Podcast Notes:

1 Follow God’s example, therefore, as dearly loved children

2 and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.

3 But among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or of any kind of impurity, or of greed, because these are improper for God’s holy people.

4 Nor should there be obscenity, foolish talk or coarse joking, which are out of place, but rather thanksgiving.

5 For of this you can be sure: no immoral, impure or greedy person – such a person is an idolater – has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God.

6 Let no-one deceive you with empty words, for because of such things God’s wrath comes on those who are disobedient.

7 Therefore do not be partners with them.

8 For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light

9 (for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness and truth)

10 and find out what pleases the Lord

11 Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them.

12 It is shameful even to mention what the disobedient do in secret.

13 But everything exposed by the light becomes visible

14 and everything that is illuminated becomes a light. This is why it is said: ‘Wake up, sleeper, rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.’

 

3 sections:

1-2 Follow God’s example - living a life of love

3-6 Living holy lives

7-14 Living in the light

 

1-2 Follow God’s example - living a life of love

 

1 Follow God’s example, therefore, as dearly loved children

2 and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.

 

Before considering these verses, let’s remind ourselves of what Paul was saying at the end of Chapter 4.

“Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.”

Ephesians 4:29-32

Chapter 5 continues the theme of how we should live as Christians in the light of:

• what God has done for us
• who we are in Christ

He says:

1 Follow God’s example, therefore, as dearly loved children

2 and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.

 

What God has done for us

In these verses Paul uses Christ’s sacrificial death as an example for us to follow

But in the NT Christ’s death is never just an example.

Compare Peter’s encouragement to Christian slaves in 1 Peter 2.

2 Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.

 

Who we are in Christ

• 1 dearly loved children
• 3 God’s holy people
• 8 children of light

So because of what Christ has done for us and because of who we are in Christ we are to live lives of love following the example of Jesus himself.

The theme of living lives of love continues in verses 3 to 6 which I have titled living holy lives. But living holy lives and living lives of love are effectively synonymous terms.

3-6 Living holy lives

3 But among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or of any kind of impurity, or of greed, because these are improper for God’s holy people.

4 Nor should there be obscenity, foolish talk or coarse joking, which are out of place, but rather thanksgiving.

5 For of this you can be sure: no immoral, impure or greedy person – such a person is an idolater – has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God.

6 Let no-one deceive you with empty words, for because of such things God’s wrath comes on those who are disobedient.

 

Here Paul lists several things which are totally incompatible with Christian behaviour

These include:

Sexual immorality, impurity, greed, obscenity, foolish talk, course joking

 

There must not be even a hint of these things (3).

Cf. 11 Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness

 

Why? Because:

 

These are improper for God’s holy people 3 cf. v8 you are now light in the Lord

Those who do these things have no inheritance in the kingdom of Christ 5

God’s wrath comes on those who do them 6

 

The key to avoiding these things is seen in v6. Let no one deceive you with empty words

We mustn’t let our thinking be influenced by the worldly ideas of those around us. If we do, there is a danger that we become partners with them. 7

7-14 Living in the light

7 Therefore do not be partners with them.

8 For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light

9 (for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness and truth)

10 and find out what pleases the Lord

11 Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them.

12 It is shameful even to mention what the disobedient do in secret.

13 But everything exposed by the light becomes visible

14 and everything that is illuminated becomes a light. This is why it is said: ‘Wake up, sleeper, rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.’

 

In ch 4 Paul tells us to put off the old self and put on the new

You’ve been made new, so act accordingly

He says something similar here in v 8.

8 For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light

So, 11 Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them

By living lives that please the Lord we become living examples of what is right and expose what is wrong in the lives of others

 

Compare John 3:19-21

This is the verdict: light has come into the world, but people loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that their deeds will be exposed. But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what they have done has been done in the sight of God.

 

Things that please the Lord

 

General

Total dedication (Romans 12:1-2)

...present your bodies... acceptable to God

 

Faith (Hebrews 11:5-6)

By faith Enoch was taken up ... for he obtained the witness before he

was taken up that he was pleasing to God ... and without faith it is

impossible to please him

 

Spirituality (Romans 8:8)

Those who are in the flesh cannot please God

 

Sanctification (1 Thes. 4:1-3)

1 Thes. 4:1 You received instruction from us, how you ought to walk

and to please God ... for (v3) this is the will of God, your sanctification

 

Specific

 

Speech (1 Thes. 2:4)

We speak, not as pleasing men, but God, who examines our hearts

 

Doing good and sharing (Hebrews 13:16)

Do not neglect doing good and sharing, for with such sacrifices God is pleased

 

Support for the ministry (Phil.4:18)

I am amply supplied, having received what you sent, an acceptable sacrifice, well-pleasing to God

 

Obedience (to parents) (Col.3:20)

Children, be obedient to your parents ... for this is well-pleasing to the Lord

 

Putting our neighbour first (Romans 14:18-15:2)

14:18 For he who in this way serves Christ is acceptable to God

15:1-2 Now we who are strong ought to bear the weaknesses of those without strength, and not just to please ourselvesLet each of us please his neighbour for his good, to his edification

  

Incentives to help us

 

The promise of answered prayer (1 John 3:22)

 

Whatever we ask, we receive from him because we keep his commandments and do

those things that are pleasing in his sight

 

The promise of God’s work within us (Hebrews 13:20-21)

 

Now the God of peace who brought up from the dead the great shepherd of the sheep

through the blood of the eternal covenant, even Jesus our Lord, equip you in every good thing to do his will, working in us that which is well-pleasing in his sight,

through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory for ever and ever, Amen.

 

The challenge of the cross (Romans 15:3)

 

... even Christ did not please himself

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