When Our Conversation Becomes Out of Place

Ephesians 5:1-14

Be ye therefore followers of God, as dear children; 2 and walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet smelling savour. 3 But fornication, and all uncleanness, or covetousness, let it not be once named among you, as becometh saints; 4 neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor jesting, which are not convenient: but rather giving of thanks. 5 For this ye know, that no whoremonger, nor unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, hath any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God. 6 Let no man deceive you with vain words: for because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience. 7 Be not ye therefore partakers with them. 8 For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light: 9 (for the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth;) 10 proving what is acceptable unto the Lord. 11 And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them. 12 For it is a shame even to speak of those things which are done of them in secret. 13 But all things that are reproved are made manifest by the light: for whatsoever doth make manifest is light. 14 Wherefore he saith, Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light. (AKJV)

A little boy was caught swearing by his teacher. "Jeffrey, you shouldn't use that kind of language,” she said. “Where did you hear it?" "My daddy said it," he responded. "Well," explained the teacher, "you don't even know what it means." "I do, so!" Jeffrey said. "It means the car won't start."

Ephesians 5 talks about life that is both in darkness (Ephesians 5:8) and in slumber 

(Ephesians 5:14). Paul, in Ephesians 5:1-13 saw four groups of reasons to call the Ephesian believers as deep sleeper and dead. One of these reason is the practice of profanity, foolish talking, and jesting among Ephesian believers (Ephesians 5:4). The New International Version of the Bible describes these practices as out of place.

Profanity

Let us first look at the Biblical basis of profanity as referred here in Ephesians 5:4. In Romans 3:13-14, we read, “Their throat is an open sepulchre; with their tongues they have used deceit; the poison of asps is under their lips: 14 whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness:” In this context, profanity refers to blasphemous or obscene language. This form of blasphemous or obscene language can be classified as cursing, swearing, and outburst of anger.

Cursing is uttering an offensive word in annoyance or anger. In some cases, because of heavy traffic congestion, a father was constantly cursing and sounding his car horn throughout their trip to Florida in the presence of his family. An employee is always cursed by her boss for being clumsy and careless. Cursing is also invoking an affliction against another person. A family business may have been cursed with a series of bankruptcies. A person may have been cursed so she was afflicted with a dreaded disease.

The book of James is teaching believers to be aware of one great spiritual responsibility. James 3:9-10 says, "With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse human beings, who have been made in God’s likeness. 10 Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers and sisters, this should not be".

This leads to an issue of cursing among believers? Should believers curse? Should believers sing praises, sing praises to God, give testimonies, speak in tongues in church on Sundays and curse from Monday to Saturday?

What do other people hear from us when we are startled? When we bumped on something? When we drop something?   

Swearing is making a promise or establishing an oath. In James 5:12, we read Above all, my brothers and sisters, do not swear—not by heaven or by earth or by anything else. All you need to say is a simple “Yes” or “No.” Otherwise you will be condemned.

People swear on the Bible in court to tell the truth and nothing but the truth.  Some of us are comfortable when we say, “I swear to God, be there lightning or thunder!”

Swearing can also mean to use profane or obscene language. It can mean the cussing, expletives, obscene or blasphemous words.  In the language of the children, we say that is a “bad word”. That is why we do not swear in front of the children.

Facebook conducted a survey on the top swear words on Facebook interactions. In the three-day period surveyed, the four-letter word that start with “s” appeared in 10.5 million U.S. Facebook interactions; the four-letter that start with “f” appeared in 9.5 million, the four-letter word that starts with “d” in 6.3 million, and the five-letter word that starts with a “b” in 4.5 million, and 2 million FB users have used the four-letter word that starts with “c”.

Swearing also becomes blasphemy when using the name of God in vain and in invoking evil to others. We heard one time or another somebody say, “I swear to God, I'll kill him if he comes back”. Yet Scripture teaches us not to take the name of the Lord our God in vain, for the Lord will not hold him guiltless who takes His name in vain (Exodus 20:7). Jeremiah described the land of Israel as parched and its pastures in the wilderness are withered because it is cursed (Jeremiah 23:10)

What comes out of our mouth when we accidentally hit our finger with a hammer? What does our family hear from us whenever someone cuts us off in traffic? What do we say to a person who tries to avoid us when it is time for that person to pay us what he owed? Isn’t it easy for us to observe that in outbursts of anger, profanity defines our lives?  Do we allow profanity to show what is in our hearts? Doesn’t our attitude toward profanity make it sinful?   

