Shoved Under the Rug

Ephesians 5:3-6 ESV

“But sexual immorality and all impurity or covetousness must not even be named among you, as is proper among saints. Let there be no filthiness nor foolish talk nor crude joking, which are out of place, but instead let there be thanksgiving. 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. Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience.”

So, when this says that sexual immorality, et al., should not even be named among you, it is not saying that we can’t talk about this issue, for the Scriptures clearly do, because this is an extremely serious issue facing the church today, at least here in America it is. Yet it is a subject that most people steer away from and will not talk about, and so it tends to be “shoved under the rug” and largely ignored, even though it is “the elephant in the room” (the more than obvious) in the church at large in America today.

So, if this is not saying that we are not to even talk about it, what does it mean? It means that there shouldn’t even be a hint of sexual immorality, et al., among you. There shouldn’t be need to make mention of sexual immorality among you because it should not even exist among you in any form or fashion, regardless of how minor it might be. For the body of Christ is supposed to be the pure body of Christ. We are not to be adulterous and immoral people, but we are to be slaves to righteousness.

But sadly so, that is not the case overall within the gatherings of the church here in America. It doesn’t take long for that to become obvious the more you listen to Christians’ conversations, the more you read their writings, the more you watch their videos they post, and the more you pay attention to the “gospel” message which is permeating the American church overall today. If you are at all observant, you can hear it in the phrases that they use frequently to describe what they believe is the gospel message.

And this is the primary thing we need to know about this situation. We need to be made aware that God does not overlook this. He is not asleep. His grace does not cover all acts of unrighteousness among those who call themselves Christians. We are all going to stand before our Lord one day, and we are all going to be judged by our works (our deeds, our actions), regardless of what faith in Jesus our lips have professed. And those who made sin their practice will have no inheritance in the kingdom of God.

[Matt 7:21-23; Lu 9:23-26; Jn 6:35-58; Jn 15:1-11; Rom 1:18-32; Rom 2:6-8; Rom 6:1-23; Rom 8:1-14; 1 Co 6:9-10; 2 Co 5:10; Gal 5:16-21; Gal 6:7-8; Eph 5:3-6; Col 1:21-23; Col 3:5-11; 1 Jn 1:5-10; 1 Jn 2:3-6; 1 Jn 3:4-10; Heb 10:23-31; 1 Pet 1:17-21; Rev 21:8,27; Rev 22:14-15] 

Ephesians 5:7-11 ESV

“Therefore do not become partners with them; for at one time you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light (for the fruit of light is found in all that is good and right and true), and try to discern what is pleasing to the Lord. Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them.”

Therefore, we are not to be those who are partaking (participating) in sexual immorality, in idolatry, and in crude joking, et al., with others who are walking in sin. We are not to be partners with them. We should not be participants in any kind of addictive and clinging sins which overtake our lives. For Jesus Christ died on that cross to free us from our bondage to sin, not so that we could go on living in sin “scot-free” (without suffering any punishment; completely free from obligation, harm, or consequence).

So, if you are being given the impression that you can believe in Jesus Christ, have all your sins forgiven, and that heaven is now guaranteed you, but that you are not required to leave your life of sin behind you to follow Jesus in obedience to his commands under the New Covenant, then you are being lied to. The Scriptures do not teach that. They teach that we must die to sin daily and walk in obedience to our Lord and to his commands, and that we must walk in righteousness or that we do not have eternal life.

For if our faith in Jesus Christ is genuine God-given faith, then we were crucified with Christ in death to sin, and we were raised with Christ to walk in newness of life in him, no longer as slaves to sin, but now as slaves to God and to his righteousness. So sin is to no longer be what we obey. For if sin is what we obey, it will lead to death, not to life eternal. But if obedience to our Lord is what we obey, it will lead to righteousness and sanctification, and its end is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord (Romans 6:1-23).

So, be discerning about what messages you are receiving and believing, regardless of who they are coming from. Don’t just accept everything at face value. Test what you are hearing and reading against the Scriptures, in context. And context is critical because many false teachings stem from Scriptures pulled outside of their context and made to say what the Scriptures (under the New Covenant) overall do not teach. 

For, when this Scripture says that at one time you were darkness (living in sin), but now you are light in the Lord (in Christ via death to sin and resurrection to new life in Christ), it is saying that there is supposed to be a transfer that took place in your life that brought you out of a life of sin into a life of walking in righteousness and in holiness, because of God’s grace. So you are to no longer walk in sin, but now you are to walk (in conduct, in practice) as children of light (of truth, righteousness, holiness and godliness). And you are now to live lives which are pleasing to God.

So, we are not to take part in the unfruitful works of darkness, many of which were mentioned in this passage of Scripture. We are to forsake our sins to follow Jesus in obedience. But that isn’t all! Now we are also to expose those fruitless deeds of darkness (evil, wickedness, sin) for what they are. For many people are being deceived by liars who are telling them that they don’t have to turn from their sins and that they don’t have to follow Jesus in obedience, but that heaven is still secured them. But that is a lie from hell, so please know the truth, and live the truth from now on.

[Matt 7:21-23; Matt 24:9-14; Lu 9:23-26; Rom 1:18-32; Rom 2:6-8; Rom 6:1-23; Rom 8:1-14,24; Rom 12:1-2; Rom 13:11; 1 Co 6:9-10,19-20; 2 Co 5:10,15,21; 1 Co 1:18; 1 Co 15:1-2; 2 Tim 1:8-9; Heb 9:28; 1 Pet 1:5; Gal 5:16-21; Gal 6:7-8; Eph 2:8-10; Eph 4:17-32; Eph 5:3-6; Col 1:21-23; Col 3:5-17; 1 Pet 2:24; Tit 2:11-14; 1 Jn 1:5-9; 1 Jn 2:3-6,24-25; 1 Jn 3:4-10; Heb 3:6,14-15; Heb 10:23-31; Heb 12:1-2; Rev 21:8,27; Rev 22:14-15] 

My Sheep  

An Original Work / June 24, 2012  

Based off John 10:1-18 NIV

My sheep hear me. They know me.

They listen to my voice and obey.

I call them and lead them.

They know my voice, so they follow me.

They will never follow strangers.

They will run away from them.

The voice of a stranger they know not;

They do not follow him.

So, I tell you the truth that

I am the gate, so you enter in.

Whoever does enter

Will find forgiveness and will be saved.

Nonetheless whoever enters

Not by the gate; other way,

He is the thief and a robber.

Listen not, the sheep to him.

Oh, I am the Good Shepherd,

Who laid his own life down for the sheep.

I know them. They know me.

They will live with me eternally.

The thief only comes to steal and

Kill and to destroy the church.

I have come to give you life that

You may have it to the full… 

They know my voice, so they follow me.

https://vimeo.com/114938263