THE WALK OF PURITY
"GET OUT OF THOSE GRAVECLOTHES!"
TEXT: EPHESIANS 4:17-5:20
INTRODUCTION
IN JOHN CHAPTER 11, WE READ OF THE ACCOUNT WHEN A VERY GOOD FRIEND OF JESUS’ DIED, LAZARUS. HE HAD BEEN SICK FOR A WHILE AND JESUS ARRIVED IN BETHANEY, WHERE LAZARUS LIVED FOUR DAYS AFTER HE HAD DIED...
WE ALL KNOW THIS POWERFUL STORY -- DESPONDENT SISTERS (MARY AND MARTHA) IN TEARS, "LORD IF YOU ONLY HAD BEEN HERE MY BROTHER WOULDN’T HAVE DIED..
AND JESUS SAYING, "YOUR BROTHER WILL RISE AGAIN, FOR I AM THE RESURRECTION AND THE LIFE. HE WHO BELIEVES IN ME WILL LIVE, EVEN THOUGH HE DIES AND WHOEVER LIVE SAND BELIEVES IN ME WILL NEVER DIE."
JESUS HAD THEM TAKE HIM TO THE TOMB -- AND WHEN HE SAW THE WEEPING OF LAZARUS SISTERS AND OF THE REST WHO HAD COME, AND AS HE REFLECTED ON HIS OWN LOVE FOR LAZARUS, JESUS WEPT.
THEN HE HAD THEM ROLL THE STONE AWAY, AT FIRST THEY HESITATED, "LORD HE HAS BEEN DEAD FOR FOUR DAYS -- AND THERE WILL BE A BAD ODOR..."
BUT THEY ROLLED IT WAY -- AND JESUS CALLED IN A LOUD VOICE, "LAZARUS COME OUT!"
LAZARUS CAME OUT OF THE TOMB... HIS HANDS AND FEET WERE WRAPPED WITH STRIPS OF LINEN, AND A GRAVECLOTHES WAS AROUND HIS NECK.... (THIS MUST HAVE BEEN QUITE A SCENE)
THEN JESUS SAID TO THEM, "TAKE OFF THE GRAVE CLOTHES AND LET HIM GO..."
YOU SEE, LAZARUS WAS ALIVE - HE WAS NO LONGER DEAD. AND WHAT BUSINESS DOES AN ALIVE MAN HAVE WEARING THE CLOTHES OF A DEAD MAN. AND BESIDES HE WOULD HAVE FOUND IT PRETTY DIFFICULT TO GET AROUND AND DO THINGS WITH THEM STILL ON >> NOT TO MENTION THE DINNER INVITATIONS HE WOULDN’T GET UNTIL HE TOOK OFF THOSE GRAVECLOTHES..
WHAT IS PAUL TELLING US TO DO?
"TAKE OFF THOSE GRAVECLOTHES!"
THIS IS EXACTLY WHAT PAUL IS TELLING US TO DO IN OUR TEXT... GOD THROUGH THE BLOOD OF HIS SON HAS BROUGHT US FORTH FROM THE GRAVE OF SIN >>> WE HAVE BEEN RESURRECTED...
WE ARE NO LONGER DEAD -- WE ARE ALIVE!
YES IT IS TRUE AS PAUL SAYS IN CHAPTER 2 OF EPHESIANS WE USED TO LIVE AMONG THE DEAD AT ONE TIME; CONSTANTLY GRATIFYING THE CRAVINGS OF OUR SINFUL NATURE -- FOLLOWING IT’S DESIRES AND THOUGHTS; BUT BECAUSE OF HIS GREAT LOVE FOR US -- GOD WHO IS RICH IN MERCY MADE US ALIVE WITH CHRIST JESUS...
JUST LIKE LAZARUS JESUS CALLED US FORTH FROM THE TOMBS OF SIN -- AND WE RESPONDED... AND LIKE LAZARUS WE NEED TO GET OFF THOSE GRAVE CLOTHES BECAUSE WHAT BUSINESS DOES AN ALIVE MAN HAVE WEARING THE CLOTHES OF A DEAD MAN...