Paul reminded the Colossian believers put off anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication out of their mouth (Colossians 3:8), while James advised every believer to be swift to hear, slow to speak, and slow to wrath; for the wrath of man works not the righteousness of God (James 1:19-20).

There is a story of a believer who wanted to buy a parrot so he went to a pet shop to ask for one. “Are you sure it doesn’t scream, yell, or swear?” asked the believer. “Oh absolutely. It’s a religious parrot,” the storekeeper assures him. “Do you see those strings on his legs? When you pull the right one, he recites the Lord’s prayer, and when you pull on the left, he recites the 23rd Psalm.” “Wonderful!” says the prospective buyer. “But what happens if you pull both strings?” The parrot screeched, “Of course, I fall off my perch, you stupid fool!”.

It is the words that come out of the believers’ mouth that define the contents of their heart. It is not the things that go into their mouth that defile the heart. It is the words that come out that defile the heart (Matthew 15:11).

Foolish talking

The Greek word for foolish talking is morolgia, which does not occur anywhere else in the Scripture. This means that kind of talk that is insipid, senseless, stupid, or foolish. Because it is senseless talking, it does not edify, it does not instruct, it does not build up, it does not profit, it does not bring benefit. Foolish talking is literally “an easy turn of speech”, as one turns every conversation into a joking comment on sexual matters, usually with a double-entendre. It is a conversation with double meaning, usually and always with sexual connotation. Foolish talk would be anything that might lead one in a situation where one would be tempted to commit some kind of sexual sin.

Why did Paul bring this foolish talking up? The Bible is clear about this: everyone will have to give account on the day of judgment for every empty word they have spoken (Matthew 12:36). As believers, it is our calling to live a righteous life that is worthy of the death of our Lord Jesus Christ. This does not only include worship and praises; it also includes sensible, sincere, serious, accountable, and edifying conversation.

Foolish talking, or the talk of the fool, is far worse than just empty, senseless talk. This foolish talking describes the condition of one’s life that has lost its “saltiness” or “flavor” (Matthew 5:13). This foolish talking results from the heart that has ceased to distinguish what is right from what is wrong.

Jesting

Jesting is simply another form of foolish talking. It is always a crude form of joking. It is a joke that intends to mock or ridicule someone. It is sometimes a joke with double entendre. Jesting may sound innocent but it has a second meaning that is sexually implied.

Joking itself is not sin. But joking can become sin as the tongue that utters the joke has the power for death and life (Proverbs 18:21). Jokes can be clean and wholesome so they can make the heart merry (Proverbs 17:22).

Paul is reminding us that our speech and conversation be always wholesome and edifying others so believers should watch out for jokes that demean or harm another person, especially when it comes to the person’s religious beliefs (Ephesians 4:29).

As believers, our conversation should always be acceptable to God and fellow men. Paul is reminding us through his letter to the Ephesian believers that they suffer from spiritual slumber because of profanity, foolish talk and jesting (Ephesians 5:4). Our word, conversation, and fellowship should be one that honors God and values others. Our word, conversation, and fellowship should be one that gives thanks to God constantly for the finished work of Jesus Christ in the cross.

How conscientious are we with our conversation? Or even our comments? I have learned to be quiet sometimes, especially when it comes to people’s mistake for it may come back to me. Take this simple illustration, for example: A choir was practicing for a concert and the director was quite dissatisfied with the singing, that he decided to insult the choir for the members to be inspired and encouraged. The director yelled, “Eight years ago I was directing another choir in this anthem, and they made the same mistakes you’re making.” Immediately, a choir member called out, “It is no wonder, it is the same choir director!”

