SERIES: EPHESIANS: THE CALL AND CONDUCT OF THE CHURCH, WEEK 39

TITLE: SEVERE WARNINGS

TEXT: EPHESIANS 5:5-7

INTRODUCTION: (1) WE LIVE IN A DAY WHERE SOME PROFESSING CHRISTIANS HAVE BEEN CONDITIONED TO BELIEVE THAT BECAUSE THEY PRAYED A PRAYER, SIGNED A CARD, WALKED FORWARD DURING A CHURCH SERVICE OR A CRUSADE, SPOKE IN TONGUES, WERE SLAIN IN THE SPIRIT, OR HAD SOME OTHER RELIGIOUS EXPERIENCE, THEY ARE SAVED AND SHOULD NEVER QUESTION THAT THEY ARE TRUE CHRISTIANS.

* IN OTHER WORDS, IF YOU HAVE PROFESSED FAITH IN CHRIST AT SOME POINT OF TIME, WHETHER YOU WERE 5, 55 OR WHATEVER AGE, YOU SHOULD NEVER DOUBT THAT YOU ARE A CHRISTIAN REGARDLESS OF YOUR LIFESTYLE.

** IN FACT ANY DOUBT IS FROM SATAN ACCORDING TO SOME.

*** THE POP GOSPEL THAT SOME ARE COMMUNICATING TODAY THAT IS CULTURALLY RELEVANT PROMISES PEOPLE THEY CAN HAVE ETERNAL LIFE AND YET LIVE AND PRACTICE AND PERSIST IN SIN AND LIVE LIKE UNBELIEVERS.

**** BUT THOSE IDEAS AND BELIEFS ARE IN DISAGREEMENT TO WHAT THE BIBLE SAYS.

(2) FOR NOT EVERYONE WHO CALLS HIMSELF A CHRISTIAN REALLY IS.

* UNBELIEVERS DO MAKE FALSE PROFESSIONS OF FAITH IN CHRIST, AND PEOPLE WHO ARE NOT TRULY CHRISTIANS CAN BE DECEIVED INTO THINKING THEY ARE BELIEVERS.

** YET SOME SINCERE CHRISTIANS ARE OFFENDED BY PREACHING THAT COMMUNICATES A REBUKE TO ANYONE WHO COMMUNICATES AN EASY BELIEVISM, CHEAP GRACE, NON-LORDSHIP, NON-COMMITMENT, NO REPENTANCE GOSPEL.

*** THEIR RESPONSE IS THAT KIND OF PREACHING IS DIVISIVE.

**** AND MY RESPONSE TO THEIR CRITICISM WHETHER IT IS CONSTRUCTIVE OR CRITICAL IS THEY ARE RIGHT.

(3) THE GOSPEL OF THE BIBLE DIVIDES. IT DIVIDES THE WHEAT FROM THE TARES, THE SHEEP FROM THE GOATS AND THOSE WHO POSSESS CHRIST AND THOSE WHO JUST PROFESS CHRIST.

* AND IT’S THE SWORD OF THE SPIRIT, THE WORD OF GOD THAT CAUSES THIS HOLY DIVISION.

** FOR YOU SEE WE HAVE WARNING AFTER WARNING IN SCRIPTURE THAT CALLS US TO EXAMINE OURSELVES WHETHER WE ARE TRULY IN THE FAITH.

*** II CORINTHIANS 13:5 SAYS: (READ IT)

**** II PETER 1:10 SAYS: “THEREFORE, BRETHREN, BE ALL THE MORE DILIGENT TO MAKE CERTAIN ABOUT HIS CALLING AND CHOOSING YOU; FOR AS LONG AS YOU PRACTICE THESE THINGS, YOU WILL NEVER STUMBLE.”

(4) JESUS SAID IN MATTHEW 7:21-23 (READ THEM).

* I JOHN 2:3&4 COMMUNICATES THIS (READ THEM).

** I JOHN 3:9&10 SAYS: “NO ONE WHO IS BORN OF GOD PRACTICES SIN, BECAUSE HIS SEED ABIDES IN HIM; AND HE CANNOT SIN, BECAUSE HE IS BORN OF GOD.”

