Ephesians 5:5 is a sobering warning to those who are immoral, impure, greedy or idol worshippers. You might not think that you worship idols, but an idol can be anything that takes up more time and attention than Jesus (apart from your work or studies). Another definition of an idol is ANYTHING that takes the place of God in our hearts and draws our attention away from Him. For example, money, possessions, reputation, celebrities, success, social media presence, TikTok, Instagram, fitness, etc. It's easy to be materialistic when you live in the western world and are constantly bombarded by advertisements telling you that you need the latest... [insert gadget, fashion, trend here]. Society tells us that we can't be happy until we have these things, but in reality any happiness gained from getting what you want is short lived.
Here are some other Bible verses about idolatry: Jonah 2:8 Those who cling to worthless idols turn away from God’s love for them. Exodus 20:3-5 Do not worship any god except me. Do not make idols that look like anything in the sky or on earth or in the ocean under the earth. Don't bow down and worship idols. I am the Lord your God, and I demand all your love. Matthew 6:24 You cannot serve two masters at the same time. You will hate one and love the other, or you will be loyal to one and not care about the other. You cannot serve God and Money at the same time. Are you greedy? Are there things that you want more than God? Next time you find yourself desperately wanting something, remember you just need Jesus.
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Ephesians 5:4 says, Dirty stories, foul talk, and coarse jokes—these are not for you. I don't know about you but I seem to be bombarded by foul language wherever I go - work, the shopping centre, the park... Many TV shows and songs are full of foul language and crude jokes too. While I can't just not go to work to avoid the bad language, I can be careful about what I watch on TV and the music I choose to listen to.
When you're surrounded by this kind of behaviour and language, you sometimes find that it rubs off on you. Romans 12:2 says, Don’t change yourselves to be like the people of this world, but let God change you inside with a new way of thinking. God changes us through his Holy Spirit that lives in us, through reading, studying, and memorising the Bible, through prayer, and through spending time with other Christians. Sometimes Church seems irrelevant or boring but the Apostle Paul encouraged Christians not to give up meeting together. Why is it important? If we spend all our time in the world, we absorb the values and attitudes of the world. We need to spend time with other Christians so that we absorb the values and attitudes of Jesus. We meet together to:
Hear teaching about God's Word Praise together Pray together Build relationships with other people who love Jesus Encourage each other. Going to church on Sunday isn't the only way to enjoy fellowship. You could join a Youth Group or Bible Study group. There might be a group of Christians that meets at your high school or university. You might be part of a small accountability group with some other Christians or meet with a Christian mentor. These are all ways you can experience fellowship. Ephesians 5:3b says, There must not be any kind of evil or greed. Those things are not right for God’s holy people. Greed is something that many Christians struggle with. We are constantly bombarded with advertisements telling us what we need and deserve. We think we need the latest smartphone, clothes and accessories. We believe that we will be happy when we get them, but the reality is that any happiness derived from getting what we want is short-lived. Stuff doesn't make us happy, yet we yearn for it as though it will. Some of the most miserable people I know of have millions of dollars and everything that money can buy. I have met some pretty happy people that don't even have enough food to eat.
God doesn't want his children to be greedy. We should long for Jesus, not money or stuff. Ephesians 5:3 says, there must be no sexual sin among you. Sexual sin doesn't just mean having sex before you're married. It also refers to pornography, sending nudes, oral sex, hand jobs, making crude jokes, and movies and images that make you think about sex.
Don't get me wrong, God loves sex - he invented it. But he designed it to be enjoyed as part of a committed relationship (marriage). Imagine trying to use a chainsaw to cut someone's hair. That's not what a chainsaw was designed for and someone is bound to get hurt. Sexual sin is the same. Ephesians 5:2 says, Live a life filled with love, following the example of Christ.
To love like Jesus, we need to look at the Bible. Jesus was compassionate - Matthew 14:14 Jesus saw the huge crowd as he stepped from the boat, and he had compassion on them and healed their sick. Jesus felt sorry for the people so he healed those who were sick. Jesus was forgiving - Luke 23:34 Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they don’t know what they are doing.” When he hung on the cross he forgave the people that put him there. Jesus was humble and servant-hearted - Mark 10:45 For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve others. He associated with people who others considered unimportant such as children, lepers, Samaritans, and tax collectors. Jesus' love is great - John 15:13 There is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. Jesus' love is so great that he sacrificed himself for us, his friends. His love is great, it's big, it's huge! Jesus loved in actions, not just words - 1 John 3:18 Let’s not merely say that we love each other; let us show the truth by our actions. Jesus didn't just say he loved people, he showed them by his actions. He loved them by healing them, feeding them, listening to them, being kind to them and dying for them. Can you think of one way that you can love like Jesus today? Ephesians 4:31 says, Get rid of all bitterness, rage, anger, harsh words, and slander, as well as all types of evil behavior. Paul uses quite forceful language in this verse. He said get rid of, not avoid or don't do these things. Getting rid of things requires action.
These are the things we should get rid of from our lives:
The world is full of this kind of behaviour. When people look at our lives they should be able to tell that we love Jesus because we don't do those things. Do you struggle with any of these things? Ask God to help you to be more like Jesus and to renew your mind. Ephesians 4:29 says, Don’t use foul or abusive language. Let everything you say be good and helpful, so that your words will be an encouragement to those who hear them. This verse hardly needs explaining, but I feel like the world needs to hear it right now.
I have to be completely honest and confess that I struggle with this. I have been known to make cutting remarks behind someone's back, to use the occasional mild swear word, to say things that don't build people up and make them feel better. I'm not proud of it. I have asked God to help me with it and he has. Our words are so important. Here are some other Bible verses about them: Matthew 12:36 People will have to explain about every careless thing they have said. Matthew 12:37 Your words will be used to judge you—to declare you either innocent or guilty. Proverbs 21:23 People who are careful about what they say will save themselves from trouble. We should use words that are loving to God and loving to others because that is our purpose in the Christian life. This doesn't just refer to the words we say, it also refers to the things we write. I don't read the comments on social media posts because people are so mean. Then someone says something mean to the person who said the mean thing, then someone else says something mean to them and it just goes on and on. This week pay attention to your words and judge whether your words are good, helpful and encouraging. Ephesians 4:28 says, Anyone who has been stealing must steal no longer, but must work, doing something useful with their own hands, that they may have something to share with those in need. Most people don't think that they are guilty of stealing. Have you ever stolen a chocolate bar from the supermarket? Have you ever taken a handful of sugar sachets from a fast food chain with no intention of using them all? Have you ever taken stationery from work or school? Have you ever slacked off at your part-time job when you should have been working? These are all examples of stealing.
Paul said that we should work hard so that we will be able to share with those in need. Stealing is selfish, but working hard to help others is selfless. Which end of the scale are you? Do you steal (even if it's just small things)? Or, do you work hard and share with others? |
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