The Triad of the Works of the Flesh

Ephesians 5:1-14

Be ye therefore followers of God, as dear children; 2 and walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet smelling savour. 3 But fornication, and all uncleanness, or covetousness, let it not be once named among you, as becometh saints; 4 neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor jesting, which are not convenient: but rather giving of thanks. 5 For this ye know, that no whoremonger, nor unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, hath any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God. 6 Let no man deceive you with vain words: for because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience. 7 Be not ye therefore partakers with them. 8 For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light: 9 (for the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth;) 10 proving what is acceptable unto the Lord. 11 And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them. 12 For it is a shame even to speak of those things which are done of them in secret. 13 But all things that are reproved are made manifest by the light: for whatsoever doth make manifest is light. 14 Wherefore he saith, Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light.

The Heaven and Home Hour Radio Bulletin runs this article: How does a worm get inside an apple? Perhaps you think the worm burrows in from the outside. No, scientists have discovered that the worm comes from inside. But how does he get in there? Simple! An insect lays an egg in the apple blossom. Sometime later, the worm hatches in the heart of the apple, then eats his way out. Sin, like the worm, begins in the heart and works out through a person’s thoughts, words, and actions.

Apostle Paul recognized this reality among the Ephesian believers. He considered their lives to be in darkness and in spiritual slumber. He, in fact, advised them to walk in love, as Christ also hath loved them. Yet Paul observed fornication, uncleanness, or covetousness among them even when they are already saints (Ephesians 5:3).

Fornication, uncleanness, and covetousness form the triad of the works of the flesh.

Fornication is defined as sexual intercourse between people not married to each other. Biblically, fornication has a little wider definition as it can refer to prostitution, promiscuous behavior, or indulging in unlawful lust by either sex.

Fornication is the work of the flesh (Galatians 5:19). It is the kind of sin that humans commit against their own body (1 Corinthians 6:18). Fornication can also refer figuratively to committing idolatry (2 Chronicles 21:11; Revelation 17:2).

Sexual relations are the part of a marriage, which makes us physically joined together with our spouse (Mark 10:8-9; Ephesians 5:22-23). In the same way, believers are all joined together with Christ (1 Corinthians 6:13-17) and marriage is the earthly representation of the relationship between Christ and the Church (John 14:16-17; Romans 8:9; 1 Corinthians 6:19-20). Therefore, physical purity is representative of the holiness of the temple of the Holy Spirit.

Fornication is sin. It leads us to spiritual darkness. It leads to our spiritual slumber. We need to wake up to the light of Jesus Christ amid our darkness. As fornication is true among Ephesian believers, it is also rampant among present day Christians. That is why Paul reminds believers in all eras that we should watch out for the works of the flesh in our lives.

Uncleanness, on the other hand, means an act that is determined to be morally impure and completely unacceptable to God.  It typically refers to some sexual act or public indecency. It can be gross or wanton indecency in sexual relations and is sometimes used interchangeably with licentiousness or lasciviousness, which both relate to debauchery. Uncleanness starts in a sinful heart (Mark 7:21-22) and manifests itself in fleshly or carnal actions (Galatians 5:19). It can eventually lead to a state of spiritual callousness (Ephesians 4:19).

Uncleanness is characterized by unbridled lust, excess, licentiousness, lasciviousness, wantonness, maliciousness, outrageousness, shamelessness, and insolence. Uncleanness can be categorized into three: licentiousness, lasciviousness, or debauchery, all of which are rebellious, sinful attitudes.

Licentiousness means indecent bodily movements, unchaste handling of males and females. It can also be defined as lacking moral discipline or restraint, especially in sexual conduct. The Nelson's Illustrated Bible Dictionary defines licentiousness as undisciplined and unrestrained behavior, especially a flagrant disregard of sexual restraints. The Greek word translated as licentiousness means "outrageous conduct," showing that licentious behavior goes beyond sin to include a disregard for what is right. Licentiousness can be synonymous to lewdness that Paul warns the Roman believers to avoid (Romans 13:13). Lewdness is the quality of being very sexual or lustful in an offensive way.

