Bible Study - Ministering (4) - Ready When Sex Destroys - Ephesians 5:1-10 - February 8, 2015

Bible Study – Ministering (4) – Ready When Sex Destroys – February 8, 2015

This is lesson four (4) in our series entitled “Ready: Ministering Life to Those in Crisis.”

Our focus scripture is Ephesians 5:1-10.

Influence others to walk in CHRIST’S love rather than in impurity by walking the talk as a Christian. Christianity is not “do as I say but as I do.” All Christians are sinners saved by grace and any of us can be ensnared in sin before we know it, especially those who do not think it can happen to them.

The Apostle Paul was writing to the Christians in Ephesus. He wanted them to know what it meant to be born-again Christians and to live it. Christians represent CHRIST and their lifestyle was important. They had come from spiritual darkness and were now walking in the light of CHRIST.

Ephesus was a bustling city. The city housed over 50 deities. The most prominent deity was Artemis. Artemis was a virgin fertility goddess. Ephesus was a sexually charged environment. Many who had worshipped Artemis became Christians and changed their lifestyle. Paul emphasized their need to take off their old lifestyle and put on their new life in CHRIST. Paul emphasized their need for unity and to use their Spiritual gifts. He warned them that they were in battle with the spirit world in chapter 6.

When the people in Ephesus became Christians it had a negative impact on the business of those selling artifacts associated with the goddess. Those making the artifacts got angry as recorded in Acts 19:23-27:

23 During that time there was a major disturbance about the Way. 24 For a person named Demetrius, a silversmith who made silver shrines of Artemis, provided a great deal of business for the craftsmen. 25 When he had assembled them, as well as the workers engaged in this type of business, he said: “Men, you know that our prosperity is derived from this business. 26 You both see and hear that not only in Ephesus, but in almost all of Asia, this man Paul has persuaded and misled a considerable number of people by saying that gods made by hand are not gods! 27 So not only do we run a risk that our business may be discredited, but also that the temple of the great goddess Artemis may be despised and her magnificence come to the verge of ruin—the very one all of Asia and the world adore.”

A side note, in the early days of Christianity, Christianity was referred to as “The Way.” Later, the Christians in Antioch referred to themselves as Christians.  

Paul’s world and ours exploit sex. GOD intended for sex to bring pleasure and intimacy between a man and his wife for the purpose of procreation. Yet, the world in Paul’s day and ours is filled with all sorts of sexual perversions. Christians and non-Christians alike are included – adultery, incest, prostitution, pornography, sexual abuse, homosexuality, bestiality and the list goes on.

Paul challenged Christians in Ephesus to realize who they represented as Christians and to walk in the light rather than in darkness.

Let’s read Ephesians 5:1-4:

1 Therefore, be imitators of God, as dearly loved children. 2 And • walk in love, as the • Messiah also loved us and gave Himself for us, a sacrificial and fragrant offering to God. 3 But sexual immorality and any impurity or greed should not even be heard of among you, as is proper for • saints. 4 Coarse and foolish talking or crude joking are not suitable, but rather giving thanks.

The Apostle Paul listed in Ephesians Chapter 4, how walking in the light of CHRIST had changed them, therefore ---- take what you know and apply it.

Paul admonished Christians to recognize and know who they were. Being a Christian was no simple matter. They were GOD’S children through the miracle of rebirth and as such they were to live and be imitators of GOD as HIS Sons and Daughters.

CHRIST had given HIS sinless life to pay, in full, the debt for sin and in doing so HE was the perfect sacrificial offering which was pleasing to GOD. CHRIST died for all who will place their faith in HIM and HIS passion was a sweet fragrance to GOD.

Paul tied the passion of CHRIST to the Jewish sacrificial system where a burnt offering was made to GOD for their sins. When an animal sacrifice was performed, they burned incense and used other fragrances to mask the odor of the burnt sacrifice. The sweet smell related to CHRIST was HIS voluntary sinless, obedience to GOD for all who will place their faith in HIM to receive salvation from sin and eternal death. CHRIST giving HIS life was once and for all who will accept HIM as their Savior.

