TEXT: EPHESIANS 5: 1-7.
Be ye therefore followers of God, as dear children;
And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us
an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweetsmelling savour.
But fornication, and all uncleanness, or covetousness, let it not be once
named among you, as becometh saints;
Neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor jesting, which are not convenient:
but rather giving of thanks.
For this ye know, that no whoremonger, nor unclean person, nor covetous
man, who is an idolater, hath any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of
God.
Let no man deceive you with vain words: for because of these things
cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience.
Be not ye therefore partakers with them.
If we are to imitate God, we must renounce some distorted forms of love. The world's comprehension of love is perverted. It is seif-centered, as is demonstrated by each of the sin Paul mentioned here. For example, sexual immorality from which we get the word pornography embraces every form of sexual sin and is seIf-gratifying at its core. Consider the husband who is unfaithful to his wife. He cannot possibly be doing what is in her best interest. What he is really doing is to satisfy his own desires and lusts; and that is not the example Jesus gave us to foiiow. A iife of love must renounce any impurity. Reading of magazines, watching television programmes or attending movies that promote sexually immoral ideas. Impure thought eventually leads to impure actions. If we want to be like our Heavenly Father, we must avoid the very hint of such immorality in our lives.
Covetousness is another evil that children of God should renounce. The covetous man, according to Paul, is to be ranked with the sensual, and idolaters and with those who are entirely excluded from the kingdom of God. Sometimes it is not so easy to define what is covetousness, as it is to define impurity of life. It is common knowledge that the public conscience is seared, and the mind blinded to the low and degrading character of the sin. A covetous man is one who in the pursuit of gold and silver, neglects his soul, his intellect, and heart. One who in this insatiable pursuit do not regard justice, truth, love, faith and conscience. We are admonished not to be partakers of these evils so we can be free from God‘s wrath and have a part in His kingdom.