Ephesians 5:15-17

¹⁵Be very careful, then, how you live - not as unwise but as wise, ¹⁶making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. ¹⁷Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord's will is.

Paul has motivated us to right living by mention of Judgment Day and by reminding us of who we were and who we are in Christ – our past, present, and future. Now Paul motivates to right living with wisdom. His argument is very simple in v15-17: You are wise. God by His grace has made you wise. Once you were foolish, apart from Christ, but God has made you wise. Now live that way (James 3:13). But you may be thinking, “Paul doesn’t say that we are wise; he says that we ought to live wisely.” You’re right; he doesn’t say that we are wise; but it’s implied. He knows that we know that if we’ve trusted Christ, then we’ve proven our wisdom. If we’ve been born again, if we are new creations, if we no longer live but Christ lives in us, if we have the Spirit of God indwelling us, then we have the mind of Christ (1 Corinthians 2:15), and we are wise. But we need to live wisely. We need to – by God’s grace and with the help of the Holy Spirit – apply the wisdom of Christ to our living.

Again, I like what Vincent Cheung says: “Throughout this letter, Paul labors to convey the tremendous intellectual and moral differences between the Christians and the non-Christians, and here the imagery cannot be any clearer – Christians and non-Christians are intellectual and moral opposites.” And in these three verses, Paul shows what it looks like to be wise. First, the wise are careful how they live (v15); they are careful – full of care. They think before they act. Second, the wise make the most of every opportunity (v16). They realize that the days are evil (everything around them in the world is dangerously corrupting), and so they don’t waste their time. They “throw off everything that hinders and run the race” (Hebrews 12:1). John Piper wrote, “Don’t Waste Your Life.” Andy Stanley wrote, “Choosing to Cheat.” The idea is to live efficiently, because time is precious. And third, the wise understand God’s will. They make wise decisions, because they know what God would have them do in any circumstance. How do they know that? By living by the Spirit in the word (Psalm 119:9)! Paul says, “You are wise. Now act like it.”

Ephesians 5:8-14

⁸For 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) ¹⁰and find out what pleases the Lord. ¹¹Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them. ¹²For it is shameful even to mention what the disobedient do in secret. ¹³But everything exposed by the light becomes visible, ¹⁴for it is light that makes everything visible. This is why it is said: 'Wake up, O sleeper, rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.'

Paul gave us the motivation of Judgment Day, a future time that is surely a motivation that will only be meaningful and useful to those who know the grace of God. And that alone teaches us that grace is the underlying motivation of all these supports Paul builds up. Now Paul turns our attention from the future (Judgment Day) to the past (we were once darkness) and present (we are light in the Lord). Looking back to see what God has graciously delivered us from ought to be motivation to continue on that path of progress. And remembering who we are by that grace – children of God brought from darkness to light – ought to motivate us to never return to the darkness again. Paul again shows us what grace looks like.

In v8, Paul offers a great positive command that sums up his teaching. We shouldn’t focus on what not to do; rather, our efforts ought to be constantly on doing right. In other words, we do not merely abstain from doing evil; rather, we live as children of light, doing good by making the most of every opportunity (Colossians 4:5-6; 1 Peter 2:12). And Paul says that we were darkness. We weren’t merely in darkness. We were darkness! But now we who are in Christ are light. We aren’t merely brought into the light; we are light! And so Paul wants us to focus on being who we are. By being who we are, we will do good things.

It’s as if Paul says, “You were darkened by the confusion that you were at the center of the universe, and now you realize that there is a God and you are not Him. And you were created by Him, for Him, to worship Him, and enjoy Him forever, and that has radically changed your whole moral outlook and experience and character in this life. So, remember who you are! Remember that you are now a child of light, and live that out.” Christianity never asks you to be someone you’re not. Rather, first, understand who you were and who you are, then put off who you were and be who you are. “Live as children of light.” What does that look like? Paul shows us in v9, as a parenthetical remark. Living as children of light looks like goodness (generous benevolence to others), righteousness (thoughts, words, and deeds that are right in God’s sight), and truth (integrity, such that motives and actions are united, Coram Deo).

