Daily Devotions
Ephesians
"But fornication and all uncleanness or covetousness, let it not even be named among you, as is fitting for saints."
Text: Ephesians 5:3
SHARP CONTRAST
The lifestyle of the Christians advocated by the apostle Paul and that promoted by the world were contrasted again and again in his epistle to the Ephesians. The contrast was so stark, as far as Paul was concerned that he could not but highlight it yet again in this text.
THE WAY OF THE WORLD
Let us take time to do a quick review of what he had written in earlier chapters:-
1. Course of this world
This was the expression Paul used to describe the lifestyle of those who had not yet come to faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. Paul highlighted a vital but perhaps, not so obvious truth, that the Evil One was deeply involved in influencing the course of this world (Ephesians 5:1-3)
2. The walk of the Gentiles
Paul noted that the worldly lifestyle may indeed be associated with “the Gentiles” (Cf. Ephesians 4:17). His focus in this observation did not focus on the devil’s influence. If there were any blame to be attached at all, it would be the human being himself. His life was characterized by spiritual blindness and thus he became ensnared by his sins (Cf. Ephesians 4:17-19).
A DEEPER ANALYSIS
In the third reference to the worldly lifestyle, Paul singled out things that should not be “named among… the saints”.
1. Fornication (“porneia”)
a) This word is often associated with prostitution.
b) It is also associated with perverted cultic worship where sex is part of the rituals.
2. Uncleanness (“akathartos”)
a) This word involves “ceremonial uncleanness”.
b) Essentially it describes anything that could cause a person to be defiled.
c) When a person is rendered unclean, he is unable to enter into the presence of God.
Every believer must guard his good name against such sins.