Jun 20
21
Old Testament Reading: Leviticus 19:1–4
“And the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, ‘Speak to all the congregation of the people of Israel and say to them, You shall be holy, for I the LORD your God am holy. Every one of you shall revere his mother and his father, and you shall keep my Sabbaths: I am the LORD your God. Do not turn to idols or make for yourselves any gods of cast metal: I am the LORD your God.’” (Leviticus 19:1–4, ESV)
New Testament Reading: Ephesians 5:1-14
“Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children. And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God. But sexual immorality and all impurity or covetousness must not even be named among you, as is proper among saints. Let there be no filthiness nor foolish talk nor crude joking, which are out of place, but instead let there be thanksgiving. 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. Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience. Therefore do not become partners with them; for at one time you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light (for the fruit of light is found in all that is good and right and true), and try to discern what is pleasing to the Lord. Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them. For it is shameful even to speak of the things that they do in secret. But when anything is exposed by the light, it becomes visible, for anything that becomes visible is light. Therefore it says, ‘Awake, O sleeper, and arise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.’” (Ephesians 5:1–14, ESV)
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[Please excuse any and all typos and misspellings within this manuscript. It has been published online for the benefit of the saints of Emmaus Reformed Baptist Church, but without the benefit of proofreading.]
Introduction
As I read this passage you may have noticed that it is in some ways similar to the previous one. In both the previous passage and in this one those in Christ are commanded by the Apostle to honor Christ in thought, word and deed.
The passages differ in this regard:
The previous passage focused upon the Christians relationship with other Christians within the church of Christ — “Therefore, having put away falsehood, let each one of you speak the truth with his neighbor, for we are members one of another. Be angry and do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger, and give no opportunity to the devil. Let the thief no longer steal, but rather let him labor, doing honest work with his own hands, so that he may have something to share with anyone in need. Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear. And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice” (Ephesians 4:25–31, ESV).
These truths should certainly be applied to our relationship with unbelievers too. But Paul’s point here is that we, as Christians, and as members of the body of Christ, would speak the truth to one another, share with one another, and build one another up in Christ, and never tear one a other down. Again, the Christian is certainly to speak the truth when engaging with those outside the church, etc., etc. But the Apostle’s focus here is upon life within the church. Remember, he is exhorting us to “walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace” (Ephesians 4:1–3, ESV).
But here in the passage that is before us today the focus is upon the Christians relationship to the world. We know how we are to walk in relation to one another, but how are we to walk in relation to the world around us?
In brief, we are to live in the world, but never are we to be of the world. The Christian is to sojourn in this world — we should not seek to isolate ourselves from the world and those who live within it — but never should we be of the world, parterning with those who practice evil, nor participating in works of darkness.
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Be Imitators Of God In Thought, Word and Deed
Verse 1 and 2 function like a hinge. They simultaneously conclude the previous passage and introduce the next, saying, “Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children” (Ephesians 5:1, ESV). Perhaps this would be a good verse to commit to memory, for it says it all in very few words. What does it mean for the Christian to walk worthily in this world? We are to “be imitators of God, as beloved children” (Ephesians 5:1, ESV).
The words, “as beloved children” are very important, for they remind us of what God has done for us by his grace. In love he has adopted us as his children. And as his beloved children, we are to now to mimic the Father. We are to represent the family name.
Please notice the text does not say, be imitators of God to become beloved children, or to remain beloved children. Rather the text says, “be imitators of God, as beloved children”. If you have faith in Christ a beloved child is what you are by God’s grace. It is not something you earned, nor is something you maintain by your obedience. But as a beloved child of God it is only fitting that you now be imitators of your Father in heaven.
It is no secret that we all fall short of this. But here is the standard nonetheless: “be imitators of God, as beloved children”, the text says.