WE MUST NO LONGER AS PAUL SAYS IN EPH 4:17 WALK AS THE GENTILES DO -- WE MUST NO LONGER WEAR THE CLOTHES OF THE GRAVE >> WE NEED TO TAKE THEM OFF, WE NEED TO WALK IN PURITY...AND THIS IS OUR TOPIC FOR TODAY
WHY IS PAUL TELLING US TO DO THIS
(TO TAKE OFF OUR GRAVECLOTHES)?
NOW IT MAY HAVE BEEN NATURAL FOR LAZARUS TO TAKE OFF HIS GRAVECLOTHES, AFTER ALL IF HE HADN’T IT WOULD HAVE BEEN OBVIOUS TO LAZARUS AND EVERYONE AROUND HIM THAT HE STILL HAD THEM ON.
BUT IT IS NOT ALWAYS NATURAL FOR US TO TAKE THEM OFF, NOR IS IT ALWAYS OBVIOUS TO US WHEN WE STILL HAVE THEM ON....
AND EVEN THOUGH WE MAY KNOW INTELLECTUALLY THAT WE NEED TO TAKE THOSE GRAVECLOTHES OFF -- MANY TIMES WE STILL LEAVE THEM ON.
REMEMBER LAST WEEK I SAID THAT PAUL IN THE FIRST 3 CHAPTERS -- OF EPHESIANS DEALT MAINLY WITH DOCTRINE... AND IT IS IMPORTANT FOR US TO KNOW THE TEACHING OF THE CHURCH -- BUT PAUL DOESN’T LEAVE US IN AN IVORY TOWER (TALKING ABOUT ISSUES) HE IN THE LAST 3 CHAPTERS OF EPHESIANS GETS PRACTICAL AS HE TELLS US TO WALK IN A MANNER WORTHY OF THE CALLING WE HAVE RECEIVED.
NOTICE IN OUR THEME VERSE FOR THESE LAST 3 CHAPTERS OF EPHESIANS PAUL TELLS US, "AS A PRISONER OF THE LORD THEN, I URGE YOU TO WALK (NOT TO TALK) IN A MANNER WORTHY OF THE CALLING YOU HAVE RECEIVED..."
AND A "FUNDAMENTAL" WALK THAT WE MUST WALK IF WE WANT OUR WALK TO BE IN A WORTHY MANNER -- HAS TO DO WITH THE REMOVING OF OUR GRAVECLOTHES -- IT IS THE WALK OF PURITY....
After all it does little good for Christians to declare and defend the truth, if they fail to demonstrate that truth in their day to day lives, (If they still are wearing grave clothes). There are some Christians who can defend the truth at a moments notice -- but by their personal lives (their actions and their attitudes) they deny the doctrines that they profess to love so dearly. They are like the people Paul wrote about to Titus in Titus 1:16, "THEY CLAIM TO KNOW GOD, BUT BY THEIR ACTIONS THEY DENY HIM. THEY ARE DETESTABLE, DISOBEDIENT AND UNFIT FOR DOING ANYTHING GOOD."
We must keep in mind that the pagan religions of Paul’s day said little or nothing about personal morality. In Paganism a worshipper could bow before an idol, put his offering on the altar, and then go back and live the same old life of sin. You see what a person believed had no direct relationship to their behavior.
And EPHESUS was a church made up mostly of gentile men and women who would have been accustomed to this type of religion and worship -- and they needed to know -- that Christianity was not like paganism.
They needed to be reminded as do many in the Church today that in Christianity there is a very definite connection between what we believe and how we are to behave! We can’t profess to believe in Christ and in The Word and yet live any way we please. Come to church on Sunday and sing "Amazing Grace How Sweet The Sound," and then on Monday morning put our grave clothes back on...
God wants us to understand that if our behavior doesn’t match what we claim to believe then our belief really isn’t even worth a plug nickel -- and we are nothing more than the ones that Jesus so harshly condemned time and time again in His earthy ministry -- we are HYPOCRITES!!.(ACTORS, GAME PLAYERS -- AND GOD CAN SEE RIGHT THROUGH YOUR COSTUME)
When the prodigal son of Luke 15 came home to the father -- he had to leave the pig pens far behind, and so do we. After all, to be a Christian means that we are united with and are in fellowship with Jesus Christ -- and if we are to share in his life we must also follow His example. And we must understand that we are not truly following Him if we are still wallowing in the mud of sin, lust, pride and self.
