Eternity Daily Bible Study No. 249

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Living In Christ – 10

SIN IS SERIOUS STUFF 

Ephesians 5:3-7
(3)  For let fornication and all uncleanness or covetousness not be once named among you, as becomes saints,
(4)  neither baseness, foolish talking, jesting, which are not becoming, but rather giving of thanks.
(5)  For you know this, that no fornicator, or unclean person, or covetous one (who is an idolater), has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God.
(6)  Let no man deceive you with vain words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the children of disobedience.
(7)  Therefore do not be partakers with them.

Sin brings the wrath of God, and deprives us of our inheritance in the Lord. Therefore sin is not proper or fitting for Christians and we should not participate in sinful activities such as fornication, coarse jesting or covetous scheming and corruption. Rather we should live as saints.

In Ephesians 4:19 Paul names three main categories of sin that were common among the unsaved pagan world of his time.
Ephesians 4:19
(19)	For they, being past feeling, have given themselves up to lust, to work all uncleanness with greediness.
Paul then revisits these same categories twice in these verses above:
(3)  For let fornication and all uncleanness or covetousness not be once named among you, ...
(5)  For you know this, that no fornicator, or unclean person, or covetous one (who is an idolater), has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God.

Lust, uncleanness and greediness are the sins of the unspiritual person, the person who is insensitive to spiritual realities and who is given to his or her appetites above all else. 
Uncleanness is akarthasia which means unclean, lewd, impure or demonic. The pornographer, the paedophile, the crude, the vulgar, the perverted fall in this category. The man with a stack of hard-core pornography is “akarthasisos” – an unclean person. Akarthasia appears in lists of sexual sins (Galatians 5:19, Colossians 3:5) and involves unnatural or degrading sexual passions. (Romans 1:24, 6:19). The condition is spiritual and may be driven by “unclean spirits” – demons that have this nature and impart it to those possessed by them such as the naked, violent Gadarene demoniac (Mark 5:1-13). They are mentioned about 22 times in the New Testament (see Matthew 10:1, 12:43 etc). The deceptive spirits at the end times are “unclean spirits like frogs” (Rev 16:13) and the fallen Babylon of Revelation becomes a haunt for unclean spirits. (Revelation 18:2)
Internet pornography is a wave of “uncleanness” and is, in all probability, a Satanic deception driven by unclean spirits, which can then set up strongholds in the lives of those who give in to it. This uncleanness is not harmless, says the apostle Paul. Rather uncleanness is unfitting for a Christian, prevents us having any inheritance in Heaven and brings the wrath of God on those who disobey Him in this way. 
If you are caught up in this, you need to repent, to remove all bookmarks and links to such sites, erase all images from your hard-drive and cancel any subscriptions you may have. Then it may help to find a mature Christian friend who can help you to be accountable. If you have been involved for a while you may need deliverance. (see http://www.aibi.ph/warfare/ )
Fornication is a general word for sex outside marriage including pre-marital sex (John 8:41) adultery (Matthew 5:32) visiting a prostitute (1 Corinthians 6:18) and incest ( 1 Corinthians 5:1) and is literally “harlotry” and is one of the main characteristics of the Babylonian harlot (Revelation 17:2,4, 18:3, 19:2).
Fornication (porneia) is condemned throughout the New Testament and there is no hint that Jesus or the apostles made Christianity a religion of sexual license. Grace does not allow or permit sexual sin, but instead helps us to overcome it.
Greed or covetousness literally means “much more” (see Hebrews 9:14) but generally is a word for sweaty, avaricious financial scheming. It is a focus on materialism so great that it is idolatrous. Again it will be a characteristic of the end-times when the final choice will be between “buying and selling” and Christ. (Revelation 13) Financial greed results in many people going astray from the faith and brought about the doom of Judas, Demas, and Ananias and Sapphira.

1 Timothy 6:9-10
(9)  But they who will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts which plunge men into destruction and perdition.
(10)  For the love of money is a root of all evils, of which some having lusted after, they were seduced from the faith and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.
Covetousness is closely linked with “extortion” (1 Corinthians 5:10,11; 6:10), flattery especially that of false teachers who “make merchandise” of Christians (1 Thessalonians 2:5,  2 Peter 2:3,14) and idolatry (Ephesians 5;5, Colossians 3:5). It is desire for quick, dishonest gain by dubious means.

The cure for covetousness is honest contentment and Christian simplicity. 
1 Timothy 6:6-8
(6)  But godliness with contentment is great gain.
(7)  For we brought nothing into the world, and it is clear that we can carry nothing out.
(8)  But having food and clothing, we will be content.

Simplicity of lifestyle is actually commanded by Jesus:
Matthew 6:19-21
(19)  Do not lay up treasures on earth for yourselves, where moth and rust corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal.
(20)  But lay up treasures in Heaven for yourselves, where neither moth nor rust corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal.
(21)  For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.
As John Stott says “do not lay up treasures on earth” is just as serious a prohibition as any other prohibition that the Lord commands! 
I will finish this study with some more word from the Lord:
Luke 12:13-21
(13)  And one of the company said to Him, Master, speak to my brother to divide the inheritance with me.
(14)  And He said to him, Man, who made Me a judge or a divider over you?
(15)  And He said to them, Watch and keep yourselves from covetousness. For a man's life is not in the abundance of the things which he possesses.
(16)  And He spoke a parable to them, saying, The ground of a certain rich man brought forth plentifully.
(17)  And he thought within himself, saying, What shall I do, because I have no room in which to store my fruits?
(18)  And he said, I will do this. I will pull down my barns and build bigger ones, and I will store all my fruits and my goods there.
(19)  And I will say to my soul, Soul, you have many goods laid up for many years. Take your ease, eat drink and be merry.
(20)  But God said to him, Fool! This night your soul shall be required of you, then whose shall be those things which you have prepared?
(21)  So is he who lays up treasure for himself and is not rich toward God.

Blessings,

John Edmiston johned@aibi.ph

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