The Westminster Shorter Catechism asks, “What is God?” and answers, “God is a Spirit, infinite, eternal, and unchangeable in His being, wisdom, power, holiness [and then listen to the last three}, justice, goodness, and truth.” Notice the last three designations; they are the same as what Paul reveals as living in light. So we might conclude that to live as children of light, to exhibit goodness, righteousness, and truth, is simply living like God would live, wanting to be like Jesus. And so we ask, “What would Jesus do?” When it comes to trying to find out what please the Lord, we want to practice living as children of light until we can do it naturally, without having to “try,” much like athletic training or playing a musical instrument. Consider Eric Liddell, the fast runner in Chariots of Fire. He said, “God made me to run, and I run for His glory. And when I run, I feel His pleasure.” In other words, Eric Liddell is doing exactly what God made him to do, and he knows that the Father delights in him doing exactly what he was made to do, which brings God glory.

Finally, in v11-14, we are to do such good deeds that our light exposes the darkness in our midst for what it is. Our motive for doing good works is not self-recognition, but God-recognition. Specifically, in v13, we notice that the light exposes evil (John 3:19-21). One commentary says that some sin of unbelievers is so shameful that only the presence of a Christian can bring it to light and demand repentance. Otherwise, it will not be recognized as sin. But even when the light of godly people reveals sin, the sinner may harden his heart. V14 may be a hymn that shows how God calls the dead to life in this very way (sin exposure).

Ephesians 5:5-7

Now we’re looking at verses 5-21 of chapter 5, in which Paul seeks to motivate his audience to follow the commands he established in Ephesians 4:17-5:4. Paul gives four motivations (1) Judgment Day (future); (2) what you were and who you are (past and present); (3) wisdom (you are wise so act like it); and (4) the Holy Spirit (indwelling). Vincent Cheung says, “Many Christians have changed their theology to accommodate the sinful lifestyle of the non-Christians. It is as if they think that if we are going to affirm that all these things lead to hell, then it would mean that many people are going to hell, and surely we do not want such a harsh theology! But take it or leave it, this is Christianity.” Let’s notice our motivations to live distinctly.

⁵For of this you can be sure: No immoral, impure or greedy person - such a man is an idolater - has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God. ⁶Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of such things God's wrath comes on those who are disobedient. ⁷Therefore do not be partners with them.

From Ephesians 4:17-5:4, Paul taught us to live for God’s glory and for Church unity by living selflessly. He gave essentially six commands, six transformations that the Holy Spirit will work in us as we move away from our Gentile / pagan past into a stronger relationship with Christ. Those six commands include transformation from: (1) lying to truth telling, (2) uncontrolled anger to self-control, (3) stealing to useful labor, (4) harmful speech to helpful speech, (5) a sinful disposition to a loving disposition, and (6) unrestrained sexual desires to a thankful acknowledgement of God’s gracious gifts.

Vincent Cheung says, “Throughout this letter, Paul labors to convey the tremendous intellectual and moral differences between the Christians and the non-Christians, and here the imagery cannot be any clearer – Christians and non-Christians are intellectual and moral opposites.” This might signal to us another motivation, to be distinct from the world. Another motivation would be striving for God’s glory. Another motivation might be the fact that God made us, Christ bought us, and the Holy Spirit indwells us (1 Corinthians 6:12-20). And in Ephesians 5:5-21, Paul actually gives four specific motivations to help us respond to his teaching. And we may already know that grace is the chief motivation, and that’s true. But Paul will elaborate on what that grace to us looks like in terms of practical motivation.

