Ephesians 5:1-7 (NIV)
Follow God’s example, therefore, as dearly loved children and walk in the way of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.
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. Nor should there be obscenity, foolish talk or coarse joking, which are out of place, but rather thanksgiving. For of this you can be sure: No immoral, impure or greedy person—such a person is an idolater—has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God. Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of such things God’s wrath comes on those who are disobedient. Therefore do not be partners with them.
In light of the transformation Paul talked about at the end of chapter 4 of this letter, he lays out three powerful, and startling, standards for the Ephesian Christians.
First, they are to be imitators of God as dearly loved children. The children are to resemble the parent in the most essential aspects of character and action. Jesus referred to this in the Sermon on the Mount when He instructed His followers to love their enemies, and to pray for those who persecuted them “that you may be children of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.” (Matthew 5:45 NIV) In character, we are to be like God Himself.
This ties closely to the next standard, which is to live a life of agape love. This is not talking about having certain feelings. Instead, the model for this kind of love is Jesus, and is illustrated by His laying down His life for others. Again, Jesus Himself pointed out this standard at the Last Supper: “My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.” (John 15:12-13 NIV) In love, we are to be like Jesus.
These first two standards, character like God and love like Jesus, lead naturally to the third. We are to be genuinely holy and righteous (Ephesians 4:22-24), living lives that are qualitatively different than those of non-Christians. Absolutely no sexual immorality of any sort (as defined by God, not by society, whose standards of what is moral and acceptable continue to erode), no moral impurity, no greed (wanting what others posses or being jealous of their achievements), and no coarse language of any kind. Instead, our lives and lifestyles are to be holy, like God, so that we can show Him to the world.
People, even Christians, tend to cut others too much slack in these areas, allowing sexual immorality and worldly attitudes, actions and ways of talking into the church with impunity. But these actions and attitudes demonstrate very clearly that a person is not a part of God’s kingdom. The fruit of their lives shows that it grows from an unregenerate, untransformed heart.
Paul urges the Ephesians to not be deceived about the state of those immoral, impure or greedy people. (Also see 1 Corinthians 5.) Unless and until they repent and are transformed, they are living under God’s wrath, justly condemned, and thus should not be partners in the ministry of the Church, because they will corrupt, and skew, and make ineffective everything that they are involved in.
Father, I think a big part of the problem is that we hold ourselves to a much lower standard of behavior and attitudes than You hold us to, but have deluded ourselves into believing that we are judged by You with our standard, not Yours. And thus, we have a hard time seeing others, even those who are overtly immoral, impure, or greedy, as lost and more in need of repentance, redemption, and transformation than anything else. It feels hypocritical since the difference between us and them is at best a matter of degree. Lord, Open our eyes to the state of our own hearts. Show us any corruption or faults that You see there. Drive us to whole-hearted conviction so that we can repent, turn to You, and be washed, purified and transformed from the tops of our heads to the soles of our feet, so that we can live in Your character, and so that we can love like Jesus, today and every day. Amen.