EPHESIANS OUTLINE # 29 of 35

EPHESIANS 5:1-16

I. Introduction

A. The division of chapters at this point is unfortunate.

1. Verse 1 is vitally linked to the previous verses.

2. Paul exhorts believers in 4:32 to be kind, tenderhearted, and forgiving because God for Christ's

sake has forgiven us.

B. Paul now adds this interesting comment - Be imitators of God.

1. Followers of God - imitators, copies, led by example

(a) Since God is the best teacher and leader, he encourages us to follow his example.

(b) what has He taught us that we are to imitate.

(c) Kindness, tenderheartedness, and forgiveness.

(d) Because I have dealt with you on this basis, so you should deal with others accordingly.

C. Exhortation is addressed to believers only.

1. It is useless to plead with an unsaved person to be imitators of God.

(a) Until you become a sharer of God's nature any attempt to imitate God is futile.

(b) It is only as "dear children" or "children be loved" that we can be true followers of Him.

2. When God saves you, He gives you His own life, therefore He expects us to pattern our habits and manner of life after Him (I Peter 1:14-16).

D. There follows in the remainder of this chapter three ways by which we are to Imitate God.

1. It is to be done by our walk.

2. We are to walk in love - walk in light - walk in wisdom.

II. Walk in Love (5:2)

A. John tells us that "God is love".

1. The love of God reached us at Calvary, the very moment we believe the love of God is shed abroad in

our heart by the Holy Spirit (Rom. 5:5).

2. Since Pentecost, God's love has been reaching out to others through the beloved children who walk in love (John 13:35) (I John 4:7,8).

(a) The true believer will imitate God in love.

(b) He too will sacrifice himself as Christ sacrificed Himself for us.

(c) A walk in love will reveal itself in my giving myself to help others.

(d) I John 3:18 - Let us not love in word, but in deed and in truth.

3. Such love, self-giving love is to God a sweet smelling savor. That means it is pleasing to Him.

B. There is a negative side. If we are to walk in love, certain things must be forsaken.

1. Fornication and uncleanness.

(a) Sexual indulgence must be checked by those who are to walk in love.

(b) It has been said, Chastity was a new virtue Christ introduced to the world.

(c) Ancient world regarded sexuality, impurity as common thing to be accepted and practiced.

(d) It was an accepted thing for a man to have a mistress.

(e) In Corinth, the temples were staffed by priestess who were prostitutes whose earnings went to the

upkeep of the temple.

(f) The famed Cicero pleads - If you think young men should be forbidden the love of courtesans he is

extremely severe.

(g) Cicero is saying no Roman in his right mind would forbid young men to consort with prostitutes.

(h) In Greece they built their temples with the proceeds of prostitution.

(i) When Paul stresses moral purity, he was erecting a standard not heard of in his day.

(j) There is nothing in history like the moral miracle which Christianity wrought.

2 Foolish talking and jesting.

(a) Paul is not here condemning a sense of humor.

(b) What he is talking about is dirty jokes and jokes that imply things that are immoral.

(c) It is a sign of degeneracy when one must tell off-colored jokes to get a laugh.

(d) Some people think it is witty to use suggestive language.

(e) It is never convenient or fitting for a child of God to make light of sin.

(f) Instead of using our power of speech to degrade we should use it to give thanks (5:4)

(g) walking in love and talking of lust are incompatible.

3. A sober warning (5:5)

(a) Some people think they are going to heaven in spite of their sinful deeds.

(b) Paul says let no man deceive you with vain words.

(c) Worst disservice we can do to any man is to cause him to think lightly of sin.

(d) Since God's wrath is coming upon the children who practice disobedience be sure that you are

not found to be one of them.

(e) I Tim. 2:19 - The Lord knows those who are his; let those who name the name of Christ depart

from iniquity.

III. Walk in Light (5:8-14)

A. Earlier in the chapter he contrasts the believers past and present under the picture of life and death (2:1)

1. Here the contrast is between light and darkness

(a) Satan's kingdom is one of darkness (John 3:19 - 8:12).

(b) God's kingdom is one of light (I John 1:5,6) (I Peter 2:9) (I John 2:9)

2. Everyone of us were at one time in darkness but when Jesus comes in He turns on the light.

(a) Please never go back into darkness once you have received the light of God's truth.

(b) Jesus tells us in Matt 5:14-16, Our light is to so shine before men that they will see our good works and glorify our Father in heaven.

(c) Phil. 2:15 - We are to shine as lights in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation.

3. Three features of a walk in light.

(a) Goodness is kindness in action.

(b) Righteousness - moral uprightness, being and doing right.

(c) Truth - this means there is no sham or hypocrisy rather an attitude of sincerity and dedication..

B. Some of you have not been shining you are barely discernable from the unsaved.

IV. Walk in Wisdom (5:15-21)

A. A wise person does not follow the line of least resistance.

1. He does not do something because everyone else is doing it.

2. The word "circumspect" carries the idea of strictness and exactness based on careful observation.

B. A wise person makes wise use of his time.

1. He sees that this is an evil age so he buys up every opportunity to get the gospel out.

2. A wise person is vitally interested in understanding the Word of God.

3. Prayer and a careful reading of the Bible will make clear to any Christian what the will of God is.

(a) If you lack wisdom, ask the Lord (James 1:5)

(b) Important thing is: Am I willing and ready to obey the will of God.

C. A wise man desires to be filled with the Holy Spirit.