Now in Ephesians 5:5-7, he remains on that theme but focuses on the internal heart condition that brings the transformations he’s been talking about. He wants to motivate us to respond to his teaching, and so he begins in v5, “For of this you can be sure: No immoral, impure or greedy person – such a man is an idolater – has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God.” If that’s not motivation, I don’t know what is! The anticipation of Judgment Day ought to motivate us to sexual purity and fidelity. Paul is simply saying here in v5 in the sternest of rhetoric that God does not give us the option of having Him and His way along with the things He despises all at the same time. We can repent and receive forgiveness and joy and peace and hope and life to the full, or we can stubbornly remain in our sexual sin and have none of God’s blessings for eternity. We can’t have God and His blessings along with sin. Paul delivers this message in the same letter that contains the glories of predestination and election, and yet he says none of that is applicable to the unrepentant sinner. It’s a stern warning, because it’s an insidious sin.

One argument against Paul here is King David. We might say, “But David sinned sexually and was forgiven, so God will forgive me too.” Let me answer that rebuttal in two ways: first, David repented wholeheartedly and was granted mercy and forgiveness by grace; second, that sin still brought him great despair, left him without a life of familial love that we all long for, cost him (and his children!) the lives of four or more of his children, and ultimately incurred the downfall of Israel. Sexual immorality is a serious sin that has intense consequences, and when it hardens hearts to the point of no turning back, there is no repentance. Read v5-6 again: “For of this you can be sure: No immoral, impure or greedy person – such a man is an idolater – has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God. Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of such things God’s wrath comes on those who are disobedient.”

The first part of v5 might better be translated as, “You know with certainty.” In other words, Christians know that they know that God will judge the sexually immoral. In case some of his audience tuned him out on the sexual immorality issue, Paul wants to make sure they realize that they know it’s a problem. As he reveals elsewhere (1 Corinthians 6:9-10), sexual immorality is the ultimate form of idolatry. It’s an exceedingly sinister sin that merits the judgment and wrath of God (Galatians 5:19-21; Revelation 21:8; 22:15). We can’t worship God and live in sexual immorality, and we know that we know it. V6 suggests that judgment day may be denied with “empty words” (2 Peter 3:3-4); and knowing otherwise, we ought to be discerning in recognizing that false hope. There are some well-meaning people, even church leaders, who, for the sake of brotherly love and unity, will say, “God is merciful. He won’t condemn anybody. It’s all going to be okay. You’ll see.” We know better. God will divide those who are disobedient (elsewhere translated “the sons of disobedience”), the goats, from the “children of light” (v8), the sheep of His flock. Be certain that you’re in that flock – Repent! And we know what repent means: Turn the other way. Paul tells us not to engage in that behavior in v7. We are not to be partners with sinners, namely unbelievers. Paul speaks similarly when he mentions being unequally yoked. Jude hints at this as well in v22-23. It’s not that we should avoid contact, but we should not be influenced.

Ephesians 5:3-4

³But 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. ⁴Nor should there be obscenity, foolish talk or coarse joking, which are out of place, but rather thanksgiving.

Paul is wrapping up a list of six exhortations for his audience, people who have already experienced conversion, salvation by grace through faith in Christ by the resurrection/regeneration power of the Holy Spirit. These six commands are fruits of God’s work in us for the practical purpose of unity within the Body of Christ and the display of God’s glory throughout the world. We may come to faith in Christ with a “what’s in it for me” attitude, but we don’t stay there. We move on with the Spirit’s guidance in the Word of God to a “how can God be glorified and others edified” attitude. Specifically, knowledge of who we are in Christ (God’s beloved children) serves to motivate the self-sacrifice required to live the Christian life (see Colossians 3:12). Living out the grace of God is seen through our distinctive lives as Christians in but not of the world, as Paul declares, by (1) telling the truth (not lying), (2) self-control and reconciliation (not uncontrolled and sinful anger), (3) honest labor (not stealing), (4) edifying speech (not unwholesome talk), (5) love (not bitterness), and (6) thankful acknowledgement of God’s gracious gifts (not unrestrained sexual desires leading to immorality). We’ll focus on this last one in this section.

