• The Bible Studies for Life lesson for Feb. 8 focuses on Ephesians 5:1-10.
Introduction
One of the stellar hallmarks of Christianity is its gracious, low bar for inclusion in God’s kingdom. People are beckoned to enter an eternal relationship with God on the basis of faith, not works (Ephesians 2:8-9). Not one human being has to work to establish a relationship with God. The burden for doing so rests upon Jesus’ atoning work on the cross. Humans are called to faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. Anyone can believe if they so choose. This is because none can earn or purchase their way into heaven.
Yet while the bar is set marvelously low regarding entering a relationship with God because he wants no one to perish (2 Peter 3:9), God sets the standard of kingdom conduct extraordinarily high. God himself sets this standard (Matthew 5:48; Leviticus 19:2). God’s character is the ruler by which the conduct of his people is measured. Only with God’s help can people satisfy such a standard. God only offers such assistance to truly committed believers. Therefore, his people must practice the high moral standards of his kingdom.
The conduct of purity (Ephesians 5:1-4)
The first lesson in great leadership is leaders must be exemplary practitioners of the standards they set. The Bible repeatedly shows God sets the standard for conduct in his kingdom. The Bible then urges believers to follow the example of their great leader. The Apostle Paul does this in three steps: First, 1 Corinthians 4:16 exhorts readers to imitate Paul. Next, 1 Corinthians 11:1 commands readers to imitate him as he imitates Christ. Finally, Ephesians 5:1 commands readers to become imitators of God.
This idea of imitating derives from spiritual insight into the life of Christ. Jesus lived his human life fully dependent upon the Father’s leadership (John 5:19). Thus Jesus modeled how to live out the character of God. Paul followed Jesus’ practice and encouraged his readers to follow his example. The command in Ephesians 5:1 expresses this point. One way to imitate God is to live a life of love, thus practicing God’s chief characteristic (1 John 4:8). Paul refers to Christ’s great demonstration of love as an encouragement to imitate God.
In counterpoint to godly love are a number of worldly traits. Paul mentions three in verse 3. The danger of these traits is they dominate one’s attention and steer a person away from God’s purposes. Furthermore, one cannot practice godly love toward others if one engages these—or other—worldly practices.
Verse 4 lists three worldly speech patterns unbecoming to citizens of God’s kingdom. Jesus observed people speak from the overflow of their hearts (Matthew 12:34). In concurrence, Paul states God’s people must give thanks. A believer’s heart must be focused on his or her Lord, learning from God’s tender care and responding with thanksgiving.
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The consequences of impurity (Ephesians 5:5-6)
One indication of God’s transformation in a person’s life is the waning of worldly traits. Such traits decline and fall away as one becomes more like God. Often the believer becomes sick of worldly pursuits but never has the strength or inclination to change¸ but when God enters, new hope dawns and gusto for living life God’s way is born within.
Paul says in verse 5 that those who practice the worldly pursuits of verse 3 will not have a place in God’s kingdom. 2 Timothy 3:1-9 provides penetrating insight on this matter: (1) a number of worldly practices are listed that are identified as godless; (2) the practitioners are motivated by evil desires; (3) their external behaviors are indicative of their inward godlessness; (4) they have rejected the faith; and (5) the folly of their conduct is clear to all.
The call to purity (Ephesians 5:7-10)
God is confident in his spiritual work of transformation in the lives of his people (2 Corinthians 3:18). They were once focused upon disobedience (Colossians 3:5-10, especially verse 7), but now they serve the Lord.
Verse 7 commands God’s people not to be “partners” with the ungodly. The underlying Greek word refers to partaking with or sharing with. Therefore, Christians are not to partake from life with nonbelievers in the sense that they share in the same pursuits. God’s true people reach for God and the riches of knowing him. God encourages his people to pursue him, and he tells them he will be found by them (Jeremiah 29:13).
Verse 8 reminds readers of their ungodly histories and provides a greater and positive reason not to practice ungodly ways—though they were once darkness, they have become light. As believers, they have been transformed to participate in God’s kingdom of light. Therefore, they must live—the underlying Greek means to “walk”—according to their new character: as “children of light.”
Paul speaks of “fruit” or evidence of one’s walk in the light. The godly traits of goodness, righteousness and truth counterbalance the three ungodly traits in verse 3. The Bible declares these specific characteristics are only truly found in God: goodness (only God is good, Mark 10:18); righteousness (none are righteous, Romans 3:10; God is the Righteous One, Isaiah 24:16); truth (Jesus is the truth, John 14:6). Yet these traits are exhibited by God’s true people because they have been transformed by the power of his indwelling Spirit.
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