The following is not meant to be a theological revelation, nor is it declaring a official position that I take. It is simply some random (not really random cause in true Bible Study nothing is truly random) thoughts.
Paul, in Ephesians 5:1 starts by saying, "Be Imitators of God". Paul here is wanting us to realize that if we imitate Christ the rest will faill into place. 5:3 He then deals with sexual sins. It is interesting that he states this after showing us the love of Christ. Paul says to have NO impurity, to be so pure that it cannot even be mentioned of me. Then moving from purity to our tongue in 5:4.
-To not make filthy remarks.
-To not make empty conversation, rather let everything we say have a purpose.
-To not make coarse jokes (jesting) as much fun as it may be this is not edification and Paul spent the previous 2 chapters telling us to work together in unity.
"BUT" after the "To's" Paul gives us a Put on - Thanksgiving. If we do not speak the first 3 things we will have nothing left except to give thanks.
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OK so many of you may know just as much as I do that I love to joke around. When I went through that little last section it was like, "woe, wait a minute that's me. The empty talk, talking to talk. Joking and spending so much time doing it that in the process I lost all edification" It is interesting that Paul doesn't talk about all the things we hear often like, don't sin, don't do your own thing,or don't give up. These are all good and we need to get control of them but Paul spends so much time telling us to keep the bond through peace. While I am in no means trying to push us to be so peace oriented that we lose our testimony in the process, I am saying that if more time would be spent in edification (this is in some senses all encompassing) the rest would fall into place. As Christians our life is the only gospel some people will read and if we spend our time tearing each other down, talking about pointless things, or talking in impure tongue the gospel that will be read will not be one of Gods love. We are to reflect Gods love in our life, so if Gods love is like the church's I can see why many people want nothing to do with it.
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Personal Question: Is my reflection of gods love clean and clear, or is it dulled by the many years of filth and waste that I have piled on it?
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