Lasciviousness, on the other hand, is a gross form of wickedness that has sexual overtones in many cases. William Barclay says the word lascivious conveys the idea of a person “who is so far gone in lust and desire” that he or she ceases “to care what people say or think”. Josephus, the Jewish historian, once used the word to describe a man who indecently exposed himself to a crowd. Lastly, Nelson's Illustrated Bible Dictionary defines "lasciviousness" as the "KJV word for licentiousness.

Debauchery is the habitual and unrestrained indulgence of lust and sensuality. It is counted as one of the works of the flesh (Galatians 5:19-21). Debauchery is the result of characterized by present day partying (1 Peter 4:3), wasteful lifestyle (Luke 15:13), and unholy living (Romans 13:13).

Debauchery is always considered ungodly and encompasses all that God hates (Romans 1:18). Those who live in debauchery, among other forms of wickedness, will not inherit the kingdom of God (Galatians 5:19) but will bring destruction upon themselves in the end. As debauchery is the result of drunkenness, Paul admonished the believers to not be filled and drunk with wine but with the Spirit (Ephesians 5:18). Believers are admonished to have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness (Ephesians 5:11).

Covetousness means a strong desire to have that which belongs to another. This is synonymous with greed. The 10^th commandment that God gave to His people through Moses warns His people never to covet what is not theirs (Exodus 20:17). Jesus Christ considered covetousness or greed, along with many other sins, to defile the believers (Mark 7:20-23).

Paul reminded the believers in Ephesians that they are already counted as saints and no longer live in fornication, uncleanness, or covetousness (Ephesians 5:3). James also has this warning about lust, covetousness, and murder (James 4:2). Jesus Christ warns all his beloved to take heed and beware of covetousness (Luke 12:15). As believers, we should be on guard against all kinds of greed.

Billy Graham in his book The Holy Spirit (1988), shared about a lesson from an Eskimo fisherman who came to town every Saturday afternoon. He always brought his two dogs with him. One was white and the other was black. He had taught them to fight on command. Every Saturday afternoon in the town square the people would gather and these two dogs would fight and the fisherman would take bets. On one Saturday, the black dog would win; another Saturday, the white dog would win but the fisherman always won! His friends began to ask him how he did it. He said, “I starve one and feed the other. The one I feed always wins because he is stronger.”

This story about the two dogs tells us something about the inner warfare that comes into the life of a person who is born again. We have two natures within us, both struggling for mastery. Which one will dominate us? It depends on the one we feed.

Waking Up from our Spiritual Slumber

Ephesians 5:1-14

Be ye therefore followers of God, as dear children; 2 and walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet smelling savour. 3 But fornication, and all uncleanness, or covetousness, let it not be once named among you, as becometh saints; 4 neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor jesting, which are not convenient: but rather giving of thanks. 5 For this ye know, that no whoremonger, nor unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, hath any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God. 6 Let no man deceive you with vain words: for because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience. 7 Be not ye therefore partakers with them. 8 For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light: 9 (for the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth;) 10 proving what is acceptable unto the Lord. 11 And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them. 12 For it is a shame even to speak of those things which are done of them in secret. 13 But all things that are reproved are made manifest by the light: for whatsoever doth make manifest is light. 14 Wherefore he saith, Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light.

Embarrassed of what her husband did in church one Sunday morning, a woman approached her Pastor after the church service, “Please do not take it personally, Preacher, when my husband walked out during your sermon.” The Pastor, with his usual compassionate self, replied, “I did find it rather disconcerting, but I would understand.” “It wasn’t out of any disrespect to you,” explained the woman, “you see, my husband has been walking in his sleep ever since he was a child.”

The Bible speaks about life that is both in light and darkness and presents Jesus Christ as the light of darkened world (John 8:12). The light in the darkened world came in the flesh in the person of Jesus Christ.

As darkness is equated to sin, then light is equated to victory from sin (Romans 1:21; John 3:19-20). Receiving Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord is receiving light from darkness. Being children of God is receiving light from darkness. This is life that is taken from darkness into the wonderful life of God (1 Peter 2:9). Ephesians 5 talks about life in darkness among the Ephesian believers.

There is also a life that is asleep (Ephesians 5:14).

