Verse of the day: Ephesians 5:5 For this you know, that no whoremonger, nor
unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, has any inheritance in
the kingdom of Christ and of God.
As
imitators of God there are behaviors that do not belong in the life of a child
of God who is walking in love, as we are told to do in verse 2 of this chapter.
How can we truly claim that we are followers of Jesus if our lifestyle is no
different than how the unsaved live? How are we loving God and our neighbor if
we are practicing that which is sin against our God and injurious to our
neighbor? As born again believers we are called to holiness (1 Pt 1:14-16).
Those of us who want to model our behavior, in Christ, like that of our God’s,
will take extra measure to avoid being fornicators, or having sex outside of
marriage. God calls us to purity and has created the sexual relationship
exclusively for the marriage bed (1 Thess 4:3; 1 Cor 6:18; 7:9). We must avoid
all forms of immorality in both our thoughts and actions. Instead, we are to
think on, and focus on, those things which are pure, true, honorable, excellent
or praiseworthy (Phil 4:8). We must learn to be content and avoid covetousness
and idolatry; avoiding the love of money and material things (1 Tim 6:10; Mt
6:24). If we have nothing that this world has to offer, and all we have is the
Lord, then we have all we need. He calls us to not be covetous and be content
with such things as we have, knowing that having Him is enough (Heb 13:5-6). Like
Abraham, let us be content with having the Lord as our Reward (Gen 15:1).
Although these sinful behaviors are common in the world, and we are in the
world; we are not of the world (Jn 17:16). We are called to stay in this world,
to be separate from the world in our attitude and behavior, and lead others to the
One who gave His life for us, and them. We will not accomplish this by being
like them. If we are no different, then what do we really have to offer? The Apostle
tells us that it is because of these sinful behaviors that God’s wrath looms
over the unsaved (v. 6). This is the reason Jesus was nailed to the cross; to
pay for these very sins that many of us have committed. May I also remind each
and every one of us, lest we forget, and get too judgmental toward those who
are unsaved and practice these things, that we too were in the same place they
are currently in? Some of us are still battling with the temptation to give in
to such behavior, as the Lord works in us to change us. If we are not careful
to approach those who need Christ with humility or restore a brother/sister who
has stumbled and fallen into sin, with humility, we may very well find
ourselves in the same boat (Gal 6:1-3). In this chapter, in verse 4, the Apostle
also tells us to avoid obscene speech, inappropriate joking, and foolish talk.
Our speech should be that which gives thanks and praise to God, offered in
Christ as the sacrifice of our lips (Heb 13:15; 1 Thess 5:16-18). Our speech
should bring encouragement and be a blessing (Col 4:6). Foolish talk or obscene
speech will only cause hurt and bring division. James tells us that the same
mouth that praises God should not be used to curse men (Jm 3:9-12). In 1
Corinthians 5:9-13, the Apostle Paul makes clear to the church that those who
practice these things, and are unsaved, are not the ones we are to stay away
from. These are the people we are supposed to be leading to Jesus. It is the
one who claims that he/she is a fellow believer and practices these behaviors
that we are to steer clear from, and put aside so that the Lord may deal with
him/her. This is not to be done in a mean-spirited fashion, but in love, and
with prayer (Jm 1:20). The bottom line is that regardless of who we are dealing
with, we are to model our Lord and Savior in our behavior, avoiding such sinful
lifestyles and being careful to walk in love for the sake of imitating our God
and Savior.
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