Walking as Children of Light
- jacarroll71
- Dec 10, 2013
- 2 min read
Today’s reading: Ephesians 3:1-5:33
My selection: Ephesians 5:5-6
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. 6 Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience.
My reflections: Paul makes a powerful statement here of warning to the Christians in Ephesus and to us in the twenty first century. In this passage, we see:
1. Certainty. “You may be sure of this.”
2. Absolute terms. “…everyone who…has no inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God.”
3. Specificity. Sexual immorality and impurity and covetousness (aka idolatry) are listed. Even talk, that is foolish, and joking, that is crude, is condemned (vs. 4). Sin is defined by God’s law, not by the latest public opinion polls.
4. Warning. Paul tells them to beware of deceiving words. Someone out there is attempting to contradict this teaching.
5. Consequences. “…because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience.”
How clearly is this truth being preached in American evangelical churches today? As the issue of redefining marriage to include homosexual relationships rages, many Christian leaders err either by caving in to public pressure to approve this new definition or by arguing against it based on historic traditions rather than Scripture. Some seem to have ignored the general level of sexual immorality in the church, refusing to discipline open fornication, while rising to condemn the equally sinful approval of homosexual conduct in the general society.
My challenge: As you have opportunity, seek to influence our society to respect the moral law of God. A vote against homosexual marriage is not the imposition of your morality on unbelievers, but the protection of our society against evil so blatant that it will bring down the wrath of God on us all. Meanwhile, work to strengthen a fear of God and His law in your home and church. Walk as a child of the light.
Tomorrow’s reading: Ephesians 6:1-Philippians 2:30
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