Paul needs to tells us to take off our grave clothes, because many times Christians keep them on.... and they think it is okay...
Brothers and Sisters if truly want to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord... we need to heed God’s Word as Paul in these verses tells us, "to walk in purity."
SO FAR WE HAVE ANSWERED 2 IMPORTANT QUESTIONS ABOUT OUR TEXT..
WHAT IS PAUL SAYING; TAKE OFF THOSE GRAVECLOTHES
WHY IS HE SAYING THIS; BECAUSE SOMETIMES CHRISTIANS STILL HAVE THEM ON -- AND THEY EITHER DON’T KNOW OR DON’T CARE ABOUT IT...
NEXT WE WANT TO ANSWER THIS QUESTION:
HOW DO WE TAKE OFF OUR GRAVECLOTHES....?
WE WILL SPEND THE MAJORITY OF OUR TIME TODAY ANSWERING THIS...
A. FIRST, THEIR REMOVAL BEGINS WITH RIGHT THINKING
IN THE EARLY VERSE OF OUR TEXT PAUL MAKES IT MAKES IT QUITE CLEAR THAT OUR MIND, THAT RIGHT THINKING IS FOUNDATIONAL TO REMOVING OUR GRAVECLOTHES...
"...YOU MUST NO LONGER WALK AS THE GENTILES DO, IN THE FUTILITY OF THEIR THINKING...THEY ARE DARKEN IN THEIR UNDERSTANDING AND SEPARATED FORM THE LIFE OF GOD BECAUSE OF THE IGNORANCE THAT IS IN THEM..." (EPH 4:17,18)
"...YOU WERE TAUGHT TO BE MADE NEW IN THE ATTITUDE OF YOU MINDS...." (EPH 4:23)
IF WE ARE EVER GOING TO BE SUCCESSFUL AT REMOVING THOSE DIRTY OL’ SMELLY, NASTY GRAVECLOTHES OF SINS.. IT MUST BEGIN WITH RIGHT THINKING...
PAUL IN COLOSSIANS WHICH IS THE SISTER LETTER OF EPHESIANS (WRITTEN SAME TIME, HAS THE SAME GENERAL CONTENT)
IN COLOSSIANS PAUL TALKS ABOUT REMOVING OUR GRAVECLOTHES AND WALKING IN PURITY -- AND HE ALSO TALKS ABOUT RIGHT THINKING... LET’S TURN TO COL 3:1-4 AS THESE VERSE WILL BE BENEFICIAL TO OUR STUDY TODAY.. COL 3:1-4
Paul says that we are to set our minds on things above and not on earthly things.
That We are to make a deliberate conscious decision to seek the things above -- We are to make a habit of setting our minds, our thoughts and our attention upon heavenly things (upon God, Christ, The Holy Spirit, righteousness, on things that are true, things that are noble, things that are right, things that are pure, things that are lovely, admirable -- if anything is excellent or praiseworthy -- WE ARE TO think about such things) we are not to let our minds dwell on things of this earth.
What do you find yourself thinking of most of the time? What gets most of your attention -- is it earthly things? or is it heavenly things?
Again let me emphasize that we must make a choice to think on heavenly things -- it will not come automatically -- it is much easier to let our minds wallow in the sins of this world....
WE MUST AS PAUL SAYS IN 2 CORINTH 10:5; TAKE EVERY THOUGHT CAPTIVE AND MAKE IT OBEDIENT TO CHRIST...
Where we set our minds/ Where we focus our attention is important -- Outlook often determines outcome. And keeping our mind and hearts in the right place can determine where we wind up.
And part of RT Thinking is reminding ourselves of the sharp contrast between earthly and heavenly things...
