remove this cup from me. Nevertheless, not my will, but yours, be done."
Luk 22:43 And there appeared to him an angel from heaven, strengthening him.
Luk 22:44 And being in an agony he prayed more earnestly; and his sweat became like great drops of blood falling down to the ground.
Every emotion, every feeling, every sweat gland, fiber and muscle screamed for Jesus to turn away from the cross… To turn away from loving us with such a sacrifice.
But HE went against every reasonable human urge of survival to die for you.
Rom 5:7 For one will scarcely die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die—
Rom 5:8 but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
The love God showed us through Jesus Christ, in a picture of Himself, is love that is made simply on the basis of a decision.
Husbands, the secret in loving a wife is to love unconditionally from the basis of your decision, your promise, your covenant with God and men. “til death do you part.”
Wives, the secret in loving a husband is to not depend upon emotions or feelings, but on your decision to marry him, promised to God and man.
Parents, how do you love that wayward son or daughter like the prodigal father love his son. It was based upon a decision not to measure his love by the child’s obedience and behavior.
Friends, the key to loving each other, even in the worst of times, is to bend your knee to the idol of self and emotions, but because God said so, we just decide to love each other.
B. Next, consider the determination of love.
God loved us not only loved us when we were yet sinners, but while we were still sinning.
The Apostle Paul’s testimony was, on earth, there was no one a righteous as he was, living as a strict Pharisee. Yet, in heaven, there was no one as sinful as he was, persecuting the very bride of Christ. He was humbled by God’s call upon his life, especially after what he did.
Yet he taught, God based his decision to keep loving us, even when we are acting out of the ugliest sin. Paul later talked about how Christ’s love for us is unshakable by anything we do or face.
Rom 8:38 For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers,
Rom 8:39 nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Husbands, the secret to loving your wife is, don’t based it on anything except the determination that Christ demonstrated. Wives, the secret of loving your husbands is to determine that your love in not wrapped up in your romance, but in your promise. Christians, we need to realize that feelings, emotions and passions are a roller coaster, up/down. Agape love is steady, not affected by circumstance or feelings.
C. Love was expressed in a demonstration. “while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”
“God demonstrated His love for us in this way.”
Couples, the key to a life-long marriage is showing love, even when you don’t feel like it. Christians, the key to a loving Church is the demonstration of love to those who can deserve it the least and those who can deserve it the most, no difference.
James told us the danger in partiality in our love and acceptance, based upon our evaluation of one’s worth and worthiness.
Jas 2:1 My brothers, show no partiality as you hold the faith in our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory.
Jas 2:2 For if a man wearing a gold ring and fine clothing comes into your assembly, and a poor man in shabby clothing also comes in,
Jas 2:3 and if you pay attention to the one who wears the fine clothing and say, "You sit here in a good place," while you say to the poor man, "You stand over there," or, "Sit down at my feet,"
Jas 2:4 have you not then made distinctions among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts?
Jas 2:5 Listen, my beloved brothers, has not God chosen those who are poor in the world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom, which he has promised to those who love him?
Jas 2:6 But you have dishonored the poor man. Are not the rich the ones who oppress you, and the ones who drag you into court?
Jas 2:7 Are they not the ones who blaspheme the honorable name by which you were called?
Jas 2:8 If you really fulfill the royal law according to the Scripture, "You shall love your neighbor as yourself," you are doing well.
Jas 2:9 But if you show partiality, you are committing sin and are convicted by the law as transgressors.
The text then takes us to the opposite end of the love-passion spectrum to show the ugliness of worldly love.
Eph 5:3 But sexual immorality and all impurity or covetousness must not even be named among you, as is proper among saints.
This verse shows us the ugliness of self-love. Placing self as a priority is not to be found among the saints of God, the Church. It can be seen in three things.
A. Sexual immorality.
Pornography is an epidemic and most politicians are not concerned with it. At the heart of the pornography, and quite honestly, worldly lust, is hate. Sexual immorality is selfish, and therefore, being self-focused, is hating the one lusted after.
Pornography is exploitation of the sexually abused, is supported by human trafficking and slavery, dehumanizes the models/victims and is perpetuated in the heart by total selfishness.
According to the Human Trafficking Alliance:
At least 20.9 million adults and children are bought and sold worldwide into commercial sexual servitude, forced labor and bonded labor. About 2 million children are exploited every year in the global commercial sex trade. Almost 6 in 10 identified trafficking survivors were trafficked for sexual exploitation. Women and girls make up 98% of victims of trafficking for sexual exploitation.
The pornography industry is undergirded by a $32 Billion human trafficking industry. By looking at pornography, one is hating (not loving) the victims of the largest slave trade in the history of mankind. That is totally opposite of the others-centered Agape love Christians are called to imitate from God.