V. 10 – “BY THIS THE CHILDREN OF GOD AND THE CHILDREN OF THE DEVIL ARE OBVIOUS; ANYONE WHO DOES NOT PRACTICE RIGHTEOUSNESS IS NOT OF GOD, NOR THE ONE WHO DOES NOT LOVE HIS BROTHER.”

*** AND THEN IN JAMES 2:14-17, JAMES SAYS THAT FAITH THAT DOES NOT RESULT IN RIGHTEOUS LIVING IS DEAD AND CANNOT SAVE, IN FACT JAMES 2:26 SAYS: (READ IT).

**** NOW MY POINT FROM ALL THESE VERSES IS THIS, BIBLICALLY YOU CANNOT SEPARATE SANCTIFICATION FROM SALVATION.

***** IF THERE IS NO SANCTIFICATION, A CHANGED LIFE, BEING SET APART AND BEING CONFORMED TO CHRIST, IF THERE IS NO SANCTIFICATION, THERE IS NO SALVATION.

(5) GENUINE SALVATION PRODUCES FRUIT AND CHANGE AND NEW DESIRES.

* SALVATION IS AN ONGOING PROCESS AS MUCH AS IT IS A PAST EVENT.

** IT IS THE WORK OF GOD THROUGH WHICH WE ARE “CONFORMED TO THE IMAGE OF CHRIST” ACCORDING TO ROMANS 8:29.

*** SO GENUINE ASSURANCE AND GENUINE SALVATION IS EVIDENCED BY SEEING THE HOLY SPIRIT’S TRANSFORMING WORK IN ONE’S LIFE, NOT CLINGING TO THE MEMORY OF SOME EXPERIENCE.

**** TO PUT IT ANOTHER WAY, IT’S NOT A PAST ACT BUT A PRESENT RIGHTEOUSNESS OR A DESIRE FOR RIGHTEOUS LIVING THAT GIVES EVIDENCE OF SALVATION.

(6) MY SALVATION IS EVIDENCED BY GROWTH IN CHRIST, A DESIRE TO GROW IN CHRIST AND A DESIRE TO BE MORE LIKE CHRIST AND CONVICTION IN MY LIFE WHEN I AM NOT LIKE CHRIST, WHICH TO BE TRANSPARENT IS MORE OFTEN THAN I DESIRE TO CONFESS.

* BUT EVEN IN MY SIN AND LACK OF CHRISTLIKENESS, THERE IS A HOLY DESIRE TO BE MORE LIKE CHRIST, EVEN THOUGH I AM NOT AS FAR ALONG AS I SHOULD BE WITH ALL THE CIRCUMSTANCES THAT GOD IS IN CONTROL OF THAT HE HAS ORDAINED FOR ME TO GROW.

** I AM SELFISH AND SELF-CENTERED AND TIRED OF FIGHTING THE FLESH AT TIMES. BUT WHEN I AM DISOBEDIENT THERE IS BLESSED CONVICTION AND A DESIRE TO CHANGE AND LIKEWISE FOR ALL TRUE BELIEVERS.

*** PLEASE UNDERSTAND THIS, THE GOSPEL CHRIST PROCLAIMED AND PREACHED AND TAUGHT WAS A CALL TO DISCIPLESHIP, A CALL TO FOLLOW HIM IN SUBMISSIVE OBEDIENCE, NOT JUST A PLEA TO MAKE A DECISION OR PRAY A PRAYER OR WALK AN AISLE.

**** CHRIST’S MESSAGE FREED SINNERS FROM THE SLAVERY OF THEIR SIN WHILE IT CONFRONTED AND CONDEMNED HYPOCRISY.

(7) IT WAS AN OFFER OF ETERNAL LIFE AND FORGIVENESS FOR REPENTANT SINNERS, BUT AT THE SAME TIME WAS A REBUKE TO OUTWARDLY RELIGIOUS PEOPLE WHOSE LIVES WERE WITHOUT OR DEVOID OF TRUE RIGHTEOUSNESS AND HEART CHANGE.

* BELOVED THE GOSPEL COMMUNICATED BY JESUS, THE APOSTLES AND FROM THE N.T. PUT SINNERS ON NOTICE THAT THEY MUST TURN FROM SIN AND EMBRACE GOD’S RIGHTEOUSNESS.