WE NEED TO REMIND OURSELVES that:
(THINGS OF HEAVEN) (THINGS OF EARTH)
T.O.H. ARE SATISFYING WHERE T.O.E. LEAVE US EMPTY
T.O.H. ARE ETERNAL WHERE T.O.E ARE TEMPORARY
T.O.H. ARE SURE WHERE T.O.E ARE UNCERTAIN
T.O.H. BRING US FREEDOM WHERE T.O.E ENSLAVE US
T.O.H. BRING PEACE WHERE T.O.E BRING ANXIETIES
T.O.H. GIVES LIFE WHERE T.O.E. BRING DEATH
And we also need to remind ourselves that we have died with Christ -- we have died to sin and to self... therefore those things should no longer have an appeal to us./get a response from us.
For we have been raised with Christ. Paul says in Romans 6, "WE WERE THEREFORE BURIED WITH HIM THROUGH BAPTISM INTO DEATH, IN ORDER THAT , JUST AS CHRIST WAS RAISED FROM THE DEAD THROUGH THE GLORY OF THE FATHER, WE TOO MAY LIVE A NEW LIFE."
You see, It is impossible to be alive and still live in a grave... to go back to the father and stay with the pigs. When we came to Christ -- in faith and repentance and were baptized, Christ pulled out of the graves of sin and lifted us up to live a new life... And now, as Paul says, our lives are hidden with Christ in God.
WE SHOULD SET OUR MINDS ON THINGS ABOVE BECAUSE WE DIED TO SIN AND HAVE BEEN RAISED WITH CHRIST TO A NEW LIFE.
And because as Paul says we will share in Christ’s glory when he returns. Listen to those words again , "WHEN CHRIST, WHO IS YOUR LIFE (IS HE YOUR LIFE?) APPEARS, THEN YOU ALSO WILL APPEAR WITH HIM IN GLORY." The Bible says that, "IN A FLASH, IN THE TWINKLING OF AN EYE, AT THE LAST TRUMPET SOUND -- CHRIST WILL RETURN IN POWER AND IN GLORY AND AT THAT VERY INSTANT OUR MORTAL BODIES WILL BE CHANGED AND -- THE PERISHABLE WILL BE CLOTHED WITH THE IMPERISHABLE AND THE MORTAL WITH IMMOTILITY.... AND THE CHRISTIAN WILL SHARE IN CHRIST’S GLORY.
BECAUSE WE HAVE DIED TO THIS WORLD OF SIN.... BECAUSE WE HAVE BEEN RAISED WITH CHRIST AND BECAUSE WE WILL ONE DAY SHARE IN HIS GLORY .... WE SHOULD THEREFORE BE SEEKING THINGS ABOVE AND SETTING OR MINDS ON HEAVENLY THINGS.
RIGHT THINKING IS WHERE THE REMOVAL OF OUR GRAVECLOTHES BEGIN....
B. THEIR REMOVAL WILL BENEFIT FROM RIGHT PARTNERSHIPS
"DO NOT BE PARTNERS WITH THEM"
Have you ever gotten all cleaned and dressed up and then found it hard to stay that way, spaghetti sauce on the white shirt or blouse...grass stains on those new pants. Have you discovered the truth that when we run around in the physical world we often pick up some of it’s dirt.
I think you will agree that this is also true in the spiritual sense. Sometimes it gets pretty hard to stay clean when we are living in a pig pen. And our world, our society really is, a spiritual pig pen. Much of our world is UNASHAMEDLY wallowing in the mud of sin and immorality. We are constantly being exposed to this philosophy in nearly every aspect of our lives, we can hardly get away from it. And it is nearly impossible for us not pick up some of the dirt. And if we are not real careful we’ll pick up a lot more than some. We live in a non Christian world and many times it is hard to be a Christian (TO TALK LIKE, ACT LIKE AND LIVE LIKE A CHILD OF GOD) under such conditions. HAVE YOU EVER FOUND THIS TASK DIFFICULT?
The majority of people we go to school with, the teachers we listen to, the people we work with, the shows we watch and movies we see -- most of the people we encounter, do not look at the world from a Christian point of view.
Now This problem of being a Christen in a Non Christian world is not a new problem. The church battled this problem right from the start.
