Ephesians 5:1-20
The chapter starts out with another therefore. As we look back at the last part of Paul’s letter we find it is about putting on the new self. So as we come to this next chapter, we keep this in mind.
Vs. 1-2 Therefore, be imitators of God, as dearly loved children. And walk in love, as the Messiah also loved us and gave Himself for us, a sacrificial and fragrant offering to God.
Because of what Paul has said about putting on the new self we are to be imitators of God. You know, I have read this book and chapter at least a few hundred times and, up until now, I have never really thought about the implications of what Paul has just said here. Be imitators of God. It stops me in my tracks and I had to really think about it. As I thought about it, 1 Peter 1:15-16 came to mind. “But as the One who called you is holy, you also are to be holy in all your conduct; for it is written, Be holy, because I am holy.” I believe that in order to be imitators of God we must strive to be holy. Interestingly enough I was reading a book just yesterday by Jerry Bridges called “The Fruitful Life”. In it he says the attitude of devotion to God is composed of three essential elements: the fear of God, the love of God, and the desire for God. He points out that we often focus in on just the love of God and do not give proper consideration for the fear of or desire for God. It seems we may have lost our awe and reverence for an Almighty God. I hear sermon after sermon on the love of God but very little about His holiness. To be sure, God loves us, So much that he sent the Messiah who gave Himself for us as a sacrifice. But God is also holy and righteous and He calls us to be holy and righteous and obedient children. Romans 12 tells us we are to present ourselves as living sacrifices holy and pleasing to God. If we are to be true imitators of God, then we are to be a holy people.
Vs 3-7 But sexual immorality and any impurity or greed should not even be heard of among you, as is proper for saints. Coarse and foolish talking or crude joking are not suitable, but rather giving thanks. For know and recognize this: Every sexually immoral or impure or greedy person, who is an idolater, does not have an inheritance in the kingdom of the Messiah and of God. Let no one deceive you with empty arguments, for God’s wrath is coming on the disobedient because of these things. Therefore, do not become their partners.
The call for holiness is punctuated in these next few verses. I love the way Paul puts this. Sexual immorality and impurity or greed should not even be heard of among you. There shouldn’t be even talk about anything improper coming up. The Greek word here is onomazesthō, which means to give a name. Paul says that we should avoid these things to the point of not even giving them a name. We are not to acknowledge unholy living in any way. Paul goes on to call out crude and foolish joking and language. None of this should be a part of our new self as we seek to be holy as God is holy. Yet we live in an age where this kind of joking is common place, even in the church. We often call it sarcasm and think that it is harmless, but maybe we need to rethink how we joke with one another and how we speak to each other. Paul says instead of these things, we should be giving thanks and praise should be on our lips.
The next part of these verses is very explicit. If you are involved in sexual immorality or impurity or greed or idolatry you will not have an inheritance in the kingdom of the Messiah or of God. Paul warns us about those who would deceive us by saying this isn’t true. God’s wrath is real and His call for us to be holy is serious. Let us not lose the fear of the Lord and forget His desire for us to be obedient. 1 Samuel 15:22-23, reminds us of this. “Does the Lord take pleasure in burnt offerings and sacrifices as much as in obeying the Lord? Look: to obey is better than sacrifice, to pay attention is better than the fat of rams. For rebellion is like the sin of divination, and defiance is like wickedness and idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the Lord, He has rejected you as king.” I find it interesting that idolatry is the same as defiance and the sin of divination is the same as rebellion. Paul warns against idolatry in this part of his letter. Is this a warning against defiance against God? The ten commandments says we are to have no other gods before the one and only God. He is the one that we need to be obedient to. He is the one that we need to fear, love and desire. Let’s not take God’s love lightly by being disobedient and defiant children.
Vs 8-14 For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light for the fruit of the light results in all goodness, righteousness, and truth discerning what is pleasing to the Lord. Don’t participate in the fruitless works of darkness, but instead expose them. For it is shameful even to mention what is done by them in secret. Everything exposed by the light is made clear, for what makes everything clear is light. Therefore it is said: Get up, sleeper, and rise up from the dead, and the Messiah will shine on you.