** IT WAS IN EVERY SENSE GOOD NEWS, YET IT WAS ANYTHING BUT EASY BELIEVISM OR A WATERED DOWN WARM FUZZY GOSPEL THAT WE HEAR PROCLAIMED BY SOME TODAY.

*** AND WHETHER THEY ARE SINCERE IS NOT THE ISSUE, BECAUSE MANY IN FALSE RELIGIONS ARE SINCERE, BUT SINCERELY WRONG.

**** AND THIS IS NOT A SECONDARY MATTER OR A MINOR DISAGREEMENT, BUT THE GOSPEL WE ARE TALKING ABOUT.

(8) AND GOD IS GLORIFIED WHEN WE ARE OBEDIENT AND COMMUNICATE HIS GOSPEL THE WAY HE HAS PRESENTED IN HIS WORD.

* SO OBEDIENCE AND THE GLORY OF GOD IS AT STAKE.

** BUT ALSO MULTITUDES ARE BEING CONFIRMED AND AFFIRMED IN THEIR DEAD NON-EXISTENT FAITH WHO THINK THEY ARE CHRISTIANS.

*** AND I DON’T WANT TO BE A PART OF THAT ERROR AND HOPEFULLY NONE OF US WANT TO BE A PART OF THAT.

**** WE SHOULD WANT TO BE OBEDIENT AND COMMUNICATE CHRIST’S GOSPEL AS PRESENTED IN HIS WORD.

(9) WE SHOULD WANT TO GLORIFY GOD BY COMMUNICATING HIS TRUTH EXACTLY THE WAY HE COMMUNICATED.

* AND WE SHOULD NOT WANT TO GIVE ANYONE A FALSE ASSURANCE OF SALVATION.

** SO WHAT I’M DOING TODAY IS GIVING YOU AND MYSELF A SEVERE WARNING, FOR I USED TO PRESENT A WATERED-DOWN GOSPEL SINCERELY, BUT I WAS IN SIN NOT TO PRESENT IT THE WAY GOD PRESENTS IT IN HIS WORD.

*** AND WHAT WE HAVE IN OUR TEXT TODAY IS A SEVERE WARNING. A WARNING FOR PEOPLE WHO LIVE IN IMMORALITY TO REALIZE THAT THEY ARE NOT CHRISTIANS, THAT THEY DON’T HAVE AN INHERITANCE IN THE KINGDOM OF CHRIST AND GOD, V. 5.

**** A WARNING THAT THE WRATH OF GOD IS COMING ON THE SONS OF DISOBEDIENCE, PEOPLE WHO LIVE IN DISOBEDIENCE.

(10) AND THEN A WARNING NOT TO BE PARTAKERS OR PARTNERS WITH PEOPLE WHO ARE THE SONS OF DISOBEDIENCE.

* IN LIGHT OF THOSE TRUTHS, I’VE TITLED THE MESSAGE TODAY, SEVERE WARNINGS.

** AND UNDER THAT THEME WE’LL LOOK AT 3 THINGS IN EPHESIANS 5:5-7. NO. 1 THE RESTATING OF A TRUTH THE EPHESIANS HAD BEEN TAUGHT, V. 5.

*** NO. 2 THE RECIPIENTS OF GOD’S WRATH, V. 6; AND NO. 3 THE REQUIREMENT OR THE COMMAND FROM PAUL NOT TO PARTAKE WITH THE SONS OF DISOBEDIENCE.

**** AND WITH THOSE 3 POINTS IN MIND, LET’S LOOK AT OUR FIRST TRUTH TODAY, THE RESTATING, LOOK AT EPHESIANS 5:5 PLEASE.

I. THE RESTATING, (READ V. 5)

A. NOW IN THE FIRST PART OF V. 5, PAUL BEGINS BY SAYING, “FOR THIS YOU KNOW WITH CERTAINTY” OR “FOR OF THIS YOU CAN BE SURE” OR “FOR THIS YOU KNOW”.

* AND IN ESSENCE PAUL IS RESTATING A TRUTH HE HAD TAUGHT THE EPHESIANS BEFORE AS HE SPENT 3 YEARS OF HIS LIFE WITH THEM ACCORDING TO ACTS 20:31.

