Paul urged his readers to imitate
God. He sums up that way of life by
saying “walk in love.” Sounds good. Most of us are willing to say we could be
more loving. But, then, he gets down to
cases. He points to an example of this
lifestyle. This walking in love is seen
in “Christ [who] loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and
sacrifice to God.”
This keeps love from being a
sentimental feeling of goodwill toward humanity, the feeling some have from
about December 1 until New Year’s Day when we realize we have to start getting
our taxes ready.
No, Paul points to a
flesh-and-blood example of the lifestyle he described in a few words—kindness,
compassion, forgiveness—at the end of the previous chapter. (Remember, Paul’s letter would have had no
chapter breaks; you would have segued seamlessly to these words.)
A few years ago, some Christians
began wearing bracelets or driving cars with bumper stickers that said
WWJD. Of course, the letters stood for
“What Would Jesus Do?” In time, the fad
passed, perhaps because it became the
object of jokes from the unsympathetic.
But I remember a writer who was not known as a Christian suggested that
as moral guidelines go it wasn’t so bad.
Better, at least, than “What Would Hitler Do,” for example.
Paul invites us to ask just that
question. It is behind what he says in
Ephesians 5:1-14.
But answering that question isn’t
easy, is it? While Jesus is, at the
writer of Hebrews says, “the same yesterday, today, and forever,” he did not
talk about television, the internet, living in a pluralistic society, or how to
vote in a democratic election. This is
why I am intrigued by verse 10: “Walk as
children of light (for the fruit of light is found in all that is good and
right and true), and try to discern what is pleasing to the Lord.” To walk as “children of light” implies that
our worldview gives us a perspective for making moral choices, for shaping our
lives. In a culture shaped by a
naturalistic philosophy—one that says this is all there is—we know there is
Another. We must bring God into the
equations of life.
This is why the call to “try to
discern what is pleasing to the Lord” is so significant. It implies we must think about the moral
questions of life, our responses must not be the mental equivalent of knee-jerk
reactions to those questions. They
cannot be answers based on the way things used to be or based on a world we
wish existed. Yes, the Bible gives us
principles to guide us but to know how to apply those principles we must use
our minds.
Rene Patzia comments, “The
Christian life…is not just a simple acceptance of doctrines and rules;
believers are called upon to exercise intelligent judgment as they relate their
theology to specific moral situations.”
Following the First World War,
American theologian Reinhold Niebuhr became an outspoken pacifist. Then, as news of the Nazi atrocities became
known, he became a supporter of the military response to Hitler’s
activities. He explained that his
earlier position was based on an optimistic naiveté, while his new view took
into account the profound evil displayed in the fascist regimes. He had thought deeply about the question.
Now, in this passage Paul says
there are certain behaviors that no one whose thinking is based on “the light,”
motivated by a desire to “please God,” can condone.
Paul’s own observation that “it is
shameful even to speak of the things that they do in secret” means that he
doesn’t give us too many specifics. With that in mind let me offer some general
observations drawn from what Paul says.
1.
Paul’s words imply that “living in the light…pleasing God” should shape
our words as well as our actions. Do his
words mean Christians can’t tell jokes, can’t kid one another, can’t
laugh? I don’t think that fits with a
faith that includes “joy” a one of its benefits. Perhaps his words are a reminder that not
everything that makes us laugh is truly funny.
2.
Paul wants us to remember that our outer behavior reflects our inner
condition. “Greed” reflects a commitment
to something other than God, “idolatry,” in fact. If we claim to be people of the light but
live like those still in the dark, what does that say about our hearts?
3.
Paul insists that some expressions of our sexuality are wrong. The phrase “sexual immorality and all
impurity” refer to all manner of sexual behavior, such as promiscuity, adultery,
and homosexuality. Perhaps no other
statement in this passage will inspire as much outrage.
Our culture has come very close to
saying that no expression of an individual’s sexual impulse should be
denied. No, we haven’t yet endorsed rape
or child-molestation. Yet, books that
would have once been read with the curtains drawn are being openly read in
coffee shops and airports. And though
Paul says believers are to have nothing to do with such behavior, we’ve all
seen Christian women reading books like Fifty
Shades of Grey. Am I reflecting a
kind of puritanical prudishness? No, at
least I hope not. But, remember, the
Puritans—flawed as they were in some areas—understood that what we think about
will effect how we behave and the kind of behaviors we passively endorse.
Now, I admit that some of the
issues Paul brings up in this passage are complex. Christians must wrestle with some of the
questions they raise. The etiology or
source of the homosexual impulse in an individual is not yet fully
explained. Most other behaviors
condemned in the Bible can be described as acts a person takes. The thief steals because he wants what you
have. Homosexuals explain their behavior
as a reflection of their identity.
Recognizing this, I know that I must move cautiously in addressing their
behavior.
I also must carefully distinguish
my response from that of my fellow Christians who have no compassion for the
homosexual. I know that Christ died for
the homosexual, just as he died for me, because both the homosexual and I are
sinners.
I try to keep in mind that everywhere
homosexual behavior is condemned in the Bible it is always linked with other
sins. To put the matter simply, if the
Westboro Baptist Church wanted to be consistent in its protests, its members
would need to carry signs saying, “God Hates Gossips.” But I don’t believe that is the way to
present the gospel. The gospel begins
with “God loves,” not “God hates.”
4.
Paul cautions about the kinds of words we listen to. When he says “Let no one deceive you with
empty words,” he may be saying there will be those who try to argue for the
behaviors he condemns being innocent, nothing to make a fuss over. Phillips renders this verse bluntly, “Don’t
let anyone fool you on this point, however plausible his argument. “
Often, in the history of the
church, there have been those who use smooth talk to argue that condemned
behavior is really okay. In nineteenth
century America, there were several groups arguing that Christian love allowed
for polygamy or what we would call “open marriages.” Paul says we should weigh such claims against
the message of the Bible.
Those who might look at the vast
array of behaviors displayed in our culture and say “it’s all good” are simply
wrong.
5.
Paul warns us that our behavior has consequences. Again, what he says here is
controversial. Yet, his words reflect
the Christian consensus until recent days. Some behavior belies our claim to be
part of God’s Kingdom, our claim that we are living to please him.
What this may mean for our own
spiritual destiny should be carefully considered. And, we should consider if our indifferent
attitude might persuade others to be indifferent to their spiritual peril.
In any case, none of us can ignore
the call to repentance and transformation implicit in these words.
6.
Paul makes our commitment to love a reflection of our identity as
beneficiaries of God’s love in Christ.
Our behavior reflects our identity
as children of God, children of light.
The dreadful charge of hypocrisy looms over anyone who forgets this.
Our behavior and attitude should be
shaped by the call to “walk in love.”
But remember this is real love, the love that seeks the best for
another. Sentimentality that refuses to
address soul-destroying behavior is not Christian love.
Only behavior that reflects the tough
love of Christ, the love shaped by kindness, compassion, and forgiveness, can make
an impact.
How we demonstrate that love calls
for us to be truly thoughtful. We must
weigh the words we use and the actions we take.
Our thinking must be shaped by what we know of Christ “who loved us and
gave himself for us.”
