Lesson 68 September 24, 2003

Review:

 

 

5:2 "Walk in love"

Our Motivation:

"just [kaqw.j|] as Christ loved you, and gave Himself up for us,"

 

 

- Do you sense the very personal nature of what Paul is saying here??

Earlier Paul wrote about this in Gal 2:20

 

He gave Himself in our stead "an offering and a sacrifice to God as a fragrant aroma."

 

The 2 words used here, an offering, and a sacrifice in context, together convey to us that Christ handed himself over as the offering and the sacrifice that would fulfill all the offerings and sacrifices in the OT.

Heb. 10:10-12

 

There is nothing that we can ever do that can duplicate the atoning aspect of Christ's sacrifice but we are as we live our lives as believers in Christ to manifest this love; walking in love; walking worthy of our calling in Him!

Our Relationship to Morality 5:3-5

5:3 One who walks in love abhors immorality.

Paul has just exhorted them to become imitators of God and to walk in love just as Christ also loved you.

* In the flow of the context he makes the point that as believers we're saints, [vs:3]; that we are light in the Lord, [vs:8] and that we are no longer darkness, we have been delivered from darkness, Col. 1:13-14; also need to remember that we have been called out of darkness into His marvelous light; 1 Pet 2:9c.

* Did you ever think that for something to be immoral it assumes that there is something that is right! It assumes that there is an absolute right and wrong!

The prohibitions:

1. "sexual immorality" porneia which is a broad term that signifies general sexual immorality.

 

2. "or any impurity" avkaqarsia uncleanness, impurity, filthiness;

[2 Cor 12:21; Gal 5:19; Col 3:5; 1 Thes. 4:3-7]

3. "or greed" pleonexi,a implication is that of greediness for more;

Word indicates an insatiable desire for something; many times its used of material things, more one acquires its never enough; it implies an uncontrolled appetite/desire.

 

* The fornicator and the greedy or covetous person each desire to satisfy their appetites by taking what does not belong to them, for which they have no right; all to satisfy their self-centered uncontrolled desires.

These things, sexual immorality, uncleanness, and greediness, not only are we not to become involved in them, they are not "even to be named among you."

"to be named" ovnoma,zw [pres. pass. imp.] has several meanings and uses;

 

With verse 4 Paul develops a list of unacceptable speech patterns.

- these are all sins of the tongue; which really come from where??

 

** There are two important indicators of a person's character 1st what makes a person laugh and 2nd what makes him weep.

 

#1 filthiness; aivscrothsj; speaks of what is shameful and obscene speech; closest word is abusive speech in Col 3:8 aivscrologia;

#2 silly talk; mwrologia; lit. foolish talk; speaks of senseless talk that cheapens man and not edifies him;

#3 coarse jesting; euvtrapelia, a word that implies the dexterity of turning a discourse to wit or humor;

"which [patterns of speech] are not fitting" avnh/ken,

The positive exhortation!

"But rather giving of thanks." euvcaristia eu + carisj hence its an expression of gratitude, gratefulness and thankfulness to God.

Christians who have God's Word as the basis of their thinking, and are occupied with Christ will always season their speech with salt [Col 4:6]