** AND IN HEARING PAUL FOR 3 YEARS, AND ALL OF HIS WARNINGS HE GAVE TO THEM, THERE SHOULD HAVE BEEN NO DOUBT OR CONFUSION IN THEIR MINDS ABOUT WHAT HE WAS ABOUT TO SAY, BECAUSE IT WAS NOTHING NEW.

*** I MEAN THESE PEOPLE SHOULD HAVE KNOWN WITH CERTAINTY, THEY SHOULD HAVE BEEN SURE AND UNDERSTOOD THAT THE IMMORAL PEOPLE HE HAD EARLIER DESCRIBED IN V. 3 AND TALKS ABOUT AGAIN IN V. 5, HAVE NO INHERITANCE, NO FUTURE HOME IN HEAVEN, IN THE KINGDOM OF GOD.

**** NOW THEY SHOULD HAVE KNOWN THAT, FOR MANY OF THESE PEOPLE AGAIN HAD HEARD PAUL OVER THE 3 YEARS HE SPENT WITH THEM.

1. AND PROBABLY THIS RESTATING WAS A HOLY REMINDER. BUT IN CONTRAST, I TALK WITH MORE THAN A FEW PEOPLE TODAY WHO THINK THEY ARE CHRISTIANS OR THINK FAMILY MEMBERS OF THEIRS ARE CHRISTIANS WHEN THEY LIVE IN IMMORAL SIN BECAUSE THEY WENT TO CHURCH AT ONE TIME, PROFESSED FAITH IN CHRIST, BUT DENY CHRIST BY THEIR LIVES AND LIVE IN SIN.

* FOR EXAMPLE, PEOPLE WHO LIVE TOGETHER IN IMMORALITY SAY THEY ARE CHRISTIANS. THEY ARE NOT MARRIED AND LIVE AS HUSBAND AND WIFE AND USE GOD TALK OR POP CHRISTIAN TALK AND TALK ABOUT PRAYER AND GOD AND GOD BLESS YOU AND THEY THINK THEY ARE CHRISTIANS OR SOME OF YOU THINK THEY ARE CHRISTIANS BECAUSE THEY QUOTE “MADE A DECISION FOR CHRIST.”

** NOT SO! AND THEY ARE RELIGIOUS PEOPLE AND QUOTE PASTORS AND BISHOPS OF DENOMINATIONS AND PEOPLE WHO GO TO CHURCH AND PROFESS THEY ARE HOMOSEXUALS AND THEY THINK THEY ARE CHRISTIANS.

*** NOT SO! FOR GO BACK TO THE INSPIRED WRITINGS OF SCRIPTURE, “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.”

**** NOW YOU DO NOT HAVE TO HAVE A SEMINARY DEGREE OR BE A GRADUATE OF AN IVY LEAGUE SCHOOL TO UNDERSTAND THIS.

2. THESE KINDS OF PEOPLE WHO LIVE THIS WAY ARE NOT GOING TO HEAVEN, THEY ARE NOT CHRISTIAN, PERIOD!

* PAUL IS DRAWING ATTENTION TO A CERTAINTY, PERSISTENT SINNERS ARE EXCLUDED FROM GOD’S KINGDOM.

** FOR IF YOU RECALL IN V. 3 IN OUR STUDY LAST SUNDAY, PAUL DENOUNCED THE SINS OF SEXUAL IMMORALITY, IMPURITY AND GREED.

*** AND NOW HE RETURNS TO THEM, CENSURING THOSE WHO HABITUALLY PRACTICE THEM. IN FACT, THE 3 NOUNS USED IN V. 5; IMMORAL, IMPURE OR COVETOUS ARE WORDS THAT ARE FROM THE SAME BASIC GREEK WORDS AS IMMORALITY, IMPURITY AND GREED USED IN V. 3.

**** SO THE 3 WORDS USED IN V. 5 REFER SPECIFICALLY TO THE PERSONS WHO COMMIT THE ACTS DESCRIBED IN V. 3 AND ARE IN THE SAME ORDER, THEY ARE COGNATES OF THE WORDS USED IN V. 3, RELATED WORDS, DESCENDED WORDS.

