UncommonSample

“Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children; and walk in love, just as Christ also loved you and gave Himself up for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God as a fragrant aroma. However, sexual immorality or any impurity or greed must not even be named among you, as is proper among the saints...” Ephesians 5:1-4

I love these verses. I love verse 4, mainly because Paul talks to a group of “saints” about their behavior. Typically, we think of saints as being nearly perfect and of the highest order of Christianity. However, these “saints” are struggling with sexual immorality and greed, just like you and me! We are all called saints in Christ, and we all will struggle.

However, God is not trying to prohibit the saints with these rules. He’s trying to improve the quality of their lives. He’s trying to improve the quality of their sex. God is not anti-sex. God wants us to have amazing and fun sex in the proper design. Sexual immorality, like pornography, messes up the beauty of sex. The robustness of good God-designed sex is between a husband and a wife. When we live a life of sexual immorality, we are damaging its full beauty of it.

God wants us to have pure motives, but impurity messes motives up. God wants us to own things, but greed messes ownership up. He wants us to enjoy these things the right way and in the most fulfilling way. These verses are not prohibiting life; they are protecting life. God isn’t a stiff old Bible belter who doesn’t believe in fun. He knows what is right and what is not. He knows what is good and what is evil. He also knows what is BEST.

He knows the best way for us to live an abundant life.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:

1. Do you believe you are a saint in Christ? Why or why not?
2. In what ways is God trying to improve the quality of your life?
3. Think of a time when you noticed God knew what was BEST for you, even if it went against your plan.