Growing In Relationship with Jesus: The Transformed Life of a Believer - part 3 (Eph 5:1-20)

by Pastor Cesar Crisostomo |  January 28, 2018

Growing In Relationship with Jesus: The Transformed Life of a Believer - part 3 (Eph 5:1-20) 1/28/18 cac

As we continue to grow in our relationship with Jesus Christ and understand even more what the transformed life of the Believer should be, it is important to stay at peace with one another and keep our focus on what is truly important. Even though we may have differences of background or culture with other Christians, we are to deliberately choose to not let those differences get in the way and fight about it, but to work in harmony together to win people to Christ and see them become His disciples. The Apostle Paul continues to teach us to extend grace to one another in the same way as the Father has given undeserved favor to us who put our faith in Christ (Ephesians 4:32). As Christians, we are to imitate God and make the attitudes we see in God the model for our own lives (Ephesians 5:1-2). In imitating God, we are to imitate not only the Father, but also the Son. We should have love for one another like He had for us.

The love of Jesus

• Jesus’ love led Him to leave His privileged position in heaven and become human and then as a human to bear the sins of the world and die on the cross (Philippians 2:5-8).
• He willingly became the substitute that was killed and offered up to God for sins (Exodus 29:15-18; Hebrews 7:27; 9:26).
• The Apostle Paul’s point is that we should love each other so much that we also would be willing to die for one another. Are we?

Other aspects of the “old self” that we are to “put off” and lay aside (v. 3-4)

1. Sexual immorality. This refers to sexual practices outside the marriage of a man and a woman.

• Much of the ancient world indulged their sexual drives just as freely as they fed their hunger or quenched their thirst. The Christian’s standards for sexual behavior have always been at odds with the unbelieving cultures around them then and it is true in our time today.

2. Impurity. This is a translation of the word which literally means “unclean.” Being “unclean” refers to behavior that makes a person unfit to approach God or minister on His behalf.
3. Greed. It is a behavior that attempts to find security or meaning in material possessions. The greedy person wants things more than he or she wants God and puts things in place of God, therefore committing idolatry.
4. Obscenity, foolish talk or coarse joking. There should be no dirty jokes, nor use the kind of dirty language that is common around unbelievers. The Christian mouths are intended for the higher purpose of giving thanks to God.

Paul’s Warning

• Paul wants these types of behaviors to be far removed from their lifestyles. As Christians we are not to indulge in these practices. He warns that those who practice impure sexual behavior, pursue greed, set up any kind of idol in their heart will not go to heaven (v. 5; 1 Corinthians 6:9-10; Galatians 5:19-21; 6:7-8; 1 John 1:6; 2:3-4).
• People who teach that Christians can continue to practice such behaviors and still go to heaven try to make this phrase mean that misbehaving Christians simply lose some of the blessings God has planned for this life on earth (v. 6; 1 Corinthians 15:50). But the “inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God” means being part of the eternal blessings God gives His people following the resurrection. If we don’t “inherit the kingdom,” we don’t go to heaven.
• Paul warns us against people who would teach us that God won’t hold Christians accountable for their behavior. God is just and He will be fair in how He judges. Those who continue to live like unbelievers will be judged along with them (v. 6).
• The real issue is the attitude of the heart. True Christians will have chosen to submit to the Lordship of Jesus Christ and will judge themselves when they sin (1 Corinthians 11:31), and then repent (1 John 1:9), and turn to God in prayer asking Him to give them the power to change their behavior (Ephesians 4:23-24; Romans 8:12-14).
• While moral stumbling may occur at times, in a true Christian it will not be a pattern of behavior, nor will that person comfortably tolerate such behavior in their lives.
• If we live like unbelievers we are going to receive the same judgment as the unbelievers, so we really need to seriously commit ourselves to the idea of “putting off” the old self and “putting on” the new (Ephesians 4:22, 24). Although we as Christians live in social relationships with others like Jesus did (Luke 5:30-32), we are not to participate in the sinful life style of unbelievers (v. 7).

Christians

• Choose to obey the truth that God have shown us. We are to practice the things that are pleasing to God.
• Paul uses the image of darkness and light (v. 8; John 1:4-9; 8:12; 9:5; 1 John 1:5-7), where light represents God’s revelation of truth and darkness represents the ignorance and deception that marks the thinking of those who do not have God’s revelation.
• People who obey the truth which God shows them will produce fruit (v. 9; Galatians 5:22-23; Matthew 7:16-23). Their moral behavior and character will become more and more like Jesus and the things they believe and teach others will be truth they have been taught by God.
• Those who are “children of light” will choose to practice the things that are pleasing to God (v. 10; 2 Corinthians 5:9; Colossians 1:10).
• Do not participate in the behaviors of those who are making decisions based on ignorance and deception. Instead of participating with them we should live lives that show by contrast the rightness of God’s ways.
• Our life ought to reveal the ungodliness in unbelievers, and on the other hand there is a proper way for confronting believers who practice such things (v. 11; Matthew 18:15-17; 1 Corinthians 5:1-13; Galatians 6:1).
• Become part of God’s light on this world and in so doing God uses us to expose the motives of people’s heart (v. 13; John 3:19-21).
• Do not spend time thinking and talking about the vulgar things people do behind closed doors. Avoid dwelling on them in our minds because it displeases the Lord (v. 12)
• Invite people to be awaken from spiritual deadness and allow Jesus to be their revelation of God’s truth (v.14).
• Live out our days by making careful choices to follow God’s wisdom and not mere human speculation (v.15).
• Aggressively lay hold of every opportunity God provides for us to serve Him, because the path most people are taking is leading them into increasing bondage and deception (v.16).
• At every decision we need to stop and ask what God wants us to do. We are to be people who think and pray before we act and therefore not be foolish (v.17).
• We are not to seek comfort or pleasure in the use of alcohol or any other form of drugs. Drunkenness is one of the behaviors which will keep us from being saved (1 Corinthians 6:10). Instead, we are to find our comfort of heart and fulfill our need for pleasure by experiencing the presence of God which comes when we worship (v.18).