Passage Read: Ephesians 5-6
Meditation Verses: 5:5-7
Thought
Immorality, impurity, greed, anyone who practices these things in any of their forms, has no inheritance in the Kingdom of Christ and God. They will not be saved. So Paul has simple and clear instructions: Avoid all these things, be as far from them as possible, so that there's not even a hint of them among the believers! Anyone who argues that a little is ok, or this or that doesn't count, these are empty words; they have no authority to say such things. Any believer who participates in anything forbidden can be sure they will not take part in the Kingdom of Christ. They will be left out. They do not worship and serve the Lord, but their own appetites. God is serious about redeeming us from wicked ways and appointing us to walk in holiness. It should be our primary concern too, to walk in purity and holiness and contentment, seeking to know, worship and serve the Lord above all things.
Application
Jesus suffered and died to redeem me from sin and sinful ways, how can I not understand that immorality and impurity and greed are supposed to be as far from me as the east is from west? These are not a part of God's nature, so they can't be part of the new nature He has given me. "Not even a hint" means I can't even dabble in them, I can't let myself "accidently" slip into it. I need to make a clean break from it and not leave myself in situations where I could be enticed even a little. If I love Jesus Christ and God my Father, then I need to take these things seriously. If I don't think they're that big a deal, I dishonor what Jesus suffered for me, what God sent His beloved Son to endure for my salvation. God is holy, and so should I be holy in all I do. If I'm not going to take pains in these things, I shouldn't expect to enter Christ's eternal Kingdom.