3. AND THE ONLY ADDITION IS PAUL SAYS THAT COVETOUS PEOPLE ARE IDOLATERS. AND THEY ARE FOR COVETOUS PEOPLE WORSHIP THEIR DESIRES, THEY WORSHIP THEIR WILLS, THEY WORSHIP WHAT THEY WANT.

* FOR YOU SEE ALONG WITH GREED FOR RICHES AND POWER, SEXUAL LUST IS AN IDOLATROUS OBSESSION; IT PLACES SELF-GRATIFICATION OR ANOTHER PERSON AT THE CENTER OF ONE’S EXISTENCE, AND THUS IS THE WORSHIP OF THE CREATURE RATHER THAN THE CREATOR, ROMANS 1:25.

** AND IT APPEARS TO ME THAT ALL OF THESE SINS TALKED ABOUT IN THIS CONTEXT ARE SINS OF IMMORALITY, SEXUAL SIN.

*** SEXUAL BEHAVIOR BEYOND THE LIMITS THAT GOD SETS, ANY SEXUAL BEHAVIOR OUTSIDE OF MARRIAGE BETWEEN A MAN AND A WOMAN, WHERE GOD INTENDS SEX TO BE ENJOYED.

**** NOW THE BOTTOM LINE IS THIS: PERSONS WHO ARE CHARACTERIZED BY THE SINS THAT PAUL HAS JUST CONDEMNED WILL HAVE NO INHERITANCE IN THE KINGDOM OF CHRIST AND GOD.

4. AND THE KINGDOM OF CHRIST AND GOD REFER TO THE SPHERE OF SALVATION, THE COMMUNION OF THE SAVED, CHRISTIANS, THE REDEEMED, AND THE PLACE OF ETERNAL GLORY.

* THE KINGDOM IS THE RULE OF CHRIST AND GOD WHICH MOST LIKELY REPRESENTS GOD THE FATHER AND INCLUDES THE PRESENT CHURCH, THE FUTURE KINGDOM AND OUR ETERNAL STATE.

** THE RULE OF GOD NOW AND IN THE FUTURE, FUTURE HEAVEN.

*** NOW, NO PERSON WHOSE LIFE PATTERN IS ONE OF HABITUAL IMMORALITY, IMPURITY AND GREED CAN BE A PART OF GOD’S KINGDOM BECAUSE NO SUCH PERSON CAN BELONG TO HIM.

**** SUCH PEOPLE CONTRADICT THE TRUTHS OF ROMANS 6 AND II CORINTHIANS 5:17, AS WELL AS THE TEACHING OF I JOHN REGARDING THE CHARACTERISTICS AND FRUITS OF BELIEVERS.

5. BEYOND THOSE SCRIPTURES FOLLOW ALONG WITH ME ON THE SCREEN WITH THE FOLLOWING VERSES:

I CORINTHIANS 6:9-11 – “DO YOU NOT KNOW THAT THE WICKED WILL NOT INHERIT THE KINGDOM OF GOD? DO NOT BE DECEIVED: NEITHER THE SEXUALLY IMMORAL NOR IDOLATERS NOR ADULTERERS NOR MALE PROSTITUTES NOR HOMOSEXUAL OFFENDERS,

V. 10 – NOR THIEVES NOR THE GREEDY NOR DRUNKARDS NOR SLANDERERS NOR SWINDLERS WILL INHERIT THE KINGDOM OF GOD.

V. 11 – AND THAT IS WHAT SOME OF YOU WERE. BUT YOU WERE WASHED, YOU WERE SANCTIFIED, YOU WERE JUSTIFIED IN THE NAME OF THE LORD JESUS CHRIST AND BY THE SPIRIT OF OUR GOD.”

* GALATIANS 5:19-21: “NOW THE DEEDS OF THE FLESH ARE EVIDENT, WHICH ARE: IMMORALITY, IMPURITY, SENSUALITY,

V. 20 – IDOLATRY, SORCERY, ENMITIES, STRIFE, JEALOUSY, OUTBURSTS OF ANGER, DISPUTES, DISSENTIONS, FACTIONS,

V. 21 – ENVYING, DRUNKENNESS, CAROUSING, AND THINGS LIKE THESE, OF WHICH I FOREWARN YOU, JUST AS I HAVE FOREWARNED YOU, THAT THOSE WHO PRACTICE SUCH THINGS WILL NOT INHERIT THE KINGDOM OF GOD.”