IT WASN’T EASY FOR THE EPHESIANS CHRISTIANS TO NO LONGER WALK AS THE GENTILES WALKED ("TO TAKE OFF THOSE GRAVECLOTHES"). REMEMBER THEY LIVED IN THE SHADOW OF THE GLORIOUS TEMPLE OF DIANA WITH THOUSANDS OF IDOL WORSHIPPERS MILLING ABOUT THE STREETS, LIIVNG NEXT TO THEM. TO REFUSE TO ASSOCIATE IN THE PRACTICES OF THEIR FORMER WAY OF LIFE THEREFORE, TOOK MUCH CONVICTION, SACRIFICE AND GREAT COURAGE.
AND IT STILL TAKES A LOT OF COURAGE TODAY TO NO LONGER WALK THE WAY THE GENTILES WALK.. SOCIAL DRINKING, DIRTY MOVIES, NIGHT CLUBS, BARS, FILTY HUMOR, HGALF TRUTHS, AND MANY OTHER THINGS THAT ARE DISPLEASING TO GOD ARE SO MUCH A PART OF MODERN AMERICAN LIFE THAT TO REFUSE TO ASSOCIATE WITH THE PRACTICES OF OUR FORMER LIFE TAKES MUCH CONVICTION, SACRISICE AND COURAGE..
(WE MAY GET HASSLED, LOSS FRIDNS AND GET PASSED BY ON A PROMOTION)
Another NT church -- at Corinth faced this same problem... they lived in and were surrounded by, a city saturated in immorality and sin, and much of that philosophy, immoral lifestyle and attitude crept into the church. AND IN HIS 2ND LETTER TO THE CHURCH THERE PAUL GAVE SOME GOOD ADVISE ABOUT NOT BEING PARTNERS WITH THE WORLD... 2 CORINTH 6:14-18
Paul in the opening words of these verses writes, "DO NOT BECOME UNEQUALLY YOKED TOGETHER WITH UNBELIEVERS." Now This concept goes all the way back to Deuteronomy 22:10, "DO NOT PLOW WITH AN OX AND A DONKEY YOKED (OR HARNESSED) TOGETHER." The ox was a clean animal to the Jew and the donkey was not, therefore it would be wrong to yoke them together. And besides that on a practical note, they have different natures and would not even work well together, the ox is usually hard working and cooperative and the donkey is stu6bborn and feisty.
You see, Certain things are fundamentally incompatible, like oil and water. They were never meant to be joined together. This principle applies to the Christian and the non Christian. The purity and nature of the Christian and the pollution and nature of a pagan were never intended to run together in a double harness. When we become a Christian we receive a new nature, "IF ANYONE IS IN CHRIST HE IS A NEW CREATION, THE OLD HAS GONE THE NEW HAS COME" (2 COR 5:17), PETER SAYS IN I PETER 1:4, "WE (as Christians) PARTICIPATE IN THE DIVINE NATURE."
This principle of God’s people being separated from the world as always been a prevalent teaching in God’s dealings with His people. In the Old Testament, the Israelites before entering the promise land were commanded by God to remain separate from the Canaanites. AND this principle of "separation", carried over in an even greater to the New Test., where we see throughout it’s pages Christians being referred to as "Saints". This term means, "set apart", "called out". Christians by definition are called out from the world and are set apart to serve God and do His will.
The world is often in Scripture described, as an enemy to be avoided and a foe to overcome. John tells us in his first letter, "NOT TO LOVE THE WORLD OR ANYTHING IN THE WORLD.." AND "THAT THE WORLD AND IT’S DESIRES ARE PASSING AWAY."
AND PAUL FURTHER DRIVES THIS POINT HOME IN 2 COR 6, WITH POWERFUL STATEMENT SUCH AS:
"WHAT DO RIGHTEOUSNESS AND WICKEDNESS HAVE IN COMMON"
"WHAT FELLOWSHIP CAN LIGHT HAVE WITH DARKNESS"
"WHAT HARMONY IS THERE BETWEEN CHRIST AND BELIAL"
(1st century term applied to Satan)
"WHAT DOES A BELIEVER HAVE IN COMMON WITH AN UNBELIEVER"
"WHAT AGREEMENT IS THERE BETWEEN THE TEMPLE OF GOD AND IDOLS."