Clearly the meaning is this — belonging now to God, we are to imitate God as it pertains to his holiness. There are some things about God that simply cannot be imitated, for he alone is God, and everything else is his creation. We cannot imitate God in the least in regard to his eternality, his omnipotence, or his omniscience. Never can the creature imitate those characteristics of God that belong to his divinity, for they are incommunicable. But God has created us in such a way that we are able to image him in some respects. God is love, and we are to love as he loves. God is just, and we are to pursue justice. God is merciful and kind, and we are to reflect his mercy and kindness. This is what the Apostle means when he says, “be imitators of God, as beloved children”.
Remember that this was God’s standard for Israel. God, having redeemed Israel, and having entered into a covenantal relationship with them, spoke to them through Moses, saying, “You shall be holy, for I the LORD your God am holy” (Leviticus 19:1–2, ESV). And now God, having redeemed us, adopted us sons, and entered into a covenantal relationship with us, says through the Apostle, “be imitators of God, as beloved children”. We are to live holy lives, for our heavenly Father is holy.
What specifically does this mean? Well, in brief, we are to keep God’s moral law. And what is the essence of God’s law? Jesus, quoting Old Testament scriptures, summarized God’s laws saying, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets” (Matthew 22:37–40, ESV). The essence of God’s moral law is love. If we are to keep God’s law — if we are to be imitators of God as beloved children — then we must love. First, we must love God above all, and with all that we are. And secondly, we must love our neighbor as ourself. This it what it means to walk worthy. This is what it means to be imitators of God as beloved children. It means that we keep God’s law. And the essence of his law is love.
This is in fact what Paul says in verse 2. After commanding us to be imitators of God he then clarifies and specifies, saying, “And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.” (Ephesians 5:2, ESV)
To imitate God is to “walk in love”. Christ is our example. God is love. But it was Christ who walked in love. He was and is the eternal Son of God come in the flesh. He sojourned just as we sojourn. Do you want to know what it looks like for a human to love? Look to Christ! And when we consider his way of life, what do we notice? Well, he lived his whole life, first, for the glory of the Father. That is what verse 2 says, Christ lived as “a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.” And secondly, he lived, not for himself, but for others. He “loved us and gave himself up for us…”
Christ’s walk was the epitome of a worthy walk. He loved his neighbor as himself, “[giving] himself up for us”. And this he did because he loved God supremely. The whole of his life was offered up as a “fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.”
As I have said, verses 1 and 2 function like a hinge, closing out the previous section and introducing the new. In the whole of life — both in our life together as the body, and in our life lived out in the world — the Christian is to be an imitator of God and of Christ. And this imitation of God and of Christ is to be lived out in our thoughts, words and deeds.
As in the previous passage, Paul provides examples of sinful thoughts, words, and deed, and commands the Christian to avoid them.
Verse 3: “But sexual immorality and all impurity or covetousness must not even be named among you, as is proper among saints. Let there be no filthiness nor foolish talk nor crude joking, which are out of place, but instead let there be thanksgiving.” (Ephesians 5:3–4, ESV)
“Sexual immorality and all impurity” are sinful behaviors that are to be avoided. These are general terms that encompass a wide range of sexual sins and immoral living. Paul says that these sins are not even to be “named among [us], as is proper among saints” — he calls Christian’s “saints”, because they have been made holy by the blood of Christ. The point is this, inmate God in your conduct. Live as the saints that you are. Do what is fitting. I will follow Paul’s lead and refrain from specifically naming the sexually immoral and impure deeds. I trust that you know what they are. I trust that you know from the scriptures how God calls us to live in this world, and how we are to control the passions and appetites of the flesh so that we do what is pleasing to the Lord. I trust that you will, in due time, teach your children what sexual purity is. If you don’t teach them God’s way, the world will certainly teach them theirs.