** THEN ONE LAST SCRIPTURE – REVELATION 21:8 SAYS: “BUT FOR THE COWARDLY AND UNBELIEVING AND ABOMINABLE AND MURDERERS AND IMMORAL PERSONS AND SORCERERS AND IDOLATERS AND ALL LIARS, THEIR PART WILL BE IN THE LAKE THAT BURNS WITH FIRE AND BRIMSTONE, WHICH IS THE SECOND DEATH.”

*** NOW IT IS CLEAR THAT THOSE WHO PRACTICE, PERSIST, AS A PATTERN LIVE THIS WAY, WILL NOT INHERIT THE KINGDOM OF GOD NO MATTER WHAT THEY PROFESS. AND WE MUST CAREFRONT PEOPLE WITH THESE TRUTHS WHO LIVE THIS WAY.

**** NOW ALSO NOTE HERE THAT PAUL IS NOT SAYING THAT A BELIEVER WHO FALLS INTO THESE SINS IS AUTOMATICALLY EXCLUDED FROM GOD’S KINGDOM.

6. RATHER, WHAT IS COMMUNICATED HERE IS THE PERSON WHO HAS GIVEN HIMSELF OR HERSELF UP WITHOUT SHAME OR REPENTANCE TO THIS WAY OF LIFE.

* ANY CHRISTIAN CAN FALL AND COMMIT ANY OF THESE SINS, BUT IF HE LIVES IN IT WITHOUT SHAME AND REPENTANCE HE IS NOT A CHRISTIAN.

** WE ARE NOT TALKING ABOUT PERFECTION BUT DIRECTION, FRUITS, PATTERNS, NORMS, PERSISTENCE, PRACTICE, CHARACTERISTIC LIFESTYLE, NOT FALLING INTO THESE SINS.

*** A TRUE CHRISTIAN CAN COMMIT THESE SINS, BUT NOT REMAIN IN THESE SINS.

**** BELOVED, THE VERDICT OF GOD IS THAT, NO MATTER WHAT MAY BE THE CLAIM, A LIFE DOMINATED BY SIN LIKE THIS IS ON THE ROAD TO HELL AND NOT HEAVEN.

7. WHICH LEADS US TO OUR 2’D POINT TODAY, THE RECIPIENTS OF THE WRATH OF GOD, THE SONS OF DISOBEDIENCE, LOOK AT V. 6 PLEASE.

II. THE RECIPIENTS, (READ V. 6)

A. NOW DON’T LET ANYONE TELL YOU THAT YOU CAN DO THESE THINGS AND BE A CHRISTIAN, OR THAT YOU CAN CONTINUALLY LIVE LIKE THIS AND GOD JUST OVERLOOKS IT.

* DON’T LET ANYBODY TELL YOU THAT YOU’RE GOING TO BE ALRIGHT BECAUSE YOU MADE A DECISION OR DID YOUR RELIGIOUS THING.

** WHY? THESE ARE EMPTY, MEANINGLESS, USELESS, VAIN WORDS.

*** AND DON’T LET ANYONE DECEIVE YOU WITH EMPTY WORDS, LIT. WORDS THAT ARE DEVOID OF TRUTH, VAIN WORDS, NOTHING USELESS WORDS, WITHOUT EFFECT, WORDS THAT ARE FRUITLESS, HOLLOW AND WORTHLESS, FILLED WITH ERROR.

**** DON’T LET ANYBODY DECEIVE YOU OR BEGUILE YOU OR CHEAT YOU WITH THIS KIND OF TALK, ANTINOMIANS WHO COMMUNICATE CHEAP GRACE AND NO LAW, YOU ARE FREE TO LIVE ANY WAY YOU WANT, YOU CAN LIVE IN SIN AS LONG AS YOU HAVE MADE A DECISION.

1. AND THE BIBLE ANSWER IS NO YOU CAN’T! ROMANS 6:1&2 SAYS: (READ THEM)

* BELOVED, WE HAVE LIBERTY IN CHRIST BUT NOT LICENSE, WE HAVE FREEDOM, FREEDOM NOT TO SIN NOW IN CHRIST, WE ARE NEW. YOU ARE NOT WHAT YOU WERE, LIVE LIKE IT.