What Paul is saying is that when we really get down to the nitty gritty of it, when we really get to the core of the matter, There is really no fellowship, no harmony, no agreement and nothing in common between believers and unbelievers.
The question we want to ask ourselves now is, how do we apply Paul’s teaching of "DO NOT BE YOKED WITH UNBELIEVERS", WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO AVOID CLOSE CONTACT WITH THEM?
There is a big difference between casual association and being unequally yoked. To be "yoked", means to be tied together in close intimate relationships. It means to be partners together over extended periods of time so that the methods priorities and strategies of one become the others.
So what are some partnerships we are to avoid:
close intimate friendships with unbelievers worldly Christians
close intimate contact with worldly philosophy as presented in certain tv shows -- movies..etc
PARTNERSHIPS WHERE they influence us try to get us to put back on our grave clothes...
Sure we need to be around unbelievers to influence them -- and yes we can have friends who are unbelievers. But our closest friends/relationships should be with ones who hold to and share with us, the same convictions, faith and values. People we can share with, people who we can mutually encourage, love and build up with in the Lord.
TAKING OFF OUR GRAVECLOTHES:
BEGINS WITH RIGHT THINKING.....
IT BENEFITS FROM RIGHT PARTNERSHIPS (RELATIONSHIPS)
AND IT BECOMES A REALITY THROUGH RIGHT ACTION
JUST KNOWING THAT HE NEEDED TO TAKE OFF HIS GRAVECLOTHES WOULDN’T HAVE HELPED LAZARUS AT ALL IF HE KEPT THEM ON --- HE NEVER WOULD HAVE BEEN ABLE TO FUNCTION AS AN ALIVE MAN...
THE SAME GOES FOR US -- WE CAN KNOW WE HAVE TO REMOVE THESE GRAVECLOTHES BUT IF WE KEEP THEM ON THAT KNOWLEDGE DOES US NO GOOD...
PAUL IN OUR TEXT LISTS SEVERAL SPECIFIC ARTICLES OF THE GRAVECLOTHES ATTIRE THAT WE NEED, THAT WE MUST TAKE OFF... JUST AS JESUS TOLD LAZARUS HE IS NOW TELLING US -- TAKE THEM OFF...
DON’T RATIONALIZE WHY YOU HAVE THEM ON -- OR HOW FOR YOU THEY REALLY AREN’T GRAVECLOTHES AT ALL...
JUST TAKE THEM OFF!!
TURN IN YOUR BILE TO EPH 4:25
1.WE NEED TO TAKE OFF LYING
A LIE IS A STATEMENT THAT IS CONTRARY TO FACT, SPOKEN WITH THE INTENT TO DECEIVE... AN OLD PROVER STATES, "HALF A TRUTH IS A WHOLE LIE"
SATAN IS THE FATHER OF LIES... GOD IS THE FATHER OF TRUTH.. AND THEREFORE GOD’S SEES LYING AS A SERIOUS MATTER, IN ACTS 5
WE SEE ANANIAS AND SAPPHIRA STRUCK DOWN DEAD FOR LYING - AND IN REVELATION 21:8; SAYS THE LAKE OF BURNING SULFUR IS THE DESTINY OF HABITUAL UNREPENTANT LIARS..
AND LYING IS ESPECIALLY HURTFUL IN THE BODY -- WE ARE TO SPEAK THE TRUTH IN LOVE -- NOT LIES IN HATE..
2. WE NEED TO TAKE OFF ANGER;
THIS WORD REFERS TO HABITUAL ANGER, IN WHICH ANGER IS MAINTAINED AS A BASIC PART OF ONE’S ATTITUDE, ALWAYS MAD ABOUT SOMETHING...
AND PAUL WARNS US TO DEAL WITH OUR ANGER -- TO GET OVER IT OR LESE STAN WILL USE OUR ANGER AS A FOOTHOLD TO PRODUCE IN US HATRED, MALICE, RESENTMENT AND REVENGE..