When is our life considered asleep? Is it a good thing or a bad thing for us to see ourselves living in slumber? Sleep is very important in a person’s life. Normal sleep hour is still in the range of 7-8 hours even at present. As sleep is as important as nutrition and exercise, it brings a myriad of benefits such as promoting growth, arresting stress hormones, strengthening the body immune system, reducing injuries, increasing attention span, and enhancing learning. Hypersomnia, on the other hand, which is oversleeping, is considered a medical disorder. It is mostly associated with fatigue, but many times, oversleeping is associated with depression and low economic status in life.

There are persons who are asleep in their spiritual life. When light comes into the world in the morning, humans and animals arise from their sleep and go on to their natural activities in the light of the sun. We can apply this to our spiritual life as well. Being asleep even when the light is up means that we have not been walking and living in the light of God. We may have been spiritually fatigued, spiritually depressed, or spiritually low in our status in God. This is a sad thing for believers to suffer spiritual oversleeping in the same way as it is an alarming situation to be suffering from physiological hypersomnia.

The first 13 verses of Ephesians 5 show how Paul advised the believers in Ephesus to become better Christians. These people are already believers (Ephesians 5:1-2) but their spiritual life is not manifested. Paul observed that they were sometimes “darkness” but Paul also reminded that now they are “light” in the Lord (Ephesians 5:8). Finally, Paul admonished them to walk as children of light.

Paul also advised the believers in Ephesus to wake up from their deep sleep (Ephesians 5:14). This deep sleep is tantamount to being dead. Paul saw the kind of lives they live and identified the reasons why these believers are deep sleepers and spiritually dead.

 .                    There is fornication, uncleanness, and covetousness among Ephesian believers (Ephesians 5:3).

There is filthy or foolish talking, jesting, thrash talk among Ephesian believers (Ephesians 5:4).

There is an easy falling for deception through vain words among the Ephesian believers (Ephesians 5:6).

There is a comfortable partaking of the worldly activities and wickedness among the Ephesian believers (Ephesians 5:7, 11).

Paul advised the Ephesian believers to wake up from oversleep and spiritual death. These are characters of life that is devoid of Christ. This is darkness, which is a symbol, a description, depiction, portrayal, translation, and representation of a life without Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ is our Lord and Savior. He delivered us from darkness to a life that has hope and spiritual direction (John 12:35).

Do we sleep in your spiritual life? It is time to wake up to the light of Jesus Christ. Only then can we sleep tight in confidence in the finished work of the Lord Jesus Christ.

There is a story about how good it is to “sleep” in our spiritual life when we live in the light of Jesus Christ. There was a farmer owned a piece of land along the Atlantic seacoast. He constantly advertised for hired hands. Most people were reluctant to work on farms along the Atlantic. They dreaded the awful storms that raged across the Atlantic, wreaking havoc on the buildings and crops. As the farmer interviewed applicants for the job, he received a steady stream of refusals. Finally, a short, thin man, well past middle age, approached the farmer. "Are you a good farmhand?" the farmer asked him. "Well, I can sleep when the wind blows," answered the little man. Although puzzled by this answer, the farmer, desperate for help, hired him. The little man worked well around the farm, busy from dawn to dusk, and the farmer felt satisfied with the man's work. Then one night the wind howled loudly in from offshore. Jumping out of bed, the farmer grabbed a lantern and rushed next door to the hired hand's sleeping quarters. He shook the little man and yelled, "Get up! A storm is coming! Tie things down before they blow away!" The little man rolled over in bed and said firmly, "No sir. I told you, I can sleep when the wind blows." Enraged by the response, the farmer was tempted to fire him on the spot. Instead, he hurried outside to prepare for the storm. To his amazement, he discovered that all the haystacks had been covered with tarpaulins. The cows were in the barn, the chickens were in the coops, and the doors were barred. The shutters were tightly secured. Everything was tied down. Nothing could blow away. The farmer then understood what his hired hand meant, so he returned to his bed to also sleep while the wind blew. 

When we're spiritually awake in the light and the power of the Lord Jesus Christ, we have nothing to fear. This time, we can sleep when the wind blows through our life.