In v3-4, we learn that to trivialize the sexual relationship through crude joking or to idolize it through blatant sexual immorality or covetousness is wrong. Rather, we are to restore the sexual relationship to its proper function (Proverbs 5:18-19; 1 Timothy 4:1-5; Hebrews 13:4). A simple outline of these two verses might look like this: (1) Paul explicitly addresses the issue of sexual immorality, including lust or coveting (greed), in the first part of v3, saying there must not be even a hint that those things exist in the confines of the Church; (2) Paul addresses the issue of coarse talk, or filthy and vulgar language, regarding sexuality in the first part of v4, saying they should not be found in the Church either; (3) Paul tells us why these things should not exist in the Church in the last part of v3 and in the middle of v4; they are improper and out of place – “inconvenient” and “inconsistent” with godly character. Though we may want specifics, Paul will say in Ephesians 5:12 that “it is shameful even to mention what the disobedient do in secret.” (4) Finally, Paul notes at the end of v4 that thankfulness for the sacred gift of sexual relations within the context of a committed, permanent, monogamous, heterosexual, marriage relationship ought to replace anything even remotely related to sexual immorality, lust, or coveting (greed).

There should not be adultery, infidelity, or fornication in the Church. Those are physical acts of sexual immorality. But Paul also speaks of impurity, speaking of internal cleanliness, and we might relate this to today’s age of Internet pornography, chat rooms, and 900 numbers. And he mentions greed, which would be better translated as coveting (it’s the same Greek word). This includes lust and wrongful desires. All of these elements were problems for Paul’s audience, and they remain problems today. When we think of the culture of Ephesus, we might be shocked; but more likely, if the Christians of Ephesus came here today, they’d be shocked. Why? Because then, you had to go where the immorality was. Today, it comes to you; you can’t escape it. But we can try. Paul says, “Flee from sexual immorality” (1 Corinthians 6:18). How do we flee temptation? Be thankful for the good that God gives.

Most likely, you’re not engaging in physical adultery. But are you coveting? Be thankful for your marriage. Are you lusting? Pray for your spouse and consider her needs; teach your daughters modesty. Are you struggling with the temptation to view Internet pornography? Think of the image as your daughter when she’s older. Now, do you want to fight it? Get an Internet filter. Don’t erase your history and show your wife everyday. Use “covenant eyes,” which e-mails your accountability partner a list of websites you viewed each day. (Sadly, new versions of Internet browsers are coming out with “privacy mode,” a.k.a. “porn mode,” which doesn’t record cookies or history…With a multi-billion dollar industry thriving off addictions, the browser companies must be getting kickbacks.)

Paul tells us how to respond positively. We make sure our conversation is appropriate. We don’t engage in crass sexual joking or anything even remotely considerable as indecent. We are to be distinct from the world, and this is a place where it should be easy to see the difference – in our language being free from obscenity, foolishness, and sexual coarseness. Calvin says, “The Greek words [morologia and eutrapelia, which appear only here in the entire Bible, are] often used by heathen writers, in a good sense, for that ready and ingenious pleasantry in which able and intelligent men may properly indulge. But as it is exceedingly difficult to be witty without becoming satirical, and as jesting itself carries in it a portion of conceit not at all in keeping with the character of a godly man, Paul very properly dissuades from this practice.” Vincent Cheung says, “Throughout this letter, Paul labors to convey the tremendous intellectual and moral differences between the Christians and the non-Christians, and here the imagery cannot be any clearer – Christians and non-Christians are intellectual and moral opposites.”

Finally, Paul tells us to replace any sexual crudeness, whether in thought, word, or deed, with grace or thanksgiving. (The Greek word for “thanksgiving” is always translated as such, but it has in mind the saying of grace, as in praying before a meal.) Paul says this gift of God is too good to be sullied by immorality and vulgarity. Rather, be thankful that sex is not out-of-bounds for the Christian. Sex is great, a gift from God, and we ought to treat it as such – but solely within the bounds God established. Thank God for marriage and the wholesome intimacy of sex therein. Next, we’ll see that Paul continues on these lifestyle transformations by the resurrection power of the indwelling Holy Spirit. He shifts the emphasis from thoughts, words, and deeds, to the motivations for those thoughts, words, and deeds.