Christ being the perfect sinless sacrifice broke the sin barrier and opened the pathway between GOD and mankind. When those who ask GOD to forgive them for their sins, believe that CHRIST gave HIS life for them, they are forgiven which results in the miracle of rebirth. Thus, they become children of GOD and indwelled by the Holy Spirit.

Paul admonished the Christians in Ephesus to be imitators of GOD.

What would it be like to be an imitator of GOD? Live in complete obedience to the Father like JESUS did when HE was upon earth. How is that possible? Allow the Holy Spirit to lead and direct your life. Easy to write but it is a process of sanctification by yielding and allowing more of GOD and less of self.

It is much like what shapes our human personality. Our genetic makeup and our environment play an important role in our lifestyle.

As born-again Christians, we have the genes of our Father. How we respond and live in the environment around us and those we choose to be our best friends, help shape our personality and attitude. That is why it is vital that Christians build an intimate, loving, best friend relationship with CHRIST. Again, being made into the image of CHRIST is a process. GOD does not sprinkle us with Holy dust, so-to-speak, and we are instantly zapped into this Christian who is walking as GOD desires.

Christians represent CHRIST and GOD to the world. As such we, as GOD’S children, are to be an example to the world and live as GOD would live. Christians give off a fragrance as Paul stated in 2 Corinthians 2:14-17:

14 But thanks be to God, who always puts us on display in Christ and through us spreads the aroma of the knowledge of Him in every place. 15 For to God we are the fragrance of Christ among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing. 16 To some we are an aroma of death leading to death, but to others, an aroma of life leading to life. And who is competent for this? 17 For we are not like the many who market God’s message for profit. On the contrary, we speak with sincerity in Christ, as from God and before God. 

Christians are to conduct themselves as GOD would:

No sexual immorality or any impurity or greed should be heard of among you, because it is not proper for • saints. Coarse and foolish talking or crude joking are not suitable, but rather giving thanks.

These are tall orders and impossible without the power of the indwelling Holy Spirit.  Christians are to recognize and appreciate where they came from, darkness and eternal death, to walking in the light as Sons and Daughters of GOD. Christians are not to embrace any part of their old life but to completely remove their old life and put on their new life in CHRIST.

Therefore, Christians are not to embrace, associate or be involved in anything to do with sexual immorality, impurity, greed, coarse and foolish talking or crude joking but rather give thanks that their relationship with CHRIST has replaced these things. Such things are barriers to having an intimate, loving relationship with CHRIST and results in missing the joy of experiencing the fulfillment of GOD’S purpose in your life.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              

Let’s read Ephesians 5:5-6:

5 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.

Light versus Darkness

6 Let no one deceive you with empty arguments, for God’s wrath is coming on the disobedient because of these things.

Sexual immorality covers a lot of things: sexual perversions, bestiality, homosexuality, adultery, incest, abuse, pornography and the list goes on. Such a lifestyle enslaves those caught up in these perversions, thus sexual gratification becomes their god, and thus, it is idolatry.

The Gnostics and Universalists embrace the idea that GOD does not judge sin because bodily sins do not harm the inner person. Paul addressed this false and empty argument and those who embrace such disobedience will encounter GOD’S wrath.

Does this mean should a Christian who is or has been caught up in these sexual sins is condemned? If they are true Christians and they confess their sins and repent, which means to stop doing it, GOD will forgive, cleanse and restore. Realize that GOD knows our hearts. I know it is difficult from a human point of view to forgive, especially if a child has been molested and most especially molested by a fellow Christian.

Let’s read Ephesians 5:7-10:

7 Therefore, do not become their partners. 8 For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light— 9 for the fruit of the light results in all goodness, righteousness, and truth— 10 discerning what is pleasing to the Lord.

