Category Archives: Immorality

Bible, Greed, Heaven, Hell, Idols, Immorality, Impurity, Lawlessness, Scripture

NO ENTRY

EPHESIANS 5:5

“For this you know with certainty, that no sexually immoral or impure or greedy person, which amounts to an idolater, has an inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God.”

The U.S. southern border has become rather porous. Even though we have laws in place which require people to go through the correct process to enter our country, people are flooding our country. I am not trying to get political here. I am just stating the facts. There are many people coming in who have criminal backgrounds who would have been denied entry if they had done it correctly.

Paul explains in today’s verse that heaven has guidelines for entry. Unrepentant and unrighteous people will not enter in God’s kingdom. They will go where the border is wide open – hell. I know that sounds harsh, but it’s the truth. Jesus even said the gate is narrow and few will enter. The things Paul mentions in this verse (sexual immorality, impurity, greed) all equate to idolatry. Why? Because those who engage in such activities have decided to worship themselves rather than God. That will only end in one way – eternal damnation.

APPLICATION

I am preparing for a 3 ½ week trip to East Africa and will be visiting three different countries. What do you think would happen if I showed up at the airports of these countries without my passport and visas? I would be denied entry and sent back home. We need our spiritual visa stamped to enter heaven. That is done when we acknowledge Jesus as Lord and confess that He has died for my sins. Romans 10:9-10 says, “9 that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved; 10 or with the heart a person believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation.”

Today’s verse really talks about our inheritance in Christ, doesn’t it? We only inherit something because we have a close personal attachment to someone. A relative is named in a will because of their familial attachment. We will inherit God’s kingdom because we are in His family. Anyone who lives here apart from God’s family on earth will certainly not inherit His kingdom at death.

Where are you going? What will you inherit? Heaven or hell? Heaven has requirements for entry. Hell welcomes everyone without question. In one place we will live in perfect peace while in the other in eternal punishment. It’s really your choice? What do you choose?

Father, I am grateful that my ticket is punched and I am ready for the journey to my eternal home with You.

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Bible, Greed, Holiness, Holy, Immorality, Impurity, Scripture

DON’T MENTION IT

EPHESIANS 5:3

“But sexual immorality or any impurity or greed must not even be mentioned among you, as is proper among saints;”

There are some things you just don’t want to talk about. For instance, I don’t want to talk about a gruesome, elaborate surgery. Just the thought makes me squeamish. I don’t want to hear about possible side effects of medications. If I hear them, I am bound to get them. And some sports fans don’t want to hear their biggest rival’s name mentioned.

Paul is dealing with something much more serious – spiritually serious. He warns the Ephesians (and us) to not even mention sexual immorality, impurity or greed. Why? Because these are not “proper among saints.” Paul knew if you talked about such things your mind would be focused on them. If I say, don’t think about ice cream, what did you just think about? Ice cream! What’s on our tongues originates in our minds.

APPLICATION

I don’t think I have to go into a deep discussion here about these three things Paul mentions. These new believers were well acquainted with these sinful behaviors, having come out of the pagan worship scene of Ephesus. Sexual immorality and impurity were part of the normal behaviors for many in Ephesus. Greed was commonplace. So, Paul tells them to get those thoughts out of their minds.

He uses a strong negative here in the verse which really means “don’t even mention.” Let it be the furthest thing on their minds. They have a new life now in Christ. Paul tells them so in the last phrase. They are holy people now, bathed in the blood of Christ. The word translated as “proper” can mean “fitting or suitable.” This is usually referring to godly behavior. They have been changed and should live like it.

When we come to Christ and surrender our lives to Him, we have chosen a new life. We cannot continue to frequent the same bars we once frequented. We cannot continue to live in a fleshly relationship with someone outside of marriage. We cannot… You get the message. Our inward change is reflected in an outward change. I am not saying we become perfect but are commanded to live lives that reflect God’s holiness that is within us. Let His light shine through you.