** AND AS WE GO BACK TO V. 6, WE ARE TOLD THAT BECAUSE OF THESE THINGS – CONTEXTUALLY IMMORALITY, IMPURITY AND GREED, COMES THE WRATH OF GOD UPON THE SONS OF GOD? NO, THE SONS OF DISOBEDIENCE. WHAT YOU WERE BEFORE SALVATION, READ EPHESIANS 2:1&2.

*** NOW SONS OF DISOBEDIENCE IS A DESIGNATION, A TERM FOR UNSAVED PEOPLE, NON CHRISTIANS.

**** THE WORD SONS OR CHILDREN IS AN EXPRESSION CALLING A PERSON HAVING A CERTAIN QUALITY, A SON OF THAT QUALITY.

2. SO THESE CHARACTERISTICS ARE NOT THE CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SONS OF GOD, THEY’RE CHARACTERISTICS OR QUALITIES OF SONS OF DISOBEDIENCE, THE LOST.

* AND DO YOU SEE THE CONTRAST IN EPHESIANS 5:1-6? VERSE 6 ENDS WITH THE CHILDREN OF DISOBEDIENCE AND VERSE 1 BEGINS BELOVED OR DEAR CHILDREN. THERE’S A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE DEAR SON OF GOD AND THE SONS OF DISOBEDIENCE.

** AND IN OUTCOME THERE IS A HUGE DIFFERENCE, FOR THE WRATH OF GOD, HIS HOLY FURY, HIS RIGHTEOUS INDIGNATION, HIS RIGHTEOUS PUNISHMENT IS POURED OUT AND WILL BE POURED OUT ON THESE PEOPLE.

*** THE PRESENT TENSE OF THE GREEK VERB “COMES” PROBABLY DEPICTS THE ACTION TAKING PLACE AS A PROCESS: THOSE WHO ARE DISOBEDIENT EXPERIENCE THE DIVINE WRATH EXPRESSED IN ROMANS 1:18-32 WHETHER IN THIS AGE OR IN ITS FULL MANIFESTATION AT THE DAY OF JUDGMENT.

**** THE WARNING IS JUDGMENT IS CERTAIN!

3. AND WITH THAT WARNING, THERE IS ONE MORE WARNING IN V. 7 WHICH WE’LL LOOK AT QUICKLY USING THE WORD THE REQUIREMENT, THE FINAL WARNING, LOOK AT V. 7 PLEASE.

III. THE REQUIREMENT, (READ V. 7)

A. NOW THIS FINAL REQUIREMENT, THIS “THEREFORE” IN V. 7 POINTS US TO THE TRUTH, BECAUSE OF THESE THINGS, WHEREFORE, THEN, THE RESULT OF ALL THIS IS A FINAL WARNING, A COMMAND, “DO NOT BE PARTAKERS WITH THEM”.

* THEM BEING THE SONS OF DISOBEDIENCE. DON’T BE PARTAKERS, PARTNERS, DO NOT SHARE IN THEIR IMMORALITY, IN THEIR LIFESTYLE.

** BELIEVER, YOU ARE NOT WHAT YOU WERE, YOUR PAST IS PAST, LIVE OUT THE RISEN LIFE. PUT ON GRACE CLOTHES OF HOLINESS AND DON’T ALLOW THE GRAVE CLOTHES OF UNHOLINESS TO BE A PART OF YOUR LIFE.

*** FOR AS AN INTRODUCTION TO NEXT WEEK, LOOK AT V. 8 – “FOR YOU WERE FORMERLY DARKNESS, BUT NOW YOU ARE CHILDREN OF LIGHT; WALK AS CHILDREN OF LIGHT.”

**** LIVE OUT AS A MANNER OF YOUR LIFE, LIVE A LIFE THAT BEFITS YOU BEING A SON OF GOD, IMITATE YOUR FATHER, GOING BACK TO V.1.

1. YOUR PAST IS PAST, LIVE LIKE SONS OF GOD.

AND AS I WRAP UP THINGS TODAY (1) I AM CONVINCED THAT THE VISIBLE CHURCH TODAY IS FILLED WITH PEOPLE WHO ARE SONS OF DISOBEDIENCE AND NOT SONS OF GOD.

