Ephesians 5:1-7 Click here for Bible Verses
Hi GAMErs!
Today’s passage is Ephesians 5:1-7. Let’s go!
Ephesians 5:1-2 (NIV)
1 Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children 2 and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.
On verses 1-2: This is one of my favourite verses in the Bible. It’s worth memorizing! Not only is this verse beautifully written; it’s also a great summary of what it means to be a Christian. It sums up some of the big truths that Paul writes about elsewhere:
– that we are dearly loved children in God’s eyes
– that Jesus showed us His love in the most practical way: He gave Himself up for us as a sacrifice to pay for our sins (This verse reminds me of Galatians 2:20 where Paul says that it was Jesus “who loved me and gave himself up for me”)
– that, in response to God’s love for us, we are called to be like God and to love the way He did. (Earlier in Ephesians 4:24 Paul tells us we are created to be like God in righteousness and holiness. Here he tells us we are called to be like God in how we love too.)
Ephesians 5:3-7 (NIV)
3 But among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or of any kind of impurity, or of greed, because these are improper for God’s holy people.
4 Nor should there be obscenity, foolish talk or coarse joking, which are out of place, but rather thanksgiving.
5 For of this you can be sure: No immoral, impure or greedy person–such a man is an idolater–has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God.
6 Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of such things God’s wrath comes on those who are disobedient.
7 Therefore do not be partners with them.
On verses 3-7: Some Christians in Paul’s church in Ephesus were starting to be influenced by the wrong crowd. This wrong crowd consisted of people who claimed to be Christians but who persisted in sexually immoral behaviour and other impure conduct and showed no hint of wanting to change. It’s the same thing when Christians today say, “I can be a Christian and still sleep with someone I’m not married to, or use obscene language, or watch porn. God loves me anyways!” This kind of thinking is called antinomianism, or licentiousness, the idea that you can do whatever you want because God loves you anyway.
Paul addresses licentiousness here as follows:
– Don’t think that you can be a Christian and persist in sin on the basis that ‘God loves me anyways’ (v3-5). God’s grace was never meant to be a licence to keep on sinning, but a call to live a life of love. If you choose to use God’s grace as a licence to keep sinning, one day you may find your heart so hard that you stop trusting Jesus altogether and disown the faith that saves you.
– Remember that sexual immorality, impurity and greed are all forms of idol worship (v5). Whenever you put anything first in your life above God, that is idol worship. There are countless forms of idol worship but they all lead to the same dead end: frustration, emptiness, and bondage. But when you put Christ first, the result is peace, joy, purpose, hope, and freedom.
– Instead of using your lips to speak obscenities, foolish talk and coarse joking, use your lips to speak words of thanks that build others up (v4).
– Do not intertwine your life so closely with the wrong crowd that you become negatively influenced by them (v7).
Lord Jesus, thank You for loving me and giving Yourself for me. You did it not so that I could continue to live in sin, but so that I could live a life of love. Holy Spirit please help me not to be influenced by the wrong crowd. Rather let my life shine for You wherever I am, both through my actions and my words. In Jesus’ name, AMEN!