Lord, I know I will never achieve perfection this side of glory, but I want to strive for that every day.

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Bible, Callous, Greed, Hard, Immorality, Impurity, Scripture

CALLOUS

EPHESIANS 4:19

“and they, having become callous, have given themselves up to indecent behavior for the practice of every kind of impurity with greediness.” 

My dad had calloused hands when I was growing up. He worked hard, usually a full-time job and at least one part-time as well. Those part-time jobs gave him the callouses. He painted houses for over twenty-five years after he finished his full-time job. He got those callouses from repeated actions with his hands and fingers holding those brushes and rollers. Over and over until the skin became hard. Callouses don’t happen overnight.

Paul uses the Greek word apalgeó, which literally means away from pain. This word is only used right here in the New Testament. It is translated as “callous” here. Paul is saying these unbelievers have deadened themselves to any kind of correction. They have practiced this “indecent behavior” for so long that no one can persuade them to change. Only God can do that. Paul is warning them to not follow their behavior.

APPLICATION

If there was ever a verse we can practice daily, it is this one. We need to avoid the things in our lives that can lead to this callousness towards sin. We see it all around us today. Who would have thought we would see the day when killing babies in the womb was seen as a woman’s choice. Wow! Now, don’t worry. I am not going to get on my soap box about that. I just use it as an example of callousness.

What are these behaviors Paul is warning us about? “Indecent behavior” is defined as “outrageous conduct, conduct shocking to public decency” (Strong’s Concordance). “Impurity” means uncleanness of a ritual type (perhaps referring to their idol worship). And I think we all know what “greediness” means, right?

We’ll see later in Ephesians 5:3, “for among you there should not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or impurity or any kind of greed, for these are improper for God’s holy people.” I think we can agree that these are behaviors we should all avoid. Repeated exposure to such things deadens are response. We get dull to correction and then those callouses build. Don’t let that happen.

Father, use Your tenderizing Holy Spirit in my heart to keep it sensitive to correction.

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Battles, Bible, Choices, Evil, Flesh, Immorality, Impurity, Scripture

DEEDS OF THE FLESH, PART 1

GALATIANS 5:19

“Now the deeds of the flesh are evident, which are: sexual immorality, impurity, indecent behavior,

I probably do not need to explain to any of you who are reading this devotional today what “deeds of the flesh” are. Over the next few days, we will look at Paul’s list of some of the deeds. This list is by no means a complete list. Even though we think today’s society is so wicked, we can see that the same things were going on back when Paul wrote this letter to the Galatians. As we go through this list, ask yourself if you are manifesting any of these.

Paul says in today’s verse that these deeds of the flesh “are evident.” The Greek word is phaneros, which means to be made public, to be disclosed or exposed. In other words, you can’t hide these deeds. Paul is going to list fifteen things that people were doing then, and we know are happening now. People think they can do many of these things in secret, but rest assured they will all be exposed one day.

APPLICATION

The first one Paul mentions is “sexual immorality.” We get our word “pornography” from this Greek word. It’s the selling off of sexual purity, promiscuity. Closely related to that word is the next word Paul uses, “impurity.” This word literally means “not clean.” This can be in a physical or moral sense. Ephesians 5:3 says this about these two, “But sexual immorality or any impurity or greed must not even be mentioned among you, as is proper among saints;”

Then Paul mentions “indecent behavior.” This word is translated as outrageous conduct, conduct shocking to public decency, a wanton violence, wantonness and lewdness. I think you get the picture with that one. Peter uses this word in 2 Peter 2:2, “Many will follow their indecent behavior, and because of them the way of the truth will be maligned;” Our behaviors can mar the truth of God in our lives.

I think John says it well concerning these behaviors just mentioned. 1 John 3:10 says, “By this the children of God and the children of the devil are obvious: anyone who does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor the one who does not love his brother and sister.”

Father, help to avoid these behaviors and to live for You each day.

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