* AND MANY OF THEM DON’T KNOW IT. IT’S NOT SO MUCH THAT THEY ARE HYPOCRITES WHICH THERE ARE MANY, BUT THESE PEOPLE HAVE BEEN CONDITIONED BY A WATERED DOWN SYNTHETIC CHEAP GRACE GOSPEL THAT THEY ARE BELIEVERS.

** AND THAT IS ONE OF THE DANGERS OF THE USER FRIENDLY, SEEKER FRIENDLY, UNBIBLICAL GOSPEL THAT IS BEING PREACHED BY SOME TODAY.

*** AND I’M NOT HERE TO QUESTION THEIR MOTIVES AND TO SAY THEY ARE ALL LOST; MANY ARE SINCERELY TRYING TO REACH PEOPLE.

**** YET WE DON’T REACH PEOPLE BY MINIMIZING, REDUCING OR WATERING DOWN THE GOSPEL TO MAKE IT LESS OFFENSIVE TO UNSAVED PEOPLE.

(2) WE DON’T REACH PEOPLE BY QUOTE “BEING MORE RELEVANT IN OUR MESSAGE TO REACH OUR CULTURE”. WE REACH PEOPLE BY COMMUNICATING THE UNVARNISHED TRUTH.

* OUR PROCLAMATION OF CHRIST SHOULD NOT BE SHAPED BY THE CULTURE, BUT AIMED AT THE CULTURE. IT IS IRRELEVANT WHAT OUR CULTURE WANTS, RELEVANCE HAS TO DO WITH WHAT GOD WANTS.

** SO MAY WE FAITHFULLY AND PASSIONATELY PROCLAIM AND COMMUNICATE THE LORDSHIP, COMMITMENT, REPENTANCE GOSPEL OF CHRIST.

*** REALIZING THAT GOD WILL SAVE HIS ELECT THROUGH THAT AND BE GLORIFIED AND BE GLORIFIED THROUGH OUR OBEDIENCE TO LIFT UP HIS GLORIOUS GOOD NEWS WHICH BEGINS WITH THE BAD NEWS THAT WE ARE SINNERS AND REBELLIOUS.

**** AND MAY WE REALIZE THAT THE CROSS WILL OFFEND, THAT THE GOSPEL DOES DIVIDE. BUT THAT IS A DIVIDE THAT SEPARATES THE CHRISTIAN AND THE NON-CHRISTIAN, I CORINTHIANS 1:18 (READ IT).

(3) AND BECAUSE WE HAVE A TOOL THAT YOU CAN USE THAT COMMUNICATES THE MESSAGE OF THE GOSPEL IN A COMPREHENSIVE WAY, IT’S CALLED THE RED BOOK, A STUDY OF HOW TO KNOW GOD.

* AND IT EXALTS THE TRUTHS OF THE GOSPEL IN A CLEAR WAY. AND I’M NOT SUGGESTING THAT IT IS OUR ONLY TOOL OR THE ONLY RIGHT TOOL.

** BUT AN EFFECTIVE TOOL TO USE IN OUR OUTREACH. AND WHAT A PROFOUND EFFECT IT COULD HAVE IF EVERYONE WHO PROFESSES TO KNOW CHRIST WOULD DO ONE 10 WEEK STUDY A YEAR WITH SOMEONE GOD HAS BROUGHT ACROSS YOUR PATH (ILLUSTRATE BETH AND ME RIGHT NOW).

*** AND LET ME SAY IF WHAT IS HOLDING YOU UP IS YOU DO NOT FEEL YOU ARE EQUIPPED TO DO THAT STUDY, SEE MICHAEL OR RON OR MYSELF AND WE WILL START A CLASS NEXT SUNDAY IN THE 2’D SERVICE ON HOW TO DO IT.

**** AND WHATEVER TOOL YOU USE, LIFT UP THE GOSPEL CLEARLY AND REMEMBER THE TRUTH OF

I CORINTHIANS 3:6 AND THEN I’LL PRAY. (READ IT).

(4) MAY WE BE FAITHFUL IN SOWING THE SEED OF THE WORD.