3. WE NEED TO TAKE OFF STEALING
NOW IT MAY SEEM STRANGE THAT CHRISTIANS SHOULD BE TOLD NOT TO STEAL. BUT STEALING IS NOT UNCOMMON; THOUGH MANY ARE MUCH MORE SUBTLE AT STEALING THAN ROBBING A BANK... THEY STEAL THROUGH; CHEATING ON TAXES; NOT CLAIMING ALL INCOME; LOAFING ON AN EMPLOYERS TIME, EXAGGERATING BUSINESS EXPENSES, CHEATING ON EXAMINATIONS, COPYING CD’S, VIDEOS, TAPES AND COMPUTER PROGRAMS...
GOD SAYS HE WHO STEALS MUST STEAL NO LONGER -- THOSE ARE GRAVECLOTHES... WE NEED TO TAKE THEM OFF...
4. WE ARE TO TAKE OFF UNWHOLESOME TALK
IF WHAT WE SAY DOES NOT BUILD UP OR BENEFIT THE ONES LISTENING WE SHOULDN’T SAY IT (PERIOD!!!)
IN MATTHEW 13:34 JESUS SAID, "OUT OF THE OVERFLOW OF HEART THE MOUTH SPEAKS.."
WHAT WE SAY IS AN INDICATION OF THE CONDITION OF OUR HEART... SCARY THOUGHT HUH?
5. GET RID OF ANGER, BRAWLING, BITTERNESS RAGE, SLANDER
IF WE ARE WEARING ANY OF THESE, TAKE THEM OFF!
THESE ARE GRAVECLOTHES CLOTHES OF THE WORLD
6. THERE IS TO NOT EVEN A HINT OF; NOT EVEN A PIECE A LINT LEFT
ON YOU OF THE GARMENTS OF SEXUAL IMMORALITY IMPURITY GREED (SEXUAL IMMORALITY -- MOST TALKED ABOUT SIN IN NT FLEE FORM..)
7. TAKE OFF THE GARMENTS OF OBSCENITY, FOOLISH TALK
COARSE JOKING
JOKES ABOUT GAYS, SEX, ADULTERY -- ETC,
WE ARE NOT TAKE PART IN THIS...
SHOULD WE AS CHRISTIANS BE WATCHING SITCOMS, TALK SHOWS, MOVIES WHERE NEARLY EVERY LINE HAS SEXUAL OVERTONES..?
DO NOT BE PARTNERS WITH THEM.....
IF THEY HAD TV IN PAUL’S DAY -- AND THE PROGRAMS WE HAVE DO YOU THINK PAUL WOULD SAY SOMETHING ABOUT IT..
THIS HITS CLOSE TO HOME DOESN’T? I KNOW
4. WHY SHOULD WE TAKE OFF OUR GRAVE CLOTHES?
(4:17) BECAUSE GOD SAYS SO! (IF YOU DON’T LIKE YOUR "RELIGION" TELLING YOU HOW TO LIVE BEST CHOOSE SOMETHING BESIDE CHRISTIANITY -- THOUGH, THIS IS REASON ENOUGH BUT PAUL GIVES SEVERAL MORE..)
(4:24) BECAUSE WE ARE CREATED TO BE LIKE GOD IN TRUE HOLINESS & RIGHTEOUSNESS
4:27) BECAUSE WEARING SUCH CLOTHES GIVES THE DEVIL AN OPPORTUNITY
(4:30) BECAUSE IT GRIEVES THE HOLY SPIRIT WHEN WE WEAR THEM
(5:1) BECAUSE WE ARE TO IMITATE GOD
(5:3,4) BECAUSE WEARING GRAVECLOTHES IS IMPROPER AND OUT OF PLACE FOR GOD’S PEOPLE
(5:5) BECAUSE THOSE WHO WEAR SUCH CLOTHES ARE IDOLATERS AND HAVE NO SHARE IN THE KINGDOM.
(5:6) BECAUSE IT IS SUCH CLOTHES THAT ARE BRINGING GOD’S WRATH
(5:8) BECAUSE WE ARE TO WALK AS CHILDREN OF LIGHT
(5:15) BECAUSE WHEN WE WEAR SUCH CLOTHES WE MISS MANY OPPORTUNITIES FOR THE LORD
(5:15,17) BECAUSE TO WEAR SUCH CLOTHES IS UNWISE AND
FOOLISH
MATTHEW 22:1-14
