Welcome to Truth Matters Church, contending for the faith, one verse at a time. You can receive these weekly devotionals by email. Subscribe at truthmatterschurch.org. I'm Associate Pastor Jeremy. As we've seen a number of times throughout Paul's letter to the Ephesians, our behavior as believers matters. A professing Christian is called to live by a high standard which reflects Christ in a very dark world. Our subsequent obedience and agape love is a sweet aroma and even a fragrance around the Father's throne. See Ephesians 5 verses 1 and 2. Today we'll look at Ephesians 5 verses 3-5 where Paul writes, But immorality or any impurity or greed must not even be named among you, as is proper among saints. And there must be no filthiness and silly talk or coarse jesting, which are not fitting, but rather the giving of thanks. For this you know with certainty, that no immoral or impure person or covetous man who is an idolater has an inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God." Before we really dive into this passage, it's important to remember that just a few chapters earlier, Paul tells us that, "...by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves. It is the gift of God, not as a result of works, so that no one may boast." That's Ephesians 2 verse 8. Knowing, believing, and understanding this fact helps us realize what Paul is saying here is not a list of directives we must follow to maintain our salvation. Our salvation is sealed, fully and completely, in the blood of Christ which He shed on the cross. See Ephesians 1 verse 13. Instead, what Paul is talking about here is how Christians must act as they abide in Christ. As we read in James 2 verse 14, But someone may well say, You have faith and I have works. Show me your faith without the works, and I will show you my faith by my works. You see, we are not saved by works, but our works are the evidence that we are saved. Obedience is one of the most valuable works for a Christian. Like Christ, obedience is how we carry out the Father's will. Reference John 6.38 and Luke 22.42. Inward faith combined with outward obedience is the key to living a life that honors God and shines a light in the world. And in today's passage, we're once again reminded that God expects His children to be different. When Jesus prayed His high priestly prayer, He said of His disciples, They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. Being like Jesus means we must live differently than the world does, both inwardly and outwardly. It's easy to see how the world lives. It celebrates immorality, impurity, and greed. Money, power, sex, pleasure, and possessions are the primary ambitions of those who live for what the world offers. The world relishes filthy behavior, self-indulgence, and lifestyles of ungratefulness and entitlement. It's no wonder at all why Paul says that those who live this way have no inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God, because they are not saved. Now, while we may be tempted to hold some pride because we don't deliberately strive to satisfy our immoral and greedy flesh, none of us are immune to these sins. See Matthew 7 verses 4 to 5 for an example. In fact, some of these very things are so ingrained in our society that they may not even look like sin. In our first world nation, we are programmed from childhood to spend our entire lives working hard and building up wealth so that we can enjoy the riches of the world. We work and hope for the latest toys, bigger houses, nicer cars, more exotic vacations, and years of salary stored in a 401k. We want the best food, the best clothing, and the best furnishings. We are trained from a very young age to keep up with the Joneses. It is the American dream. But, is this not greediness? Is this not idolatry? Do any such activities honor God in even the slightest way? Should a Christian really work so hard and put so much effort into these worldly pursuits of selfish gain? Or should we be living in such a way that our extra money and resources are treated as a tool to bless others? Imagine the good we could do for our brothers and sisters in Christ who are truly in need if we lived as though the blessings we've received are meant to bless them just as much. And shouldn't the words that come from our mouths always honor and bless God? Why then do we allow our conversations to be laced with crude humor and give ourselves a pass when we let a curse word or even slanderous gossip slip from our tongue? Oh, how challenging it is to walk this narrow path. Lord, please help us. There is much to prayerfully reflect upon in the warning Paul gives in this passage. Yes, we are indeed saved by grace through faith. We were once dead in our sins, and only Christ our Redeemer was able to free us from that eternal grave. See Ephesians 2 verse 4. Praise God. But now, as believers fully justified and being sanctified, we must turn our attention to obedience. obedience to the Father's will in all things, our bodies, our speech, our time, our money, and even our pursuits. Everything that we claim as ours must be laid at the feet of our blessed Lord with the confession, Thy will be done. While certainly difficult, living a life of obedience and submission to the Lord's will is immensely more rewarding than what the world offers, and it is the only way of fully recognizing the sealed assurance of our salvation that we possess in Christ. Thank you so much for listening today. Again, if you'd like to receive these devotionals by email each week, go to truthmatterschurch.org and subscribe to our newsletter. You can also mark us as a favorite on Sermon Audio or subscribe to us as a podcast on Apple, iHeart, TuneIn, and many other platforms. Contending for the faith, one verse at a time. This is Truth Matters Church.