“Sexual immorality and impurity” refer to sinful deeds. But “covetousness” is a sin of the heart. We “covet” in the mind with our thoughts. To covet is to have a strong desire to have more and more. To covet is to be discontent with what you have. To covet is to be greedy for gain. The tenth commandment forbids covetousness, saying “And you shall not covet your neighbor’s wife. And you shall not desire your neighbor’s house, his field, or his male servant, or his female servant, his ox, or his donkey, or anything that is your neighbor’s’” (Deuteronomy 5:21, ESV). Notice that we are forbidden from coveting anything that our neighbor has, and not just his material possessions. Covetousness is a sin that takes place in the heart and mind. Covetousness in the heart and mind will eventually give birth to the other sins that are forbidden in the second table of the law — bearing false witness, theft, adultery and murder.
Friends, as we pursue holiness — as we see seek to be imitators of God and Christ — it is so very important that we do not forget to keep the mind and heart pure, for our words and deeds flow from the inner man. Covetousness, like un-forgivness, is a deadly cancer to the soul.
In the place of covetousness we are to put on thanksgiving. Paul says, “but instead let there be thanksgiving.” Thanksgiving is the remedy to covetousness. We are to pray always with thanksgiving. And as we give thanks to God it will, among other things, help to cure the soul of covetousness. Do you wish to be free from the bondage of lust and greed? To you wish to rid yourself of that awful plague of discontentment? Then daily apply the ointment of thankfulness to your soul.
Brothers and sisters, let us be imitators of God and Christ in thought and deed, but also in word. And this is what Paul commands next, saying, “Let there be no filthiness nor foolish talk nor crude joking, which are out of place, but instead let there be thanksgiving.” (Ephesians 5:4, ESV)
Filthy talk might also be called shameful or obscene talk. The world listens to you speak. Your family listens to you speak. Does your speech reflect the reality that you are a child of God? Or is your speech filthy and shameful?
Foolish talk is talk that is base and stupid. What do we spend our time talking about? Do we spend our time talking about worthless and foolish things? Or do we spend our words on things that are weighty and of significance? Those who have been redeemed by God and adopted as sons to an eternal inheritance have meaningful things to talk about. Let us spend our words talking about things that matter, building one another up, and giving all glory to God.
Crude joking is vulgar and unwholesome talk that is intended to incite laughter. Being funny should not be the supreme objective of our lives, leading us to impure talk. Rather, our supreme desire should be to honor God in thought word and deed. If God has blessed you with a sense of humor, then use it to the glory of his name.
Our words should be used, above all, to give thanks to God. “Let there be no filthiness nor foolish talk nor crude joking, which are out of place, but instead let there be thanksgiving” (Ephesians 5:4, ESV). The word translated as “thanksgiving” is εὐχαριστία. Perhaps that word sounds familiar to you. Very early in the history of the church the Lord’s Supper came to be called the Eucharist, for it is here at the Supper that we, among other things, give thanks to God.
And please notice how often then scriptures exhort us to give thanks to God with our words. It is such a crucial part of the Christian life. I will not site every passage where this word εὐχαριστία appears. But listen to these:
Philippians 4:6: “do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.”
Colossians 2:6–7: “Therefore, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him, rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving.”
Colossians 4:2: “Continue steadfastly in prayer, being watchful in it with thanksgiving.”
Someone recently asked me, where in the Lord’s Prayer are we prompted to give thanks to God? After all none of the petitions specifically say that we are to give thanks. The answer, I think, is that we are to give thanks throughout the Lord’s Prayer and in every petition. Thanksgiving to God is to permeate all of our prayers. In fact, thanksgiving is to permeate all of our worship, and all of our living. This is why Paul, after talking about thanksgiving, says, “So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God” (1 Corinthians 10:31, ESV).
[Friends are you striving to imitate God in your life? Are you striving to be like Christ, who was and is Immanuel, God with us? Are you walking in love? Are you honoring the Lord in thought, word and deed? The world is watching, friends. The world is listening? Are you living a life of gratitude to the glory of God? We had better, for it is unfitting for a child of God to live like a child of the Evil One. ]
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Warning: Those Who Live In Sin Have No Inheritance In The Kingdom Of Christ
And this is why Paul offers a stern warning in verse 5, saying, “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” (Ephesians 5:5, ESV).