Sexual involvement is a very strong attraction and Christians are cautioned not to be lured into such activity or fantasy. Christians must be careful who they hang with, where they go, what they read and watch and think. All humans have come from the darkness into the light of CHRIST but our human nature is such that any of us can become ensnared. If we do, then confess it, repent by stopping. GOD will forgive, cleanse and restore and as the Apostle John wrote in 1 John 1:7-10:

7 But if we walk in the light as He Himself is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin. 8 If we say, “We have no sin,” we are deceiving ourselves, and the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 10 If we say, “We don’t have any sin,” we make Him a liar, and His word is not in us.

When Christians sin and confess and repent, they are still Christians. They have grown and developed Spiritually to a point. Sin blocks their continuing Spiritual growth at that point but when they confess and repent, GOD forgives, cleanses and restores and their Spiritual development picks up where it left off. Often, we have a renewed vigor and humility because most of us learn from our sin. We cannot play in a mud hole without getting muddy, that is, in thought or deed.

All Christians have come from darkness to walk in the light of CHRIST. GOD’S intent is for the light of CHRIST to change us into the image of CHRIST. Walking in sin stops our Spiritual growth but restoration allows our Spiritual growth to continue.

Light reveals what is hidden in the dark. Light exposes and makes things transparent. GOD tested JESUS on the Mount of Transfiguration by exposing HIM to the light of truth as recorded in Matthew 17:1-3:

1 After six days Jesus took Peter, James, and his brother John and led them up on a high mountain by themselves. 2 He was transformed in front of them, and His face shone like the sun. Even His clothes became as white as the light. 3 Suddenly, Moses and Elijah appeared to them, talking with Him.

Moses represented the Law and the commandments and Elijah represented the prophets. JESUS was on HIS way to the cross and HE was being examined for any flaw. HE passed the test. HE was sinless and had fulfilled the law, commandments and prophesies. HE was approved by GOD as the perfect sacrifice to pay in full the debt for sin.

GOD is more interested in us finishing the race than failing.

The Apostle Paul wrote in Philippians 1:6:

6 I am sure of this, that He who started a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.

Since Christians are children of light, we are to walk as children of the light and produce fruit which results in “goodness, righteousness, and truth and discerning what is pleasing to the LORD.” As Christians build their relationship with CHRIST and walk in the light with HIM, we are to see ever increasing signs of “goodness, righteousness and truth” in our lives.

In Galatians 5:22-26, the Apostle Paul wrote:

22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faith, 23 gentleness, self-control. Against such things there is no law. 24 Now those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. 25 Since we live by the Spirit, we must also follow the Spirit. 26 We must not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another.

A plant produces a support system which produces a bud, a blossom and fruit. The fruit gets its nourishment from the host, it ripens and is harvested. The fruit brings nourishment to those who utilize the fruit and when utilized it leaves a seed or seeds behind, so it can produce more fruit. Fruit is designed to reproduce.

As Christians, we are to help those caught up in various types of sin while keeping a careful eye on ourselves as Paul cautions in Galatians 6:1:

1 • Brothers, if someone is caught in any wrongdoing, you who are spiritual should restore such a person with a gentle spirit, watching out for yourselves so you also won’t be tempted.

We who are Spiritual should reach out to help others but we must not compromise what GOD has revealed to us as truth. Some Christians must stay away from certain situations and environments less they become entangled in sin themselves. The rescuer must be able to rescue and not become a victim.

As Christians, we are not to desire the things the world craves but since we walk in the light of CHRIST and are led by the indwelling Holy Spirit, we are to discern what is pleasing to the LORD. Discern means to test and evaluate the quality of. Christians are to weigh the things of life in the balance of GOD’S righteousness. Our most ardent desire must be to please GOD and mimic HIM as a natural result of walking with HIM.

We began this lesson with “be imitators of God, as dearly loved children.” This is the process of sanctification and it produces fruit, more fruit and fruit that remains’. It is often not a straight line but a series of ups and downs, much like the stock market. But the general trend is upward. GOD’S desire is for HIS children to be made into the image of CHRIST. HE is interested in our perfection and not in our destruction.

Are you producing fruit in your life? Are you walking in the light? If not ask GOD to reveal to you why you aren’t. Blessings!!!