Jesus’ in His sermon on the mount says “You are the light of the world. A city situated on a hill cannot be hidden. No one lights a lamp and puts it under a basket, but rather on a lamp stand, and it gives light for all who are in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before men, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven.” Matthew 5:14-16. Those good works that give glory to the Father are the fruit we bear when we are obedient to Him. Paul goes on to say “don’t participate in the fruitless works of darkness.” This made me think of what Jesus did when he found a fruitless fig tree in Matthew 21:18-19. “Early in the morning, as He was returning to the city, He was hungry. Seeing a lone fig tree by the road, He went up to it and found nothing on it except leaves. And He said to it, “May no fruit ever come from you again!” At once the fig tree withered.” Instead, we need to not only be fruitful, but expose the fruitlessness that is in the dark. Then he says, Get up sleeper. The words for sleeper is katheudōn, which is the word used for being fast asleep or to describe those who are dead. This is a message we need to hear and act on today. Paul would say to our churches right now – Wake up oh sleeping church. Be the light that God has called you to be. Shine a light into the dark places exposing the fruitlessness. Call on those who believe to live fruitful, holy and light filled lives.
Vs 15-21 Pay careful attention, then, to how you walk not as unwise people but as wise making the most of the time, because the days are evil. So don’t be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is And don’t get drunk with wine, which leads to reckless actions, but be filled by the Spirit: speaking to one another in psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs, singing and making music from your heart to the Lord, giving thanks always for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, submitting to one another in the fear of Christ.
And finally, Paul says to pay careful attention. In the Greek it actually says “Blepete oun akribōs” or take careful notice carefully. We are to be double careful not to be unwise people! Paul is telling us to keep our head in the game, don’t get drunk, don’t be foolish and be filled with the Spirit of God. This is serious. It’s not just be careful, it’s carefully pay attention carefully. Wake up, pay careful attention and whatever you do, don’t be foolish! I don’t know about you, but I’m taking notice! I have to ask myself, am I awake or sleeping while things are going on around me that I need to pay attention to? Am I a part of the problem or the solution, because if I am doing nothing, then I am a part of the problem. Let’s not be foolish, but wise and keep our eyes open and minds clear.
Paul again addresses how we are to speak to one another. Not with a slanderous tongue or a tongue that is full of crude humor or language, but in psalms, hymns and spiritual songs. As a musician and a singer, I love this! We are to speak to each other in song. Permission to sing all the time!! Spiritual songs, hymns and psalms are taken from the deepest part of our heart and are given to the Lord as worship. If we speak to each other in this way, then we will be encouraging, instructive, and keep our tongues from slander and misuse. James 3:10 says, “Praising and cursing come out of the same mouth. My brothers, these things should not be this way.” No they shouldn’t and Paul knew this. He also knew if we speak to one another in the same way that we praise God Almighty, we will keep ourselves, and our tongues, from cursing. It’s very difficult to truly worship God and curse at the same time. Finally, we are to submit to one another in the fear of Christ. And there it is. The word that we all probably hate: Submit. For some reason the word submit is difficult for us – especially us Americans!! We don’t like it, but, if we would actually submit to each other in this way, then we would benefit the whole body of Christ. We would have each persons best interest at heart. They want us to grow in Christ just as we want them to grow in Christ. They will shed light on us as we shed light on them. They will encourage and instruct us as we encourage and instruct them. Submitting to one another is the way we not only keep each other in check but wholly encourage each other to be imitators of God. This is not a journey we do on our own. It isn’t a one man show but a group (body of Christ) activity. If the church functions as it should, then we will exhort one another to walk more faithfully with Christ. Learning healthy submission to each other will keep us faithful, growing and obedient. It is then that we will be a light to the world, a city on a hilltop, calling all who see to Christ.
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