It would be good for us to let these words sink in.
Perhaps it would be best for us to first of all notice what this verse does not say. It does not say that anyone who sins “has no inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God”. God’s children do struggle with sin. The rest of the scriptures make this abundantly clear. One of the more directs statements concerning this fact is found in I John 1:8, which reads,“If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us” (1 John 1:8–10, ESV). True Christians do sin, and they are to repent when they do.
So what does Paul say? He wants us to 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” (Ephesians 5:5, ESV). This is not a description of a chid of God who has stumbled into sin and has turned from that sin to walk with Christ once more. This is not a description of one who’s walk is more or less worthy, who has slipped up in some way. Instead, this is a reference to one who is sexually immoral, impure and covetous. This is who they are, for this is their constant walk. The one who walks in “sexually immorality, impurity or covetous, has no inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God.”
Stated differently, though one might profess faith in Christ and bear the name Christian, if their walk is characterized by sin, then they should not expect to inherit life everlasting in the presence of God.
This warning from Paul reminds me of a warning that Christ himself delivered, saying, “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness’” (Matthew 7:21–23, ESV).
Those who profess faith in Christ, who call him Lord, and then go on to live a lawlessness life of disobedience in thought, word, and deed should not expect to be received by the Lord on the last day, but to be cast out by him and judged for all eternity.
So are we saved by our obedience, then?
Certainly not! We are saved by the merits of Christ alone, and this salvation is received by faith alone!
But here is another truth — those who are saved by Christ will also live a life characterized by obedience to him, for they have been changed.
How do we know that we are saved, then? How do we rest assured that we truly belong to Christ given our continual struggle with sin?
The answer is twofold:
One, we grow in our sense of assurance concerning our salvation as we continue to fix our eyes upon Christ crucified and risen and grow in our knowledge of the objective and unshakable truths communicated in the gospel. Though all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God and are deserving in his wrath, salvation is found in Jesus Christ. “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16, ESV). We grow in our sense of assurance as we fix our minds upon these objective truths, understand them, and believe them sincerely.
Two, we grow in our sense of assurance concerning our salvation as we live in obedience to Christ and walk worthily. Obedient living is evidence of a regenerated spirit. Obedient living is the fruit of a changed heart. Obediently living is fitting for one who is truly a child of God. Subjectively, we come to know that we know Christ as we keep his commandments. And this is what John teaches in I John 2:3-6, saying, “And by this we know that we have come to know him, if we keep his commandments. Whoever says ‘I know him’ but does not keep his commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in him, but whoever keeps his word, in him truly the love of God is perfected. By this we may know that we are in him: whoever says he abides in him ought to walk in the same way in which he walked” (1 John 2:3–6, ESV).
[APPLIOCATION: I suppose the application is two fold. One, if you claim to be in Christ and yet are living a life characterized by sexual immorality, impurity, and covetousness, then do not be so sure. Instead, “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” (Ephesians 5:5, ESV). If you are currently living in sin, are you truly saved? Well, who knows! And that is the point! God knows! But you do not, for your way of life is contradicting your profession of faith. And those around you will not be sure either, for they know the words of Christ, that “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.” May this uncertainty (if you have it) have this a
affect upon you — may it be used by the Lord to draw you to true faith and repentance.
Two, if you claim to be in Christ and have noticed a change — if your life is now characterized by holy living, where it was once characterized by impurity — then take comfort in this. See that it is an evidence that you have indeed been made new. No one is perfect, friends. Far from it. But you know the difference, I’m sure, between a life characterized by unrepentant sin and life devoted to obedience to the Lord.
