Do you have a GPS? Aren’t those little dashboard doohickeys just the bomb? Just plug in an address and those magical little jewels get you where you want to go. That is if you keep your software updated. I’m just a bit of a cheapskate when it comes to stuff like that. One of the interesting features on any GPS is that little voice who lets you know when you’ve taken a wrong turn. “Wrong way! Recalculating...” Well, Paul acts as a Holy Spirit inspired GPS and lets us know when we’re headed away from God’s kingdom. “For you may be sure of this, that everyone who is sexually immoral or impure, or who is covetous (that is, an idolater), has no inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God” (v5). If you’re doing these things, you need to turn around.
Wrong way! Recalculating...
This isn’t anything close to imitating God (Eph 5:1). This isn’t anything close to walking in self-sacrifice and love like Jesus (Eph 5:2). It’s about as far from self-sacrifice and love as you can get. What Paul describes here is a selfish life driven to take, not give. This verse is really a continuation of the same thread Paul started earlier. “But sexual immorality and all impurity or covetousness must not even be named among you, as is proper among the saints” (Eph 5:3). Variation on the same terms. Sexual immorality. Impurity. Covetousness. And he equates being a saint in Ephesus with having an inheritance in God’s kingdom. This is important stuff. Any time you see any biblical writer repeat themselves, they don’t want you to miss it. Hello, McFly!
And just in case you might drive past the exit, the apostle begins “you may be sure of this” (v5). This is the first century way of saying, you can take it to the bank. This is a lead pipe lock. A sure thing. No doubt about it. A better’s dream. You can be 100% sure that if you’re giving this stuff top priority in your life then Jesus won’t let you pass “Go” and enter His kingdom. This destructive garbage actually takes you in the opposite direction. It gets you nowhere near His kingdom. “You can be sure of this” (v5). That certainly makes sense. Because if I’m living lifestyle driven by sexual sin, I really don’t want any part of what God wants for me. As C.S. Lewis says, the gates of hell are locked from the inside. This isn’t a simple wrong turn. This isn’t a slight miscalculation. It’s not just another way to get to the same destination. “You can be sure of this” (v5).
Wrong way! Recalculating...
The first thing in this list is the Greek word pornos. It’s the cousin of the term Paul used back in verse three. Yeah, it’s EXACTLY what you think it is. It gives us our word porn. It describes any person getting busy with any sort sex outside of marriage. It’s a term with no loopholes. Pretty much covers it all. God’s gift and design for sexual intimacy is for a husband and wife. Flip back to Genesis 2:18-25 and check out the pictures from the first wedding. “They shall become one flesh” (Gen 2:24). That’s the way this is supposed happen. Any sort of sex outside of marriage, whether in your bed or in your head, is sin. Period.
Wrong way! Recalculating...
Earlier Paul wrote of “impurity” and here writes of people who are “impure” (v5). Akathartos describes anything or anyone that’s unclean. Defiled. Immoral. Lustful living, especially in regards to sexual sin. Jesus used a variation of this term when talking about a human corpse rotting in the grave (Mt 23:37). Yeah. Nasty. If I am consumed with the impurity of sexual sin, then I’m 180 degrees off from moving toward God’s kingdom.
Wrong way! Recalculating...
The third idea that Paul hits again is “covetous” (Gr. pleonektes). It’s a compound word that literally means someone who wants more. This is greed, avarice and the desire for more. Covetousness is all about want and nothing about need. It’s wanting what you don’t have (Lk 12:15). That includes someone you’re sexually attracted to who’s not your spouse. The apostle even equates this with idolatry! That’s elevating something to the pole position of priority in our lives that is reserved for God alone. In other words, you don’t think God is worthy to be worshiped because He won’t give you want you want. So your drive to get what you want, including sex, becomes your god. Oops! There goes that Garmin again.
Wrong way! Recalculating...
If you’re headed in the wrong direction with the hammer down and straight for the red light district of sexual sin, there’s no turning back. Not without Jesus. But He’s just the One who can and will turn things around and get you on the fast track to His kingdom. Over in a letter to the church in Corinth, Paul wrote something VERY similar with one VERY important addition. He makes it clear who will not be saved and have a place in God’s kingdom. “Neither the sexually immoral, nor idolators, nor men who practice homosexuality, nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you” (1Cor 6:9-11). Did you catch that last line? The Corinthian church included folks that Jesus had washed, sanctified and justified! So when you hear that little voice telling you that you’re headed toward sin that will destroy you’re life, that’s Jesus. That’s His Spirit acting as a spiritual GPS to get you back on track and headed toward His kingdom.
Wrong way! Recalculating...
So, what do you think? Agree? Disagree? Would love to hear what you think. Drop a comment below and we'll chat.
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