Next, he says impurities. Impurities is a general word used to talk about that which our Christian lives, or completely take away from it. It is a word that means unclean, unwashed, allowed contamination. This is a call to remove anything that is not Christian from our lives that would defile our consecration to God.
One commentator focused on distractions from our love of God, each other, and our mission. Other writers and preachers refer to things we carry into our Christian lives from our pre-Christian lives, the things that, as Christians, we adopt from our culture which detract from our Christian commitment.
A good reference scripture to contrast with impurities that are not supposed to be in the Christian life, is:
Mat 6:33 But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.
In the early history of man, there is evident that the first purification processes for gold could not remove the silver. The first items of gold were actually a gold/silver alloy called electrum.
There is evidence that in the 6th century BC, the craftsmen of Sardis, Lydia, were using the first instances of the process called Cupellation, which successfully removed silver from the electrum alloy. It wasn’t that silver was bad, but that it was an impurity to pure gold. Not all impurities are bad things, but they prevent purity.
C. Remove covetness.
There is no command for us to remove the neutral things of this life from our lives. But we have to remove such things as priorities. We are not to live for possessions or money. The desire for wealth has ruined many people.
The ability to have money, land, crops and livestock, without them elbowing God from first place in our lives is what the scriptures teach.
Eph 5:4 Let there be no filthiness nor foolish talk nor crude joking, which are out of place, but instead let there be thanksgiving.
Then Paul tells us to have a pure mouth. There are many warnings about the tongue and the damage it can do.
Pro 21:23 Whoever keeps his mouth and his tongue keeps himself out of trouble.
Mat 12:36-37 I tell you, on the day of judgment people will give account for every careless word they speak, for by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned."
Jas 1:26 If anyone thinks he is religious and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his heart, this person's religion is worthless.
1Pe 3:8 Finally, all of you, have unity of mind, sympathy, brotherly love, a tender heart, and a humble mind.
1Pe 3:9 Do not repay evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary, bless, for to this you were called, that you may obtain a blessing.
1Pe 3:10 For "Whoever desires to love life and see good days, let him keep his tongue from evil and his lips from speaking deceit;
1Pe 3:11 let him turn away from evil and do good; let him seek peace and pursue it.
Jesus told us that the danger with the tongue is that it shows what we are thinking in the heart.
Luk 6:45 The good person out of the good treasure of his heart produces good, and the evil person out of his evil treasure produces evil, for out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks.
However, if we are renewing our minds to match the pure heart God gave us, we will speak that which builds up, not that which tears down.
Eph 4:15 Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ,
Eph 4:16 from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love.
The one who is critical of others reveals that his/her heart is condemning self, and they are trying to feel better about themselves. Those who speak hate reveal their lack of love to God.
Those who speak love and encouragement show that their hope is not found in themselves, but the found in Christ how loves them and gave Himself for them. And the one who is thankful speaks forth gratitude, love and purity.
How do you remove all the air from a glass? Fill it with water. Fill your life with thankfulness and gratitude to God and others, and you will be pure.
Eph 5:5 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.
Adrian Rogers used to illustrate the difference between leap and lapse. He would say: The unsaved leap into sin and love it. The saved lapse into sin and loathe it.
Verse five speaks of nature. He is not saying if you lapse into sin, you lose your inheritance. Remember in Chapter one he said…
Eph 1:13 In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit,
Eph 1:14 who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory.
For believers, our salvation, and thus our inheritance is not assured by our sinlessness or perfection, but by the Holy Spirits seal: God’s promise and Jesus’ shed blood.
One writer wrote, “Sinful, selfish and lustful living should be like oil in water to the believer. They don’t mix.”
“is sexually immoral, impure and covetous.”
That is the definition and identity of one who is not saved. Remember the beginning of chapter 2?
Eph 2:1 And you were dead in the trespasses and sins
Eph 2:2 in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience—
Eph 2:3 among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind.
Eph 2:4 But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us,
Eph 2:5 even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved—
Eph 2:6 and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus,
Eph 2:7 so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.
Eph 2:8 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God,
We are at the part of Ephesians where Paul is saying, “OK, I told you what you are in Christ. Now, stop living and thinking like a lost person and start imitating God.”
If you have never been saved, you cannot perform one righteous deed that is acceptable to God. If you are lost, you are comfortable in sin, but you are uncomfortable in Church, under the message of the truth. It scares you to hear preaching and Bible teaching. That very fear is Satan trying to keep you away from forgiveness.
Jesus offers forgiveness. It feels like condemnation now because you are guilty of your sins. God wants you to enjoy forgiveness and peace where there was once condemnation. That is found only in Jesus Christ. Accept Him today.
