Ephesians 5:3-7 Part 2

But immorality (sexual vice) and all impurity [of lustful, rich, wasteful living] or greediness must not even be named among you, as is fitting and proper among saints (God's consecrated people). Let there be no filthiness (obscenity, indecency) nor foolish and sinful (silly and corrupt) talk, nor coarse jesting, which are not fitting or becoming; but instead voice your thankfulness [to God]. For be sure of this: that no person practicing sexual vice or impurity in thought or in life, or one who is covetous [who has lustful desire for the property of others and is greedy for gain]--for he [in effect] is an idolater--has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God. Let no one delude and deceive you with empty excuses and groundless arguments [for these sins], for through these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of rebellion and disobedience. So do not associate or be sharers with them. Ephesians 5:3-7

In yesterdays post we talked about how these verses may seem to place all of the burden on us, when in fact all of the burden is actually on our Shepherd, our Head, our Lord, our Master, our Potter, and our Groom Jesus. I wanted to continue with this Truth today, because most of my life the preaching has been that we must do these things and there was always a lot of condemnation for our failures. So let’s look again at Colossians 2.

Having cancelled and blotted out and wiped away the handwriting of the note (bond) with its legal decrees and demands which was in force and stood against us (hostile to us). This [note with its regulations, decrees, and demands] He set aside and cleared completely out of our way by nailing it to [His] cross. Colossians 2:4

The Truth is that all of the legal decrees which stood against us have now been removed from us. This is why Paul writes that he is free to do all things.

All things are legitimate [permissible--and we are free to do anything we please], but not all things are helpful (expedient, profitable, and wholesome). All things are legitimate, but not all things are constructive [to character] and edifying [to spiritual life]. 1 Corinthians 10:23

All things are legitimate for us because in Christ there is now no law to convict us with. However, all things don’t help others. The Truth is that we cannot mess up, because there is no law to mess up. This is what brings us peace, this is why our yoke is so easy and our burden is light, we cannot fail in Christ. Yet, the Holy Ghost did write all of these verses here in Ephesians? So what does it all mean? It means that we don’t have to worry about any of it, Jesus has to. That’s right, Jesus does, not us, the burden is all His and the victory is of His efforts are ours. Jesus is our Head, Jesus is our Shepherd, and Jesus is our Vine. The only way that we can ever begin to live verses 3-7 is for Jesus to cause us to. 

I am the Vine; you are the branches. Whoever lives in Me and I in him bears much (abundant) fruit. However, apart from Me [cut off from vital union with Me] you can do nothing. John 15:5

Without Jesus we can do nothing, but with Jesus we will bear much fruit. Our Father knew exactly who and what we were before we ever were. His plan and purpose all along was to place His Spirit within us and cause us to walk in His Truth,

And I will put my Spirit in you and move you to follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws. Ezekiel 36:27

This is why Paul wrote that all things are legal for us, because it is all our Father within us causing us to do what He wants. If we are doing something right, it is only because our Father is causing us to do it right. This is why we cannot boast, Romans 4:2. So the Truth also has to be, that if we are not doing something right, then it is has to be because of our Father has not yet caused us to do it right. This is why there is now no condemnation to us who are in Christ, Romans 8:1. 

In Christ we are always more than conquerors because He loves us, Romans 8:37. Only Jesus can cause us to not be silly, greedy, or immoral. Only Jesus can remove our vices, without Him we can do nothing. In Christ we have complete freedom and because we do we will live just as He lives. If you are looking to yourself to keep even the simplest commands in the Bible you will fail. Because if you did do anything on your own you could boast and brag about it. 

A branch has its part to play, so does a body part, and so does clay. Yet none of them play there parts alone. A branch never does anything without the vine, a hand without the head, and the clay without the potter. Jesus is our Vine, our Head, and our Father is our Potter. So when you read verses like Ephesians 3-7 you can rejoice and celebrate them because Jesus is responsible to make us do them all and it is through His strength and power that we will do them. If you believe it is what you have to do and not what Jesus has to do through you, than you never will have peace and you never will have victory.