It is very difficult to preach on the subject of assurance because of the diversity that exists within Christ’s church as it pertains to sensitivity to sin. It may be that some are self-righteous and self-assured. These think little of their sin and may in fact have erred on the side of false assurance. But there are others — and in my experience, many more — who judge themselves too harshly. These fixate upon every sinful thought, word and deed and are driven to doubt and despair, thinking to themselves, how can I possibly be saved?! Look to Christ, my friends. Consider his finished work on the cross, and trust in him. And consider both God’s law and also his gospel. Both law and gospel need to be applied to the soul. The law must slay us so that we see our sin and abandon all hope in self-righteousness. And then the gospel must point us to Christ the Savior.]
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Have No Partnership With Those Who Walk In Darkness
Finally, in verse 6-14 Paul warns us to have no partnership with those who walk in darkness. Let us briefly consider these verses.
Verse 6: “Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience” (Ephesians 5:6, ESV). “These things” — what things? Here Paul is refering back to sins previously mentioned. Because of these things — the sins of the world — “the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience.” Notice that there are sons of God, and there are sons of disobedience — these two. The wrath of God will be poured out upon the sons of disobedience. Anyone who tells you otherwise is seeking to “deceive you with empty words”. Don’t let it happen. There is a God in heaven. He is the judge.He will pour out his wrath on all sin at the end of time. Even now, his wrath is set upon the sons of disobedience.
Verse 7: “Therefore do not become partners with them”. Notice Paul does not say, have nothing to do with them. Instead he says, “do not become partners with them” — do not link arms with them and participate in their ways. Why would you?! Why would you closely ally with those upon whom the wrath of God rests?
Paul continues, saying, “for at one time you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light (for the fruit of light is found in all that is good and right and true), and try to discern what is pleasing to the Lord” (Ephesians 5:7–10, ESV). Notice here that Paul does not say for at one time you walked in darkness, but rather, “for at one time you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord.” Paul is once again drawing our attention to the transformation that has taken place within us. And beaus of this transformation — because we were once darkness but are now light in the Lord —he says, “walk as children of light.” In other words, live according to what you now are!
And what fruit will walking according to the light produce? Things “good and right and true.” Perhaps you have noticed that a godly life produces things that are good and right and true? This does not mean that the godly will not suffer. Christ suffered. His Apostles suffered. He has warned us that we will suffer in this world. But even in the midst of suffering the fruit of a worthy walk are things good and right and true. And the opposite is true of a dark walk. The fruit of sin is division, confusion, chaos and death.
And so Paul again warns in verse 11: “Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them. For it is shameful even to speak of the things that they do in secret.” (Ephesians 5:11–12, ESV)
The works of darkness are called “unfruitful” not because they do not produce anything, but because what they produce is death, and not life.
The child of God is to take “no part” in these works of darkness. This should cause us to stop, think and ask, have I made a clean break with sin? Or do I still fool around with it? Do I still associate with those who walk in darkness? Again, the scriptures do not say, have nothing at all to do with the unbelieving world. But certainly we should not partner with those who live in sin nor participate with them.
Instead, the child God is to expose them. This means that sin is to be rebuked. The law of God is to be applied so that those living in sin know that they are living in sin. And after the law is applied, the gospel is also to be proclaimed. But how can the child of God possibly expose or rebuke sin if he our she is in some way participating in the same? First, we must make a clean break with the unfruitful works of darkness, and then we are to expose them.
The words of Christ apply here: “Judge not, that you be not judged. For with the judgment you pronounce you will be judged, and with the measure you use it will be measured to you. Why do you see the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when there is the log in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother’s eye” (Matthew 7:1–5, ESV).
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Conclusion
Holy living is the thing that Paul is here calling us to. Be holy, as your heavenly Father is holy. Do not be deceived, no one who lives in unrepentant sin will inherit the kingdom of God. For those who have been made holy by the shed blood of Christ will also live holy before him, and before the world. And one of the things that holy living will do is expose the sins of others. God willing, this will lead to their repentance as the law convicts of sin, and as the gospel of Jesus Christ is proclaimed, which announces that in him we have the forgiveness of sins and the promise of life everlasting.
